rfid reader. Whcih should i get

[zack501]

I dont know much about RFID technology. I understand like what it does but not how to use it so i figure the best way to teach myself is to start using it. I want some sort of reader that is not to expensive. i want it to be in my car and with the help of one or two antennas i want it to be able to read the tag from about 5 feet or so from the car. Any help?

 

[blueroomelectronics]

More likely two or three inches. Parallax makes an RFID module.
**broken link removed**

 

[zack501]

I was looking at some of those but it looked like they all plugged into a computer. I want one that i dont need a computer to use

 

[RMMM]

What did you want to use it with?

 

[RMMM]

What do you want to DO?

Do you just want a sensor to know when something is there? or do you REALLY want the RFID information?

 

[zack501]

i really just want a sensor to know when a specified ID is there.
Just presence detection

 

[blueroomelectronics]

You need a microcontroller. It's a digital gizmo.

 

[zack501]

i know i need a micro controller. I didnt think it was magic. but with that reader that you showed a picture of, can i hook it to a micro controller just for presence detection or what?

 

[RMMM]

Not at more that 1-3 inches.

You seem to want RADAR. or even SONAR.

Now THAT would be a AWESOME add on.

A rotating radar dish, Think warship, or aircraft carrier.

You can do a simple Ultrasonic obstacle finder circuit that would "ping" if anything was in range. Awesome.. Could you imagine driving down the street with that on your roof?

A few LEDs, and you have a eye catching add-on.

 

[zack501]

How do you think keyless cars work? radar or sonar? idiot

 

[zack501]

Its just that those parallax readers, i've watched a few videos and stuff and everyone has it hooked to the computer. i dont want that. I want a separate thing.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

That device is a separate thing, it's probably the easiest method to get what you want but only very short range. You can connect it to a PICAxe if you want, it's just serial data.

 

[RMMM]

Sorry to piss you off, but I was being serious.

 

[zack501]

Im joking with you. I meant that in the most polite way lol.

 

[zack501]

Ok that sounds good. I didnt know how it transmitted its data but that should work. And how do they have long range RFID readers? i assume passive tags help increase the range as well as antennas and such