Axis Releases Card Reader

By: Brian Rhodes, Published on Sep 25, 2014

Last year, Axis put the security market on notice by releasing the A1001 access controller (see IPVM test results of it).

Their follow up this year is an access control reader.

Game changer or copycat?

In this note, we examine the A4011-E reader's specs, applications, drawbacks and comparison to HID.

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Comments (4)

Avatar

Jonathan Lawry

Trecerdo, LLC | 09/26/14 03:04am

If the reader is OSDP 2.0 compliant, then how is it "Axis Locked"?

A controller can decide not to talk to a reader based on its identity, but it is much stranger for an OSDP reader not to talk to certain controllers. Do you know how they are enforcing this? I suppose they could swing this through the use of manufacturer-specific commands, but I think that would make them non-compliant.

Avatar

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Jonathan Lawry | 09/26/14 02:29pm

I have asked Axis to elaborate on the 'locked' vs 'OSDP' of this reader. I'll update when they respond. Thanks!

Avatar

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Jonathan Lawry | 09/26/14 06:37pm

Axis responded by clarifying the reader is not OSDP compliant:

"The reader is not OSDP compliant at this time. The A1001 will be OSDP compliant in the next firmware release (few weeks). Communication between reader and A1001 is via RS485."

The Axis controller will be OSDPv2.0 in the next firmware release, but the locked reader uses generic serial.

I edited the post to clarify/correct this.

Undisclosed #1

09/26/14 02:50pm

Honest question, "why"?

It doesn't seem that existing readers are too expense, too flaky, or otherwise limited in some way that this reader overcomes.

This kind of comes off as a desperate attempt on Axis' part to grab a small additional bit of revenue to prop up growth numbers. Also, maybe it's just me, but the multi-color Axis logo on the front is just jarring. The overall industrial design of this really looks kind of dated and strange, it says "keypad" more than it says "badge" reader, which could lead to some small confusion as well.

I just can't figure out why Axis would bother doing this unless the unit is just a direct OEM from some other company.

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