[Collection] Bad boards

[Rotzbua]

Hi community,

we often got issues which base on bad manufactured boards. I want this issue as a place to collect known bad boards. Maybe there is a way to detect them.

For example the

Firmware Version: 0x12 = (unknown)

Please only post your pictures or descriptions how to detect those boards. Please do not post any please help me request, they will be deleted.

edit: here a analysis:
https://www.eluke.nl/2018/03/08/fixed-rc522-rfid-reader-not-reading-some-cards-part-1/
https://web.archive.org/web/20200828151219/https://www.eluke.nl/2018/03/08/fixed-rc522-rfid-reader-not-reading-some-cards-part-1/

Best.

[anduck]

I had a Chinese fake board, probably the one discussed here: https://github.com/miguelbalboa/rfid/wiki/Chinese_RFID-RC522

Board reported version 0x12. Had several problems, same ones as mentioned in the link above and in addition some stability issues. For example, board wouldn't find any cards until started again.
Also, the genuine board works from somewhat longer range than this Chinese fake. Not a surprise though.

Pics of fake board, close-up pic of the fake chip and for comparison, a pic of genuine chip:

Fake board:

Close-up of the fake chip.

RC522
12 02
TXD6080
NXP

For comparison, close-up of a genuine NXP chip of a genuine board:

[globalcitizen]

I have seven very similar but different boards function simultaneously on a single bus. My board is very slightly different to both yours and the linked Russian thread however, no MH above top left component, slightly different layout, same color scheme, HW-126 printed between chip and antenna, probably a later revision of the same board.

Cost of these boards is around USD$0.50

[henkiejan1]

I have seven very similar but different boards function simultaneously on a single bus. My board is very slightly different to both yours and the linked Russian thread however, no MH above top left component, slightly different layout, same color scheme, HW-126 printed between chip and antenna, probably a later revision of the same board.

Cost of these boards is around USD$0.50

I have here really the same board and works here like a charm also on 115200Kbps. I buyed it from Worldchips. Firmware 2.0. I use it with a Arduino Mega from Robotdyn. Maybe you have a defective one?

[globalcitizen]

As I have spares I will be happy to mail some to you @miguelbalboa if you want some to test!

[MyNameIs-Nigel]

I have one of the counterfeit chip boards. They seem to wrok fine to me. Whats the big deal?

Firmware Version: 0x12 = counterfeit chip ; Scan PICC to see UID, SAK, type, and data blocks...

[ma-ze]

I have 2 boards:
Board A reports Firmware Version 0x12, seems to work fine though. It looks exactly like the one in anduck's post above.
Board B reports Firmware Version 0x92, ironically this is the one that doesn't work. The chip has no markings at all. Seems to be a different fake, where they got the version number right but the rest wrong? I attached pictures of Board B.

[nedoskiv]

I had many RFID boards, some reported as 0x12, one as 0x92, 0x12 not working, 0x92 working
strange part is that those who report as 0x12 works without any problem on LUA/Micropython, So I assume this library cannot handle them.
Bad part is that all boards that I received from china lately come with 0x12 identification.

[Rotzbua]

@nedoskiv it was reported that following may fix the 0x12 version:

Some boards need more time after PCD_Init() to be ready. As workaround add a delay(4) directly after PCD_Init() to give the PCD more time.

[nedoskiv]

thank you, just tried that, no success. Board detect presense of a card, but was unable to read serial, after that boards hangs - need restart to detect presense of card again.