ACR122 problems

[Sason Ohanian]

Hi!

I've been using nfctools with an acr122 reader and I'm having some strange problems and would like to know if it is a known issue.

I'm running win7 64-bit and a 64-bit jvm (java 6, latest update), with the latest acr122 drivers installed from the manufacturers website.

I'm using two acr122s connected to my computer. One in initiator mode that only reads tags, and one in target mode that does p2p stuff with a samsung galaxy s3. Everything works fine, I can read tags and exchange records between phone and reader but after a while the device can suddenly stop working. I haven't seen a pattern. Sometimes the device just beeps repeatedly when a tag is close and nothing happens. Sometimes the device is completely silent, lamp is off, and nothing happens. To solve the issue I have to pull the usb cables, reconnect and restart my application. At some occasion I also got windows reporting driver malfunction as i scanned a tag and the device stopped working. A day later it fixed itself.

I have tested 3 different acr122 readers, on two different computers and get the same problems. So I think hardware malfunction can be ruled out.

Does anyone have any experience with this that might know what the problem might be? Could it be a driver issue? Could my software be the problem? I am basically doing the same thing as the examples that can be found on github.

I have ordered two SCL3711 reader/writers that I hope might be more reliable. Does anyone know if this is the case?

I have to have this stuff working in a three days so I'm on a tight schedule :) Any input is greatly appreciated.

Best Regard

/Sason

[Adrian Stabiszewski]

Hi Sason,

sorry for responding so late. Unfortunately I have experienced the same issues. After long coding sessions the reader just hang ups and I have the unplug it.
I'm not sure who's fault this is, but if you count all the layers (nfctools => java smartcard io => windows driver => usb => firmware => nfc) there are plenty possibilities where this can go wrong.

Regards,
Adrian.

[Marco Albarelli]

Hi all

Not sure if it's the same issue, but in my app (android tablet + acr122U ) I also experience the reader hanging and the solution is to unplug it and replug it

It happens when the tablet goes to sleep  and wakes up, but not all of the time

My 0.02 goes on the ACS driver as culprit, so basically we have to live with that

[Sason Ohanian]

Thanks for your responses. Its good (although sad) to hear that this is a known problem. I tried today to disable usb sleep in win7. Have anyone tried to see if that might be the problem?

I made a USBdisablepower.reg file with the contents:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USB]

"DisableSelectiveSuspend"=dword:00000001

which according to some website disables windows from putting usb devices to sleep.

Does anyone know if SCL3711 has the same problem? I have ordered two but haven't had time to try them out yet.

[DS]

Hi Sason,

 

I  am experiencing similar (intermittant) issues with the acr122 card reader.

 

Did you find that the "USBdisablepower.reg" solved the issue?

 

or indeed what was your way forward - a different reader?

 

Vey interested to know if you or anyone has a fix.

 

Kind Regards

D