Readers

Readers are the physical hardware that scan tokens and trigger actions in Zaparoo. Choose from ready-to-use USB readers, DIY modules, optical drives, or even virtual software-based readers.

Hardware Selection

Buying generic hardware? Pay attention to the recommendations in the docs. The hardware can be complicated without guidance, and it's easy to buy stuff that won't work or is low quality.

tip

The Zaparoo Shop stocks official NFC readers and cards that are tested and ready to use out of the box.

Comparison

Reader	Token Types	Setup	Platforms
PN532 USB	NFC/RFID	Plug and play	All
PN532 Module	NFC/RFID	DIY wiring required	All
ACR122U	NFC/RFID	Plug and play, limited on PCSC	Linux-based platforms; Windows scanning only
RC522	NFC/RFID	Via Simple Serial	All
App/Camera Scanner	Barcodes, QR codes	Via Zaparoo App	All
RS232 Scanner	Barcodes, QR codes	Manual config	All
Optical Drive	CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays	Manual config	Linux-based platforms except MiSTeX
MQTT Reader	Virtual/any	Network configuration	All
File Reader	Text files	No hardware needed	All

Reader Types

NFC Readers

• PN532 USB (Recommended)
• PN532 Module
• ACR122U
• RC522

Optical Readers

• Optical Drive

Display Devices

• TTY2OLED

Barcode Readers

• Barcode Scanners - App-based and hardware scanners

Custom & Virtual Readers

• MQTT Reader
• External Drive Reader
• Simple Serial Protocol
• File Reader

Platform compatibility

Each reader page includes a platform support card with current platform notes. Check those cards before buying hardware, especially for ACR122U, RC522, and Optical Drive setups.

NFC Readers

NFC readers are the most popular option, working with NFC tags, cards, and compatible toys.

• NFC Overview - General information about NFC readers
• PN532 USB - Ready-to-use USB NFC readers
• PN532 Module - Bare NFC modules for DIY projects
• ACR122U - Common commercial NFC reader
• RC522 - Basic RFID module for microcontrollers

Supported Tokens

All NFC readers can scan:

• NFC tags (NTAG, MIFARE)
• NFC toys (Amiibo, Lego Dimensions)
• PCB cards
• Custom NFC-enabled items

Getting Started

1. Choose your reader - See recommendations above
2. Get tokens - NFC tags, QR codes, or optical discs
3. Install Zaparoo Core - Platform guides
4. Configure your reader - Most work automatically!
5. Start scanning - Write ZapScript to your tokens

Troubleshooting

Reader not detected?

• Check Reader Drivers for configuration help
• Enable debug_logging = true in your config.toml
• Review hardware-specific troubleshooting in reader docs

Which reader should I buy?

• Start with the PN532 USB if you want a ready-to-use NFC reader
• It has broad platform support and needs the least setup

Can I use multiple readers?

• Yes! Connect as many readers as you want
• Each reader operates independently

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