Quick start

Take your first steps with a BALTECH reader: Test it with a sample card, and learn how to configure the reader for a specific project.

Install BALTECH ToolSuite

With BALTECH ToolSuite, you can explore, test, and manage your readers on a Windows PC. It's a collection of 3 individual tools. For this tutorial, you'll need ID-engine Explorer and ConfigEditor.

Download ToolSuite

Test the reader with a sample card

Explore the reader and read the serial number (UID) from a sample card.

  1. Connect the reader to your computer.
  2. Open BALTECH ID-engine Explorer.
  3. Click the reader, then click Select.

Screenshot: Select a reader in BALTECH ID-engine Explorer

At the bottom of the screen, you can find various details about the reader, e.g. firmware, serial number, and support card types.

Screenshot: See reader information in BALTECH ID-engine Explorer

With ID-engine Explorer open, present a sample card to the reader.
In the upper part of the window, you'll see the card type and the UID in hexadecimal and decimal format.

Screenshot: Read UID of a 13.56 MHz card in BALTECH ID-engine Explorer

Create a configuration

To define the reader's behavior for a specific project, you need a configuration. You can create configurations with BALTECH ConfigEditor. Typically, you'll need 2 components:

Project settings

Project settings define the card type, what data to read from the card, and how to convert it. You can test them right on your computer with ID-engine Explorer.

Device settings

Device settings define the interface to your host system and, as an option, feedback to the card holder (e.g. LED and beeper). To test them, transfer the configuration to your reader and connect it to your host system.

Edit a configuration

If you have an existing configuration that you want to edit, you need the configuration as a BALCFG file. It's not possible to edit the deployable BEC file or read out and edit a configuration that is already deployed (learn more about editing).

If you bought the reader with a pre-existing configuration, please get in touch with us, so we can provide the BALCFG file to you.

Next steps

Depending on what your goal is, we recommend the following sections:

  • Project setup: Learn all about the work with configurations - how to create them, deploy them, and update them.

  • Developer's intro: If you develop your own software application for the host system, you'll find the right operation mode for your requirements.

Troubleshooting & support

Got stuck somewhere? Don't worry, we'll help you troubleshoot: