Why can we not scan bar codes with the pc version but can with the mobile?

If you have a barcode scanner you can scan scan barcodes with your PC, no prob.

What you can't do is use your webcam if you have one. The reason behind this is that when Smartphones were invented the designeres had a fully integrated system in mind. That's why apps can interact so easily with one another and access the camera or the microphone recording. It's all "built-in" into the system, be it Apple or Android.

With Windows PCs that's not so simple, due to the completely different architecture. Programs that absolutely need the webcam will have the software parts to interact with such devices (like Skype for example). But it's not just a simple system call and you're done with it. It's a lot of code to make this happen.

But that's only phase one. You not only need to access the webcam, you also need to read the barcode itself. But since many apps can read the old-fashined line barcode (1D) or the new-fangled dots barcode (2D) my guess is there's also already an internal function in the phone that gives any app that data. So, all Ken had to do was access that function and use it in the DVDP app.

Again, with Windows: not that simple.


In essence, a Windows webcam barcode scanner will probably never be part of the software, but if you buy an old-fashinioned barcode scanner for USB, you're good to go. I personally think they are much easier to handle and much more robust than the phone camera scanner workaround (holding still, needing to wait for camera focus, ...).

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=barcode+scanner