So I just bought this for a Bitcoin project. Any guesses what it is?

[DeathAndTaxes]

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[bitcoinbetas]

That is one odd looking thingy. My guess some sort of bitcoin dispenser ?

[P4man]

Its an esspresso machine Like this one:

(not wanting to spoil the fun)

[bitcoinbetas]

Its an esspresso machine Like this one:

are you one of the same people look at your avatars?

[P4man]

are you one of the same people look at your avatars?

I see a slight difference of a factor 5x. But its entirely possible we mine at the same pool

[dunand]

It looks like a "DTC4500 Card Printer/Encoder". 

http://www.hidglobal.com/main/card-issuance/printer-and-encoders/direct-to-card/dtc4500-card-reader-encoder.html

[RandyFolds]

Definitely a badge printer.

Whatcha gonna do with it, D&T?

[DeathAndTaxes]

It looks like a "DTC4500 Card Printer/Encoder". 

http://www.hidglobal.com/main/card-issuance/printer-and-encoders/direct-to-card/dtc4500-card-reader-encoder.html

Man I thought I was being obscure but P4Man knew it right away (and proved it by posting the shot of an " esspresso machine ") and you found the exact model within minutes.

Definitely a badge printer.

Whatcha gonna do with it, D&T?

I am going to make a replacement for BitBills.  The DTC4500-LM is a beast and will allow me to rapidly, cost effectively, and securely issue Bitcoin stored value cards.  Think Cassius coins without the coin.  

This model printer supports some nice security features like overcoating (to make modifying the card more difficult), UV printing (put card under black light and the logo and denomination will show, and maybe someday holographic lamination (which essentially makes reconstruction impossible).

I still need to wait on hologram being finalized but I can't wait for this printer to get here (sadly looks like not till next week) to start "experimenting".

[BkkCoins]

Isn't that one of the new Cray Super computers? But I don't see the lounge seating... must be 'round back.

[casascius]

I recognized it as a card printer right away -- only cause we have owned a half a dozen of those at our time and attendance business.  (we generally wear them out to death - we've had a few eltron/zebra 330's).

Those are neato.  YOu should get in on our hologram order so you can print QR codes and cover them up with holograms.

I assume you're going to be encoding magstripes too?

[DeathAndTaxes]

I recognized it as a card printer right away -- only cause we own a half a dozen of those at our time and attendance business.

Those are neato.  YOu should get in on our hologram order so you can print QR codes and cover them up with holograms.

I am working on a custom hologram but yeah that is the plan. 

[casascius]

I am working on a custom hologram but yeah that is the plan.  

By yourself or are you already working with a hologram company?

[DeathAndTaxes]

I am working on a custom hologram but yeah that is the plan.  

By yourself or are you already working with a hologram company?

A company.  The one you recommended (and also novalogic).  To cover up QR code and a printed 30 digit mini-key requires a little bit of space.  I thought of going w/ just QR code but I figure a alphanumeric key is a good backup.  So I am looking most likely at a 1" x 1.5" hologram.

I assume you're going to be encoding magstripes too?

Eventually.   Right now an encoded magstripe won't due much good (as there aren't any readers in the wild) but it is an option. 

I was thinking of encoding a the public address, value, serial #, and series, as well as a digital signature.  Give the signing public key to merchants and it prevents someone from modifying the stripe. 

[casascius]

A company.  The one you recommended (and also novalogic).  To cover up QR code and a printed 30 digit mini-key requires a little bit of space.  I thought of going w/ just QR code but I figure a alphanumeric key is a good backup.  So I am looking most likely at a 1" x 1.5" hologram.

Congrats, hope you do well, we need more products like this in the community.

This is just a printer, or does it have an encoding option as well?

[DeathAndTaxes]

Congrats, hope you do well, we need more products like this in the community.

Thank and I hope so. 

I have been working on it for some time, using a zebra barcode printer and sample holograms to test out various layouts.   

This is just a printer, or does it have an encoding option as well?

It has an magstripe encoder module built in, and can be upgraded for smartcards if the need ever arose.  

[casascius]

I was thinking of encoding a the public address, value, serial #, and series, as well as a digital signature.  Give the signing public key to merchants and it prevents someone from modifying the stripe.  

That's a lot to fit on a magstripe.  Magstripes have a reduced character set and very little space.  Any standard you set might be a burden on future implementers.  (I implement products with magstripe readers for a living).  The most likely use case in my view would be someone who stocks your cards as empty "gift cards" and activates (funds) them through a POS machine as a way to sell bitcoins at retail.

If it were me, I'd say put on track 1: "BTCADDRESS" plus the bitcoin address including version byte and checksum, all in hexadecimal (not base58 because lowercase letters aren't available), and then anything that remains can be ad-lib to identify your cards.

Your digital signature won't be much good, because someone could take a second card with a valid digital signature and overwrite the first card with it, signature and all.  But if you wanted to put anything like this, I'd suggest you put it on track 3.  (just the bitcoin address on track 1 makes it pretty full, and track 2 encodes in a different format that only supports decimal digits and a much lower bit density.)

[DeathAndTaxes]

I was thinking of encoding a the public address, value, serial #, and series, as well as a digital signature.  Give the signing public key to merchants and it prevents someone from modifying the stripe. 

That's a lot to fit on a magstripe.  Magstripes have a reduced character set and very little space.  Any standard you set might be a burden on future implementers.  (I implement products with magstripe readers for a living).  The most likely use case in my view would be someone who stocks your cards as empty "gift cards" and activates (funds) them through a POS machine as a way to sell bitcoins at retail.

If it were me, I'd say put on track 1: "BTCADDRESS" plus the bitcoin address including version byte and checksum, all in hexadecimal (not base58 because lowercase letters aren't available), and then anything that remains can be ad-lib to identify your cards.

It should fit but I agree coming up w/ a good standard would be prudent.  I worry about just putting bitcoin address on there because someone may change it.  If someone relies on just the strip for verification they could be cheated.  Still at this point I don't intend to use the encoder for anything at this point.  That is more for a version 2 (or 15) concept.

[SgtSpike]

Sweet.  How much does something like that cost?

[DeathAndTaxes]

Sweet.  How much does something like that cost?

Fiat or bitcoins?

It depends on the particular model and options but in the couple grand range.  Fiat only, couldn't find anyone selling one for Bitcoins ... yet.

[mc_lovin]

FINALLY! We totally need a BitBills replacement, that site and idea were fantastic but it just, wasn't implemented.. at all.

look forward to seeing what this expresso machine pumps out!