Magtek MT-95 User manual

MODEL MT-95
RS-232 HiCo/LoCo ENCODER/READER
INSTALLATION AND OPERATION MANUAL
Manual Part Number 99875075 Rev 6
JULY 2001
20725 South Annalee Avenue
Carson, CA 90746
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
Technical Support: [phone]
www.magtek.com

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Copyright 1997-2001
Mag-Tek, Inc.
Printed in the United States of America
Information in this document is subject to change without notice. No part of this document may
be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, for any
purpose, without the express written permission of Mag-Tek, Inc.
Mag-Tek is a registered trademark of Mag-Tek, Inc.
REVISIONS
Rev Number Date Notes
1 6 Jun 97 Initial Release
2 8 Jan 98 Name change from MT-310232 to MT-95; Updated to new firmware
Revision; Changed Main Menu and subordinate menus; Changed titles
and content of Sections 3 and 4 and added 5; added Appendix A.
3 23 Sep 99 Sec 1: Added 4777 emulation mode to features and requirements, LCD
to Spec, Sec 5: Added new response to "Change Configuration; Added
Sec 6 4777 emulation mode; Appendix A: Added Connector illustration,
editorial .
4 24 Jul 00 Section 1 and 2, added IntelliCoder, features, and related hardware and
instructions; Section 5, removed one PC encoded example.
5 05 Jun 01 Editorial throughout. Updated dialog boxes to latest engineering revision
J07.
6 31 Jul 01 Front Matter, Agency Approvals: Added CE, Class A approval.

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Limited Warranty
Mag-Tek, Inc. (hereinafter “Mag-Tek”) warrants this Mag-Tek product IN ITS ENTIRETY, to be
in good working order for a period of one year from the date of purchase from Mag-Tek. Should
this product fail to be in good working order at any time during this warranty period, Mag-Tek
will, at its option, repair or replace this product at no additional charge except as set forth below.
Repair parts and replacement products will be furnished on an exchange basis and will be either
reconditioned or new. All replaced parts and products become the property of Mag-Tek. This
limited warranty does not include service to repair damage to the product resulting from accident,
disaster, misuse, abuse, or non-Mag-Tek modification of the product.
Limited Warranty service may be obtained by delivering the product during the warranty period
to Mag-Tek (20801 S. Annalee Ave., Carson, CA 90746). If this product is delivered by mail,
you agree to insure the product or assume the risk of loss or damage in transit, to prepay shipping
charges to the warranty service location and to use the original shipping container or equivalent.
ALL EXPRESS AND IMPLIED WARRANTIES FOR THIS PRODUCT, INCLUDING THE
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE,
ARE LIMITED IN DURATION TO A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR FROM THE DATE OF
PURCHASE, AND NO WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WILL APPLY
AFTER THIS PERIOD, EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN THE PRECEDING SENTENCE. EACH
PURCHASER UNDERSTANDS THAT THE MAG-TEK PRODUCT IS OFFERED AS IS.
IF THIS PRODUCT IS NOT IN GOOD WORKING ORDER AS WARRANTED ABOVE,
YOUR SOLE REMEDY SHALL BE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT AS PROVIDED ABOVE.
IN NO EVENT WILL MAG-TEK BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING
ANY LOST PROFITS, LOST SAVINGS OR OTHER INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL
DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE SUCH PRODUCT,
EVEN IF MAG-TEK HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES,
OR FOR ANY CLAIM BY ANY OTHER PARTY.
THIS WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS, AND YOU MAY ALSO
HAVE OTHER RIGHTS WHICH VARY FROM STATE TO STATE.

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FCC WARNING STATEMENT
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant
to Part 15 of FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates,
uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this
equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be
required to correct the interference at his own expense.
FCC COMPLIANCE STATEMENT
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation of this device is subject to the following
two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference. And (2) This device must accept any
interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
CANADIAN DOC STATEMENT
This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class A limits for radio noise for digital apparatus set out in
the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications.
Le présent appareil numérique n’émet pas de bruits radioélectriques dépassant les limites applicables aux
appareils numériques de las classe A prescrites dans le Réglement sur le brouillage radioélectrique édicté
par les ministère des Communications du Canada.
CE STANDARDS
Testing for compliance to CE and FCC requirements was performed by an independent laboratory. The
unit under test was found compliant to Class A.
UL/CSA
This product is recognized per Underwriter Laboratories and Canadian Underwriter Laboratories 1950.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 1. FEATURES AND SPECIFICATIONS .....................................................................................1
FEATURES.................................................................................................................................................1
Standard Mode.......................................................................................................................................1
IntelliCoder .............................................................................................................................................1
4777 Emulation Mode ............................................................................................................................1
REQUIREMENTS .......................................................................................................................................2
Standard Mode.......................................................................................................................................2
IntelliCoder .............................................................................................................................................2
4777 Emulation Mode ............................................................................................................................2
SPECIFICATIONS ......................................................................................................................................3
SECTION 2. INSTALLATION AND SETUP.................................................................................................5
PARTS REQUIRED ....................................................................................................................................5
Standard MT-95 .....................................................................................................................................5
IntelliCoder .............................................................................................................................................5
4777 Emulation MT-95 ...........................................................................................................................5
HARDWARE INSTALLATION ....................................................................................................................5
SETUP - STANDARD MODE .....................................................................................................................8
Normal Mode........................................................................................................................................11
Secure Mode ........................................................................................................................................11
Setup - IntelliCoder...............................................................................................................................13
SECTION 3. STANDALONE OPERATION ...............................................................................................15
CARD READING AND ENCODING FUNDAMENTALS...........................................................................15
CARD READING.......................................................................................................................................18
CARD COPYING ......................................................................................................................................19
CARD ENCODING ...................................................................................................................................20
Free Format Encoding..........................................................................................................................20
Fixed Format Encoding ........................................................................................................................22
Create Format Card .............................................................................................................................24
SECTION 4. ONLINE CARD OPERATION ...............................................................................................27
CARD READING.......................................................................................................................................27
CARD ENCODING ...................................................................................................................................27
SECTION 5. ONLINE PROGRAMMING....................................................................................................29
ENCODED MESSAGE FORMAT .............................................................................................................29
PC ENCODED EXAMPLE ........................................................................................................................30
ONLINE COMMANDS ..............................................................................................................................30
Change Encode Coercivity Mode.........................................................................................................31
Change Online Encode Mode ..............................................................................................................31
Change Configuration ..........................................................................................................................31
Abort.....................................................................................................................................................31
Operation..............................................................................................................................................31
ONLINE ENCODE FORMATS..................................................................................................................32
ONLINE MODES.......................................................................................................................................33
Normal Mode........................................................................................................................................33
Secure Mode ........................................................................................................................................34
TRACK CHARACTER SETS ....................................................................................................................34
SECTION 6. 4777 EMULATION MODE ....................................................................................................37
INSTALLATION OF 4777 EMULATION MODE .......................................................................................37
MT-95 SETUP FOR ENCODE ENERGY .................................................................................................37
MODIFYING IDLE MESSAGE ON MT-95 ................................................................................................38
MODIFYING ENCODE TIMEOUT ............................................................................................................39
MT-95 USER MESSAGES........................................................................................................................40

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APPENDIX A. PIN LISTS...........................................................................................................................43
INDEX..........................................................................................................................................................45
FIGURES
Figure 1-1. MT-95 Encoder/Reader..........................................................................................................viii
Figure 1-2. Encoder Parts and Card Orientation ........................................................................................4
Figure 2-1. Rear Panel ...............................................................................................................................6
Figure 2-2. Encoder to Keyboard Connection ............................................................................................7
Figure 2-3. Encoder to PC Connection.......................................................................................................7
Figure A-1. DE-9 Connector .....................................................................................................................43
TABLES
Table 1-1. Specifications ............................................................................................................................3
Table 2-1. Default Parameters .................................................................................................................10
Table 4-1. Track 1/3 7-Bit Character Set..................................................................................................35
Track 4-2. Track 2/3 5-Bit Character Set..................................................................................................35
Table A-1. Cable DE-9P to DE-9S (21015823) ........................................................................................43
Table A-2. Cable DE-9P to DB-25S (21015821) ......................................................................................43

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viii
Figure 1-1. MT-95 Encoder/Reader

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SECTION 1. FEATURES AND SPECIFICATIONS
The Model MT-95 RS-232 HiCo/LoCo Encoder/Reader encodes (or writes) and reads on 3-track
magnetic stripes which comply with ISO standards 7810, 7811-2, -4, -5, -6, and 7813. The
Encoder can read or write on all three tracks of the magnetic stripe on LoCo (low coercivity or
low energy) or HiCo (high coercivity or high energy) cards. HiCo cards are more difficult to
erase, but LoCo cards can be erased by a small magnet.
A liquid crystal display (LCD) prompts the operator for encoding, reading, clearing tracks,
communication setup, and some errors (such as, “Could not read track”). A circular knob with a
finger hold on the left side of the unit permits an intensity adjustment (which is actually the
viewing angle) of the LCD.
FEATURES
The features listed below are for the various versions of the MT-95. The IntelliCoder is a version
of the MT-95 that operates with the IntelliCAT Software Suite.
Standard Mode
• Encodes and reads in standalone mode with a keyboard or in online mode with PC
• Fixed or constant data can be programmed requiring only variable data to be entered by the
operator
• Encodes on one, two, or all three tracks
• Supports HiCo or LoCo in one unit
• New or existing cards can be encoded and verified in a matter of seconds
• Easy to operate with operator prompts, preprogrammed repetitive data, display screens that
instruct the operator on encoding sequence
• When online, database file management easily built and maintained, which generates audit
reports on demand
• Maximum security with passwords, software counters, and encrypted numbers for the
counters when using optional PC software
IntelliCoder
• Especially configured to operate with IntelliCAT Software Suite
• Supports HiCo or LoCo in one unit
4777 Emulation Mode
• Encodes on one, two, or all three tracks

MT-95 RS-232 HiCo/LoCo Encoder/Reader
2
• Supports HiCo or LoCo in one unit
• Easy to operate with operator prompts, preprogrammed repetitive data, display screens that
instruct the operator on encoding sequence
• Any existing 4777-3 can be replaced with the MT-95 HiCo Card Encoder
• Existing applications that encode LoCo cards on the 4777 can use the MT-95 in Auto mode
to encode HiCo or LoCo cards
• Easy-to-understand prompts at each step of the read and encode operation with operator-
friendly 80-character messages with an idle prompt that can be customized
• With Mag-Tek cable (P/N 21015846), operates seamlessly with IBM 4778 PIN-Pad - no
retrofits required
• Easy installation - after power is applied, the unit operates without any changes to the PC
software - no drivers to install, no configurations to modify, no new software to learn
REQUIREMENTS
The requirements listed below are for the three versions of the MT-95.
Standard Mode
• Model MT-95 RS-232 HiCo/LoCo Encoder/Reader P/N 31010019
• Mag-Tek Keyboard, P/N 93600047, or equivalent AT style keyboard (optional)
• PC or Terminal with software to operate the serial port for sending and receiving data
(Mag-Tek offers the MT-80 software program P/N 15030402, manual P/N 99815005.)
• PC Cable for DE9P Male Connector P/N 21015823; or PC Cable for DB25P Male Connector
P/N 21015821 (must be ordered separately)
• Power Cord P/N 71100001 (included)
IntelliCoder
• Model IntelliCoder, RS-232, HiCo Encoder/Reader, P/N 31010021
• Cable, P/N 21015847 (9-pin to 9-pin) (included)
• Power Cord, P/N 71100001 (included)
4777 Emulation Mode
• Model MT-95 RS-232 HiCo/LoCo Encoder/Reader P/N 31010020
• Cable P/N 21015846 (MT-95 to IBM 4778 PIN-Pad) (included)
• Power Cord , P/N 71100001 (included)

Section 1. Features and Specifications
3
SPECIFICATIONS
The specifications are listed in Table 1-1 and a diagram of parts and the card orientation are
shown in Figure 1-2. The card is oriented with the magnetic stripe down for reading and
encoding as shown in the illustration.
Table 1-1. Specifications
Power: 115/230 VAC, 50/60 Hz at 1A
LCD Characters 2 lines X 40 characters
Dimensions
Height: 5.2 ”
Depth: 7.0”
Width: 13.6”
Weight: 6.8 lbs
Magnetic Read
Capabilities
3 Tracks
Interface - serial
- keyboard
RS-232
AT-style Keyboard (Mag-Tek P/N 93600047)
Read/Write
Head Cycles
1,000,000 passes
Card Standards: Magnetic Stripe Cards per ISO 7810, 7811, 7813
Card Thickness 0.027 inch to 0.033 inch
Operating Temperature 60oto 90 o F (15 oto 32 o C)
Storage Temperature 32oto 122 o F (0 oto 50 o C)
Operating Humidity 15%-90% (Noncondensing)
Storage Humidity 10%-100%(Noncondensing)

MT-95 RS-232 HiCo/LoCo Encoder/Reader
4
Figure 1-2. Encoder Parts and Card Orientation

5
SECTION 2. INSTALLATION AND SETUP
Before installing the Encoder, check the packing slip to ensure the order is correct and all parts
are included. Check for the following:
PARTS REQUIRED
Standard MT-95
• Model MT-95 RS-232 HiCo Encoder/Reader P/N 31010019
• Power Cord P/N 71100001 (included)
• HiCo and LoCo test cards (1 each)
• Optional Mag-Tek Keyboard, P/N 93600047 (if a PC is to be used, the keyboard is not
required)
• Optional PC Cable either for DE9P Male Connector P/N 21015823 or for DB25P Male
Connector P/N 21015821 (pin lists are shown in Appendix A)
IntelliCoder
• Model IntelliCoder, RS-232, HiCo/LoCo Encoder Reader, P/N 31010021
• Power Cord, P/N 71100001 (included)
• PC Cable, 9-pin to 9-Pin, P/N21015847 (included)
4777 Emulation MT-95
• Model MT-95 RS-232 HiCo Encoder/Reader P/N 31010020
• Power Cord P/N 71100001 (included)
• HiCo and LoCo test cards (1 each)
• Cable P/N 21015846 (MT-95 to IBM 4778 PIN-Pad) (included)
HARDWARE INSTALLATION
To install the encoder, perform the following steps in the Standard mode as described below:
Note
See Section 6 for installing the 4777 emulation version.

MT-95 RS-232 HiCo/LoCo Encoder/Reader
6
1. The rear panel of the encoder is shown in Figure 2-1. If a keyboard is to be used, plug the
cord from the keyboard to the rear panel of the encoder marked “KEYBOARD” as shown
in Figure 2-2, and go to step 2.
or
If a PC is to be used, select either the 9- or 25-pin cable and plug the 9-pin connector on
the encoder rear panel marked “MODEM” to the 9- or 25-pin connector on the PC as
shown in Figure 2-3.
2. Plug the female end of the power cord into the rear panel of the encoder marked
“POWER”. Plug the other end into a power source.
3. Press “I” on the switch marked “ON” .
4. Ensure the proper Communication Port is selected on the PC, if applicable.
5. The default communication parameters on the encoder are shown in Table 2-1. The
parameters may be changed as described in Setup. Ensure the parameters on the PC are
the same as those on the encoder.
Figure 2-1. Rear Panel
Connect
to PC
or 4778
PIN-Pad

Section 2. Installation and Setup
7
Figure 2-2. Encoder to Keyboard Connection
Figure 2-3. Encoder to PC Connection

MT-95 RS-232 HiCo/LoCo Encoder/Reader
8
SETUP - STANDARD MODE
Note
If operating in the 4777 Emulation Mode, refer to Section 6.
When power is applied to the Encoder, the following will be displayed on the LCD:
Please wait during system self test
After a short time, the following will appear (the revision number may be different):
Mag-Tek MT-95 P/N:30060819 Rev:J07
Copyright (c) 2001 Mag-Tek, Inc.
Note
The revision number may be obtained by typing “V” or, when
online, by sending the /V Command.
The part number and revision number are for the EPROM in the encoder.
In the Standalone Mode the main menu will appear:
Select a card operation:
R)ead C)opy E)ncode S)etup
Adjust the LCD intensity as follows: on the left side of the encoder, turn the circular knob by
placing a finger in the depression, and turning the knob clockwise and counterclockwise to adjust
the intensity of the LCD until it is comfortable to read.
For online operation only, if the unit is not properly connected to a PC, the following will appear:
Mag-Tek MT-95 P/N:30060819 Rev:J07
*** OFFLINE ***
Note
In order to perform the setup operation, the unit must be offline or
the keyboard will not be active. The unit is offline when the DTR
signal is inactive (See Appendix A for DTR description).
Recheck the cabling and the serial port selected.

Section 2. Installation and Setup
9
To setup the Encoder, perform the following steps:
1. On the keyboard, type S. The display will be:
Select option to change Esc=exit
T)racks S)erial E)ncode M)ode C)ard Time
2. Type T, and the display will be:
Select tracks to enable Enter=done
Track: 1Y 2Y 3Y A)ll
Type 1,2, or 3to toggle each track between Yes and No. When Ais selected, all three
tracks will be set to on (Y). For example, the above display shows all three tracks
enabled. If 1and 3are pressed, these two tracks will toggle off, and only Track 2 will be
enabled. Select the tracks to enable and press Enter.
Note
This setup affects card encoding only. During a card read, any
tracks with data will be displayed (and transmitted if online).
3. When Enter is pressed, the program will return to the following display:
Select option to change Esc=exit
T)racks S)erial E)ncode M)ode C)ard Time
Type Sand the next display will be:
Select online baud rate Enter=done
1=300 2=600 3=1200 4=2400 5=4800 6=9600
The current setting will be indicated by a flashing cursor on one of the numbers. Press 1,
2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 to highlight the baud rate and Enter to select it. The default is 9600. The
default parameters are listed in Table 2-1. To retain the 9600 baud rate, press Enter
when 6is highlighted. If Esc is pressed, the original baud rate will remain in effect.

MT-95 RS-232 HiCo/LoCo Encoder/Reader
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Table 2-1. Default Parameters
Parameter Description
Baud rate 9600
Parity Even
Data Bits 7 (Even or Odd parity is always 7 bits; no parity is
always 8 bits)
Stop Bits 1
Coercivity Auto - When a card is encoded, the program
automatically selects High or Low coercivity
Tracks 1, 2, and 3 are enabled
4. When Enter is pressed, the LCD will display:
Select online data parity Enter=done
N)one[8 bit] O)dd[7 bit] E)ven[7 bit]
Press N, O, or Eto highlight the parity setting and Enter to select it. The default is odd.
If Esc is pressed, the original parity value will remain in effect.
5. The next display is:
Select online stop bits Enter=done
1)Stop bit 2)Stop bits
Press 1or 2 to highlight the stop bits setting and Enter to select. The default is 1. If Esc
is pressed, the original stop bit setting will remain in effect.
6. When Enter is pressed, the program will return to the following display:
Select option to change Esc=exit
T)racks S)erial E)ncode M)ode C)ard Time
Type Eand the display will be:
Select encode coercivity Enter=done
H)igh L)ow A)uto
A HiCo card is harder to erase than a LoCo card, which can be erased by a small magnet.
Auto is a Mag-Tek proprietary encoding technique that determines if the card is HiCo or
LoCo.

Section 2. Installation and Setup
11
When encoding a HiCo card in the Auto Mode, the card will always require two passes
before it is encoded. If all cards to be encoded are HiCo, this parameter should be set to
H)igh.
Press Hor Lto select high or low coercivity and Ato select Auto. After selecting, press
Enter. If Esc is pressed, the original encode setting will remain in effect.
7. When Enter is pressed, the program will return to the following display:
Select option to change Esc=exit
T)racks S)erial E)ncode M)ode C)ard Time
Type Mand the display will be:
Select online encode mode Enter=done
N)ormal S)ecure
Type Nor Sto highlight the Encode mode and press Enter to select it. Each mode allows
reading and encoding cards.
Normal Mode
In the Normal Mode, the MT-95 operates as a simple card reader and card encoder.
When a card is inserted and swiped, all track information will be transmitted via the RS-
232 connection to the PC. After the card has been successfully read, the card should be
removed from the slot. If a card is to be encoded, the PC will prepare the track data and
transmit it to the Encoder. The unit will then beep and prompt for a card to be inserted
into the slot for encoding.
This mode is selected from the PC by sending the “/N” command. This mode is
compatible with the Mag-Tek MT-80 software.
Secure Mode
In some applications it may be necessary to ensure that the information that is encoded
onto a card goes back onto the same card that it came from. This may occur in a financial
institution when a customer’s card is read and only a portion of the track data is modified,
such as with a PIN change. In this case the MT-95 will ensure that the card is not
removed from the unit between the read and encode operations. This will help to prevent
skimming of cards.

MT-95 RS-232 HiCo/LoCo Encoder/Reader
12
If the card is removed before the encode operation, the unit will send an error message
(M) indicating that the card has been moved and the operation has been aborted.
This mode is selected from the PC by sending the “/S” command.
8. When Enter is pressed, the Setup menu will be shown:
Select option to change Esc=exit
T)racks S)erial E)ncode M)ode C)ard Time
Type Cto define the card timeout. The following menu will be shown:
Type in Encode Timeout: [Ins] Enter=done
000 Seconds (Max=255, 0=Disable Timeout)
If the timeout value is zero, an encode function will never time out. If any other value
(from 1 to 255) is selected, an encode operation will time out after the specified number
of seconds. Additionally, if the value is non-zero, the encode operation will be aborted if
a card is inserted and removed without completing the encode. If the timeout is set to
zero (000), a card may be inserted and removed or an encode may be attempted for an
unlimited number of attempts until successful.
After entering the desired value, press Enter. If you do not wish to change the value,
press Esc.
9. From the Setup Menu, there is one hidden command. When the Setup Menu appears,
press 6and the following appears:
Select read status Enter=done
S)how status D)on’t show status
The default is D)on’t show status. If Dis selected and an error occurs, a normal
display will be similar to the following:
**Did not encode properly. Try again.**
--> Slide card right when ready -->
If Sis selected and an error occurs during encoding, a display similar to the following
will appear: