Card machine

[guschash]

I have a client that wants people who use his gym , to be able to turn lights on with a swipe of their credit card. I know the product is out there but I don't know where. Does anyone have a idea who makes this card swiping machine?

 

[petersonra]

I have a client that wants people who use his gym , to be able to turn lights on with a swipe of their credit card. I know the product is out there but I don't know where. Does anyone have a idea who makes this card swiping machine?

does it have to be a CC machine? or can it be like a card entry style machine? In any case, the best place for this kind of stuff is his security alarm contractor.

 

[kwired]

What is wrong with using occupancy sensors to run the lights?

I assume you meant "key card" instead of credit card, but then maybe if a credit card the owner can bill the customer for energy used .

If you turn the lights on with the card, what will shut them off? They probably will not need to use the card to leave, and what if someone else is there when the first person leaves? I still would go with occupancy sensors.

 

[GoldDigger]

I have a client that wants people who use his gym , to be able to turn lights on with a swipe of their credit card. I know the product is out there but I don't know where. Does anyone have a idea who makes this card swiping machine?

If all you need to be able to do is detect the magnetic stripe on a card, without doing anything with the information, then almost any card reader mechanism would work. Just a reading head hooked up to an amplifier that detects the induced voltage.
Sort of like the detection of a card insertion in a reader which then asks you to remove the card "quickly" to allow the actual read operation.

If you want to actually read and record the information then you will need a little more. Perhaps a Square (TM) reader attached to a cheap smart phone?

Actually, an inexpensive Square reader hardware device ($10 or less) connected to a simple audio amplifier would do what you need to do if you are not going to do anything with the actual data from the stripe.

 

[hurk27]

I don't know if I would want to swipe my CC or bank card on an unknown card reader like this unless it was also set up for billing purposes for the use of the gym, this would have some very risky security issues which is not too uncommon to get a persons card info along with the pin if required to be entered, also like said if other customers showed up, how will you keep separate billing?
If it is just for access/lights then any of the door/gate access systems out there that is used for access will work, also another source is gated entry systems, I installed one for a storage unit place that if they don't pay their bill the operator can shut off the non-paying customers card to block access to the site, which was a networked card reader and the owner had a card writer on the main computer that he can write an access card on the fly when the customer rents the storage unit or shut off the card when they don't pay, just like motels use.

Here's a link to one such system I have used on many gated entry systems, but I would think it would be a little pricey for what you want to do
Select Entry Systems

If any CC/debt card will trigger it then way go to the expense of a fancy card reader since anyone with any type of card with a magnetic strip will allow the use of the lights, just use either a timer or motion detector system, or even a keyless alarm switch can be set up with codes to switch a 12 volt relay to turn on the lights, at least with a keyless switch you can have many codes that can be changed when a customer is no longer a member with this and a motion detector or programmable timer you can control access with the added function of the lights not just being left on?

 

[macmikeman]

I don't know if I would want to swipe my CC or bank card on an unknown card reader like this unless it was also set up for billing purposes for the use of the gym, this would have some very risky security issues which is not too uncommon to get a persons card info along with the pin if required to be entered, also like said if other customers showed up, how will you keep separate billing?
If it is just for access/lights then any of the door/gate access systems out there that is used for access will work, also another source is gated entry systems, I installed one for a storage unit place that if they don't pay their bill the operator can shut off the non-paying customers card to block access to the site, which was a networked card reader and the owner had a card writer on the main computer that he can write an access card on the fly when the customer rents the storage unit or shut off the card when they don't pay, just like motels use.

Here's a link to one such system I have used on many gated entry systems, but I would think it would be a little pricey for what you want to do
Select Entry Systems

If any CC/debt card will trigger it then way go to the expense of a fancy card reader since anyone with any type of card with a magnetic strip will allow the use of the lights, just use either a timer or motion detector system, or even a keyless alarm switch can be set up with codes to switch a 12 volt relay to turn on the lights, at least with a keyless switch you can have many codes that can be changed when a customer is no longer a member with this and a motion detector or programmable timer you can control access with the added function of the lights not just being left on?

A good Filemaker developer could make this work for you, but you are looking at a custom development so $$$$$$$$$