Hardware Recommendations

Recreation Management provides this resource as a tool to help our customers find the right hardware configuration for their particular needs. There are recommended models below for the most typical hardware used with Recreation Management. Prices are not meant to be exact. 

Disclaimer

Recreation Management does not endorse or recommend any merchants listed below. The links provided are only to facilitate further research. 

PC Workstation

Recreation Management requires very little processing power since it runs through a browser. Of course, staff will always appreciate having a relatively modern and powerful PC.

Barcode Reader

Barcode readers can range from simple (inexpensive) to powerful (expensive). The main difference is how closely and steadily a user has to hold the card in order for a read to take place. The nicer models can pick up the barcode even if it’s held a foot or two away and even at a slight angle. The inexpensive models require the user to place the card directly horizontally (and close) to the beam.

Note: Wonder which barcode scanners Recreation Management accepts? In the specifications, you're looking for anything that says keyboard wedge or keyboard emulation.

EMV (Credit/Debit) Card Devices

CivicPlus has several payment gateways that support EMV transactions. All hardware will need to be purchased through your third-party gateway but should be one of the recommended devices listed on CivicPlus Pay.

All integrated payment gateways do not allow for the use of unencrypted plain swipers.

Thermal (Receipt) Printer

The more modern printers attach with a USB connection, although most still attach with a serial port. However, they all, typically, work reliably. Recreation Management does not usually have trouble printing to any of these, although only a small number have been tested. Most of the receipt printers also support scoring (cutting) of the paper for easy tear-off by staff.

Most cash drawers connect directly to the thermal receipt printer. They typically trigger to open when the printer receives a print request.

Cash Drawer

Touchscreen Monitor

Touchscreens typically make the Point Of ­Sale environment flow a little faster, but they are not required. Staff may just appreciate some of the touch-friendly aspects of Recreation Management POS.

Membership Card Printer

This is one of the more expensive hardware pieces that might need to be purchased. These typically run in the thousands although, like other hardware,­ there’s a wide range of products. One of the hidden costs of card printers is the recurring toner/ribbon costs that can easily run in the hundreds per year. These are a must-have though if you want to print the member’s name and/or picture on the card. There are alternatives to getting a card printer, the most common of which would be to order pre­printed cards that are already serialized with numbers. In this case, when a membership is sold, you would simply associate the pre-­printed number on the card with the user’s membership (Recreation Management facilitates this).

Pre-Printed Key Fobs

This company, Dave Gill/Gill Associates Identification Systems, LLC,  has reached out to us though we have no direct work with them. They are an option you may look into. Visit the Gill ID Systems website.

In-Article Glossary

Review the Help Center Glossary, a comprehensive explanation of the acronyms, abbreviations, and company-specific terminology. The terms located in this section are listed alphabetically:

• PC: Personal Computer 
• AiO: All in one 
• EMV: Europay, Mastercard, and Visa 
• USB: Universal Serial Bus 
• N/A: Not Available 
• POS: Point of Sale 
• HP: Hewlett-Packard Company 
• LLC: Limited Liability Company