MagTek MAG-WEDGE READER - Manual (Page 13)

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SECTION 3. OPERATION
After the Mag-Wedge Reader is properly installed, power up the PC as usual. An LED on the
Reader should momentarily illuminate an orange color. It will then quickly change to a red color
and start blinking. The Reader determines the type of PC it is attached to by checking the
commands the PC sends to the keyboard when powering up. The LED then illuminates a green
color instead of blinking red. The unit is ready to read a card, accept data from the PINPad (if
attached) and receive commands from the PC.
Passing a card through the Reader causes the green LED to momentarily extinguish. The data
read from the card will be transmitted to the computer and appear on the display. If the Reader is
a single track device, the data will be sent as follows:
SS CARD DATA ES CR (SS= Start Sentinel; ES= End Sentinel; CR=Carriage Return)
If the Reader is a dual track device then one track must be Track 2. Track 2 will always be sent
immediately following Track 1 or Track 3. The LED will re-illuminate green after all track data
has been sent. If the Caps Lock indicator on the PC keyboard is ON, all alpha characters will be
sent in upper case. If the Caps Lock is OFF, all alpha characters will be sent in lower case. If
the Shift Key is pressed and held down prior to transmission of the card data, improper data may
be sent. This should be avoided.
COMMAND CODES FROM THE PC TO THE READER
With a Reader and PINPad attached to the PC, there are three possible devices that can
communicate with the PC. All communication goes through the keyboard port. The Reader is
directly connected to the keyboard port and the keyboard and PINPad are connected to the
Reader. When the PC receives the data from the keyboard port, it cannot tell if the data has
come from the keyboard, the PINPad, or the Reader. Application software should be written to
read the information from the keyboard buffer to access the data. When the PC is first powered
up, all devices will be active and the non-encrypting PINPad will be in a digit mode.
Note
Part Numbers 2108000 and 21800067 do not support the
command code feature.
The commands written to the Reader and PINPad should be written to I/0 address Hex 60 for
PS/2 Model 50 and AT computers. Commands should be written to Hex 68 for PS/2 Model 30
and PS/2 Model 25 computers.
The communication between the Reader and the PC is always active and the Reader always
responds to the following commands, except when the card reading is in progress or data is being
transmitted to or from the PINPad: