Android Question reading magnetic card data using audio jack

[Zeev Goldstein]

hi,

i am trying to read a credit card magnetic stripe using a reader attached to the audio jack.
i am trying to use the audiorecording lib but i got lost as i need it as a text string not as audio file and only the card's data without any background noise

can any one help?

 

[Erel]

Do you have any documentation about the protocol they are using?

 

[Zeev Goldstein]

Do you have any documentation about the protocol they are using?

no.
it is a simple reader without any kind of encryption.
it plugs into the audio jack.
iphone is using a similar device for long time for the same purpose
i know other android software developers that use it but don't know with what dev tools
i know it creates something like a sound signal that it is than translate to string or something like this
it is a very simple reader as it costs just a few cents... so how complex can it be

 

[warwound]

Has the card reader manufacturer released an android SDK?

I read that the Square card reader has no SDK available.
The Square reader takes the audio input and sends it off to a server where it is processed - no processing of the card data takes place on the device.

There are other card readers though that have an official SDK available, so a b4a library could be created based on the SDK.

Martin.

 

[Zeev Goldstein]

Has the card reader manufacturer released an android SDK?

I read that the Square card reader has no SDK available.
The Square reader takes the audio input and sends it off to a server where it is processed - no processing of the card data takes place on the device.

There are other card readers though that have an official SDK available, so a b4a library could be created based on the SDK.

Martin.

i am not really familliar with the SQUARE device.
but i do know for sure that the reader does not communicate with any one else, i know other developpers that used it in their applications for android. this is not the square reader, it look similar.
i asked the manufatorer and there is no sdk
he said that i should read it as audio and then "just" parse it... yes, just...

 

[eps]

So, have you got a file created or not? Are you able to retrieve this and look at it using Notepad++ or similar?

 

[Zeev Goldstein]

no, i did not try as the lib as far as i understood records from the minute i press the record button and stops when i push "stop" so it will actually record all the background noise as well
if i am wrong please correct me
all i need is the mag stripe of the card as a string...
thanks