HP Forum Archive 01

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Help with 71b optical wand Message #1 Posted by Karl Hafen on 1 May 1999, 4:29 p.m. I recently picked up a "Zenwand" bar code wand for my 71b. I don't have any info on it. Has anyone used one of these? I was wondering what types of bar codes it will read and what commands to use.

Re: Help with 71b optical wand Message #2 Posted by Reinhard Hawel on 1 May 1999, 4:46 p.m., in response to message #1 by Karl Hafen I also have one and do not have any info yet. I plan to make some experiments in the next week. When I have found out something, I'll let you know. If anybody else has some informations about this thing, please share them with us.

Re: Help with 71b optical wand Message #3 Posted by DaveC on 3 May 1999, 5:13 a.m., in response to message #1 by Karl Hafen A starting point with the barcode reader is the instruction print barcode$ then scan a barcode while pressing the button on the side of the reader. Short high tone indicates a good read and a low longer tone indicates a bad read. The ROM contains lots of functionality including a barcode printing program for the thinkjet. The ROM decodes almost all of the standard barcodes. I have the instruction manual, its about 44 A4 pages.

Re: Help with 71b optical wand Message #4 Posted by Reinhard Hawel on 3 May 1999, 5:16 p.m., in response to message #3 by DaveC Could you scan that manual and send it via mail (300 dpi preferred, maybe color, if the manual is colored). Sorry, if my wishes seem to go too wide, but I try to get such things rather exactly. I don't like to seem too offensive.

Re: Help with 71b optical wand Message #5 Posted by DaveC on 3 May 1999, 6:54 p.m., in response to message #4 by Reinhard Hawel Errr Sure Reinhard, just send me your scanner and I'll scan it for you, a cd-rom writer to go with it would be nice too :). Seriously though; a photocopy might be feasible.

Re: Help with 71b optical wand Message #6 Posted by Reinhard Hawel on 4 May 1999, 12:48 a.m., in response to message #5 by DaveC Hey, good answer :-). I have a scanner here, which is such a piece of junk, I never got in to run with my 2940 (serious driver problems). Maybe I'd feel better sending it to YOU, so I can't see it anymore and don't get angry everytime I see it :-). Seriously: Sure, that I'd compensate your effort with the photocopies. I don't like to create considerable work on your side. Maybe we should continue this via private email.

Re: Help with 71b optical wand Message #7 Posted by DaveC on 5 May 1999, 4:38 p.m., in response to message #6 by Reinhard Hawel Odd this, HP really missed the boat not producing a wand for the 71. I guess they made up for it though, all the photo-optics were HP manufacture!

Re: Help with 71b optical wand Message #8 Posted by Reinhard Hawel on 27 May 1999, 6:21 p.m., in response to message #5 by DaveC Hi, Thanks, Dave, for sending the copies of the manual. I managed to scan it (at last) and can send it to everyone who wants it. I think I scanned it at a somewhat high resolution (600 dpi). I scanned it in grayscales and converted it to B/W, the contrast looks good (better than the copies). Maybe I'll try character recognition. If somebody wants the scans, please send mail. Reinhard

Re: Help with 71b optical wand Message #9 Posted by Mike Umbricht on 4 May 1999, 2:01 p.m., in response to message #3 by DaveC Is the 71B similar to the 75D?? I have a 75D which has a port for the wand, and also the "expansion pod" or "cradle" which, I am told, has decoders for "Code 11" and "3 of 9" (Isn't that last one a Star Trek character?? ;) Any info about using this barcode reader or printing to a ThinkJet would be appreciated.

Re: Help with 71b optical wand Message #10 Posted by Reinhard Hawel on 4 May 1999, 6:44 p.m., in response to message #9 by Mike Umbricht I mailed with David and will get copies of the manual. I'll scan these copies and will send the scans to anybody who wants them via email. No, the 71 is a relative of the 75, but not the same in the internal structure. So there is no bar-code reader port and this wand is the only one I know for the 71. The Star Trek Character is "7 of 9"

Re: Help with 71b optical wand Message #11 Posted by Dan Grelinger on 4 May 1999, 10:08 p.m., in response to message #10 by Reinhard Hawel To be more correct, (to the best of my knowledge), the HP-75C does not have a bar code wand option, but the HP-75D does. I believe that there was a separate ROM that included commands to read barcode, as well as some built in functions in the Expansion Pod.

Re: Help with 71b optical wand Message #12 Posted by Carlos Murillo on 9 May 1999, 1:53 a.m., in response to message #1 by Karl Hafen Well, I am going to add to this discussion yet another question: I have a device made by Firmware Specialists, Inc., called "modem 300 plus" which has HPIL connectors, a modular phone connector and an HP92267A-compatible connector (this is the same wand used in the HP75D). So far I've figured out that the modem part is mostly Hayes compatible. Anyone out there knows how to read a barcode via HPIL using this beast?

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