PDF417 Barcode Readers

"PDF417 Barcode Readers" are any type of scanner that can read the particular symbology known as PDF417. This is a two-dimensional barcode that is actually a bunch of one-dimensional barcodes stacked on top of one another, resembling a snowed-out television set. Clearly, this code can contain a lot more information in the same amount of space as a regular 1-D code, and it is therefore often used as a kind of summary for important documents or labels (e.g. very common on tax forms and driver's licenses). The important distinction in the barcoding industry stems from the fact that PDF417 is a 2-D code, but many manufacturers offer a 1-D type scanner that is capable of reading PDF417. Pretty much all two-dimensional scanners (or, imagers) can read PDF417 and one-dimensional barcodes.