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Keyboard “Wedge” Decoders
A decoder takes input
from an attached scanner (wand, laser scanner, mag stripe reader) decodes it
then transmits the collected data to its host.
When a decoder is attached to a PC or terminal via its keyboard, it is
know as a “keyboard wedge”. Scanned
data, decoded by the wedge, is then transmitted to the PC / terminal in
emulation of keystrokes. By transmitting
scanned data as if it were keyed from the keyboard, no changes to software are
required. The wedge or decoder is
transparent to normal keyboard keyboard use.
Decoders can also be
used in serial mode where they attach between a tube (Dec VT-220) and its host
via a serial (Rs-232) physical connection.
Scanned data that is decoded is sent to the host in ASCII format.
In the mid-80s, as bar
code scanning began to gain widespread acceptance, separate decoders were
needed in order for bar code scanners (wands, lasers, etc.) to be
functional. Since the 80’s the decoding
function has been incorporated into the scanners themselves making the old
decoder & scanner combination obsolete.
Although we are seeing
a diminishing need for decoders, there
are some applications where they are still needed. Applications that require a particular
scanner that is not available in a “decoded” version is one example. Additionally,
applications where multiple scanner inputs are needed, such as a laser scanner
and a magnetic stripe reader, are also candidates for “wedge” solutions.
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MicroBar 9730 Decoder
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Scanteam 2000/C
Decoder
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PowerWedge Mini
Decoder
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PowerWedge 20 Decoder
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