main.py

#!/usr/bin/env python

# MagTek MSR100 Mini Swipe Card Reader
# Written By: Jeffrey Ness
# 
# Some Thanks need to go out to
# http://www.micahcarrick.com/credit-card-reader-pyusb.html
# for helping me get on the right track

import usb.core
import usb.util

# MagTek Device MSR100 Mini Swipe
vendorid = 0x0801
productid = 0x0001

# Define our Character Map per Reference Manual
# http://www.magtek.com/documentation/public/99875206-17.01.pdf

chrMap = {
    4:  'a',
    5:  'b',
    6:  'c',
    7:  'd',
    8:  'e',
    9:  'f',
    10: 'g',
    11: 'h',
    12: 'i',
    13: 'j',
    14: 'k',
    15: 'l',
    16: 'm',
    17: 'n',
    18: 'o',
    19: 'p',
    20: 'q',
    21: 'r',
    22: 's',
    23: 't',
    24: 'u',
    25: 'v',
    26: 'w',
    27: 'x',
    28: 'y',
    29: 'z',
    30: '1',
    31: '2',
    32: '3',
    33: '4',
    34: '5',
    35: '6',
    36: '7',
    37: '8',
    38: '9',
    39: '0',
    40: 'KEY_ENTER',
    41: 'KEY_ESCAPE',
    42: 'KEY_BACKSPACE',
    43: 'KEY_TAB',
    44: ' ',
    45: '-',
    46: '=',
    47: '[',
    48: ']',
    49: '\\',
    51: ';',
    52: '\'',
    53: '`',
    54: ',',
    55: '.',
    56: '/',
    57: 'KEY_CAPSLOCK'
}

shiftchrMap = {
    4:  'A',
    5:  'B',
    6:  'C',
    7:  'D',
    8:  'E',
    9:  'F',
    10: 'G',
    11: 'H',
    12: 'I',
    13: 'J',
    14: 'K',
    15: 'L',
    16: 'M',
    17: 'N',
    18: 'O',
    19: 'P',
    20: 'Q',
    21: 'R',
    22: 'S',
    23: 'T',
    24: 'U',
    25: 'V',
    26: 'W',
    27: 'X',
    28: 'Y',
    29: 'Z',
    30: '!',
    31: '@',
    32: '#',
    33: '$',
    34: '%',
    35: '^',
    36: '&',
    37: '*',
    38: '(',
    39: ')',
    40: 'KEY_ENTER',
    41: 'KEY_ESCAPE',
    42: 'KEY_BACKSPACE',
    43: 'KEY_TAB',
    44: ' ',
    45: '_',
    46: '+',
    47: '{',
    48: '}',
    49: '|',
    51: ':',
    52: '"',
    53: '~',
    54: '<',
    55: '>',
    56: '?',
    57: 'KEY_CAPSLOCK'
}

# find our device by id
device = usb.core.find(idVendor=vendorid, idProduct=productid)
if device is None:
    raise Exception('Could not find USB Card Reader')

# remove device from kernel, this should stop
# reader from printing to screen and remove /dev/input
if device.is_kernel_driver_active(0):
    try:
        device.detach_kernel_driver(0)
    except usb.core.USBError as e:
        raise Exception("Could not detatch kernel driver: %s" % str(e))

# load our devices configuration
try:
    device.set_configuration()
    device.reset()
except usb.core.USBError as e:
    raise Exception("Could not set configuration: %s" % str(e))

# get device endpoint information
endpoint = device[0][(0,0)][0]

swiped = False
data = []
datalist = []
print 'Swipe Card:'
while True:
    try:
        results = device.read(endpoint.bEndpointAddress, endpoint.wMaxPacketSize, timeout=5)
        data += results
        datalist.append(results)
        swiped = True

    except usb.core.USBError as e:
        if e.args[1] == 'Operation timed out' and swiped:
            break # timeout and swiped means we are done

# create a list of 8 bit bytes and remove
# empty bytes
ndata = []
for d in datalist:
    if d.tolist() != [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]:
        ndata.append(d.tolist())

# parse over our bytes and create string to final return
sdata = ''
for n in ndata:
    # handle non shifted letters
    if n[2] in chrMap and n[0] == 0:
        sdata += chrMap[n[2]]
    # handle shifted letters
    elif n[2] in shiftchrMap and n[0] == 2:
        sdata += shiftchrMap[n[2]]

print sdata