found solid PSA barcode scanning app (and introduction)

[akamomo]

I said hi quickly in a recent thread reply but this is my fist new thread so I want to start by saying hello. Wonderful forum; I've learned so much from reading the posts here... thank you.

I have been trying to find a decent scanner to read PSA barcodes reliably. The format is interleaved 2of5... a good deal of the iPhone apps are centered on QR codes. The apps I found that will read the PSA codes had some challenges with the low-res printing, reading through the plastic, low light, or various other challenges. After trying out about 30 or 40 of them (yep) I want to share one that I found that to me was clearly the best. It only reads, I haven't even checked to see if there is any kind of output, etc. - but for reading (and verifying a code is truly what the number says) it is quick and accurate. Have a look:

"MW Barcode Scanner" (by Manatee) will find it in the app store. Free.

If you shut off all of the types except for Code 2/5, put effort at "try harder" and turn on the high res switch, it is pretty flawless.

Hope this helps a few people and great to be here.

[akamomo]

Apparently this app is just a demo of the developer's scanning SDK. It is free but has no output other than copy/email buttons. Just useful to decode.

Another one that has more of a challenge with these codes but does work under ideal conditions is Barcode Essentials (for Altris) - I think it was a paid app, honestly I forget. But it has database functionality apparently that I haven't explored that may be useful for someone...

[thehoodedcoder]

it was not easy to figure out. i will give you that.

probably could have saved you some time though:

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthr...ghlight=iphone

kevin

[glchen]

I use the zbar app that Kevin suggested above, and it's pretty good. A lot of times, fake flips have bar codes that don't match up w/ the cert #, so this is one quick check for counterfeits. I've done this when scanning the bar code right off the scan for an ebay listing.

[thehoodedcoder]

i tried to get that to work and have not been able to. i didn't try that hard granted but i would love to see an image that it does work with so i can gauge the resolution and size that is required.

kevin