Multi-channel scanning system with common decoder

adadadadadA multi-channel scanner having several photodetectors and several lasers for scanning along multiple paths incorporates a separate input channel for each photodetector. Each channel provides a sequence of data elements representing light reflected from points along the associated scanning path, and the data elements from each channel are stored in separate FIFO buffers. A multiplexer takes data elements from the various buffers so as from a consolidated stream of data elements incoporating the data elements from the various channels. This stream is processed in a single decoder to recover data denoted by the bar code. Use of a single decoder minimizes the cost and size of the system.