1sixty8 Manifold does not require a specific brand or model of barcode scanner. Anything that emulates a standard keyboard (called "HID keyboard-wedge" by the people who sell them) will work. Almost every retail barcode scanner sold today does this by default.

If you are mainly using the mobile bay app on a phone or tablet, you do not need a physical scanner. The mobile bay app uses your device's camera. A physical scanner is for the desktop workstations at the counter, the PO desk, or the inventory room.

When you are shopping for a scanner, here is what to look for

Connection type

  • USB wired is the simplest. You plug it in and the operating system treats it as a keyboard. No drivers, no setup.
  • USB wireless (a 2.4GHz dongle in your computer plus a battery in the scanner) gives you a few feet of mobility without the complexity of Bluetooth pairing.
  • Bluetooth is fine too as long as the scanner pairs as a keyboard (HID profile). 1sixty8 Manifold does not talk to the scanner through any special Bluetooth API, so whatever your operating system pairs as a keyboard, the platform will read.

1D linear vs. 2D imager

  • 1D linear scanners (red laser line) read traditional UPC and EAN barcodes only. They are the cheapest option and fine for shops that only need to scan product packaging.
  • 2D imagers (camera-based, often with a green or red aiming reticle) read both 1D and 2D codes. That includes QR codes, the small dense codes on serial number labels, codes that are scratched or partially damaged, and codes on a phone or screen. If you ever scan VINs (especially from a windshield through glass) or print work-order labels with two-dimensional codes, you want a 2D imager.

Form factor

  • Handheld is the workhorse for a parts counter or shop bay.
  • Presentation (stand-mounted, scans whatever you wave in front of it) is faster for a high-volume checkout counter.
  • Ring or wearable scanners are useful for warehouse-style receiving where staff need both hands free.

Durability

  • For shop-floor use (drops, oil, dust), look for an IP rating (IP52 or better) and a drop spec (six feet or higher onto concrete).

Programmability

  • Most scanners can be configured by scanning a sequence of setup barcodes from the included manual. The two settings that matter most for 1sixty8 Manifold:
  • Terminator: should be Enter (CR) or Tab. Either works.
  • Inter-character delay: should be the default. The platform expects scan characters to arrive within about 50ms of each other.

Two things to avoid

  • Scanners that require proprietary software or drivers to function. These add complexity and lock you to one vendor.
  • Scanners that only emit a "scan event" through a serial port or vendor SDK. The platform listens for keyboard input, so a scanner that does not behave like a keyboard will not work.

If you have questions about whether a specific model will work, the easiest test is: plug it in (or pair it as a keyboard), open a text editor, and scan something. If the digits show up in the text editor as if you typed them, the scanner will work with 1sixty8 Manifold.