Section 3
READER CONFIGURATION
The magnetically encoded data on the magnetic stripe can be decoded (read)
by magnetic card readers. The stripe data has a fi xed format defi ned by the
ISO standards. The ISO fi xed format is not always convenient or useful for
card reading applications. The solution is for the card reader to decode the
stripe data and then arrange the data into useful format and content. The
reader-formatted data is transmitted from an intelligent communication
interface.
The VersaKey Reader is an intelligent magnetic stripe reader, which provides
extensive formatting capability. In addition, characters can be added to the
formatted data. The added characters form either a prefi x or a suffi x to the
magnetic stripe data. To support the formatting capability, ID TECH provides
easy to use Confi guration Utility software.
The operating systems supported are Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows
2000, and Windows XP.
The reader must be appropriately confi gured to the application. Confi guration
settings enable the reader to work with the host system. Once the reader is
programmed, these confi guration settings are stored in the reader’s non-vola-
tile memory (so they are not affected by the cycling of power).
DEFAULT SETTINGS
The reader is shipped from the factory with the default settings already
programmed. See Appendix A. The reader has been factory programmed
with the least restricted settings, thus making the reader ready to read most
standard format magnetic stripe cards.
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