Post by thread:[PICLIST] [OT] Low cost serial bar code scanner

Hi All, Could anyone suggest some easily available bar code scanners that are NOT expensive and will send data back through RS232? Thanks in advance! John _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com. -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

At 06:48 AM 11/10/00 +0000, you wrote: >Hi All, > >Could anyone suggest some easily available bar code scanners that are NOT >expensive and will send data back through RS232? Nothing you can buy off the shelf.. How many do you need? I've written decode software for the AVR, and Z8, that could easily be hacked to serial out. In fact, my development version on the AVR already has serial output, which I did for debugging. You would need the simplest possible wand, with "light pen" output (bright/dark). The chip, and a crystal and pair of caps. OTOH, HP sells a decoding chip, $40 in large quantities. -- Where's dave? http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/find.cgi?kc6ete-9 -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

Could anyone suggest some easily available bar code scanners that are NOT expensive and will send data back through RS232? CueCat and a PIC? There's a project for someone! (The CueCat is a (free!) barcode scanner w software you can get (at radio shack) that's designed to go straight from a bar code to a web page (and they get their money setting up the mappings for would-be advertisers.) While it's output is somewhat obfuscated "somehow", that's apparently already been solved, and you can get assorted PC software that will use the CueCat WITHOUT any of it's "specialized" associated software. I got one to help catalog my library, and it works "ok." The CueCat sits on your keyboard cable between your keyboard and your computer, so the timing and protocols are well within the ability of something like a 2509...) (Get yours fast, I don't think the business model is going to pan out :-() BillW -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

William Chops Westfield wrote: > Could anyone suggest some easily available bar code scanners that are NOT > expensive and will send data back through RS232? > > CueCat and a PIC? There's a project for someone! > > (The CueCat is a (free!) barcode scanner w software you can get (at radio > shack) that's designed to go straight from a bar code to a web page (and > they get their money setting up the mappings for would-be advertisers.) > While it's output is somewhat obfuscated "somehow", that's apparently > already been solved, and you can get assorted PC software that will use the > CueCat WITHOUT any of it's "specialized" associated software. I got one to > help catalog my library, and it works "ok." The CueCat sits on your > keyboard cable between your keyboard and your computer, so the timing and > protocols are well within the ability of something like a 2509...) > > (Get yours fast, I don't think the business model is going to pan out :-() > > BillW http://air-soldier.com/~cuecat/ is a mirror of the page for this (It's a PS/2 connector on there, though!) Also there is a fix now that gets rid of most serial numbering / hash stuff (desolder 3 solder bridges and so forth) for most CueCat versions. http://www.logorrhea.com/cuecat/mirrors.html for mirrors. Again, it's NOT RS-232 tho. Keyboard wedge, though, so might do you... (I don't like their "We get to track you and sell your personal information and pretend we are doing this to HELP you" business model much, either...) Mark -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

On Fri, 10 Nov 2000 02:35:17 -0800, you wrote: {Quote hidden}>William Chops Westfield wrote: >> Could anyone suggest some easily available bar code scanners that are NOT >> expensive and will send data back through RS232? >> >> CueCat and a PIC? There's a project for someone! >> >> (The CueCat is a (free!) barcode scanner w software you can get (at radio >> shack) that's designed to go straight from a bar code to a web page (and >> they get their money setting up the mappings for would-be advertisers.) >> While it's output is somewhat obfuscated "somehow", that's apparently >> already been solved, and you can get assorted PC software that will use the >> CueCat WITHOUT any of it's "specialized" associated software. I got one to >> help catalog my library, and it works "ok." The CueCat sits on your >> keyboard cable between your keyboard and your computer, so the timing and >> protocols are well within the ability of something like a 2509...) >> >> (Get yours fast, I don't think the business model is going to pan out :-() >> >> BillW > >http://air-soldier.com/~cuecat/ is a mirror of the page for this (It's a >PS/2 connector on there, though!) > >Also there is a fix now that gets rid of most serial numbering / hash >stuff (desolder 3 solder bridges and so forth) for most CueCat versions. > >http://www.logorrhea.com/cuecat/mirrors.html for mirrors. > >Again, it's NOT RS-232 tho. Keyboard wedge, though, so might do you... ... the later models have a link to disable the output scrambling - I wouldn't be at all surprised to find another link to output data in async serial format - it would certainly be worth a quick bit of experimenting. -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

There is an article in the November Linux Journal (http://www.linuxjournal.com) about dissecting the CueCat. It talks about how the author used a PIC (doesn't specify which one) to try to extract data from the 93LC46 serial EEPROM. Although he completely erased the EEPROM in the process (before he got any useful data), he speculates that the only thing in there was the serial number. All-in-all, interesting reading. I was planning on going out and getting one before they're gone. You can also order for free (+S&H) at http://www.getcat.com. {Original Message removed}

My class is already breaking into a few CueCats. It seems that there's a chip to encode the barcode data, but you can get around that by popping off a small, square chip near the nose and taking the output directly off of one of the chips underneath the copper cladding. I don't remember which pin, but it wasn't too hard to find. If there's any interest, I'll try to keep all informed. Ethan Swint {Original Message removed}

Not sure what inexpensive is, but Opticon has some fairly reasonable priced scanners. You might look at http://www.tyner.com to see some of the models as well as other brands. On Fri, 10 Nov 2000 08:42:27 -0500, Pfaff, John wrote: >There is an article in the November Linux Journal (http://www.linuxjournal.com) >about dissecting the CueCat. It talks about how the author used a PIC >(doesn't specify which one) to try to extract data from the 93LC46 serial >EEPROM. Although he completely erased the EEPROM in the process (before he >got any useful data), he speculates that the only thing in there was the >serial number. All-in-all, interesting reading. I was planning on going >out and getting one before they're gone. You can also order for free (+S&H) >at http://www.getcat.com. > >{Original Message removed}

What is expensive? How many types of bar codes do these need to read? Try using a search engine. You'll find all sorts of bar code info including manufacturers and a user group here: www.adams1.com/pub/russadam/barcode1.html There's a machine vision site here, where they define machine vision as any machine which collects and interprets photons (some bar code stuff): http://www.rdrop.com/~cary/html/machine_vision.html If you determine that you need to read only one code type, it would be fairly easy to make a 12cxxx part into a bar code reader. Put it inside a sharpie fine point marker and you've got yourself one slick little bar code reader. -Adam John Waters wrote: {Quote hidden}> > Hi All, > > Could anyone suggest some easily available bar code scanners that are NOT > expensive and will send data back through RS232? > > Thanks in advance! > > John > > _________________________________________________________________________ > Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. > > Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at > http://profiles.msn.com. > > -- > http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different > ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details. -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

On Fri, 10 Nov 2000 00:22:19 PST William Chops Westfield <spam_OUTbillwTakeThisOuTCISCO.COM> writes: > (Get yours fast, I don't think the business model is going to pan > out :-() > Reminds me of the hacked I-Opener from NetPliance. Harold FCC Rules Online at http://hallikainen.com/FccRules Lighting control for theatre and television at http://www.dovesystems.com ________________________________________________________________ YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: dl.http://www.juno.com/get/tagj. -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.