Mike_Craft

Sorry if this is the wrong forum for this.

anyway. Im interested in purchasing a barcode scanner to scan my DVDs. Now im not really interested in scanning the barcodes for DVD Profiler type purposes. Im more interested in setting up a mini-library type function since I have lots of family members, friends and family friends who come to my DVD collection and burrow DVDs. I have so many DVDs that I lose track of who has what.

I want to set up a system where a person scans the barcode of their library card (which I would issue/make everyone), Then they scan all the barcodes of the DVDs. This way Ill know who took waht and when.

How would I go about setting up such a system and What type of barcode scanner am I looking for? I checked my local computer shop and all the Barcode scanners are $150-$600. I was thinking more along the lines of $50 or less off ebay. So If anyone could help I would be greatful. Like is this here something that would work? or do I need to buy a differnt kind of scanner?

http://cgi.ebay.ca/METROLOGIC-VOYAGE...c mdZViewItem

chris_everett

There are two basic kinds of bar code scanners. Some will hook up to a keyboard port, and just trasmit the bar code as if it was being keyed in, others hook up to the serial port and transmit data through it. What sort you need will depend on what software you use. Where I work we use a similer system to what you describe to "check out" files. We created custom software that uses the serial scanners. An advantage of that route is that it does not matter what program you are in or if your are in a paticuler field for the software "scan" into the system.

--Chris Everett

Jeremy Little

Check these out.

You can look online for what the CueCat was meant for. It comes in 2 varieties, PS2 and USB. I got a USB one for around $13 shipped. It was already modified so it could be used without the software. If you don't get one pre-modified, you'll have to do it yourself. It will populate in any field that the cursor is active in. VERY CHEAP SOLUTION!:b

If it wasn't for my horse, I wouldn't have spent that year in college.

Mike_Craft

Ok I ordered one of those cue-cats from ebay. Unfotunetly, because I live in Canada, It came to $20 shipped, which is a little steep for a product that was once givin out for free at radio shack as im told.

Now which software would you recommend I use? Theres plenty of software out there to simply catalog the DVDs, but what about like my idea where I want to have a "checkout" and an ID barcode you would scan first to determine whos taking the DVD out?

Phil A

Yes they were given out for free. I have one somewhere I have not used. I figure I might use it eventually and the price was right.