Smart card reader/writer gizmo

Buck Rogers

Hello!
About the Parallax Smart Card reader/writer gizmo. What about it makes it unique?

I mean, I have here a breakout board for a smart card socket from Sparkfun. It is the actual socket mounted on a PCB with the names of the points printed on it. I'm not sure what the firm had in mind when they created it, but it does hold the three I have here that I obtained under something of a dust storm.:smilewinkgrin:

I have not done anything with it because of the simple fact that I happen to know that programming to interact with these cards can be even more difficult then say doing so with the RFID cards from Parallax. (Both reader and reader/writer as it happens.)

So is this one a socket mounted on a PCB with an appropriate processor on it, plus glue logic, and everything else necessary to talk to the stamps? Or what?

Franklin

It always helps if you provide a link to the product you are asking questions about. Have you looked at the product page yet?

Buck Rogers

Franklin wrote: »

It always helps if you provide a link to the product you are asking questions about. Have you looked at the product page yet?

Hello!
Well of course you are right. Here:
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=9440

I did look at the product page from Parallax, which is here:
http://www.parallax.com/Store/Accessories/HumanInterfaceDevices/tabid/822/CategoryID/90/List/0/SortField/0/catpageindex/2/Level/a/ProductID/690/Default.aspx

What is interesting is that the one from Parallax isn't compatible with the standard cards, such as what might be used on certain receivers.:smhair:

However the one from Sparkfun is.:idea:

I had hoped that someone from Parallax would comment, but you did raise a good point.:turn:

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

Buck Rogers wrote:

What is interesting is that the one from Parallax isn't compatible with the standard cards, such as what might be used on certain receivers.

In the past, there have been issues with purchasers of smartcard writers being harassed by the authorities as suspected pirates and having their equipment confiscated. i don't know if this is still the case; but perhaps Parallax, by offering a writer that's incompatible with the cards used in "certain receivers" is merely protecting its customers from a legal minefield.

-Phil