seeking barcode scanner

David Griffith wrote: The PSC 5381-123042 is a pretty decent scanner. Handheld, laser-based, RS232 output, with a pushbutton to enable the scanner. Fairly cheap on the second-hand market, too. I've got one tethered to a Socket Communications "R-I/O" PCMCIA serial port card, but the interface is via a 10-pin RJ45 on the bottom of the scanner, so not hard to interface with. IIRC it asks for +5V at 200mA, and provides RS232-level RXD/TXD outputs. If I was going down this route (again) I'd pick up a cheap used scanner on ebay, and an FTDI USB-to-TTL converter cable (their UC232R-10-NE is probably the best for this sort of hackery). Lop the DB9 off the scanner, and desolder the one on the UC232 (personally I'd hacksaw through the DB9 pins and desolder the remains). Solder the bare wires from the scanner onto the UC232 board, and put it in a small plastic box. Use a few cable ties to hold the cables down (epoxy/superglue the cables to the ties if you feel pessimistic) and you've got a USB scanner for far less than a new one would have cost... You could also (probably) use one of those PS/2 keyboard to USB adapter cables, and a keyboard-wedge scanner. Only thing is, some of those adapters won't forward keypresses along unless they can actually see a keyboard on the other end of the cable (most scanners let the keyboard handle the pings, and just inject characters as-and-when). As regards to what scanner to use, go name brand -- that is, Symbol, PSC, or Metrologic. The Metrologic 9520 (Voyager) series work very well, and are pretty damned reliable (not to mention cheap on the used market, and pretty close to bulletproof). If you're wanting to scan a ton of ISBN barcodes off of books, I'd skip the 5381 (unless you can find one with the optional -- and expensive -- desk stand or can live with having to press the button to make it scan) and get a desk scanner of some description. The "el-cheapo" Chinese scanners might be an option, but don't expect them to scan anywhere near as reliably as a Symbol or Metrologic. Just my 2p... -- Phil. classiccmp at philpem.me.uk http://www.philpem.me.uk/