POS Hardware Recommendations

Zachary Harris · February 2020

Hello! I'm looking for some assistance/recommendations with regards to our Point of Sale hardware. We're implementing Altru with a Go-Live date of May 6, 2020. We've already selected PCs, but I'm having a challenging time locating recommendations for peripherals, specifically visitor-facing payment terminals and mag-stripe keyboards. Most visually pleasing, user-focused payment terminals are tied to a specific POS, such as Square or Clover. Has anyone found a good, well-designed product for use with Altru's POS system? Also looking for recs for an Altru-compatible mag-stripe keyboard. Also open to other ideas if folks have had success with other types of hardware at their POS!

For some background, we're a smallish installation art museum in Pittsburgh, with daily visitation that fluctuates anywhere between 60 and 700, depending on the day of the week and the time of the year. (Our average daily attendance is probably around 150.) Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

Ellyn Giordano · March 2020

Re: Hands free payment terminal. I am also interested in the answer, especially now with current concerns about Covid-19 and handling people's credit cards. A payment terminal with a touch screen (easily cleaned) and option to email receipts would be ideal.

Lori Matoba · March 2020

We are also looking for a POS solution that integrates with Altru. We have been using Altru for several years and would like to be more efficient by utilizing daily and advanced sales for live payments. We received the BBMS Mobile Pay swipers, but currently they don't interface with Altru.

Derek Schartung · March 2020

Altru supports basic point of sale hardware designed for Windows. You will need an MSR (magnetic stripe reader), a barcode scanner, cash drawer with Epson style drawer kick, and a thermal receipt printer.

EMV is not ready - so you won't have an option for a payment terminal yet. Blackbaud says they have a solution, but the ship date is TBD. Your team is going to have to handle credit cards unless you can find a way to move the MSR to the customer facing side of the desk and attach it there. I know IDTech MSRs have screw mounts on some models so they can be attached to a substrate. PC POS hardware is ugly, but you can probably hide it under a desk. I know Epson printers have mounting options for both vertical and horizontal orientations.

Here's what we use:

IDTech Minimag II
Epson TM T20ii
Honeywell Voyager
- We opted for a 2D capable scanner since we sometimes get coupons from 3rd parties that have QR codes
- These scan phone screens really well

Cherry makes a keyboard that has an integrated MSR. I am sure there are knockoffs. Just be sure it is a keyboard wedge style model and not HID. Some are dual mode that can be switched with software. Read the spec sheets or search the community for hardware posts. A lot of people use Epson TM T88V or Star TSP100. Both are great. If you want to print a header or footer, look at how that is done for whichever solution you choose - Epson supports this but the config is different based on what driver version you have installed.

POS Hardware Recommendations

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