What are the interface types of bar code printers, and what are their characteristics?

There are a variety of interface types for barcode printers, and each interface has its own unique characteristics and application scenarios. The following are the common interface types and characteristics of barcode printers:

1. Serial port (RS-232 port)

Features:

Communication mode: Using serial communication mode, the data is transmitted bit by bit in sequence.

Cost: Simple communication lines, low cost.

Transmission distance: suitable for long-distance communication.

Speed: The transmission speed is slow, and it is only suitable for low-rate and small-data communication.

Networking capability: Poor networking capability, vulnerable to the electromagnetic impact of the cable environment, unstable communication and even the serial port burned.

2. Parallel interface (parallel port)

Features:

Transmission speed: Multi-bit data is transmitted through parallel lines at the same time, the transmission speed is fast, and the maximum transmission speed can reach 1.5Mbps.

Distance limitation: The line length of parallel transmission is limited because interference increases as distance increases, making the data error-prone.

Installation and use: No need to use other cards in the PC, unlimited number of connections (as long as there are enough ports), device installation and use is simple.

3. USB port

Features:

Universal: USB interface is the abbreviation of universal serial bus, has become the main interface mode of many devices.

Speed: The transmission speed is fast, the transmission rate of USB 1.1 high-speed way is 12Mbps, the transmission rate of USB 2.0 is 480Mbps, and USB 3.1 supports the transmission rate of up to 10Gb/s.

Hot swap: Support hot swap, plug and play, very easy to use.

Number of connected devices: Multiple different devices can be connected.

4. Network port (RJ45 network port)

Features:

Sharing: Support for multiple computers to share the same printer.

Speed: Printing speed is fast, especially when printing documents with large amounts of data and complex and high-precision pictures.

Flexibility: As long as you access the LAN and set up IP, sharing, network protocols, etc., you can transmit direct print data through the network.

5. PS/2 port

Features:

Legacy: The PS/2 interface was more common on earlier computers for devices such as mice and keyboards.

System resource usage: System resources are not occupied.

Hot swap restriction: Hot swap is not supported. Forced plugging may burn the mainboard.

In summary, the interface types of bar code printers have their own advantages, and users should be considered according to actual needs, printing volume, transmission speed, cost budget and other factors when choosing. With the development of technology, the USB interface occupies an important position in the bar code printer market because of its high-speed, easy to use and other characteristics, while the network port interface is popular in the scenario that requires multiple computers to share the printer because of its sharing and flexibility.