(1888PressRelease)
April 30, 2008 - Barcode scanners are light emitting devices that are used to read barcodes. Usually attached to a computer or laptop via PS2 or RS-232, the data collected is stored on a computer for processing or storage. It is now used in many different industries such as retail or production.
Barcodes come in two different forms: 1 Dimensional and 2 Dimensional. 1D is the most common type of barcode and looks like the picture to the right. 1D Barcodes are made up of a series of lines of different widths. Data can only be stored 1 dimensionally in a horizontal manner. A barcode reader scans the codes and retrieves a product code.
The other type of barcode is the 2D. The main difference is though, data can be stored both horizontally as well as vertically, allowing a greater amount of data to be stored. You cannot use a 1D scanner to read the data from a 2D barcode however a 2D scanner can scan both 1D & 2D barcodes. When it comes to connecting your barcode scanner to a particular device you need to take into account compatibility. For example, if you are planning on connecting your scanner to a cash register, will you need to ensure that you have the right connection type and that the cash register is compatible with a scanner. Some cash registers need to be setup at the factory to allow a scanner to be connected to the port. Connection types include PS/2 (keyboard type), USB (for use with newer PCs) or Serial (commonly used with cash registers).
These scanners are almost identical to the handheld barcode scanners, however they have the added ability of being wireless (usually using Bluetooth).
Bluetooth scanners can communicate with any PC, Laptop, PDA, mobile phone, printer that includes an embedded Bluetooth device or an external Bluetooth dongle. Bluetooth is a worldwide standard, and it allows various devices manufactured by different companies to easily connect and communicate with each other.
