ResMed Card Reader differences?

[JimW203]

I am shopping for a card reader that is compatible with ResScan 3.7 under Windows XP SP3. The two I have found include:
1) the ResMed branded device and
2) ACS ACR38U-SPC-R

The only differences I can find between the two seem to be cosmetic and cost (ResMed $70 on CPAP.com and ACS device $25 on eBay). Are there more critical differences? Does anyone here have specific experiences that may help guide me?

Any help offered will be appreciated.

[tom@]

I can tell you that the drivers supplied by Resmed in the resscan 3.7 install are EXACTLY the same as the drivers for the ACS ACR38 from their web site.

The primary difference is the plastic molding the unit is housed in. The Resmed version comes with a molded plastic guide so the smaller card fits in properly. If you get the ACS ACR38 you will want to make a guide for the card.
viewtopic.php?p=287951#287951

[JimW203]

I can tell you that the drivers supplied by Resmed in the resscan 3.7 install are EXACTLY the same as the drivers for the ACS ACR38 from their web site.

The primary difference is the plastic molding the unit is housed in. The Resmed version comes with a molded plastic guide so the smaller card fits in properly. If you get the ACS ACR38 you will want to make a guide for the card.
viewtopic.php?p=287951#287951

Tom,

Thanks for input and link; they seem to confirm what I suspected.

JimW203

[dsm]

Jim,

Just interested to know if you are buying it in the US or from Hong Kong

Tks

DSM

[billbolton]

The only differences I can find between the two seem to be cosmetic and cost (ResMed $70 on CPAP.com and ACS device $25 on eBay). Are there more critical differences?

The Resmed supplied ACR-38 comes with a moulded card guide to align the ResScan card. With a standard ACR-38 you need to make your own card guide (which I've previously PM'd you about).

Otherwise they are electronically identical.

Cheers,

Bill

[JimW203]

Jim,

Just interested to know if you are buying it in the US or from Hong Kong

Tks

DSM

Listing on eBay says Santa Clara, CA; since they ship Priority Mail, I expect it actually ships from therem not HK. Listing number on eBay is 220342908108

I hope it works; with all the guidance and assistance found here, I am confident it will.

JimW203

[Engransan]

I purchased the ACS ACR38U-SPC-R many months ago and could not get it to work. Bill and others attempted to assist to no avail.
Good luck.
Ken

[dsm]

I purchased the ACS ACR38U-SPC-R many months ago and could not get it to work. Bill and others attempted to assist to no avail.
Good luck.
Ken

I too tried to get a MAKO reader (I use with my Respironics machines) with a modified guide to work as the Respironics & Resmed cards appear to be identical in pinout - I never got that to work properly (but I didn't kill myself trying).

I am wondering if the ACS38 might make the task easier as Bill clearly got it working

DSM

[hopper]

The Resmed supplied ACR-38 comes with a moulded card guide to align the ResScan card. With a standard ACR-38 you need to make your own card guide (which I've previously PM'd you about).
Otherwise they are electronically identical.
Cheers,
Bill

Hi Bill,
It seems like you have gotten this card reader thing pretty sorted. I have one rather simple question:
On the ACS website, they show two different ACR-38's. One is the straight ACR-38 and the other is ACR-38U-CCID
I'm close to illiterate when it comes to technical specifications, but it sounds to me like the 2nd one is identical to the first, except it has the drivers somehow already installed in the reader.
Is this correct?

I followed their links to their online retailers:
http://www.scdeveloper.com/products.htm
they only offer the ACR-38

while the other website offers both 'versions' and at the same price
http://www.securetech-corp.com/smart.html

Which reader should i be purchasing?

Furthermore, could you please provide the dimensions of your nifty little card guide that you made. Specifically i am looking for the widths of the 2 strips that go on either side of the Resmed Smart Card.

Thanks muchly,
Hopper

[tom@]

I bought the first one you linked, from that exact site. It arrived at my house 2 days after I ordered it. (Shipped from Washington State to GA)

I will have to measure my guide at home, but I just took an old Credit card and cut the area out for the resmed card to fit into.

[billbolton]

I have one rather simple question:
On the ACS website, they show two different ACR-38's. One is the straight ACR-38

That is the one you want.

Furthermore, could you please provide the dimensions of your nifty little card guide that you made. Specifically i am looking for the widths of the 2 strips that go on either side of the Resmed Smart Card.

This really is a simple task can be easily done without any precision tools beyond a sharp cutting instrument and a good straight-edge. I just made a simple template from "manilla folder" card, based on marking out a ResScan card that was aligned to be correctly recognised by AutoScan (the predecessor software to ResScan), then cut up an old credit card to make the permanent guide.

JimW203 told me he was going to make an engineering drawing from the photos of my card guide.....




... so he may be able to give you the exact dimensions.

Cheers,

Bill

[hopper]

Bill,
thanks for your response, I had already found your pictures on another thread and i think what you've done is brilliant!

"based on marking out a ResScan card that was aligned to be correctly recognised by AutoScan"

I think there's something stunningly obvious that i'm missing, but i still don't understand how you know where the Resmed smartcard is supposed to line up (or how Autoscan, which i don't have, would help)

Do all regular sized smart cards have the gold-colored, puzzle-shaped series of contacts located in the exact same location on the card? And if so, did you use and old smart card as your template?
I think i have seen those gold patches on credit cards and such from other countries, but we don't have them in Canada (still the magnetic strip).

If i knew the width of your 2 guide pieces, making the guide assembly that you have shown in the pictures should be pretty idiot-proof.

[tom@]

From the measurements on my card guide the narrow side is 13mm and the wide side is 17mm. The resmed card is 23mm wide. (I cut out 24mm so there is some space you might want to also cut some test guids and make sure it works for you)

I used an old plastic card the size of a credit card and cut out the area for the resmed card to slide in. It is U shaped with the top of the U going into the reader, right side narrow(13), Left side wide(17). A standard Credit Card is 54mm wide. So if you add up the measurements 13+24+17=54.

Another thing I did was make make the 2 sides double thick by taping pieces I cut from another card onto the top of the guide. This made it so the card wouldn't slip out of line.

Remember the card slides into the Resmed machine with the contacts facing down and into the ACS ACR-38 with the contacts facing up.

If my text here is confusing, I think you can figure out which side is the narrow and wide side from the picture Billbolton posted. Also his is much prettier than mine.

Note: these are not exact measurements, but my best eyeball guess with a ruler.


Edit: I decided to post a pic of my card guide. Also notice I slightly bent the guide so it is easier to slide the card in and out.
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[hopper]

thanks,
this is exactly what i was looking for

[billbolton]

Do all regular sized smart cards have the gold-colored, puzzle-shaped series of contacts located in the exact same location on the card?

Yes, the card contacts are in an internationally standardised location on a full sized card, and therefore also in a standardised location in the reader.

Cheers,

Bill