Hewlett-Packard Co has introduced a single-chip bar-code decoder integrated circuit that it says eliminates the need for a separate memory chip and supporting circuitry: the HBCR-161X series provides a superset of the capabilities of the company’s HBCR-18XX series decoder chip, and can be used with contact-type readers such as digital wands and slot readers; the HBCR-161X can be used in data collection terminals, point-of-sale terminals, keyboards, weighing scales, medical equipment, test instrumentation, material-handling equipment and other systems that have data collection needs and decodes most popular bar codes used for industrial, medical, service, government and retail point-of-sale applications; other features include data input at up to 30 inches per second; bidirectional scanning (except for UPC and EAN/JAN codes with supplemental digits); support for full-duplex serial communication at up to 9,600 bps with a choice of parity and stop bits or parallel communications; and support for audio and visual feedback to the user; operation is from 5V DC, requiring a maximum of 24mA operating at maximum clock rate of 16 MHz, and 6mA while idling; the new chip is sampling now and it costs between $33 and $35 in single quantities depending on the type of packaging the customer requires.
