MSR606 encoder at a glance
Contrary to common misconception, private ownership of magnetic card encoders is not illegal. However, purchasing a device of this kind was not easy. I didn't really want to order on the Internet with delivery, and often sellers refuse to sell at the slightest suspicion that the encoder is being purchased by a private person. I did not find popular encoders like MSR206 either in local stores or on sites with private advertisements for sale. But purely by chance I found an ME6-USB encoder of an unknown company POSH on the website of a USB store. The description stated full hardware compatibility with the MSR206. The encoder was offered at an attractive price (~ $ 450 USD), which was just over half the cost of the MSR206. Based on this, I decided to place an order and a week later the encoder was in my hands.
Introduction
As it turns out, POSH is just a distributor for the Canadian market and offers products for use in trade and access control. However, all products are offered under their own brand and are backed by their own warranty and technical support.
The MSR606 encoder is a hardware clone of the MSR206, therefore it repeats all its characteristics. The encoder supports reading and writing of three tracks of cards of high (HI-CO) and low (LO-CO) magnetization standards ISO 7811-7816, AAMVA and others. The encoder is powered by 24v DC and the kit includes a universal power supply that operates on 110-240v AC. The encoder is connected via a USB cable.
Package contents and characteristics
The main characteristics of the encoder are as follows:
In addition to the encoder itself, the package also contains one plastic PVC card for three tracks and a CD with drivers, software and documentation. I could not fail to please the fact that the drivers and software work perfectly in the Windows 7 x64 environment, so the owners of modern systems will not have to resort to using virtual machines or running software in compatibility mode with old operating systems.
As a documentation, the disk contains a document that combines a brief description of the encoder, the supplied software, and a programmer's manual for those who need to write their own software to work with the encoder.
Initially, the encoder was manufactured with an RS-232 serial interface, and USB support was introduced for ease of use with modern systems in which the serial port is already dying off. The engineers did not develop a new connection scheme, but simply built a USB-COM adapter inside the encoder. When connecting the encoder to the computer for the first time, the system found and installed the adapter driver, adding a virtual serial port COM4.
Externally, the MSR606 differs little from the MSR206, apart from the color. There are also three LED indicators on the top panel that indicate the status of the encoder. I did not hold the MSR206 in my hands, so I will talk about the differences based on information received from the network.
The MSR606 encoder has a single non-detachable USB cable and power cable. Near the base of the USB connector, there is a power socket. Not the most convenient setup considering the MSR206 uses separate detachable communication and power cables.
Working with software
According to the manufacturer's statement, the supplied software serves only for checking and demonstrating the basic functions of the encoder. Despite this, the functionality of the included program is enough for more than the required minimum.
At the first start, the program will ask you to enter a password for further use. You do not need to enter it, but this window will still appear every time you start it, and you cannot remove it.
After entering the password (or closing the window), the program will initialize the encoder, after which you can start working with it. The readiness status of the encoder can be judged by the lit green LED on the encoder panel and the presence of the model name and revision of the encoder in the upper right corner of the program.
On the left, three large text boxes named Track 1, 2, and 3 display the contents of the corresponding track of the card being read. You can also enter your data there to record on the corresponding map track. The header of each field, in addition to the track number, indicates the data density in bits per inch, character encoding (including the parity bit), parity type and data size.
In the Select Card Type section, you can select the magnetization (coercivity) of the card to work with. This option should be selected when writing or erasing a card; when reading a card of any magnetization, it is read the same regardless of the option selected. When switching the type of magnetization, a characteristic click is heard in the encoder itself.
In the "Data Type" section, you can select the type of data used. This feature is more presented for the convenience of the user, automatically converting zeros and ones into a format that is convenient for viewing and editing. The ISO format is used primarily for work with credit and bank cards, while the AAMVA and Ca DMV formats correspond to the data type used by the American Motor Vehicle Association and the Department of Motor Vehicles respectively. California. Formats can differ in data density on each track, encoding, and the presence or absence of parity. The "User Type" type allows you to customize the format for yourself if it is not compatible with the first three formats, and the "Raw Type" type is used when the format parameters are unknown or a non-standard format is used.
The lower section contains buttons for working with the encoder. The main ones - Read, Write, Erase - speak for themselves and are responsible, respectively, for reading, writing and erasing cards.
When the read function is selected, the encoder switches to the "Ready" mode (the yellow LED lights up), and after swiping the card over the encoder, the data in the fields of the corresponding tracks of the last read card is displayed and the number of cards has been read. This number is not stored anywhere, therefore, each time starting any operation, the program will indicate how many cards have been processed during the current session.
When recording, the program behaves in the same way, only on the encoder in standby mode the green "Ok" and yellow "Ready" indicators are lit simultaneously. In the encoder, the read head is located after the write head, so the written data is checked immediately. In case of successful recording, only the green LED lights up and the encoder immediately switches back to standby mode. If an error occurs during writing or other operation, the red LED on the encoder will light up, and the program will notify about the error.
An error can occur when using a damaged card, when trying to write a high magnetization card when the "Lo-Co" option is selected, when the card is unevenly passed through the encoder, or when the encoder heads become dirty.
The "Erase" function allows you to erase selected tracks on the card. It is always best to erase the card before writing new data, although in most cases the data overwriting is successful without first erasing.
"Copy" allows us to read one card and make duplicates. Compare is used to compare identical cards and in case of a discrepancy between the read data, the program will notify you of an error.
"To File" is used to batch write data to a file. In this case, the date and time and data of the selected tracks are recorded in the file. "From File" is used for batch writing of saved data.
"Setup" allows you to configure the basic parameters of the program. On the "Com Port" tab you can select the used port for communication with the encoder. As you can see, the choice is quite wide and the program can be configured for use on systems where 255 Com ports are occupied.
On the Format type tab, you can manually adjust the number of leading zeros and the data density of the second track.
And on the last tab, you can configure the same data parameters that will be taken into account when reading or writing non-standard types of cards, if the "User Type" option was selected in the "Data Type" section.
Conclusion
As you can see, despite the fact that the MSR606 is a clone, in terms of functionality it is not inferior to the more expensive MSR206 encoder, and the price can be a decisive factor when choosing an encoder. Apart from the inconvenient cables and wires, I consider this encoder a good purchase.
In conclusion, I will give the pros and cons of this product.
+ Recording of three tracks
+ Recording of cards of high magnetization
+ Work in 64-bit OS Windows 7
+ Attractive price
- Non-detachable wire
- Inconvenient power connection
- One year against three for
MSR206 Magnetic card encoder Cipher 1036 (MSR 206-3HL) with USB- connection
Description and main characteristics.
This device is designed to record information on the magnetic stripe of a plastic card and allows you to encode both LoCo and HiCo cards.
The devices are controlled by ESC sequences from a computer via a standard RS232C interface (the command format is available and can be used to write your own control software). In addition, the delivery set includes software for DOS and Windows that allows you to encode magnetic stripe cards in several standard formats (including ISO 7811), as well as in any other format specified by the user.
HiCo (high coercivity) cards differ from the more common LoCo (low coercivity) cards by the magnetization force required to write and erase information. For recording LoCo cards, 300 Oersted are enough, for HiCo cards - 4000 Oersted. That. HiCo cards are much more reliable and durable, but the cost of HiCo cards is higher. Externally, HiCo cards differ from LoCo cards by the color of the magnetic layer - HiCo cards have a black magnetic stripe, LoCo cards - brown (this rule is not true for all manufacturers).
The command format is available and described in detail in the programming manual and can be used to write your own control software).
The package includes software for DOS and Windows that allows you to record any of the 3 tracks of a magnetic stripe in several standard formats (including ISO 7811), as well as in any other format specified by the user!
If you have chosen for recording the ISO7811 standard (standard for recording bank cards), then you can write alphanumeric information on the first track (Cyrillic is not supported), and only digital information on tracks 2 and 3. Read: ISO7811 Recording Standard Description
MSR106 - Has a non-removable RS232 interface cable. Therefore, in order to connect the MSR106 to a PC using the USB interface, a separate RS232-USB converter must be purchased.
MSR206 - has a RJ45 connector on the encoder body for connecting the RS232 cable that comes with the kit, so it is possible to change the interface to USB by purchasing a special additional cable "USB interface cable for MSR206, interface cable".
Model MSR206U - includes two interface cables: RS232 and USB VitulaCOM.
Technical characteristics
Control interface RS232
Permissible humidity from 10 to 80%
Power supply V / Hz 24 V
Overall dimensions 60 * 65 * 210 mm
Weight, kg 1500
Note
Housing: plastic
Color: white
Contrary to common misconception, private ownership of magnetic card encoders is not illegal. However, purchasing a device of this kind was not easy. I didn't really want to order on the Internet with delivery, and often sellers refuse to sell at the slightest suspicion that the encoder is being purchased by a private person. I did not find popular encoders like MSR206 either in local stores or on sites with private advertisements for sale. But purely by chance I found an ME6-USB encoder of an unknown company POSH on the website of a USB store. The description stated full hardware compatibility with the MSR206. The encoder was offered at an attractive price (~ $ 450 USD), which was just over half the cost of the MSR206. Based on this, I decided to place an order and a week later the encoder was in my hands.
Introduction
As it turns out, POSH is just a distributor for the Canadian market and offers products for use in trade and access control. However, all products are offered under their own brand and are backed by their own warranty and technical support.
The MSR606 encoder is a hardware clone of the MSR206, therefore it repeats all its characteristics. The encoder supports reading and writing of three tracks of cards of high (HI-CO) and low (LO-CO) magnetization standards ISO 7811-7816, AAMVA and others. The encoder is powered by 24v DC and the kit includes a universal power supply that operates on 110-240v AC. The encoder is connected via a USB cable.
Package contents and characteristics
The main characteristics of the encoder are as follows:
In addition to the encoder itself, the package also contains one plastic PVC card for three tracks and a CD with drivers, software and documentation. I could not fail to please the fact that the drivers and software work perfectly in the Windows 7 x64 environment, so the owners of modern systems will not have to resort to using virtual machines or running software in compatibility mode with old operating systems.
As a documentation, the disk contains a document that combines a brief description of the encoder, the supplied software, and a programmer's manual for those who need to write their own software to work with the encoder.
Initially, the encoder was manufactured with an RS-232 serial interface, and USB support was introduced for ease of use with modern systems in which the serial port is already dying off. The engineers did not develop a new connection scheme, but simply built a USB-COM adapter inside the encoder. When connecting the encoder to the computer for the first time, the system found and installed the adapter driver, adding a virtual serial port COM4.
Externally, the MSR606 differs little from the MSR206, apart from the color. There are also three LED indicators on the top panel that indicate the status of the encoder. I did not hold the MSR206 in my hands, so I will talk about the differences based on information received from the network.
The MSR606 encoder has a single non-detachable USB cable and power cable. Near the base of the USB connector, there is a power socket. Not the most convenient setup considering the MSR206 uses separate detachable communication and power cables.
Working with software
According to the manufacturer's statement, the supplied software serves only for checking and demonstrating the basic functions of the encoder. Despite this, the functionality of the included program is enough for more than the required minimum.
At the first start, the program will ask you to enter a password for further use. You do not need to enter it, but this window will still appear every time you start it, and you cannot remove it.
After entering the password (or closing the window), the program will initialize the encoder, after which you can start working with it. The readiness status of the encoder can be judged by the lit green LED on the encoder panel and the presence of the model name and revision of the encoder in the upper right corner of the program.
On the left, three large text boxes named Track 1, 2, and 3 display the contents of the corresponding track of the card being read. You can also enter your data there to record on the corresponding map track. The header of each field, in addition to the track number, indicates the data density in bits per inch, character encoding (including the parity bit), parity type and data size.
In the Select Card Type section, you can select the magnetization (coercivity) of the card to work with. This option should be selected when writing or erasing a card; when reading a card of any magnetization, it is read the same regardless of the option selected. When switching the type of magnetization, a characteristic click is heard in the encoder itself.
In the "Data Type" section, you can select the type of data used. This feature is more presented for the convenience of the user, automatically converting zeros and ones into a format that is convenient for viewing and editing. The ISO format is used primarily for work with credit and bank cards, while the AAMVA and Ca DMV formats correspond to the data type used by the American Motor Vehicle Association and the Department of Motor Vehicles respectively. California. Formats can differ in data density on each track, encoding, and the presence or absence of parity. The "User Type" type allows you to customize the format for yourself if it is not compatible with the first three formats, and the "Raw Type" type is used when the format parameters are unknown or a non-standard format is used.
The lower section contains buttons for working with the encoder. The main ones - Read, Write, Erase - speak for themselves and are responsible, respectively, for reading, writing and erasing cards.
When the read function is selected, the encoder switches to the "Ready" mode (the yellow LED lights up), and after swiping the card over the encoder, the data in the fields of the corresponding tracks of the last read card is displayed and the number of cards has been read. This number is not stored anywhere, therefore, each time starting any operation, the program will indicate how many cards have been processed during the current session.
When recording, the program behaves in the same way, only on the encoder in standby mode the green "Ok" and yellow "Ready" indicators are lit simultaneously. In the encoder, the read head is located after the write head, so the written data is checked immediately. In case of successful recording, only the green LED lights up and the encoder immediately switches back to standby mode. If an error occurs during writing or other operation, the red LED on the encoder will light up, and the program will notify about the error.
An error can occur when using a damaged card, when trying to write a high magnetization card when the "Lo-Co" option is selected, when the card is unevenly passed through the encoder, or when the encoder heads become dirty.
The "Erase" function allows you to erase selected tracks on the card. It is always best to erase the card before writing new data, although in most cases the data overwriting is successful without first erasing.
"Copy" allows us to read one card and make duplicates. Compare is used to compare identical cards and in case of a discrepancy between the read data, the program will notify you of an error.
"To File" is used to batch write data to a file. In this case, the date and time and data of the selected tracks are recorded in the file. "From File" is used for batch writing of saved data.
"Setup" allows you to configure the basic parameters of the program. On the "Com Port" tab you can select the used port for communication with the encoder. As you can see, the choice is quite wide and the program can be configured for use on systems where 255 Com ports are occupied.
On the Format type tab, you can manually adjust the number of leading zeros and the data density of the second track.
And on the last tab, you can configure the same data parameters that will be taken into account when reading or writing non-standard types of cards, if the "User Type" option was selected in the "Data Type" section.
Conclusion
As you can see, despite the fact that the MSR606 is a clone, in terms of functionality it is not inferior to the more expensive MSR206 encoder, and the price can be a decisive factor when choosing an encoder. Apart from the inconvenient cables and wires, I consider this encoder a good purchase.
In conclusion, I will give the pros and cons of this product.
+ Recording of three tracks
+ Recording of cards of high magnetization
+ Work in 64-bit OS Windows 7
+ Attractive price
- Non-detachable wire
- Inconvenient power connection
- One year against three for
MSR206 Magnetic card encoder Cipher 1036 (MSR 206-3HL) with USB- connection
Description and main characteristics.
This device is designed to record information on the magnetic stripe of a plastic card and allows you to encode both LoCo and HiCo cards.
The devices are controlled by ESC sequences from a computer via a standard RS232C interface (the command format is available and can be used to write your own control software). In addition, the delivery set includes software for DOS and Windows that allows you to encode magnetic stripe cards in several standard formats (including ISO 7811), as well as in any other format specified by the user.
HiCo (high coercivity) cards differ from the more common LoCo (low coercivity) cards by the magnetization force required to write and erase information. For recording LoCo cards, 300 Oersted are enough, for HiCo cards - 4000 Oersted. That. HiCo cards are much more reliable and durable, but the cost of HiCo cards is higher. Externally, HiCo cards differ from LoCo cards by the color of the magnetic layer - HiCo cards have a black magnetic stripe, LoCo cards - brown (this rule is not true for all manufacturers).
The command format is available and described in detail in the programming manual and can be used to write your own control software).
The package includes software for DOS and Windows that allows you to record any of the 3 tracks of a magnetic stripe in several standard formats (including ISO 7811), as well as in any other format specified by the user!
If you have chosen for recording the ISO7811 standard (standard for recording bank cards), then you can write alphanumeric information on the first track (Cyrillic is not supported), and only digital information on tracks 2 and 3. Read: ISO7811 Recording Standard Description
MSR106 - Has a non-removable RS232 interface cable. Therefore, in order to connect the MSR106 to a PC using the USB interface, a separate RS232-USB converter must be purchased.
MSR206 - has a RJ45 connector on the encoder body for connecting the RS232 cable that comes with the kit, so it is possible to change the interface to USB by purchasing a special additional cable "USB interface cable for MSR206, interface cable".
Model MSR206U - includes two interface cables: RS232 and USB VitulaCOM.
Technical characteristics
Control interface RS232
Permissible humidity from 10 to 80%
Power supply V / Hz 24 V
Overall dimensions 60 * 65 * 210 mm
Weight, kg 1500
Note
Housing: plastic
Color: white
