Barcode Scanners: A Comparison of Serial, Keyboard Wedge, and USB Interfaces

(A 4 minute read…) There are various computer models that barcode scanners can be attached to, and it’s important to familiarize yourself with the physical connection types and communication protocols to determine which barcode scanner would be best for you. Serial/RS232 Interface RS232, commonly referred to as serial, is a communication protocol—not a physical connection….

4 Common Types of Cash Drawers

L-Tron offers a variety of cash drawer options, and unless you’re the person responsible for purchasing one, you’ve probably never thought about how they work. We expect them to just open after entering a sale, right? So, how do you determine which one is right for you? The following is a very brief overview of…

4 Great Features of the Star Micronics mPOP

Every day, I see more and more businesses moving to a mobile-based POS system (yes, even the ones found inside brick and mortar stores). While there are a number of software options out there, there is still the need to have some sort of mobile device (typically an iPad, Android tablet, or Microsoft Surface), printer…

The Connection – The Serial Port: Part II

In our last blog, I discussed the world of the USB connection and a little bit of background on the various types of interfaces you may see. Moving forward, we take a look at one of the early types of connections but one still found commonly on printers and industrial computers, the Serial port. Disclaimer:…

The Connection – The USB: Part I

In the world of computers, printers, barcode scanners, and basically anything electronic, there exists a wide range and ever-changing environment of interfaces (connections) used to transmit power and information. In this kind of environment, it is easy to get lost between the various interfaces and makes selecting the right one challenging, to say the least….

Technology at the Grocery Store

Before I started this job, waiting in line at the grocery store was a boring task, to say the least. I never had the slightest idea about the different kinds of technology that were required to make the mundane task of scanning groceries work efficiently. Now, every time I go through the line, I can’t…

Are EMV Chips Really Protecting Your Credit Card Information?

I was standing at a cash register the other day, waiting and waiting while my brand new credit card was parked inside the machine—you know, the one where you used to be able to do a quick swipe and then go. It was one of those awkward moments, like standing in an elevator side by…

Decoding Those Business and Data Collection Acronyms

This week, as I was setting up swimming lessons with my son’s coach via email, I typed “ttys” and hit “send.” A few hours later, I received a reply with details of when and where the lessons would take place, followed by a question: “What does ttys mean?” I was temporarily stunned that someone could…

How to Select the Correct Printer Ribbon

Thermal printers and ribbon selection is a common topic I see come up when talking with customers. While it is easy to select one extreme or another in terms of the cost, an expensive ribbon does not always equal the best performance in this category. So how should you select the correct ribbon for your printer?…

4 Things You Need to Know About Barcode Scanners

1. One Dimensional vs. Two Dimensional Barcode Scanners There are two main categories of barcode scanners, 1D and 2D. One dimensional barcode scanners, or linear barcode scanners, can only scan one dimensional barcodes, including: UPC Code ISBN Code 128 All barcodes consisting of only lines and spaces Barcode scanners that read two dimensional barcodes are…