Yes, with some restrictions. The recorded audio must be a high-quality recording. Distortion in frequency or amplitude can introduce errors or make the recording unusable.

Refer the application note on Audio Recording and Playback for detailed information and illustrations.

Connecting audio recording equipment to a phone line can destroy equipment. An interface, such as an ADM (analog data monitor) or PLI (phone line interface), is necessary to properly couple the audio and protect the equipment.

The playback device is also important. It must not introduce distortion during the playback. The audio amplitude may also need to be adjusted to obtain an optimum signal for decoding.

:Some audio file formats introduce loss. This is usually from compression of the data file. The file should be "CD" quality. MP3 file formats are recommended.

Allied Analogic, Inc. cannot provide support for any recording equipment or software. Support is limited to the correct functioning of the data capture device.

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AALogic does not specify third-party devices for use with our products. We are not able to conduct tests on the extensive number of products that might be used.

A PC can usually be used to successfully record modem audio and play it back for data capture. There are many commercial and shareware programs that can be used on a PC for recording and playback.

When selecting an audio recorder, it needs to have good frequency response up to 4kHz. Voice recorders, either tape or digital will usually not work. Recorders that can record and playback music should be acceptable.

We cannot answer questions regarding specific brands or models of equipment.

You must also remember that you need to carefully adjust the audio to the ADM during playback. Audio that is too loud or too soft will not decode well.

AALogic can test your recorder to determine its acceptability. You must provide the equipment to test, pay the shipping both ways (if you want the recorder returned), and pay an engineering lab fee of USD $100. We will attempt to record test transactions at 1200 baud and 2400 baud and attempt to playback and decode the test transactions.

We will send you a screen shot of the decoded test transactions. We do not guarantee that the device tested will work for your intended purposes. We provide the test results, successful or unsuccessful, for our test transactions.

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Our current product line supports modem speeds up to 2400 baud. There are technological barriers to capturing modem data at higher speeds. This is primarily due to the carrier techniques, modulation, data compression, and error correction.

We are researching higher speed products. If you are interested, you should complete a contact form, explain your application and the number of units you are interested in.

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The MLT2400A has been replaced with the ADMpc. The ADMpc has all the test capabilities of the MLT2400A and adds new test capabilities. The ADMpc has a new, user-friendly PC application -- AALogic Viewpc.

Click here for more information about the ADMpc.

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PINs or Personal Identification Numbers are typically used with debit card transactions and some security transactions. The PIN increases the security of a transaction by ensuring the person making the transaction is authorized by knowing a "secret" or PIN. A person finding a lost card or otherwise obtaining a card or card number by fraudulent means would not be able to complete transactions without knowing the PIN.

PINs can be processed at the point of transaction or transmitted to the host for verification. When the PIN is processed locally, it is processed internal to the transaction device at the point of sale in specially secured hardware. Any attempt to access the algorithms or encryption keys in the device will result in destruction of the information inside.

When PINs are transmitted with the transaction data, it is always encrypted with secret keys. These keys are further diversified from the master key so that the actual key for each transaction is different from every other transaction. Discovering the key for one transaction will not be useful for decrypting another transaction. The encryption and diversification algorithms used are those currently approved for the encryption of PIN values for financial transactions.

All this means that if you are capturing transaction information, the PIN may or may not be in the transaction request. If the PIN is there, it will undoubtedly be encrypted. The PIN block will appear as a sequence of random or unintelligible characters. AALogic products CANNOT decrypt any data in any transaction.

The ADM and MLT products are intended for troubleshooting and development of modem communications over standard telephone lines. The equipment and software is only capable of capturing and displaying the transmitted data. There is no capability to apply protocol rules for parsing the data or decrypting any data within the messages.

Developers and technical support persons needing to verify that the encryption and decryption processes are performing correctly should be able to capture the data for test transactions using known test keys. They can then compare the encrypted fields within the transaction to verify that the data is correct.

AALogic does not and will not support efforts to decrypt or recover encrypted data in any messages.

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It is possible to capture data from an audio recording file. See "Can modem data analyzers capture modem communications from audio recordings"above for information on recording.

Refer the application note on Audio Recording and Playback for detailed information and illustrations.

The recording can be played back to an ADMpc, ADM2400, or MLT2400A for data capture. The recording may be played back using the recording device or a program on a PC.

Connection

The output of the playback device must be connected to the line connector on the capture device (ADMpc, ADM2400, or MLT2400A). This will require a cable that can connect from the output device, usually a phono plug, to the RJ11 on the capture device. The PLI (Phone Line Interface) can be used for this purpose and isolates the playback device from the capture device.

Playback

Set the capture device up as though the capture is directly from a phone line. Start the playback. Adjust the volume on the playback device as needed to obtain the best capture. This may be a sensitive adjustment and may require several attempts to get an acceptable capture.

There maybe problems with the recording if adjustments will not provide good data capture.

Troubleshooting

• Most playback problems are a result of poor recordings. The recording MUST be a high-quality recording. The amplitude must be good and not distorted in frequency, phase, or amplitude. A poor recording may not be audibly noticeable. Always run test transactions to ensure the recordings are good enough for capture.
  
  
• The audio card in a PC can also be a problem. Low-cost audio cards may not be capable of reproducing the audio so that it can be captured. Try another computer if this problem is suspected.
  
  
• The connection to the capture device can be a problem. A mismatch between the playback and the capture devices can cause problems. The PLI can be used to improve the match between the playback device and the capture device.
  
  
• Recording file formats can introduce problems due to compression. The recording should be "CD" quality to provide good capture. MP3 files are recommended.

PC Software

Allied Analogic, Inc. does not sell software for audio playback on PCs. A search of the Internet will find many products capable of playing back MP3 files. Two products are GoldWave and Audacity . We do not support these or any other recording and/or playback products.

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