Bar code decoders use a receiver mechanism to read a barcode and then convert the code into usable data.
Bar code decoders can be handheld devices or built-in to a larger system, such as a check-out scanner.
Bar code decoders come in a variety of configurations depending upon the application.
The type of bar code decoders used most commonly today are called visible laser diode (VLD) scanners or readers. A VLD bar code reader uses a series of lasers to scan and read the product code.
Bar code decoders use many standard symbologies to read bar codes.