A while back I wrote a blog post about barcode scanner types, and would like to follow up with some additional info.

Imagers vs. Lasers

For those of you who don't know, there are two types of barcode scanners: imagers and lasers. 

• Lasers work by shooting a laser on the barcode and sensing the reflection that comes back.  These have been around forever and work really well for 1 dimensional, standard barcode labels.
  
• Imagers work like a camera by basically taking a picture of the barcode and interpreting what is in the picture with software.  These are new and have the benefit of working with 2 dimensional tags like the ones you see on UPS boxes. 

I took some heat from people responding to my blog when I said I don't like imagers.  Well, I still don't.

Headaches with Imagers

The problem we are seeing is that imagers don't work well with long 1 dimensional barcodes.  The serial number barcodes on Dell monitors, for example, cannot be read using an imager.  At least not the ones on the Symbol devices we typically sell, even the high-end MC9090G which are about $3K a piece minimum.

This is causing a big problem for some of our customers who use primarily 1 dimensional barcodes.  You get the flexibility of supporting 2D barcodes with imagers, but if you don't use 2D barcodes, this is of little value.  In exchange for 2D support, you have less performance with 1D barcodes and often can't even scan the 1D barcodes in your environment.

Frustrating.

Your Priorities Should Guide your Decision

If you have high volume scanning needs and use 1D barcodes, you need a scanner that will read these tags very quickly.  If you have to press the scan trigger and move the device around for five seconds to get the device to read your tag, you will quickly become frustrated and tired after a few scans.  And if you're performing inventory in a warehouse or receiving dock, this will be very frustrating.  In this scenario, I recommend a laser scanner.

If you require support for 2D barcodes, you have to use imagers.  Laser won't work with 2D barcodes.  In this case, I would demand an evaluation unit from your hardware vendor before you invest a lot of money.  Test the scanner and make sure it works for your needs before spending a ton of money on hardware.