Magnetic Stripe Readers and Magnetic Stripe Encoders

Magnetic stripe readers and magnetic stripe encoders are devices that read and encode magnetic stripe cards such as driver’s licenses, employee badges, and credit cards. A magnetic stripe card is capable of storing data by modifying the magnetism of tiny iron-based magnetic particles on a band of magnetic material on the card. The magnetic stripe, sometimes called a magstripe, is read by physical contact and swiping past a reading head. There are two types of magstripes: high-coercivity and low-coercivity. A magnetic stripe reader can read either type of magstripe. A high-coercivity magnetic stripe writer may write to only high-coercivity cards. A low-coercivity magnetic stripe writer may write only low-coercivity cards. Most modern magnetic stripe card readers and encoders support the bi-directional reading of single, dual, and triple track magnetic cards.

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