General information

BPS native applications (touchscreen as well as normal PC programs) assume scanner input to come in the keyboard input stream. Scanners must have the possibility of programming a suffix as CR (Carriage Return/Enter key), and a function key prefix which is dependent of the scanned code type. For example when scanning an EAN13, the scanner should paste [F8]7612345678901[CR] to the keyboard input.

For Talkman T5 Pick-by-Voice tasks created by ZetesIND, a different interface and programming scheme is required. Only Bluetooth scanners can be used, and they must support a COM profile instead of HID. Again the suffix must be a CR, but the prefix must be an uppercase character. EAN8 must be zero extended to 13 digits at the left by the scanner. For example when scanning an EAN8 of 81115559, the scanner should send A0000081115559[CR] to the virtual COM interface.

The main advantages of wired scanners are:

• Powered by the computer, need no separate battery charging and no change cost after battery worn out.
• Cheaper than wireless devices.
• Easier to interface compared to Bluetooth devices.

Within the wired devices there are 3 general types:

• Devices which are looped into the keyboard connection. Often these are also refered to as “wedge type” or have a PS2 connector. BPS native applications generally assume the scanner input coming from keyboard, so this type is the easiest to use.
• Devices which connect to serial port (COM1 for example). Since the COM interfaces are slowly dying out, new scanner models of this type are fortunately rare. To connect to BPS, there must be a utility (“wedge emulation”) running which reads the input from the COM interface and pastes it into the keyboard queue. It is not recommended to buy devices of this type, because the utilities pose another point of failure, and most wedge emulations we have seen lack the ability to create the function key prefixes which are required by BPS.
• Devices connecting by USB. Most new wired scanners are using this interface. For BPS the device must be programmable to act like a keyboard, often refered to in data sheets and manuals as HID profile (HID = human interface device) or wedge emulation. For Talkman Pick-by-voice tasks, a COM profile is required.

While these scanners are more flexible, they also need more grooming: The scanners need to be paired to the receiving PC or base, and the batteries need to be charged regularly. For multiple shift works the battery should be changeable without tools, and loadable separate from the scanner. For single shift work, the theoretical battery capacity must at least be 1.5 times the shift duration since capacity is lowered over time, typically to about 80% after one year of daily use. When storing the device care must be taken to unpair it from the receiving PC or base again, otherwise strange effects may occure when two different scanner try to talk with the same PC.

Also here we find currently 2 general types:

• Devices coming with a base station, which is again connected either by PS2, COM or USB to the PC. The base station and the scanner communicate by a custom wireless protocoll (some by Bluetooth), which should of cause not interfere with your WLAN. Again the devices connecting to COM are a poor choise for BPS native applications as with the wired scannes above since they require an additional wedge emulation running on the PC. Check that USB connected base stations can operate as HID for BPS native applications.
• Devices connecting by Bluetooth directly to the PC. No wireless base station is delivered with the scanner, but only a charging station. The bluetooth receiver is either built into the PC, or a dongle-type stick plugged into a USB port. While the wavelength and protocoll of Bluetooth are safe not to interfere with your WLAN, problems are sometimes to find a combination of interface and “stack” (the bluetooth driver+software) which do properly handle the HID profile. Our experience shows that the Bluetooth stack included in Windows XP after SP2 works fine in most cases, however not all Bluetooth chips are supported by this stack. The scanner must support HID for BPS native applications, or COM for Talkman tasks. Most flexible is of cause a scanner supporting both profiles, HID 'and' COM.

Configuration sheets for the scanners listed below are available in the Download Section.

A rugged industrial grade scanner withstanding extreme shock condistions (ten drops from 2m to concrete). Operating temperature from -20 to +50°C. Available with or without display. Custom short range wireless connection. Battery is changable for multiple shift works. Combined cradle for battery loading and as wireless base, connecting to the computer either by USB, RS232, Wedge, Wand or RS485.

* Without display * Wedge connector (loop into PS/2 keyboard connection)

* Native BPS applications: Available for EAN8, EAN13, Code39. * Talkman T5 ZetesIND Task: Not available.

Recommended for heavy duty and multiple shift operation.

Office/POS grade scanner, allthough it can withstand repeated drops from 1.8m to concrete. Operating temperature from 0 to +40°C. There is no HID support built into the scanner itself, so the utilitiy program “DL wedge emulation” needs to be used. Batteries are built-in, can not be changed without opening the device.

We tried the Bluetooth connection the way it is required for a configuration with multiple terminals and multiple scanners: The scanner should be master and connect himself to the PC, without any interactions on the PC side. We tried the following hardware / software combinations:

When the scanner connects the first time a PIN code must be entered; the code 1234 worked in our case. Then after scannung an EAN the first time, the stack asked for permission to create a serial connection. At this point there was also a checkmark to grant the permission permanently.

The wedge emulation utility V1.01 delivered with the device was not able to create the required function keys. There is however a new release available on the german support site of datalogic, at the time of writing it is 2.02.060131. The com port and the baud rate may vary depending on your configuration (in one case the baud rate was 2400 and in another it was 9600). All other settings should be as in the screenschot.

• Native BPS applications: Available for EAN8, EAN13, EAN128, Code39, Code128.
• Talkman T5 ZetesIND Task: Available for EAN8, EAN13, EAN128.

Works for PC, Touchscreen and Talkman. Configuration is a bit more cumbersome than with scanners supporting HID profiles.

Office/POS grade scanner (multiple drops from 1.5m to concrete). Bluetooth wireless connection with both, HID and COM profiles. Operating temperature from 0 to +50°C. Cradle for battery loading, batteries cannot be changed without opening the device.

• Native BPS applications: Available for EAN8, EAN13, Code39.
• Talkman T5 ZetesIND Task: Available for EAN8, EAN13, EAN128.

Recommended for non-heavy duty and single shift operation.

These scanners were first produced by Welch Allyn, later under the Label HHP standing for the company name Hand Held Products. Two compatible generations of the device were produced under the product names ImageTeam 3870 and ScanTeam 5770. The devices are no longer produced today because of RoHS.

Industrial grade scanner: 26 drops from 1.8m to concrete; scanner IP54 water and dust resistant; operating temperature from 0 to +50°C. Custom short range wireless connection. Type 2070 wireless base, connecting to the computer by wedge type PS/2 keyboard loop. Battery is changable for mutliple shift works.

• Native BPS applications: Available for EAN8, EAN13, Code39.
• Talkman T5 ZetesIND Task: Not available.

Recommended for heavy duty and multiple shift operation. No longer produced and sold.

Office/POS grade scanner (multiple drops from 1.5m to concrete). Bluetooth wireless connection with both, HID and COM profiles. Operating temperature from 0 to +50°C. Cradle for battery loading, batteries cannot be changed without opening the device.

• Native BPS applications: Not available.
• Talkman T5 ZetesIND Task: Available for EAN8, EAN13, EAN128.

Recommended for non-heavy duty and single shift operation of Pick-By-Voice applications.