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Evo-ERP and DBA Classic >> Bar Code & Hand Held Interface >> What sort of handheld to get?
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Message started by kkmfg on 08/12/08 at 09:19:40

Title: What sort of handheld to get?
Post by kkmfg on 08/12/08 at 09:19:40

I'm interested in trying out a handheld unit for shop tracking. What sort of units are compatible with Evo? Which version of Windows CE would I need? I'd like to buy an older unit off of ebay. They can be a lot more reasonable than $2000 and a kidney.

Title: Re: What sort of handheld to get?
Post by Lynn_Pantic on 08/13/08 at 08:00:52

Anything that can run Remote Desktop will work.

Title: Re: What sort of handheld to get?
Post by Kelloggs on 08/14/08 at 11:12:15

Buy a Linux unit. It's cheap, it runs well and most important it runs Remote Desktop.

Price $700

Kelloggs

Title: Re: What sort of handheld to get?
Post by kevind on 08/14/08 at 11:36:28

Please provide some example model numbers and manufacturers so that we can evaluate them.

Thank you.

Title: Re: What sort of handheld to get?
Post by Kelloggs on 08/14/08 at 15:31:55

DELL/UBUNTU Desktops and Laptops

http://www.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/linux_3x?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs

Open Source client for Windows Terminal Services

http://www.rdesktop.org/

:D

Title: Re: What sort of handheld to get?
Post by kkmfg on 08/15/08 at 04:14:37

Yeah, I was wondering about a handheld solution... There are iPaqs and Zaurus and things like that but those things are too fragile for a factory or a shipping area. It probably is best if we just put a desktop machine or something out there. Extreme mobility of the machine isn't a real issue for us for the shop. In shipping it'd be nice.

I think I'll stick with a desktop especially since it appears as if handheld units must work over remote desktop which sort of defeats the purpose if you ask me... I want to dump windows not buy a terminal server license! I don't see any reason why a 300-400Mhz handheld with wifi could not directly run applications.

Title: Re: What sort of handheld to get?
Post by kevind on 08/18/08 at 08:45:31

Kelloggs:
Thanks!

kkmfg:
Agreed ... Plenty of power for a nice thin embedded application, not enough for fat, Terminal Services, Bloatware!

Title: Re: What sort of handheld to get?
Post by Icy24blue on 11/11/08 at 09:20:55

Kelloggs wrote:

Buy a Linux unit. It's cheap, it runs well and most important it runs Remote Desktop.

Price $700

Kelloggs

How does that work with Windows, I don't know much about the handheld option but I am very interested in finding out more. We just switched to EVO.

Title: Re: What sort of handheld to get?
Post by kkmfg on 11/11/08 at 09:42:51

Well, when you are using remote desktop you aren't actually running the application. The terminal server is. You are just a remote keyboard and screen. Terminal server essentially just passes the raw windows messages back and forth. And linux does have a remote desktop client so it can be a client of a windows terminal server. I still think that the whole idea is dumber than a screen door on a submarine but it does exist.

Give me a properly coded thin client over a windows terminal server connection any day!

Title: Re: What sort of handheld to get?
Post by JDlugosh on 11/11/08 at 17:55:15

I have to agree with Collin regarding the Windows sentiment.

The Motorola (formerly Symbol) MC3xxx units are pricey but a solid solution for a truely mobile real-time shop environment. Once configured they are pretty bullet proof. Motorola's staff has been very helpful (suprisingly) with writing custom boot scripts too.

FYI we run EVO and Classic on a Win 2003 server, We have a seperate 2003 Enterprise server 64 bit edition for running terminal services. Add in a couple of Cisco wireless access points and 1 MC 3090 (to start).

Title: Re: What sort of handheld to get?
Post by gtladmin on 03/13/09 at 07:13:37

Could you do this via something like RealVNC from a Linux mobile to a desktop? Just brainstorming here, I have some of those small Fujitsu Lifebooks sitting around that are probably decent for moving around in the stockroom and perfect for these guys doing cycle counts, maybe....I'll have to play with that.....

Title: Re: What sort of handheld to get?
Post by IceCorp_IE on 03/04/10 at 12:57:17

kkmfg wrote:

Okay - pardon the newb question here - but for learning processes, could I substitute a handheld with a laptop + USB wedge?

Title: Re: What sort of handheld to get?
Post by Lynn_Pantic on 03/04/10 at 17:13:39

Yes you could. In fact that could be a permanent solution if you don't want to spend the $$ for a Hand Held unit

Title: Re: What sort of handheld to get?
Post by John Deitz on 03/05/10 at 21:11:04

Going with a notebook & wedge doesn't require the use of Remote Desktop, a big bonus. I tried RTD on Pocket PC with barcode scanner, very clunky, not suitable for non-technical types. If you do go handheld, get WIN CE 5.0 Pro (not Core) or PPC 2003 SE or better, and RTD requires 64 MB RAM as the minimum.

Title: Re: What sort of handheld to get?
Post by IceCorp_IE on 03/09/10 at 08:15:21

John Deitz wrote:

Going with a notebook & wedge doesn't require the use of Remote Desktop

That's what I'm thinking. I've piddled around and setup a remote desktop hand held scanner once at a library, and it was akin to pulling teeth. I'm generally concerned about sustainability and not locking up the engineers on keeping a system up, so frankly a laptop and scanner at the mouth of the parts room sounds more fantastic then ever. = )

Title: Re: What sort of handheld to get?
Post by dude75 on 05/14/10 at 04:08:11

Thanks again guys for all the advice, been checking through the forums and have picked up some great hints and tips. As you can probably tell I am fairly new to all this. Keep up the good work!

Thanks again

Title: Re: What sort of handheld to get?
Post by John Deitz on 07/29/10 at 13:26:36

Just an update:

We finally have the one thing we wanted most when we first started using DBA (12 years ago?): accurate inventory information at the touch of a button. As of July 1st, we have deployed a cheap wedge-type bar code scanner and wireless laptop solution to use the HH menu and have closed the inventory loop. We now have complete real time inventory tracking for all our work order, purchase order and sales order activity. Nothing move in out out of stock without being recorded. When DBA says there are 2 in the box, there are 2 in the box. We have a around 2500 active items in a 5000 item inventory and around 300 multi-level BoMs to keep track of, so this is a big step up for us. And once we committed to it, it was much easier than we thought.

So don't give up. It can be done and it's worth it.

Title: Re: What sort of handheld to get?
Post by shadowcaster on 08/17/13 at 08:16:41

Just about to redo all my labels and switch to scanning.

Any updates as to what hardware to buy or things to watch out for.

Title: Re: What sort of handheld to get?
Post by Lynn_Pantic on 08/17/13 at 10:34:54

Depends on the environment and how much portability you want. Cheap option is a wedge USB scanner plugged into a laptop or desktop. If you want the portability of the Evo Hand Held module, you need portable units with a Windows operating system that can run Remote Desktop which is how you will be connecting to the network. If a user has a desktop and will be either sitting at his desk or walking around using the handheld, he can remote into his own workstation. Otherwise, you will need the RDP licenses on the server within Windows.

Title: Re: What sort of handheld to get?
Post by Jaime Lefkowitz on 07/31/14 at 19:55:25

I am looking at purchasing a handheld (possibly a DT90 Mobile Computer). I already have the capability of scanners, ipads, pc's, etc.

What I'm really looking for, however, is to visit a company that is using a DT90. I'd like to see the setup, use(s), etc. My company would pay my expenses to visit and learn from someone deeply entrenched in scanning + EVO.

If anyone is interested and/or available to provide this type of service/education, please let me know.

Thank you.

Jaime

Title: Re: What sort of handheld to get?
Post by gtladmin on 02/13/15 at 08:13:15

Did you ever get the opportunity to see / learn how to use the DT90 with Evo? I am considering getting one unit
to try, but I cannot find much in the way of telling me how to use it with Evo and setting it up.