MDE-4017G Mat Reader Assembly Kit (C00016-XXX) Installation Manual · April 2017
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Installing Mat Reader Assembly
Installing Mat Reader Assembly
Gilbarco strongly recommends that only Gilbarco ASCs perform this installation.
CAUTION
To begin installing the mat reader assembly, collect and arrange all tools and equipment for
safety and convenience.
To install the mat reader assembly, proceed as follows:
Positioning Mat Reader
Gilbarco recommends the following concerning the placement of a mat reader on the
countertop relative to the following devices:
• Any Cathode Ray Tube (CRT), such as the POS Touch Screen
• Any device with Card Reader, such as a PIN pad
• Mat Reader Interface Box
• Countertop Material
CRT
In general, a mat reader should be positioned as far away as is conveniently possible from any
CRT device to avoid interference from the CRT and to ensure optimum performance of the
mat reader. The interference from a CRT can vary greatly from unit to unit and model to
model. Also, the presence of nearby masses of metal can affect the influence of a CRT.
There is no universal minimum separation that guarantees trouble-free operation. If the
distance between the mat reader and CRT cannot be increased, changing the relative
orientation of these items may yield better operation of the mat reader. However, increasing
the distance will always give the most dramatic improvement in mat reader performance.
Card Reader
With the exception of the PIN Pad Mat Reader (C00016-011), any device with a card reader
should be positioned as far as is conveniently possible from a mat reader. Since the card
readers are unshielded, loosely filtered devices, they are susceptible to magnetic interference.
The mat reader generates a magnetic field as part of its normal operation that can be a source
of magnetic interference to a card reader.
If a known, good card reader begins to display poor read performance after the addition of a
mat reader to the POS system, significant improvements to the card reader performance may
be realized by simply increasing its separation from the mat reader by as little as a few inches.
As a general rule, placing a card reader beside a mat reader has far less effect on the card
reader than actually using the card reader while it is physically on or held over the mat reader.
A countertop configuration where the card reader could be used in this manner should be
avoided.
