Getting Started
About Your Readers
Our popular FX20x series of readers is the perfect way to add object detection to your escape room! While we’ve made small improvements over the years to the design of the readers, all three readers are pin compatible and can be mixed and matched as needed within an installation – so don’t worry if you are replacing or upgrading an older reader!
While the boards are compatible, the labels do vary, so here is a quick reference guide for the three different products:
| FX200 | FX201 | FX205 | Purpose |
| G | GND | GND | Ground reference for power input |
| V+ | V+ | V+ | Power input 12V-24V for FX200/201 12V only for FX205 |
| Z | OUT | OUT | Auxiliary output for magnetic lock 1A max for FX200/201 2A max for FX205 |
| Y | A/D-Hi | A/D | RS-485 A- Connection |
| X | B/C-Hi | B/C | RS-485 B- Connection |
| G | GND | GND | Additional ground connection for OUT port |
Setting Up Your Readers
Step 0: Update your controller firmware to support RFID
The BAC ships by default with “standard” firmware, but “rfid” firmware is needed to run an RFID game. To update to this version of the software, follow the instructions on our site at https://learn.escaperoomtechs.com/downloads/ .
Step 1: Wire up the readers
Power off your BAC before proceeding.
If you have a BAC V, you will need an FX45 Expansion module (either basic or full will work). You will wire the connections to the “RS-485 Network” port.
If you have a legacy BAC, you will need to open the case and wire to the onboard FX45 port instead,
Either way, you will be building a daisy chain of readers.. Wire GND, V+, A- and B- from the BAC to the same pins on your first reader using the table above. Then, run an additional set of four wires from the first reader to the second reader. Repeat until you reach the last reader in the chain.
While any wire of reasonable gauge can work, we recommend using CAT5e/CAT6 twisted pair wiring of the type comonly used for Ethernet networks, as this type of wire can help cancel out certain types of interference. If so, here is our recommended color assignment:
| Wire Color | Signal |
| Orange Orange/White Striped (Twist both wires together) | Power V+ |
| Brown Brown/White Striped (Twist both wires together | Ground |
| Green | RS-485 A- |
| Green/White | RS-485 B- |
| Blue | Not Used |
| Blue/White | Not Used |
Step 2: Set the switches
Each FX20x reader on the network needs its own address so the controller can uniquely identify it. To set the address, use the four switches on the reader.
When assigning addresses, start with the last reader in the chain furthest away from the BAC and assign it address 0. This reader is special because it enables a termination resistor internally that completes the network.
Each successive reader closer to the BAC should have an address increasing by one.
For example, if you have four readers, the network would look like this:
BAC <> Reader 3 <> Reader 2 <> Reader 1 <> Reader 0
Each switch controls a binary digit, allowing you to select up to 16 unique addresses. For support for up to 32 readers, contact us for special assistance.
| Desired Address | A (1) | B (2) | C (4) | D (8) |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 13 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 14 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 15 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Step 3: Turn on the BAC.
The readers should all power up and activate. At this point, holding a tag to each reader should cause the “read” light to blink – this indicates the hardware inside the FX20x reader is operating correctly and that your tag is close enough to the reader to activate it.
Step 4: Configure the game
Find your controller in BAM and click Configure. On the first tab, select the “Game” of “RFID”. (If RFID is not in the list, please ensure you have correctly updated your firmware in Step 0.) Click Save.
Once the controller has restarted with the correct game activated, you can click the Game tab to configure your RFID readers. At this point, the Learning tab should show the correct tag IDs from each of your readers, and you can configure various sets of tags you’d like to detect.
More documentation on configuring the RFID game in our software is coming soon, but for now, reach out to us over Messenger if you need assistance (or refer to the PDF below for some slightly out of date but still helpful information.)
Step 5: Mount your readers
You can mount your FX205 readers to the underside of your prop to conveniently detect objects. The reader has a read range of about one inch, and the reader is mounted in the center of the circuit board on the underside of the reader (adjacent to the black plastic case, roughly underneath where the ‘read’ LED is locaded)
We recommend spacing readers about 8″ apart (6″ absolute minimum) and never using props that are made of metal for best results.
Legacy Documentation
While this datasheet was written for the FX200, most elements still apply to the FX201/FX205. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us over Facebook Messenger at https://m.me/escaperoomtechs – if you have a question, chances are others do as well!
Tip: The FX200 and FX201 have cosmetic differences (the FX201 ships in a plastic case and all connections are made through the large green connector, while the FX200 is a bare circuit board with an optional power input barrel jack), but the documentation from the FX200 datasheet otherwise applies to both.