dThe CS101 is an ISO 18000-6C (EPCglobal Class 1 Generation 2) compatible handheld reader by Convergence Systems Limited. Available since May 2008 in Asia, the product is now available on a globally certified basis. CSL markets this as a “crossover product” meant to replace a stationary reader. Based on what our team has seen with other handhelds, we were extremely skeptical. However, after hearing several recommendations from our community experts, our team decided to put a North American unit to the test.
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| Wizard's Rating: |
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After a couple of weeks of intensive testing, our team found that the CS101 has more features and better performance than handhelds that cost twice the price, and earns a Wizard's Choice Award in the RFID reader handheld category.
Our Initial Impressions of the CS101
The CS101 is a full size handheld, yet well balanced and fairly light given its size and functionality. The unit is extremely versatile with a lot of input/output including:
- a wide LCD touch screen (landscape orientation),
- 58 key QWERTY keyboard,
- pistol grip with trigger button for one-handed operation,
- 802.11 b/g - Wi-Fi Network support,
- a Micro USB 1.1 port,
- an RS232 port,
- and a SD expansion slot for BlueTooth or memory.
RFID Handheld Reader Benchmark Testing
Our team performed benchmark testing using tags designed for asset tracking as well as supply chain logistics. "We evaluated only commercially available tags affixed to cardboard and metal."
Passive RFID Tags Tested with the CS101 RFID Handheld Reader
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Small |
Medium |
Large |
| On Metal: |
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| On Cardboard: |
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In addition, each test was conducted in both controlled orientations, as might be found in an assembly line; and uncontrolled orientations, as are typical in the use of hand-carried assets in a data center.
We compared the read range of the CS101 handheld to the read ranges achieved during our recent Durable Asset Tag Product Evaluation & Benchmarking. Using our best performing tags as a baseline, the Omni-ID Prox™ and Omni-ID Max™, our team found the CS101 does have a fairly comparable read distance to a stationary reader: over 12 feet with the small Prox and over 27 feet with the Max.
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Average Read Distance On Metal |
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Omni-ID Prox™ |
Omni-ID Max™ |
| CS101 RFID Handheld |
146 (12' 2") |
327 (27' 3") |
| Stationary Readers |
155 (12' 11") |
328 (27' 4") |
| Variance |
(9) |
(1) |
| All Numeric Measurements in inches |
For our RFID tag performance benchmarks on cardboard, we used several recently released tags which we have not tested before. The UPM Raflatac tags use the new Impinj Monza™ 3 integrated circuit (IC) and the Alien Technologies 9634 use the Alien HIGGS 3 IC. The CS101 achieved an amazing 34' 6" with the DogBone tag. This distance can be partially attributed to the new Impinj Monza™ 3, which does have a high degree of sensitivity (-15dBm). However, the CS101 still had over a 31" read range with the IN-63 based on an older IC.
| The Expert Perspective |
| “The CSL101 is a robust and rugged handheld that reads better than any other RFID handheld out there.? But what our team really likes is the versatility. The CS101 supports many different peripherals, including GPS and CDMA/GSM which makes it more of an RTLS device. It doesn’t seem as though the other vendors have really examined the platform or the applications for a RFID handheld, they simply added RFID to existing bar code hand scanners. CSL did a great job in defining use cases and then building a unit to support a wide range of applications. You don’t sacrifice anything to get performance, flexibility or expansion capabilities. You get it all in one package.” |
Joe Leone,
CTO
RFID Global Solution
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The CS101 comes pre-installed with ten useful applications including tag read, tag ranging, and tag inventory, which we used for these benchmarks. There is also a tag search function, which operates as a tag Geiger counter. The user enters an EPC code for a tag they want to find; then, selects the 'search' function. The reader scans for the specified tag and reports the tag signal strength as well as visual and audible indicators that change as the user moves the reader around in proportion to the signal strength. This function is very useful when searching for a specific item among a lot of similar items.
Given that we were able to achieve read range results of 34' 6", the tag search feature can provide a total search area of nearly 70 feet around an operator.
The CS101 can have either a vertically-oriented linear polarized antenna (VP), horizontally-oriented linear polarized antenna (HP), or a circular polarized (CP) antenna. When you place an order, you specify your antenna preference. We selected a VP unit, which has a maximum range (when held normally, without being rotated) if the single dipole tags are oriented vertically. If the tags are not in the optimum orientation, the handheld must be rotated up to 90 degrees in one direction or the other to achieve maximum read range.
Linear or circular polarized antenna?
In the real-world, when you are looking for something, you’re going to move your hand all over. In most cases, it is better to have directional reads because it provides a longer read range. Typically, handhelds are used in applications with stacked items so orientation is known. For example, file folders are all stacked properly with the tags in the same orientation. Ultimately, always consider your requirements before making a selection.
The CS101 has variable transmit power, from a maximum of 1W (30dBm) down to a minimum of 0dBm (1mW) in 0.5dBm increments. The demo applications use the F4 and F5 keys on the upper right side of the keypad to adjust the power up and down.
| The Expert Perspective |
“We’ve switched over to the CSL hand-held for two reasons:
1) POWER -- it has a BIG antenna and a very sensitive reader. It's running the Impinj Indy chip set for RFID and we are getting read ranges of 20 feet on a typical 4"x1" RFID tag.
2) COST -- it's in the affordable range. Most handhelds cost over $5,000+ for RFID and 2-D Barcode. With the cost closer to $2,500 for a CSL, it's a feasible solution for asset tracking.
Those two features make it possible to do a lot of projects that would otherwise never get done. The read capability gives the 'locate' feature of handhelds a valid reason to exist. The Unitech has poor range while the Motorola MC9000 series just doesn't have the power to really do a site scan. The CSL does.” |
Carl Brown,
President
SimplyRFID.com
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The hand-held comes standard with a micro USB 1.1 (12MBit/s) port and a RS232 (115K baud) port as well as wireless support (802.11 b/g). Bluetooth connectivity may be added using the SD card slot.
Given the Microsoft Windows CE 5.0 Professional operating system, wireless setup was a breeze using Network and Dial-up Connections. We securely connected to our corporate network (802.11g) in less than five minutes and found the performance to be very good. We maintained network connectivity outside our office building up to 50 feet from the wireless router through an exterior wall.
A 1D and 2D barcode scanner is integrated into the front of the unit. Our team focused the majority of our benchmark testing efforts on the RFID capabilities; however we tested a combination of narrow, wide, and dense 1D and 2D bar codes and achieved an average scan range of 8.5 inches.
The CS101 has a memory size of 128 MB Flash + 64 MB RAM. Available memory for user applications is 40MB Flash and 16MB RAM . The unit also supports up to 2GB extended memory space via SD Card slot.
The unit is designed to withstand industrial operations, yet is appropriate for the retail or office environment. It has an IP 65 Rating and can withstand a 1.5 meter drop to concrete in all 6 orientations. The operating temperatures are a very respectable -20 to 50°C and -40 to +85°C for storage.
The handheld comes with two rechargeable Lithium polymer batteries, 1400mAh (a main and a spare) and an external battery charger. The battery charger accommodates two batteries at a time, allowing both batteries to be charged simultaneously – a nice feature. It took just under 4 hours for a full battery recharge.
Our tests found that a fully charged battery provides longer operations than the published specifications. We performed 145 minutes of continuous read testing and left the unit in standby for over 48 hours. Then, we had another 15 minutes of testing before the unit asked us to swap batteries. Given these results, one battery charge should easily accommodate typical use over an eight hour work shift.
The CS101 has obtained the regulatory certifications from the FCC (USA and most South American nations), Industry Canada, CE (Europe), SRRC (China – also valid for Malaysia, Singapore, HK, etc.), NCC (Taiwan), MIC (South Korea), and Telec (Japan).
The pre-installed applications that come with the unit are very functional and offer a great deal of value.? We captured our read data to a text file in the unit’s memory and later copied it to a file server via the Wi-Fi capability. This is particularly useful when importing tag read information in to a middleware application.
 ezTrack Support
For companies that have facilities in Asia, the CS101 has built-in support for ezTRACK - a EPC/RFID standards-based globalized track and track platform operated by GS1 Hong Kong This means the reader can be used immediately for scanning EPC/RFID tags with 96-bit Serialized Global Trading Identification Numbers (SGTIN) and then have the tag data information uploaded to the ezTrack server.
Telephone and email support is provided with a 24 hour response time.
The CS101has a retail price between $1,950 and $2,500 depending on volume. Our team found an average street price of $2,200, which includes the application software described above, USB cable, two batteries, battery charger, and a wrist strap.
CSL is also private labeling the hand-held in quantities as low as 100 units, which offers companies the ability to select their own color or include their logo.
Product Review Date: January 26, 2008
For Additional Information
Related product ratings and the reviews: Durable Asset Tags (Metal Mount and Submersible tags).
Related Articles: Our Wizards Rating System Explained.
Questions? Contact us.
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