Recommended Barcode Scanners

The following are barcode scanners that are recommended for use with a BellHawk tracking system. They all plug into the USB port of a PC. This enables scanning to take place while the user interacts with a regular sized keyboard and display, which is very good ergonomically. Some of the units plug directly into the USB port of a PC and are suitable for bench top use. With other Bluetooth units, the scanner relays the scan data to a base station which plugs into the USB port. This base unit also serves as a battery charging station for the scanner itself.

Bluetooth connected  scanners are ideal for applications such as shipping, receiving and production work stations where user interaction can take place on a PC but scanning is required beyond the bench-top.

The units listed here are all designed for light industrial use and are limited to scanning 1D barcodes, which are commonly used as tracking barcodes. Equivalent devices are available from BellHawk Systems for scanning 2D barcodes and for industrial applications needing more rugged moisture and dust sealed units.

	The Unitech MS-210 is an industrial CCD imaging scanner that plugs into the USB port of a PC. It scans 1D barcodes at close range and places the resultant text in the keyboard buffer, as if the data in the barcode was typed in. While these low cost units are not waterproof or dustproof, many of our clients use these for recording job and labor data in industrial environments. Their major benefit is that they can scan by placing the unit over the barcode and pressing the trigger, thereby eliminating any ambiguity about which barcode is being scanned.
	The Motorola LS2208  is a short range (about 2 feet) laser scanner. It plugs into the USB port of a PC and places the scanned text into the keyboard buffer, as if it were typed in. This unit scans 1D barcodes and is very useful in scanning materials on a bench top. The scanner can be used in handheld mode, when scanning takes when the trigger is pressed. Alternately, when the unit is placed in a stand, it will automatically scan in hands-free mode.
	The Unitech MS380 consists of a cordless barcode scanner and a base station with a cable that plugs into the USB port on a PC. This unit works the same as the tethered scanners above but is not limited by an attached cord. Instead, the scanner communicates with the base station using Bluetooth communications, enabling scanning at a range of up to 100 feet from the base station. The scanner itself has a Lithium-Ion battery that is recharged whenever the scanner is placed in its cradle. The scanner scans 1D barcodes and uses a short range imaging scanner.  This unit can withstand 4 foot drops onto concrete.
	The Honeywell Voyager BT 9535 consists of a cordless barcode scanner and a base station with a cable that plugs into the USB port on a PC. This unit works the same as the tethered scanners above but is not limited by an attached cord. Instead, the scanner communicates with the base station using Bluetooth communications, enabling scanning at a range of up to 30 feet from the base station. The scanner itself has a Lithium-Ion battery that is recharged whenever the scanner is placed in its cradle. The scanner scans 1D barcodes and uses a 1D laser scanner with a range of about 2 feet. This unit can withstand 5 foot drops onto concrete.

Please click here for more information about the prices of these units.