How to Beep
At first, beeping an item can seem quite tricky. However by following a few simple rules beeping is easy and you could even say it's fun! The overriding principle is that you need to show as large and clear an image as possible to the scanner. Once you get the hang of it you will be able to scan an item within a second or so.
The four rules of beeping a barcode on Beep My Stuff.
- Fill as much of the picture with the barcode
- Have the barcode in focus
- Avoid shadows/reflections on the barcode
- Work in good light
Here is what a good scan looks like. The barcode is clear to you and the scanner. The scanner will automatically scan the barcode.
Lets go through each of the rules in turn.
Fill as much if the picture with the barcode
The 'bigger' the barcode is in the image the easier it is for the scanner to see the bars.
Even though this barcode looks clear there isn't enough information for the scanner to see the bars clearly. Move the barcode closer so it fills as much of the image as possible (you may need to adjust the focus).
Have the barcode in focus
Just as with the previous tip this is all about showing as clear an image as possible to the scanner. If the image is blurred the scanner can't see the bars. Most USB/Firewire cameras allow you to change the focus by turning the lens on the front. Refer to your manual or just have a play with your camera.
Once again there isn't enough information for the scanner to see the bars clearly. Adjust your webcams focus.
Avoid shadows/reflections on the barcode
The box that 'stuff' comes in often have plastic covers that are shiny and reflect bright light in to your webcam. This obscures the barcode and confuses the scanner. By changing the angle of the item or webcam you can stop the light reflecting into the webcam and get a clean beep.
The bright light has obscured the barcode. Change the angle of the barcode by angling it away from the webcam to stop the light being reflected into the webcam.
Work in good light
Most webcams are not designed to work in low light. They are designed to work best in clean bright day light. You may find it harder to beep in the evening as most of the light comes from a light bulb. Beeping will still work in the evening but you may need to adjust your camera to get as clear an image as possible.
Even though the barcode is in focus and fills the image it's too dark to see the bars clearly. Turn a light on to increase the contrast between light and dark.
Not everything you beep is going to be stored on Amazon. When this happens you will hear a negative beep sound and see a cross appear in the scanner. A partial scan is added to your home page in the 'Partial Scans' section.
If you click 'Take Item Photo' you can use your webcam to take a photo of the item. When you edit your partial scan at a later date this can be useful as a reminder of which item failed.
The purple bars at the bottom help you see what the scanner is seeing.
The light purple bars indicate where the scanner 'thinks' a barcode is. Dark purple indicates an area where a barcode could be but the scanner is disregarding it. For a good scan you will see a well defined continuous light purple hump as in the picture.
There are some things in your library that you may want to keep private or only share with your friends. When adding items to your library there will be two check boxes labelled Public and Share. By default items are Public meaning anyone can see them. You can uncheck this and if share is checked only your friends will see the item. With both unchecked the item will only be visible to you.
- public and one can see it
- share only your friends can see it
- nothing only you can see it.