I was given a pretty old PS2 style bar code reader, not sure what I'll use for yet. I had idea, while not practical would it work. Could you use such a device to read an optical disk E.G CD,DVD? physics to my understanding would be similar, only difference speed, and distance from source to disk, and back. I suppose maybe if you have a lot of bad disks maybe could read them, only use I could see. More curious just about would such a thing even work at all.

 

It won't work. The data on CDs and DVDs is incredibly tiny and needs a very fine focus laser point and special tracking electronics to keep it on track.

A barcode reader is good enough to read barcodes.