Custom tags need certain distance to TonieBox to be recognized

Toniebox Hardware Hardware General
1

I purchase a used TonieBox on the secondary market and some tags which were recommended for use with the box (RFIDfriend). I reassigned some files on the SD card to a the UID of the tag. As described here (Toniebox Hacking - How to get started - Gambrius Tech Blog) I built a “travel tonie”. When approaching the top of the box (“landing area”), the playback starts properly, but when getting to close to the box, the box stops playing and seems to not recognize the token anymore. When lifting the token again (about 1cm or 1/2 ich) the playback restarts.
Is this a known limitation of the box or V1/V2 of the box and is there a way to “get it working properly”?

Regards,
freedancer

2

This is a limitation of the toniebox. The problem seems to be the metal plate, that is in between the rfid antenna and the Tonie, so the magnets do stick.

Most people put something under the rfid Tags to get the minimal spacing. Something like this: elecTricky - DIY Parts | 5 x Inlay für 40mm-Münzbox mit 10mm Aussparung | online kaufen, you could put some foam in the coin tag or do it like gambrius in this picture with some cork i guess coin_tag_5-1024x768.jpg (1024×768) (gt-blog.de)

I think there are also some people that tried to remove the metal plate and have replaced them with magnet. But I dont know how good this does work.

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I can confirm the behavior for CC3200 and ESP32 boxes.

I make my custom Tags using 38mm coin capsules with a spacer (magnet holder) as mentioned by @Kuchen0815.

This spacer has the problem, that one side will play proper, and the other side not, so you have to take care which side is up.

I solved the problem for me by putting the tag in the center of the space, by halfing the size and use two of them:.
So it does not longer matter wich side is up and both sides play as expected.


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I use these coin boxes
Münzkapseln QUADRUM Leuchtturm 14-41 mm, 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 Stück | eBay (15mm hole)
With a 15x3 magnet which fits the hole exactly.

I prefere square boxes so I can more easily cut the printout of the original cd cover (which is square, too)

Using the rfidtags from electricy the distance works when the tag is on the “upper” side. The RFIDFriend tags will not work and have to be placed way of center to work.

Anybody needs tags? I have bought to many of the RFIDFriend kind and would give them at 1:1 cost.