Rev HP ap5000 VFD & MSR Frequently Asked Question and Troubleshooting Guide

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1 Rev.1.00 HP ap5000 VFD & MSR Frequently Asked Question and Troubleshooting Guide

2 Summary Following Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) and Trouble Shooting section compiles some useful information regarding the 2-line Vacuum Florescent Display (VFD) and Magnetic Strip Reader (MSR) devices integrated with the HP ap5000. Both of the devices are Serial interface devices and as such, it may require some adjustments with the configuration on HP ap5000 or application software to function properly. The purpose of this document is to aid and clarify some of the technical setups and adjustment method. This document is primarily written for Independent Software Vendors (ISV), System Integrators (SI) and Resellers who are involved in application programming, configurations and setups. HP ap5000 Magnetic Stripe Reader (MSR) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Q: What port is the MSR attached to? A: The HP ap5000 MSR as shipped from the HP factory is shipped on COM4. Q: When I open Windows Notepad and swipe a card, nothing appears in Notepad, why? A: The HP ap5000 MSR is attached to a serial port; it is not a USB HID keyboard (wedge) device. In order to have data appear in Notepad, one may run a third party utility that takes data from the serial port and sends via keyboard. For Windows XP / WEPOS / POSReady, there is a serial key option that can be enabled, for Windows Vista / Windows 7, a third party utility must be used. Please check with the point of sales application vendor if it supports serial MSR which would be preferred over serial key option or third party application. Q: What are the protocol settings for the MSR? A: MSR Port COM4 Baud Rate Flow Control Q: My application needs a carriage return after track 2, how can I add carriage return after track 2? A: One can use the HP ap5000 MSR configuration to enable a carriage return on track 2. The HP ap5000 MSR configuration utility may be obtained from HP.COM or from the HP Point of Sale Driver and Documentation CD. Q: Why do I not need to configure any setting besides the device name when using OPOS / JPOS for the MSR like I need to for Windows? A: o For OPOS, the drivers understand the settings for the MSR and communicate with it with the proper protocols. o For JPOS, the configuration file that is provided by HP already has proper protocol setting in the file.

3 Troubleshooting Symptom The MSR is not able to display any characters o With Windows Notepad open, no data appears when a credit card is swiped In order to have data appear in Notepad, one may run a third party utility that takes data from the serial port and sends via keyboard. Please check with point of sale application vendor if it supports serial MSR. o The point of sale application supports serial MSR but is getting garbage data or no data from the MSR. Make sure the setting for the MSR in the application matches the following: Port MSR COM4 Baud Rate Flow Control Symptom Driver problems There are three types of drivers used to communicate with the MSR. OPOS, JPOS and Windows (direct). OPOS Launch the OPOS MSR test utility. o If the OPOS MSR is not able to display any data when card is swiped: Confirm the MSR is not disabled in F10 BIOS. Confirm the COM4 is not disabled in Windows device manager. Ensure the OPOS drivers for the MSR is installed. Ensure the CCO drivers are installed. JPOS Launch the JPOS MSR test utility. o If the JPOS MSR is not able to display any data when card is swiped: Confirm the MSR is not disabled in F10 BIOS. Confirm the COM4 is not disabled in Windows device manager. Java is installed in the unit. Confirm the JPOS package that is being used for this test is the package is from HP. Windows (direct) Launch the Windows test utility. o If the Windows test utility for the MSR is not able to display any data when card is swiped: Confirm the MSR is not disabled in F10 BIOS. Confirm the COM4 is not disabled in Windows device manager.

4 Symptom The point of sale application use Windows drivers to communicate to the MSR. Windows utility is able to display something in the Windows test utility for the MSR. Make sure the setting for the MSR in the application matches the following: Port MSR COM4 Baud Rate Flow Control If the point of sale application has the option to use Windows / OPOS drivers to communicate with MSR, it is recommended using the OPOS option to communicate with the MSR in the point of sale application. HP ap5000 Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Q: What is the default port that the VFD is attached to? A: The HP ap5000 VFD as shipped from the HP factory is shipped on serial port 2 (COM2). Q: Can the VFD be used on different COM port besides COM2? A: Yes, the VFD may be used either on COM1 or COM2. The VFD cannot be attached to COM3 because of the power requirements. Q: Does the VFD support emulation modes? A: No emulation modes are supported. However, many of the ESC commands available for use with the VFD are same with the commands found in Epson emulation mode. Troubleshooting Symptom: The VFD is not able to display any characters : o When the unit is powered on, is there power message on the VFD? If there is no power startup message on the VFD, go into F10 BIOS and make sure 5V is enabled for the COM that the VFD is attached to. If one selects to set the BIOS to default the power setting for the COM port is set to standard instead of 5V. o When the unit is started, the power-on message is displayed properly but when the point of sale application is started, the VFD displays some non readable characters (i.e. questions mark / character with accents / several Q, etc.) Make sure the setting for the VFD in the application matches the following:

5 VFD Baud Rate Flow Control Symptom Driver problems There are three types of drivers used to communicate with the MSR. OPOS, JPOS and Windows (direct). OPOS Launch the OPOS VFD test utility. o If the OPOS VFD is not able to display any message on the VFD when used: Confirm the OPOS utility for the VFD is installed in the image. Confirm the CCO drivers are installed in the image. Ensure 5V is enabled in BIOS JPOS Launch the JPOS VFD test utility. o If the JPOS VFD is not able to display any message on the VFD when used: Ensure 5V is enabled in BIOS. Java is installed in the unit. Confirm the JPOS package that is being used for this test is the package is from HP. Windows (direct) Launch the Windows test utility. o If the Windows test utility for the VFD is not able to display any message on the VFD when used: Ensure 5V is enabled in BIOS. More detail information about the various test utilities may be obtained from the HP Point of Sale Configuration Guide. Symptom: The point of sale application use Windows drivers to communicate to the VFD and the VFD Windows utility is able to display something on the VFD. : o Make sure the setting for the VFD in the application matches the following: VFD Baud Rate Flow Control

6 If the point of sale application has the option to use Windows / OPOS drivers to communicate with the VFD, it is recommended using the OPOS option to communicate with the VFD in the point of sale application. Additional resources HP Point of Sale Configuration Guide Included in the HP Microsoft Windows image or from the HP Point of Sale Driver and Documentation CD. The latest ISO image file of this CD is posted on website under Support section for the HP ap5000 product Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Microsoft and Windows are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. or other countries. Windows Vista is either a registered trademark or trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Intel and Core are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein. October 2010