Laser
Barcode Readers are the most common
type of
Barcode Readers. A laser
Barcode Readers
need not be in
contact with a barcode to read it. A standard range laser
Barcode Readers
can read a barcode from about 6 to 24 inches away, and a long range
Barcode Readers
can read one from perhaps 2 to 8 feet away. Certain extra long-range
laser Barcode Readers
are capable of reading a barcode from up to 30 feet away. A basic handheld laser
Barcode Readers can cost as little
as $180, with specialty laser
Barcode Readers
costing as much as $2000. Laser
Barcode Readers
are often in handheld
or "gun" form factors, but are also regularly built for counter-top or fixed-mount
applications.
CCD (Charge Coupled Device) Barcode Readers
use an imaging CCD (similar to the ones found in digital cameras) to take
a picture of barcodes, that are then decoded into a sequence of characters. CCD
Barcode Readers
have a very fast scan
speed, but a low scan range (often less than 3 inches from the barcode). A CCD
Barcode Readers
can be very durable because they do not contain any moving parts, but
are limited because they cannot read any barcodes wider than the imaging element.
Their low cost and speed make CCD
Barcode Readers
well suited for point of sale applications,
but their short read range makes them a poor choice for warehouse or industrial
applications.
2D
Barcode Readers
are any type of
Barcode Readers
capable of reading 2D barcodes like PDF417, MaxiCode, or DataMatrix. Some laser
Barcode Readers
are capable of reading 2D barcodes, but most are CCD
Barcode Readers
or imagers.
Omni-Directional Barcode Readers are Barcode Readers that disperse the standard linear laser scan pattern into one that can read
barcodes at any angle. Because of this ability to read barcodes at any angle Omni-Directional Barcode Readers work well for point of sale applications.
A "PDF417 Barcode Readers" is any type of scanner that can read the particular
symbology known as PDF417. This is a two-dimensional barcode that is actually a bunch of one-dimensional barcodes stacked on
top of one another, resembling a snowed-out television set. Clearly, this code can contain a lot of information in the same
amount of space as a regular 1-D code, and is therefore often used as a kind of summary for important documents or labels
(e.g. very common on tax forms and driver's licenses). The important distinction in the bar-coding industry stems from the
fact that PDF417 is a 2-D code, but many manufacturers offer a 1-D type scanner that is capable of reading PDF417. Pretty
much all two-dimensional scanners (or, imagers) can read PDF417 and one-dimensional barcodes.
An imager is a Barcode Readers that really functions more like a digital camera
than a laser scanner, and is capable of reading two-dimensional symbologies. Rather than bouncing one or several beams of
intense light off of a barcode, the imager bounces a burst of light off of the barcode and back into a camera-like eye,
essentially taking a picture. Unlike a laser scanner (or human eye), the imager does not need the barcode to be oriented in
anyway (other than within the scan area) in order to be legible. In fact, it doesn't need it to be a "bar"-code at all. Two
dimensional symbologies come in a variety of styles, some resembling a chessboard or the familiar UPS code (a target with snow
around it). Of course, all imagers can still read the one-dimensional codes, but usually without the greater range capability
of a laser scanner. Because of their camera-like "eyes", some imagers are designed to be capable of capturing photos, like a
camera cell phone. This is a great idea for those who want a handgun scanner for barcodes with the ability to store images of,
say, a signature or I.D.
USB: (abbreviation for "Universal Serial Bus") The latest generation of serial bus technology that can transfer data at up to 12 Megabits/second, can be daisy chained (with up to 127 devices on a single port) and can provide power from the computer's power supply to peripherals (so that peripherals do not need their own AC power). USB "hubs," boxes that provide multiple USB ports and a power boost to the USB chain are usually needed if you have more than a few USB devices on your machine. USB also allows hot-plugging so that you can plug and unplug peripheral devices without having to shut down your computer.
A PS2 Keyboard Wedge Barcode Scanner connects to the keyboard port on a computer. When a barcode is scanned, the data appears on the screen just as though it had been entered via the keyboard. Keyboard Wedge Barcode Scanners come with a 'Y' connector which allows the keyboard and the scanner to be connected and used at the same time. This is a very simple and easy-to-install type of Barcode Scanner, but it does not allow any modification or re-ordering of the barcode's data before displaying it on the screen.
A RS232 Serial Barcode Scanner connects to the computer's serial port and sends its information to the screen or to any program. A Serial Barcode Scanner is more complex than a Keyboard Wedge Barcode Scanner, but much more versatile: barcode data can be edited, re-ordered or otherwise changed before it is displayed, allowing customization of applications collecting and using barcode data.
Cordless
Barcode Readers
use radio frequencies similar to cordless phones to send scanned information
back to a computer-attached base station. Chief criteria for selection a cordless
Barcode Readers
are range and battery life.Cordless
Barcode Readers
can dramatically improve shipping and reciving operations where a cable could
get damaged or limit access to packages to be scanned.
A handheld Barcode Readers is, of course, any scanner that is held in the hand of the user. The opposite of the handheld
scanner would be a fixed mount Barcode Readers, ones that are attached to a wall, counter, or assembly line and are not
operated directly by the user. Most handheld Barcode Readers are designed like a handgun, with a grip and a trigger to
activate the scanning operation. Some scanners are more
of a phaser, also with a grip, but with a button on top instead of a trigger below. However,
the handheld Barcode Readers also includes scanners that are better referred to as Portable Data Collectors (PDTs). These
typically can have either their own inherent data collection software running that attaches important information (e.g. time,
quantity stamps) to the barcodes scanned, or else can be fully mobile computers, with PocketPC or other operating systems.
Wand Barcode Readers are the
simplest and lease expensive type of
Barcode Readers
. Because of their
simple design (no moving parts), wand
Barcode Readers
are the most durable type
of barcode scanner, and can be tightly sealed against dust, dirt, and other environmental
hazards. Wand
Barcode Readers
are limited because
they must come into direct contact with a barcode to read it. Because of their
small size and low weight, wand
Barcode Readers
are ideally suited to portable (laptop) or very low volume scanning applications.
These types of scanners, rather than being held in the user's hand and operated directly, are typically "fixed" to a wall,
a counter, or next to an assembly/transporting line. Containing powerful scan engines, fixed-mount scanners can usually
automatically detect when a barcode enters into their scan area, enabling them to scan codes that travel by them at speed.
Some are available in either single-line laser formats or "raster", multi-line formats, which greatly increase the chance that
a skewed barcode can be read.
"Projection" Barcode Readers is really a misnomer for scanners more commonly
referred to as "omni-directional" scanners. Omni-directional scanners produce not one laser beam, but many, and often in a
crosshatch pattern that enables the barcode to be scanned at multiple angles of orientation, freeing the user from having to
worry too much about proper orientation. Obviously, this is a great boon for point-of-sale retail applications, cashiers
needn't take the extra time to line-up a barcode. These types of scanners are designed to be placed on a countertop and be
hands-free, though pretty much all models can be easily picked up.
Industrial Barcode Readers are those scanners that have been designed with an eye
toward durability. Dusty, damp environments (or careless ones!) can often seriously inhibit a scanner's life-span, and
therefore, the investment. If you can foresee wanting to use a scanner in any area that could be described as uncomfortable for
your average electronic device, than an industrial Barcode Readers may be in the
best interest. Most industrial scanners are simply rubberized versions of normal scanner models, or else have enclosures
designed to resist dust and moisture, and provide much greater impact resistance.
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