Re: [PHP] Magnetic Stripe Reader or Barcode to PHP

The inputs are simple client side devices, lime th keyboard. I used as  
wasp brand barcode reader and it was configured to input the value and  
the tab to send it to te next field. They work well and easy to set up.

Bastien

Sent from my iPod

On Feb 18, 2010, at 5:42 PM, "Daevid Vincent" <[email protected]> wrote:

> I'll confess that I've done almost zero research on this topic as of  
> right
> now aside from pricing readers and blank cards.
>
> So we're opening a new super-club here in Seattle. One of the ideas  
> we'd
> like to pursue is that people are assigned a card. This can be a  
> magstripe
> card or something with a barcode. Not really sure at the moment  
> which way
> to go.
>
> The idea being that when they enter, we "swipe/scan" their card and  
> we can
> log stats (# of visits, # guests, favorite drink so the bar has it  
> ready,
> enter into contest, etc.) I was thinking we setup a simple netbook  
> with a
> USB reader at the front door when they pay. Then we have another  
> back at
> the bar. Connect via WiFi. Have a notebook somewhere behind the  
> scenes that
> runs LAMP (or a VM thereof). No internet needed.  The backend  
> database and
> even web/GUI stuff is of course trivial with any LAMP stack.
>
> What I don't know is how do I interface _to_ PHP from say a magstripe
> reader. They're dirt cheap ($50), but I assume come with zero  
> software.
> http://www.kanecal.net/mag-stripe-reader-scanner.html . And there are
> hundreds of these gadgets out there all the same basically.
>
> I guess what I'm hoping for is some pointers, from someone who's  
> done this
> sort of thing.
>
> My gut thought is something so simple, where there is some XP  
> software (or
> Linux I suppose) that reads the card (and generally they only have a  
> number
> encoded on them) and this is sent via a URL we define, such as
> http://192.168.10.100/door.php?id=123456 or
> http://192.168.10.100/bar.php?id=123456 etc. (ignore the security  
> issues
> and all that. It's trivial to encode the parameters, plus it's a  
> closed
> system with WEP/WPA/WTF). But does anyone know of such a key piece  
> of code?
>
> Like I said, I'm not locked into magcards. It could be a barcode  
> reader
> just as easily. Or fingerprint scanner, or facial recognition. In  
> the end
> it's just a unique "thing" that maps to a unique number. I just need  
> the
> "FM" (F*ckin' Magic -- it's a programmer term -- look it up!) that  
> goes in
> between PHP and the hardware.
>
> http://daevid.com
>
> "Some people, when confronted with a problem, think 'I know, I'll use
> XML.'"
> Now they have two problems.
>
>
> -- 
> PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/)
> To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
>