Also see:
Blank Magnetic Stripe Cards | Membership
Software | Visitor
Management Software | Keyboards
| Access Control Systems
Remember
Magnetic card readers / writers can have different
- usually RS232 Serial, PS/2 or USB - so please
check before ordering.
Magnetic Stripe Card Applications
Magnetic stripe cards can store sufficient data to be used
for loyalty cards, membership cards and access control applications.
We recommend smart cards (with a chip) for financial applications
requiring more data to be stored securely.
The MSE750, IDWA, MSR106 and the MSR206 are supplied with
a utility program to assist in application testing. The utility
allows data to be read from the card as well as data to be
encoded onto the magstripe.
Tracks
The magnetic stripe is typically 9.52mm wide and can hold
upto 3 tracks, with each track being 2.79mm wide. Track 1
and Track 3 are usually recorded at a density of 210 bits
per inch (BPI) (8.27 bits per mm). Data on Track 2 is usually
recorded at a lower density of 75 bits per inch (2.95 bits
per mm).
Magstripe Storage Capacity:-
Storing data at 7-bits per character, Track 1 can store
79 alphanumeric characters.
Storing data at 5-bits per character, Track 2 can store
40 numeric digits.
Storing data at 5-bits per character, Track 3 can store
107 numeric digits.
If you wish to store more data electronically, you should
look at compression/encoding algorithms in your software
or use a Smart Card with a higher capacity memory chip.
HiCo and LoCo
High-coercivity (HiCo) and Low-coercivity (LoCo) refers to
the durability of the magnetic stripe on which data is stored.
HiCo cards use higher magnetic energy and are more difficult
to erase. They are suited to applications where the cards
will be used heavily and/or over a long period. LoCo card
writers / encoders are much cheaper than HiCo editions as
less magnetic energy is required. Swipe card readers can read
both HiCo and LoCo encoded data. However, a HiCo writer/encoder
can only write HiCo cards and LoCo writers/encrders can only
write LoCo format cards. Some writers/encoders are designed
to operate in both HiCo and LoCo mode.
The MSE630T and MSR106 encodes LoCo format cards only. The
MSE630T, MSE750, IDWA and MSR206 can encode both LoCo and
HiCo format cards.
Smart Cards
Smart Cards may store considerably more data than magstripes.
The data is contained in an integrated circuit chip which
sometimes has metal contacts. The metal contacts allow the
chip to be read by the smart card reader. Smart Cards without
metal contacts use magnetic energy or radio frequency (RFID)
to read the data stored on the chip. Many smart cards also
contain a magnetic stripe to store additional data. The high
capacity of Smart Cards makes them suitable fo electronic
purse or loyalty applications where a value is stored on the
card.
Related products:-
Can't See What you Want?
If you wish to discuss your magnetic card reader/writer/encoder
requirements, call us for helpful advice. Our website displays
our most popular magnetic card / smart card products although
we have a much wider range available as well as replacement
parts and accessories. Please to check for a particular item.
| Security
Notice |
Orders for magstripe and smart
card readers/writers will only be accepted from registered
trading businesses and organisations with a legitimate
business use and delivered only to the associated
trading address. We do not supply these products
to private individuals or non-verifiable firms.
We reserve the right to require
registered company details, photo ID and address verification
documents and proof of the commercial application
the product(s) will be used for. We may refuse equipment
orders at our discretion without stating the reason.
We also reserve the right to pass details of any magstripe/smart-card
equipment transaction (or attempted transaction) to
law enforcement agencies.
We may restrict the available
payment methods for magstripe and smart card products.
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