Help with POS Systems...

[jamse]

Alright, I dont know if this is the best place to post this, but im trying to build a pos system for my parents restraunt. i wanted to go throught dell or ibm but it seems like its over pricey. I was looking for components to build a POS system but i kind of feel lost since its not quite the same as building a personal computer.

ill start off by listing what my parents restraunt needs

3 pos terminals
2 cash drawers
2 credit card readers
3 computers
3 touchscreen lcd monitors
2 receit printers
1 kitchen order printer

computer hardware
abit il-95
e6300
asus x300se
1gb ram for the server pos
2x512mb ram for the other 2 pos
some small and sleek micro atx case

i know for a fact that the drawer is controlled by the pos software that i choose to buy, but i do not know how the computer is connected tot he drawer is it by usb or serial?

and the printers are managed through the software, but im not sure how to set them up. like the config that i need will be the two stations with their own printer can print locally from their respective machines while the kitchen printer will print every order from any terminal/

also how is the card reader interfaced? through usb?

if only i had a machine to play around with. then i could figure alot of this stuff out.

if anyone out there has any experience with pos machines is there any way we can talk through email/pm/aim?

 

[apt403]

computer hardware
abit il-95
e6300
asus x300se
1gb ram for the server pos

Besides the gfx card a system like that will out perform the rig in your sig, i would give take the 7600gt out of your system, replace it with a cheaper card, give your parents resturant your current POS computer and keep the C2D setup for yourself.

edit:

Wait, you mean "point of sale", not "peice of shit" dont you? In that case i would just go through IBM. You might save a few bucks, but seriously, its going to be an insane hastle to set everything up, and, if somthing goes haywire your parents can call IBM instead of you to come down and fix the problem. This is coming from a person who would rather be blind, deaf, and dumb then buy a prebuilt computer.

 

[haywood]

There are lots of POS systems available and some are quite affordable and easy to set up. You need to do a Google.

I had to research myself once for my company's cafeteria, in the end though I made the vendor provide their own system.

http://www.posguys.com/index2.asp?src=google

http://www.businessoftware.com/hardware.asp?source=google

http://www.camcommerce.com/

 

[misry]

And he hasn't even thought about what software he's going to run.

Seriously, you parents business will depend on these machines. A resturaunt is a money pit as it is let alone having to hire you full time for the first 2 years for IT support till all the bugs get worked out. At that point hardware will be needing replaced and the cycle will start over.

 

[kitchenshark]

I would agree with the others.

Definitely spend a little more money for an already assembled system THAT COMES WITH TECH SUPPORT. There's all sorts of bugs at first, having someone with experience that you can call could be a real life saver for you.

Research on Google different point of sale companies.

If you insist on still doing it yourself, Google some point of sale equipment and check their specs for connectivity. Most point of sale items I've seen use either serial connectivity or some kind of proprietary phone cord type of interface. That could be different now though.

EDIT: Also you'll have to make sure you select software can run each piece of hardware that you select.