In the Contactless tab you are able to test your hardware configuration for encoding contactless cards.
The Reader Info Section
- Reader type - Select the reader being used inside your printer or externally
- Serial port - Select the serial port the reader communicates with (not applicable for PC/SC)
- Baud rate - Select the baud rate (speed) of the used reader
- PC/SC version - When PC/SC readers are used, select the version 1 or 2
- Reader pin code - If reader requires a pin for access, you have to enter it here
- Test reader with card movements - Set to True or False
In the Reader Info Section you can also find two buttons. The button Refresh refreshes the list of readers available in the Reader type drop down menu. When a new PC/SC reader is added to the system, this button needs to be pressed to make it available. The second button is the Test button. Depending on card movements setting, clicking this button will move the card to the encoding position of the printer that is selected in the Printer Options section and will test the reader.
In the reader test window it will indicate whether it was possible to communicate with the reader, if a card is presented, and can read the CSN (Chip Serial Number). These test are clearly marked with Red and Green lights.
When using older printers that works with so called escape commands to move the card in the encoding position, there is no information shared about the exact position of the card in the printer. For these printers we need to set the Time delays in the Time delays section.
There are basically two settings that can be entered; Time delay before encoding and Time delay after printing. The average time delay after printing is round 30 seconds (30.000 ms). On the the moment that the card is electronically processed, it will be set to print position. On that moment the next card will be prepared for encoding, when printing multiple cards of course. After 30 seconds, independently of the state the printer is in, the reader will be instructed to access the card. With these older printers you will have to play a little with these time delays to get the best results. Don't forget to make sure to check the Configuration settings in the Advanced options for using Factory or non-factory build in readers.
Factory built in readers normally work via SDK's (Software Development Kits) that give full control of the printer and time delays are normally never needed and can stay in the default settings of 2000 ms.
1 sec = 1.000 ms
Of course, all these setting made can apply for all cards or the selected card only.
For more information about Contactless encoding, please see our Using Contactless Encoding section of this Help file.