Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use my phone?

No, while utilizing phones might be the most convenient solution for most, some users have opted to use everything from webcams to DSLR and mirrorless cameras. 

What phone apps are used?

We provide the hardware to move the cards and mount your phone. What app you use is up to you! We currently view ManaBox and Delver Lens (Delver X on iOS) as the most reliable apps.

Note: Due to the nature of how many of these apps scan, sequentially repeating cards may not be recognized. On Delver Lens you can set the "keep scanning" setting to 0 to bypass this effect.

It is best practice to make sure no two cards repeat back-to-back in your stack if you want maximum accuracy.

Can it scan Pokemon cards?

The scanning apps that we have tested to scan Pokemon cards currently respond a little too slow for reliable Pokemon card scanning with our device. We are currently working on solving this problem on 2 fronts. On one we are working with app developers to create better Pokemon scanning apps. On the other we are working to add a variable speed setting to our device to allow users to slow the device to scan more reliably using other apps.

You currently only sell in the USA, when will you sell internationally?

We are working on developing the latest and greatest version of our CS100 which will include a variable speed adjustment. Once this is ready for sale we will begin to expand our sales regions into Canada and Europe.

How reliable is the scanning?

This depends on a combination of things. The app you decide to use, the phone you are using and the lighting in the enviorment. In our workshop with modern smartphones we get over 99% scan recognition of normal cards. Foils generally are scanned in without issue but will often not be marked as foils.

Note: It might take new users some experimentation to get the scanning results they desire. Our discord has many users who are scanning at very near 100% accuracy. We highly recommend joining our discord and talking to active users about their best practices.

What lighting is suggested?

Indirect or diffuse light works best. To optimize scanning reliability you should minimize both shadows and glares in the bin. Natural diffuse room lighting works very well. Some users have opted to purchase ring lights or diffuse LED desk lamps and have had good results. You can find light recommendations on our Discord. 

What happens if a card is missed?

The CS100 currently has no built-in display of a card counter. So if the scanning application misses a card you might not know a card was missed. This can be minimized by optimizing your setup.

Tip: If you want to be sure you are not missing cards compare the result of the scan to a known number of cards put into the device. 

How fast does it scan?

Scanning reliablily is a balance of speed. Currently we have it set to 1.5 seconds per card to give the phone apps enough time to not miss cards.

What kind of error detection does the CS100 have?

Although they are rare our system will detect card jams and most double card passes. It will pause scans as necessary to try to protect cards. In the case of double card passes the system will try to split the 2 cards and try again. If it fails to separate the 2 cards in a few attempts it will pause the process and wait for user intervention.

What happens if it damages my cards?

Damaged cards are extremely rare but with any automated process there is a risk of card damage. This risk is taken on by the user and we will no be held liable for any damaged cards. It is highly recommended to use bulk cards when first optimizing your device.

Can you scan sleeved cards?

No, the system is designed to scan non-sleeved cards. If you accidently put a sleeved card into the system it will in all likelihood pause the scan when it gets to the sleeved card. It is highly recommended to ensure you do not put sleeved cards into the machine.

My phone overheats during scanning, what can I do to help?

Some users have seen their phones begin to overheat when scanning. This can cause phones to become unresponsive and card scanning can suffer. If this happens it is recommended to remove the phone case when scanning. If this does not alleviate the issue you can also use a fan to blow air over your phone.

The stepper motor seems quite warm, is this normal?

It is normal for stepper motors to heat up, even when idle. It is important to unplug the device when not in use to allow the motor to cool. 

Can the CS100 be used with QuickList?

We do not know of any users who have been able to get the CS100 working with QL. We are working on improvements that we hope will allow future QL integrations.

My scanning app keeps missing repeating cards, what can I do?

Unfortunately many of the scanning applications will have trouble recognizing the same card twice in a row. It is recommended to not scan stacks with sequentially repeating cards. If you want to scan repeating cards, set the "Keep Scanning" setting on Delver to 0. 

I am having trouble getting scanning to work reliably, what can I do?

Reliable scanning with your particular phone will likely take a bit of experimentation on your end.  The things to experiment with in the order of most importance are:

Lighting - experiment with different lighting conditions.  Minimize shadows and glare in the bin.  Natural diffuse lighting works best.  If you do not have that available to you some users have found great success with ring lights or diffuse LED rectangular lights. 

Phone position - ensure your phone is positioned centered over the exit bin.  Experiment with phone stand extenders to move the phone further away.  The phone position will have large impacts on scanning reliability.

Try pre-sorting by set and using the set lock feature in ManaBox or Delver to increase scanning accuracy.

Use a white background underneath the CS100, this can be a plain piece of paper or a white silicone mat if you want to prevent the device from sliding.

Remove repeating duplicates.  The apps generally will miss the second of 2 of the same card in a row.

More questions?

Join our Discord and ask!

Discord Server