Decode Card Data

The Decode Card Data setting allows administrators to define how badge data is interpreted by HP Universal and HP LEGIC card readers. Decoding card data involves interpreting the raw binary or hexadecimal data stored on proximity cards into meaningful credential information (like user ID or card number).This ensures consistent decoding across all devices, eliminating the need for manual configuration per printer and reducing errors caused by varying card formats.

  • When an administrator selects either HP Universal Card Reader or HP LEGIC Card Reader from the Card Reader menu, a field labeled Supported Proximity Card Types appears. This field provides a drop-down list of card types compatible with the selected reader.

  • If needed, administrators can go to Secure > Settings after selecting a supported card type to configure how badge data is decoded in the Decode Card Data section.

Configuration Options

Card Type - Allows administrators to select the proximity card types used within theorganization. Only supported types are shown based on the selected card reader.

Card Data Format - Defines how the bitstream from the selected card type is decoded into usable fields such as Facility Code (FAC), Card ID, Parity Bits, etc.

Default values are provided for common formats, but you can fully customize the decoding profile to match your organization’s encoding standards.

Step 1: Select a Card Reader

  1. In the Secure > Device Profiles section, open the Card Reader menu.

    • HP Universal Card Reader

    • HP LEGIC Card Reader

  2. Once selected, the system will display a list of Supported Proximity Card Types based on the reader model. Select the relevant card type.

Step 2: Decode Card Data

After selecting the card reader and supported card type, go to the Secure > Settings screen.

Locate the Decode Card Data section and configure the following parameters:

Parity Settings

Parity Settings control how the system validates card data using parity checks, ensuring accuracy during data transmission. Before applying parity, the system may remove unnecessary bits using Strip Leading Bits and Strip Trailing Bits. Strip Leading Bits removes a set number of bits from the beginning of the raw data, while Strip Trailing Bits removes bits from the end.

Facility Code (FAC) Settings

The Facility Code (FAC) Settings define how the system extracts and formats the Facility Code from card data for user identification. These settings control whether the FAC is included in the output, how it is formatted, and how it is combined with the ID number.

ID Settings

The ID Settings control how the unique identifier (ID) portion of the card data is extracted, formatted, and transmitted

Other Settings

Other Settings provide advanced options to fine-tune how card data is interpreted and processed.

Wiegand Settings

Wiegand Settings adjust how raw card data is processed at the bit and byte level to ensure compatibility with various card formats and reader types.

Revert to Defaults

To restore the Card Data Format settings to their original state, use the Revert to Defaults option. This will reset all customized values back to the system’s default configuration.