Hi, this is Travis with POSGuys.com.
Today we're going to be taking a look at Zebra's extended range scanner, the ultra rugged DS3678
or DS3608, if you want the corded or cordless versions.
This scanner is capable of scanning 1D barcodes or 2D barcodes at extended range.
You can see QR codes, Datamatrix barcodes, PDF417, all can be scanned at range.
If you take a look at it, the reticle is a field of red light, and then a laser pointer on it.
There also is a small, thin red line going across, this will help you line up 1D barcodes
for it, but extended range barcodes, you just kind of have to put the field of light on
it, and then wherever the laser pointer is pointed at is the general barcode that's going to be scanned.
The DS3678 and DS3608 have the biggest range we've ever had in a barcode scanner.
Not only are you going back 10, 20, 30 feet, but you're talking about like 100 feet, and
not in just ideal light conditions, but also in outdoor conditions.
As you can see in this video, I'm able to scan from 20 feet, 30 feet, 40 feet, 50 feet back in bright light.
I can't really see the reticle, I'm just kind of seeing red kind of highlight the barcodes
and scanning from there, and it's scanning straight to the tablet, I'm getting a perfect
read every time.
Each time I scan I back up another 5 or 6 feet, and I'm able to go past the area of
our parking lot, so on just the regular barcodes printed on paper, I'm backing up to the edge
of our parking lot, and in fact, I'll actually go outside the parking lot and get a couple
scans from the street.
Were they easy to scan?
No, it was actually difficult to scan, but the point is, on an enlarged barcode, I was
able to pick it up from extreme distances.
So if you're using this in a warehouse type environment where you're going to be sitting
on a forklift, or scanning at a high shelf, as long as the barcodes are slightly enlarged,
then you are able to scan and pick it up from that location, you don't have to get out of
your forklift and pick it up, you don't have to bend over or pick up barcodes, you can
just scan them.
Regular barcodes also scan quite well.
You don't have hundreds of feet of range, but more than one or two feet, you're able
to go back 5 or 6 feet, it all depends on clarity of the barcode and how much data is
on it.
Right here, you see maximum range, I'm across the street and I'm kind of at the edge of
as far back as we can go.
I'm still able to pick up scans, as I said, they're not easy scans, but I'm able to pick
it up, and then walk it in to verify that this wasn't a fluke.
Each step I take in, it gets a little easier to scan.
When we get to about 50, 60 feet back, then it scans very easily.
Going indoors, you're able to scan at distance as well.
It actually doesn't scan quite as good as outdoors.
The reason being that imagers require light.
The more light, the better, the better you can get a contrast on the barcode, the more
you can read.
Going indoors under low lighting conditions, our LED lights are turned down pretty low.
I'm able to back up 40, 50 feet and read the same set of barcodes pretty well.
As you see in this video, when I get to about the edge of the filing cabinet is where the
range stops.
So at this point, the only barcode I'm able to read pretty readily is the enlarged 1D
barcode, so that's the one I can pick up better.
That also is a reflective barcode, so it's easier for the scanner to get contrast point
on there.
So going indoors, you have a little bit less range.
So overall, would we recommend the DS3678 extended range scanner?
Yes absolutely.
It has the same durability as the previous models of the 3678, so it can get wet, it
can get frozen, it can get stepped on, it's incredibly durable, it can scan through water,
you can use it in cold storage, it's just overall an ultra rugged device that has an
increased scan range, and not only can you scan barcodes that are super far away and
enlarged, but you can scan regular barcodes just fine too, so you can use it in a normal
setting as well as an extended range setting.
Overall, fantastic scanner.
For more information on the DS3678, or to purchase, please visit us at POSGuys.com.
Thanks!