Metrologic VoyagerBT Review Review

VoyagerBT in cradle
Product: Voyager BT
Manufacturer: Metrologic
Type: Cordless Scanner
Support: 2Year warranty through Manufacturer;
Lifetime support from POSGuys


The Metrologic VoyagerBT™ combines the freedom of Bluetooth® technology with many of the outstanding features found in all Voyager hand-held and single-line series. This latest member of the Voyager Series continues the trend of combining patented technology, high performance, and a futuristic design. It offers convenience and the freedom of mobility by incorporating Bluetooth wireless technology.

Typical uses and environments:
The Metrologic Voyager BT would be best used in medium to high volume retail, light industrial, and healthcare environments.
Its unique features and advantages such as a scanner locator and programmable scan tone make it great for most point-of-sale applications. Because there is no cord, it would be very easy to lose the scanner in a pile of clothes or under a crate of boxes, which sets the Voyager BT apart from other scanners.

VoyagerBT with cradleUnique Features & Advantages:
The unit comes with Code Gate technology that is triggered by a button on the head. Code gate allows you to use auto sense mode but waits until the button is pressed before scanning the barcode. This mode is very helpful for aiming at the desired barcode.

Range gate is also available on the Metrologic Voyager BT, which enables you to scan 8KB of barcodes after the scanner loses the signal with the base station.
It comes with the option of adjusting either the volume or the pitch of the scan tone. The Voyager BT begins with a fairly quiet scan tone, which may need to be louder if it is used in a noisy retail environment or for industrial use. A good scan tone can change a ordinary scanner to an excellent fit for your workplace.

The Voyager BT features a scanner locator to help find the scanner if it ever gets misplaced. This attribute can be extremely handy and may save you from having to buy a replacement scanner. To turn on the locator, you hit a button on the cradle and the scanner will produce rapid beeping. To stop the beeping, simply push the button again.

Standard Features:
After turning the scanner on, the Voyager plays an activation tone and the activation light illuminates on the head. The cradle also has a blue action light on the heel. When the light on the scanner is blue, the beam is on and it is ready to scan. When the light is orange, the scanner is in the cradle and charging.

Included in the box is the scanner, a charging cradle, and configuration guide. After charging the scanner, you have to scan the barcode on the cradle. Once that is done, the scanner is ready to begin scanning barcodes

The Metrologic Voyager BT comes with a charging cradle that can be wall or counter mounted. The charging cradle is also the base station for the wireless connection, meaning there is no separate device to plug into the computer.

Drawbacks:
The main drawback of the Voyager BT is the scan button that limits grip orientation because your finger has to remain on the trigger, thus potentially causing strain. The Voyager BT can however be used in auto sense mode, eliminating the necessity to push the button.
Occasionally when using the Voyager BT, the auto sense function would not perform as expected. The scanner sometimes needed a little extra movement to get the beam to re-appear.

VoyagerBTPerformance Testing:
The testing was done in an indoor setting with fluorescent lighting. The brightness test is performed using a 120W spotlight. Our tests include reading barcode density and width, reading damaged barcodes, measuring the scan range, signal range, and light resistance.
During the brightness test, the Voyager began to be inconsistent when the light was about 12 inches away, which is average for its class. When used outside in direct sunlight, the BT did moderately well, however would not recommend it for high frequency in outdoor settings.

In our testing of the signal range, it performed about average compared to the other cordless scanners. We continued to scan a barcode while walking away from the base station. We ended up reaching around 120 ft before it lost the signal. The newer models say that you can scan 8KB of barcodes after losing connection with the base stand, and then it will send that data when it reconnects. We may have had a somewhat older model because that was not possible to do with our scanner. When the signal was lost, we had to return all the way back to the base station and rescan the barcode on the cradle before being able to scan again. However, it is likely due to the age of the model we used.

The Metrologic Voyager BT’s greatest achievement during testing was our range test. It could scan from contact to 12 inches away, giving a great range for any retail use.
The biggest shortcoming we noticed was partial barcode reading. This only occurred when scanning a barcode that was
wider than 5.25 inches. The Voyager BT could partially read barcodes from 5.8 to 6.8 inches. Anything beyond that was unreadable.

A breakdown of the Metrologic Voyager BT capabilities is listed in
table and graph form below.

Voyager BT Performance Chart

1D Results

Highest Density Barcode Scanned 9mil Great
Widest Barcode Scanned 133.35mm Average
Shortest Barcode Scanned 38 mm Good
Shortest Barcode Scanned 38 mm Good
Range Ideal Conditions (Standard 100% UPC-A) 0 inches – 10 inches Good
Scratched Barcode 2 of 3 Good
Worn Barcode 2 of 3 Good
Warped Barcode 2 of 2 Good
Curved Barcode 1 of 2 Average
Multiple Barcodes in close proximity Relatively accurate, but dependent on distribution of barcodes relative to thickness of beam Average
Scan through plastic layers 4 Layers Good
Multicolored Barcodes Successfully Scanned Blue, Grey Good
Multicolored Barcodes Not Scanned Red, Yellow, Black on Dark Grey Average
Simulated Sunlight Test Correct scans until spotlight was at 12” Average


Conclusion:
The Metrologic Voyager BT has great features that make it stand out in the cordless scanner arena. The ideal setting for this scanner is high retail or light industrial environments. The Voyager BT has a fast scan speed, which is great for high volume using the auto sense function

To Purchase this product, go to the Metrologic Voyager BT page.

To see our complete line of barcode scanners, visit our Barcode Scanners section.

For Additional Reviews, visit our Product Reviews page.

Metrologic Scanners Ideal Setting Description
Medium to High Volume Retail Optional trigger less, auto sensing barcode scanner with stand
Medium to High Volume Retail, Health Care, and Light Industrial The Voyager BT is more economically priced than the Focus BT with code gate & range gate technology and scans at 72 lines per second.
High Volume Retail An omnidirectional scanner with option of handheld and includes code gate technology.
Medium to High Volume Retail and Health Care A 2D Imager with omnidirectional scanning with First Flash and Linear Illumination technologies.
High Volume Retail, Health Care, and Light Industrial The Focus BT has Wireless Bluetooth to 130 feet and includes code gate and range gate technology.


Testing and evaluation results for the Metrologic VoyagerBT Review



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