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IIRC, a credit card magstripe can be read with a regular cassette tape head. Which were, if not quite ubiquitous yet, common enough in the late 80's/early 90's.

IIRC, a credit card magstripe can be read with a regular cassette tape head. Which were, if not quite ubiquitous yet, common enough in the late 80's/early 90's. Converting the analog pulses to the card's 16-digit (or whatever) number was almost certainly done with discrete logic at first. I'm not sure what OP means about creating the "original" credit card reader, unless he was working for one the credit card companies rolling out the technology. (Doesn't make any sense to me that they would put magstripes on their cards without selling the readers to merchants too.)

egberts1 3y ago
Original as in first one to put magstrip reader on the gas pump on Florin Road, Sacramento, California 1981. Philips started making compact tape recorder heads in 1963. Magstrip on credit card has been around since 1969 (American Express) and on bank ATM card since 1971. I got my First Interstate ATM card in 1977 and got to hacking then. Also, we sold accompanied magnetic cards then as well. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_card#History https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_card#History