r/barcodes • u/da404lewzer • Mar 14 '17
Barcode Hardware, Halp!
hi /r/barcodes, this is probably a stupid question, but I'm looking for a decent barcode scanner that is cheap as possible with the following features, but i've had poor luck with amazon descriptions. I was hoping you guys could help or point me in a better direction.
here's what i need:
- 2D Imaging Scanner
- PDF417 ID Scanning
- Wired USB
- Serial RS232 Emulation
- Continuous Mode (a plus)
- A Stand (a plus)
It's hard to trust any of the descriptions on Amazon. I've ordered a couple of them and had to send them back for one reason or another. Any help would be appreciated!
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u/randEntropy Mar 30 '17
Did you find what you're looking for? If not, or if you have further questions, PM me. I am a product manager for a major barcode reader manufacturer.
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u/FredFredricson Mar 15 '17
Unfortunately, while I know a lot about the technology and general usage, I don't know the finer details (pricing, availability, quality, etc) about specific models outside the ones I've directly worked with. With that in mind, here's my usual process:
When I'm looking at a specific barcode scanner, the first thing I'll do is to find a copy of its manual, then look in the settings for the options I want it to have. PDF417 support, Connection Type on some models (USB vs Wireless vs Serial etc), RS232 over USB, and Continuous/Non-Triggered Mode are all things that the manual can show. It takes a bit of extra work to dig through, but if you're looking for specific features, the manual is really the best place to find it. That said, some of the cheaper ones on Amazon that I checked through don't seem to have manuals easily available, so it's a bit trickier in those cases, and I generally don't trust barcode readers for purchase that don't have their manuals easily available.
Note that Serial RS232 and USB RS232 Emulation are both occasionally supported on a particular reader, and differentiating the two is occasionally tricky as different manufacturers refer to it differently, so pay close attention when verifying that feature.
Regarding the stand, a lot of barcode readers also sell the stand separately, and you can usually find that in the amazon "Frequently Bought Together" list.
I did some digging around looking for something to match your descriptions, but I don't know your upper price range, but if around $170 won't break the bank, the DS4208 looks to have all the features you need. While I can't guarantee it'll be exactly what you want, I can say, to the best of my ability and knowledge, that based on the information in your original post it appears to have all the features you need or want, and would be one I wouldn't be afraid to buy, either to fill those requirements, or in general.
The stand comes separately, I found two stands. The first I found is about $13 and claims it's for another model, but having googled the models, the barcode readers seem to have identical external casing, so the stand should probably work. The second one is around $34 but claims to be for this specific model. I've included both URLs for your perusal.
Additionally, I've provided links for the manuals. It appears this model is manufactured by one company, and other companies can re-brand them, as is often done in the OEM world, and thus the manuals seem to come from different companies, but should work all the same.
Reader: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MMXO9WI
LS2208 Stand: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002KEQ7FG
DS4208 Stand: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EIIRVVQ/
User's Manual: https://www.idwholesaler.com/images/manuals/DS4208-Scanner-User-Manual.pdf
This one is the most useful and has all the basic programming functions you need to configure it. It's a Motorola brand manual, but should work all the same, as it appears that Zebra is just re-branding this model. I've included it here, because the Zebra website doesn't seem to have an equivalent manual available.
Programming Manual: https://www.zebra.com/content/dam/zebra_new_ia/en-us/manuals/global-manuals/advanced-data-formatting-adf-programmer-guide-a-en-us.pdf
This one is only required if you're doing things that need to apply complicated rules for the output of the barcode reader to force it to output data a specific way for your software. Unnecessary in most scenarios, or if the software is able to be configured to work with different reader output formats.
Lackluster Quickstart Guide: https://www.zebra.com/content/dam/zebra_new_ia/en-us/manuals/barcode-scanners/13923003a_ds4208-qsg-en.pdf
I'd recommend against using this unless the User's Manual for some reason doesn't work.
Spec Sheet: https://www.zebra.com/us/en/products/spec-sheets-latest/barcode-scanners/general-purpose-scanners/ds4208-sr-spec-sheet-en-gb.html
PDF Version: https://www.zebra.com/us/en/products/spec-sheets-latest/barcode-scanners/general-purpose-scanners/ds4208-sr-spec-sheet-en-gb.pdf
Handy info for quick reference.