Barcode Scanners

When you think of Barcode Scanners, you think of a machine that makes your business life easy on everyday basis. However, it was not the same a decade ago. Using barcode scanners would mean inviting a family of wires on your counter which would run around all places. Now all you have to is plug in the cable and you are ready to use your barcode scanner!

With multiple varieties available in the market to choose from, it has become important to select the right type of barcode scanner that is appropriate for your business. This may sound very challenging but knowing few important set of features that you would require in your daily POS routine is all that you need. You must give a thought to the following:

1.Will the scanner be used for industrial purpose or will it be used for general purpose?
2.How frequently will you be using your scanner?
3.What will be the type of barcodes that your scanner will be reading?
4.Do you need your barcode scanner to be connected to your PC at all times?

If you know the conditions where your barcode scanner has to be used, then it becomes very easy to find out which scanner you will be buying. There are a variety of Barcode scanners online that are available in different forms and technologies. Discussing each of these will help you understand their usability.

Types of Barcode Scanners:

Have you been trying to find the right type of scanner for your business? When you go out to look for a barcode scanner, there are a few things that you should always keep in mind. Some these concerns involve knowing the kind of scan engine that your scanner is built around. Knowing this is important because this will decide the condition in which the scanner will be used.

Laser
Laser scanners are amongst few scanners that are used by many businesses these days. These scanners read the reflection of the black and white gap which is left in a barcode with the help of red diode laser. If you are looking for a pocket saving and cost-effective scanner, then you must consider this one. However, these scanners can only read 1D barcodes and are also known as standard linear barcodes. You can find these scanners in majorly two varieties:

1.The standard laser barcode scanners have a limited range of scanning which means that they can read barcode from 1 foot and maximum up till 2 feet. This may also vary considering the size of the scanner.

2.The second variety in these scanners is the extended range of scanners which can read barcode that are 30-35 feet away. These barcode scanners work well with large reflective labels. Motorola barcode scanner LS3408ER is a good example for laser scanners that can read barcodes from a good distance.

Imager:
Imager scanners can be classified into two categories:

Linear Imager Scanner- One Dimensional (1D)

Another type of scanner that reads only 1D barcodes is the Linear Imager Scanner. These scanners are similar to the that of laser scanners but the difference is that rather than decoding the barcodes with the help of reflections, these scanners click a picture of the barcode and decode the image of the barcode extracting important information. Linear Imager scanners are now getting more popular replacing laser scanners because they give the user a better range of products to choose from and the price of the scanners is almost the same. The reason behind their popularity is that these scanners manage to read the barcodes of products which are either not printer properly or have been scratched which is a little difficult with laser scanners. These scanners are quite efficient when they are used for businesses which require rugged use Honeywell 1300g stands as a good example of a linear imager scanner.

Imager Scanner- Two Dimensional (2D)

The 2D imager scanner functions in the same manner as the 1D imager scanner. These scanners also take the picture of the barcode and extract the information from the barcode. The difference between the two is that unlike 1D imager scanner, the 2D imager scanner has ability to read all types of barcodes including the 1D, 2D and stacked barcodes. These barcode scanners are more efficient to use because they have the advantage of reading barcodes in any direction that is presented to them unlike laser and linear imager scanners. You don’t have to aim to scan a product anymore. This feature of the scanner helps the users to scan the barcodes at a faster rate than any other scanner. A very good example of the 2D imager scanner is Honeywell 1900 that is gaining popularity in the industrial sector because it provides faster speed of scanning in a rugged atmosphere.

Omnidirectional Barcode Scanners

The Omni Directional Barcode Scanners use different patterns of laser beams to interpret barcodes from multiple angles. Most linear imager and 1D laser barcode scanner uses a single beam of light to read the product barcodes. These scanners are best for retail showrooms and supermarkets. This type of scanners is very famous for their usage in warehouses because of their tough and rugged use. Omni Directional Barcode Scanners easier to use friendly because they are not required to be held as they are hands free devices. This device is also very useful when the stores are usually crowded and require quick customer check outs.

Connectivity:

Corded or Cordless:

Corded Scanners: Evergreen, easy to manage scanners

Going back to the history, there existed scanners that were corded. Scanner that could be easily connected to your PC through a wire/cord. Corded scanners are still the most used scanners by many businesses and have managed to maintain their popularity even after cordless scanners were introduced. These scanners are very easy to connect to your PC. It comes with many interfaces which is either Serial (more commonly called Rs232), PS/2 and USD connection. In addition to providing easy connectivity and integration, corded scanners are cheaper option when compared to cordless scanners.

Cordless Barcode Scanners: New technology wireless scanners

New technologies have been coming up which are consequently leading to improved efficiency of the people at work. Cordless scanners are one such example in the POS industry that provides cordless scanning to its users. These scanners were expensive when they were introduced but are now more affordable. The wireless scanner works exactly in the same fashion as the corded scanner. The only difference between the two is that the cordless scanner is connected to a base station which integrated through a wire to your PC. To start using the cordless scanner, connect it to your PC through the cable and pair your scanner to the base station and you are good to go.

Which connectivity suits best for your business?

Cordless scanners can be connected via Bluetooth and usually gives you range of 33 feet of scanning. A few scanners come with special ability of scanning beyond 200 feet of range. These scanners have specialized Bluetooth technology that enable them to record transaction from a distance. Cordless scanners are proving to be more efficient because they give more freedom to the user. A very good example to prove this is the Motorola LS4278 can be used with all your wireless devices like laptop, smartphones and tablets because the can be paired with your device without being connected to the cradle.

Capability:

Does your business require 1D barcode scanning or 2D barcode scanning?

Deciding the capability of your scanner is an important thing that you should keep in mind while buying a scanner. 1D barcode scanning is available in two types of scanners:

1.Laser barcode scanners uses lasers to scan the barcode on your product.

2.Linear Imager scanners uses camera that takes a picture of the barcode to decode the information of barcode.

1D barcode scanners work well for small set ups that are trying to save money on their POS purchases. These scanners are quite pocket friendly. However most of these scanners can read data up to feet distance.

2D barcode scanning are also called 2D Imager scanners. The 2D barcodes are very small in size which makes them a more practical method to be used for items that are small. 2D barcode scanners have also become cheaper if you compare its prices from the past. Many manufacturing units and supplying unit chains have been using these scanners because of the reduction in the price of these scanners.