I thought it would be an easy job to convert my Omron V3B-4K (TTL) from track 2 to track 3 operation, given there are existing screw holes in the molded case for relocating the sensor to that position. However the holes are apparently not threaded, and the very tiny screws are not self tapping. Pushing as hard as I dared at the time, I was unable the get the screw to "bite" into the plastic.
If anyone has succeeded in making a conversion like this, I'd appreciate hearing how they did it.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Lyos,
Sorry to take so long to get back to you - I've been sidetracked on another project.
I'm not quite sure what you mean by using pins. My first thought is that you are suggesting some sort of press fit into the existing holes, but I'd need a jeweler's lathe to make something like that.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Charles... All I meant by a "pin" was either a piece of metal dowel rod (ie., some older metal toy cars have an "axle" made out of such... just cut to size) or a nail (make sure it fits the hole snug) and just cut the sharp end down to size.
Good Luck
Lyos Norezel
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
OK, I see what you're saying, but the mechanism is a little too complex for a simple pin. The sensor head is attached to a flat spring so that it is spring loaded against the card when it is swiped. One end of the spring has a hole and is fixed in place by a screw, the other end is slotted so it can slide back and forth a little under the head of a second screw as the flat spring flexes.The screws look like miniature shoulder bolts.
Just putting pins in the holes wouldn't secure the flat spring - the pin would have to have a nail-head on it, at least.
I took another crack at the job last night and succeded in getting the holes threaded. I used a Dremel tool to grind a flat on one side of one of the screws, for the first one or two threads (to make it something like a self-tapping screw) then used that to thread the two holes.
Mechanically it seems to work OK although I am not getting a good read on a known track 3 (which I can read with a Track 1+2+3 RS232 card reader). I think I may have gotten one good read out of 20 swipes - the rest produced LRC errors.
If I shim the same card into track 2 position, I do get a repeatably good read. So I'm not sure whether it's a software problem or whether a different type of sensor head is required for track 3.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Doing the mod can be a pain in the ass. The biggest problem I had is one side of the metal bar that supportsthe maghead doesn't have a hole fro the screw. It has this weird two pronged thing that the screw sits between. I bent the hell out of my first one.
Anyway, the screws are small but I never had a problem getting them in (And believe me I had to use some weird tools too screw/unscrew the maghead when I would fly and thus not have a screw driver or a knife.)
As for the CRC errors, that is totally software. Mentet originally hacked on support for reading different character sets. About this time I saw my error in not using the CP line. Its very hard for SS to know when to stop reading from the gaemport without that line. So it just uses an array. How many elements this array needs (IE how many CLK bits on a track) really varies from card to card, and from what character set is used on the track. Mentat and I just kindof guess what value that should be, and chances are SS isn't reading everything off the track before it triedto parse it. Check the documentation, I thought we added a commandline option to specify the size of the array (very very VERY bad design. I am going to coding hell for writing that).
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
I thought it would be an easy job to convert my Omron V3B-4K (TTL) from track 2 to track 3 operation, given there are existing screw holes in the molded case for relocating the sensor to that position. However the holes are apparently not threaded, and the very tiny screws are not self tapping. Pushing as hard as I dared at the time, I was unable the get the screw to "bite" into the plastic.
If anyone has succeeded in making a conversion like this, I'd appreciate hearing how they did it.
Try using pins instead of screws... should allow for easier switching.
Lyos Gemini Norezel
Was this any help to you?
Lyos
Lyos,
Sorry to take so long to get back to you - I've been sidetracked on another project.
I'm not quite sure what you mean by using pins. My first thought is that you are suggesting some sort of press fit into the existing holes, but I'd need a jeweler's lathe to make something like that.
Charles... All I meant by a "pin" was either a piece of metal dowel rod (ie., some older metal toy cars have an "axle" made out of such... just cut to size) or a nail (make sure it fits the hole snug) and just cut the sharp end down to size.
Good Luck
Lyos Norezel
OK, I see what you're saying, but the mechanism is a little too complex for a simple pin. The sensor head is attached to a flat spring so that it is spring loaded against the card when it is swiped. One end of the spring has a hole and is fixed in place by a screw, the other end is slotted so it can slide back and forth a little under the head of a second screw as the flat spring flexes.The screws look like miniature shoulder bolts.
Just putting pins in the holes wouldn't secure the flat spring - the pin would have to have a nail-head on it, at least.
I took another crack at the job last night and succeded in getting the holes threaded. I used a Dremel tool to grind a flat on one side of one of the screws, for the first one or two threads (to make it something like a self-tapping screw) then used that to thread the two holes.
Mechanically it seems to work OK although I am not getting a good read on a known track 3 (which I can read with a Track 1+2+3 RS232 card reader). I think I may have gotten one good read out of 20 swipes - the rest produced LRC errors.
If I shim the same card into track 2 position, I do get a repeatably good read. So I'm not sure whether it's a software problem or whether a different type of sensor head is required for track 3.
Its both a hardware issue and a software issue.
Doing the mod can be a pain in the ass. The biggest problem I had is one side of the metal bar that supportsthe maghead doesn't have a hole fro the screw. It has this weird two pronged thing that the screw sits between. I bent the hell out of my first one.
Anyway, the screws are small but I never had a problem getting them in (And believe me I had to use some weird tools too screw/unscrew the maghead when I would fly and thus not have a screw driver or a knife.)
As for the CRC errors, that is totally software. Mentet originally hacked on support for reading different character sets. About this time I saw my error in not using the CP line. Its very hard for SS to know when to stop reading from the gaemport without that line. So it just uses an array. How many elements this array needs (IE how many CLK bits on a track) really varies from card to card, and from what character set is used on the track. Mentat and I just kindof guess what value that should be, and chances are SS isn't reading everything off the track before it triedto parse it. Check the documentation, I thought we added a commandline option to specify the size of the array (very very VERY bad design. I am going to coding hell for writing that).