Zebra barcode scanner: 1D, 2D and what you actually need
Most wrong purchases come from one misunderstanding: a scanner that reads barcodes does not read a QR code. This page says where that difference sits, and what it means for the connection to your system.
Four choices that come before the model
Together they decide whether a scanner fits. The model follows on its own afterwards.
- 1D or 2DA linear scanner reads barcodes and nothing else. An imager also reads QR, DataMatrix and codes from a screen. The moment a phone screen or a delivery note with a QR code is involved, 2D is the only safe choice.
- Reading from a screenCodes on a display reflect differently from printed codes. Not every scanner handles them equally well; that is a separate requirement and not a by-product of 2D.
- Corded or cordlessCorded is cheaper and never runs flat. Cordless is needed as soon as someone moves more than a metre from the system, and then a charging cradle belongs at the workplace — not in a cupboard further along.
- How it attaches to your systemAs a keyboard, over a serial connection or through a driver. It looks like a detail and it decides whether a scanner works in five minutes or after two days of configuring. We set it up for your system before it ships.
The four versions chosen most often
Zebra supplies more than these, but in practice these four cover the large majority of questions.
Zebra DS range 2D imager, corded
The default choice for counter, workbench and dispatch: reads everything, never runs flat, and no charging cradle attached.
Zebra DS range 2D imager, cordless
The same reading performance with a base station. For workplaces where the item does not come to the scanner but the scanner goes to the item.
Zebra DS range industrial (rugged)
A greater drop height and a higher dust and water rating, for warehouse, workshop and outdoor work. More expensive to buy and cheaper to replace.
Zebra LI range linear
1D only, and therefore faster and cheaper. Only choose it when you are certain a 2D code will never appear — that certainty is rare.
How you buy it from us
The same device can be ordered anywhere. What comes with it differs, and that is where the money and the time sit.
- Buy or rentFor equipment that lasts years, buying is usually better value; with fluctuating numbers or a season, renting is calmer. The same equipment either way — the choice is about your situation and not about the product.
- Delivered ready to useConfigured, registered in management and tested before it ships. At larger volumes sorted per site or per user and delivered straight to the address.
- Warranty and replacement handledWe handle the warranty instead of sending you to a service number, and we track which serial number sits where and when cover ends. Where downtime costs money directly, we supply pre-configured spares.
- The old equipment goes back with usCollected, wiped to the standard and disposed of with certification, and you get the certificate. That belongs to the lifecycle and not to a separate job afterwards.
Lead time depends on the model and on the manufacturer. We quote the term the manufacturer gives and report it the moment it shifts, rather than naming a date that sounds good. Call +31 85 060 9347 or email info@itproposal.com.
See also
What this connects to.
Questions we get about this
The ones that come up most, answered briefly.
Does an ordinary barcode scanner read QR codes too?
No. A linear scanner reads barcodes and nothing else; QR and DataMatrix need a 2D imager. The moment a phone screen or a delivery note with a QR code is involved, 2D is the only safe choice.
Corded or cordless?
Corded is cheaper and never runs flat. Cordless is needed as soon as someone moves more than a metre from the system, and then the charging cradle belongs at the workplace and not in a cupboard further along.
Tell us what you need, we work it out
Quantity, use and where it has to go. The model follows from that, and the quote follows from the model — with the lead time the manufacturer is giving at that moment.
Practical IT knowledge in your inbox
New guides on management, security and the workplace, written by the people doing the work. No sales talk, and you can unsubscribe in one click.