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Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!lll-crg!nike!oliveb!hplabs!felix!fritz!alvarado
From: alvarado@fritz.UUCP (Pat Alvarado)
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: Re: Magnetic Stripe Readers
Message-ID: <1824@fritz.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 17-Sep-86 15:17:14 EDT
Article-I.D.: fritz.1824
Posted: Wed Sep 17 15:17:14 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 19-Sep-86 23:12:13 EDT
References: <3753@brl-smoke.ARPA>
Reply-To: alvarado@fritz.UUCP (Pat alvarado)
Organization: FileNet Corp., Costa Mesa, CA
Lines: 51

In article <3753@brl-smoke.ARPA> C2390N%UMVMA.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU writes:
>I am soliciting recommendations or experiences with magnetic stripe readers.
>The use for these readers would be to read Student and Staff Id cards.
>The cards have an ABA compatible stripe.  Once read the code from the stripe
>would be used to compare against a database to determine various things about
>the card holder mainly, are they still a student or staff member.  The readers
>should be serial port or keyboard port attached to a PC (IBM).  Any comments
>or suggestions will be appreciated.
>Jim Hisle
>Computing Services
>University of Missouri -- Kansas City


I am posting this because our vax couldnt send follwup mail to the original
poster.

 I have had experience with a company called MAGTEK here in Carson, California.
They sell Mag Stripe readers capable of reading the ABA on 1 of the 3 tracks on
the card. For a real low cost, they have the raw reader for about $24 and I 
have designed an RS232 serial interface board for it that takes maybe $40 in 
parts.

Look them up and give them a call, they probably can get you a pretty good
price range and they do work pretty good. These types of readers are manual, 
but I believe they have motorized units as well.

Magtek does have their own RS232 compatible unit for about $200 - $400.

Don't quote me on the prices, these are about two years old and 
quantity makes a difference also.

My views and opinions do not reflect those of my employer.

   UUCP					U.S. MAIL
   ---					---
   Pat Alvarado				FileNet Corp.
   FileNet Corp.			6167 Bristol Parkway, Ste 420
   Costa Mesa, Calif.			Culver City, Ca. 90230
   ...!ucbvax!trwrb!felix!alvarado      

"Aye Captain, how else can I keep my reputation, as a miracle worker."
-- 

   UUCP					U.S. MAIL
   ---					---
   Pat Alvarado				FileNet Corp.
   FileNet Corp.			6167 Bristol Parkway, Ste 420
   Costa Mesa, Calif.			Culver City, Ca. 90230
   ...!ucbvax!trwrb!felix!alvarado      

"Scotty, I need warp speed in 3 minutes or we're all dead."