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📱 Adyen NYC1 Card Reader Boarding

How to set up and board the Adyen NYC1 (Datecs) Bluetooth card reader with your mobile POS app.

What is the NYC1? The NYC1 is a compact Bluetooth card reader made by Datecs and distributed through Adyen. It's not a standalone terminal — it works alongside an iOS or Android POS app installed on a mobile device. The mobile device handles the transaction screens; the NYC1 handles the card read.

✅ What the NYC1 Supports

💳 Payment types

  • Chip (EMV / insert)

  • Contactless (NFC / tap) — including Apple Pay and Google Pay

  • Swipe (magstripe)

📶 Connectivity

  • Bluetooth (BLE 5.1) — primary connection to the mobile device

  • USB-C — for charging and initial pairing setup

🧩 Platform

  • Works with iOS and Android POS apps via Adyen's Payment SDK

  • No built-in screen — transaction prompts appear on the connected mobile device

  • No receipt printer

❌ What the NYC1 Does NOT Support

The NYC1 is a card-present, in-person card reader. The following are not supported:

  • MOTO (Mail Order / Telephone Order) — cannot process card-not-present transactions.

  • Manual card entry (keyed-in card numbers) — not a supported payment flow.

  • Virtual Terminal transactions — card-not-present payments must go through the Virtual Terminal, not this device.

  • Standalone mode — the NYC1 requires a paired mobile device running a POS app to function.

If customers need to take payments over the phone or by mail order, they should use the Virtual Terminal instead.

📋 A Note on PIN Support

⚠️ Two versions exist in the US. Not all NYC1 card readers support PIN entry.

  • If the reader supports PIN: the device details in your POS app will show the name NYC1 with no model listed.

  • If the reader does not support PIN: the device details will show the name NYC1 and model NYC1-SCR.

📦 What's In The Box

  • NYC1 card reader

  • USB-C charging cable

  • Adhesive metal plate (for attaching the reader to the back of a phone)

⚠️ Always use the USB-C cable supplied by Adyen and a 5V DC, 1A charger to recharge the battery. The battery is not replaceable.

🚀 Boarding the NYC1

Step 1 — Charge the reader

  • Connect the reader to a power source using the supplied USB-C cable.

  • Let it charge for at least 1 hour and 30 minutes before first use.

  • To check battery level: press the power button on the side and check the LEDs.

🔋 Because Bluetooth stays on continuously, the reader never fully powers off. Keep an eye on charge level — a dead battery is the most common reason the NYC1 stops responding.

Step 2 — Verify the reader (tamper check)

Before pairing, inspect the reader:

  • Confirm the shipping box was sealed and the tamper-evident security tape is intact.

  • Check that the serial number on the reader matches the serial number on the box.

  • Look for any missing screws, extra wires, holes, or anything inserted into the reader.

  • If anything looks off, do not use the reader — contact ValPay Support immediately.

Step 3 — Pair the reader to a mobile device via Bluetooth

  1. Connect the reader to a PC using the USB-C cable. This creates a virtual COM port.

  2. Open the Adyen pairing app on the PC.

  3. Press Search in the app — available COM ports will appear on the right. Select the port the reader is connected to, then press Connect to device.

  4. On the mobile device, go to Bluetooth settings and select NYC1 (or NYC1-SCR) from the list.

  5. Both the mobile screen and the PC app will display a passkey. White LEDs on the reader will light up one by one.

  6. If the passkeys match: press the On/Off button twice on the reader to confirm pairing.

  7. If the passkeys don't match: press the On/Off button once to cancel. Do not proceed.

  8. The app will display "THE DEVICES ARE CONNECTED" when pairing is successful.

Step 4 — Attach the reader to the mobile device (optional but recommended)

  • Stick the adhesive metal plate to the back of the phone.

  • The reader's built-in magnet will hold it securely to the plate.

💡 If you also received an NYC1 dock, the dock can be used to charge the reader and establish a USB connection to the mobile device. The dock requires its own 12V/1.5A PD power adapter — do not use a standard phone charger with the dock.

Step 5 — Confirm boarding in your POS app

  • Open the POS app on the mobile device.

  • The app should recognize the paired NYC1 reader in the device details.

  • Run a test transaction to confirm the reader is accepting payments.

The boarding process is now complete.

🔄 Firmware Updates

From time to time, Adyen releases new firmware for the NYC1. To update:

  1. Make sure the reader is paired to the mobile device (Bluetooth or USB).

  2. Open the POS app and press Update device firmware.

  3. Wait for the update to complete — do not disconnect or power off the reader during this process.

Updates are cryptographically authenticated by the reader. If authentication fails, the update is rejected automatically — no action is required from the user.

🛠️ Basic Troubleshooting

1) Reader won't turn on or isn't detected

  • Connect the reader to power using the supplied USB-C cable and a 5V DC, 1A charger.

  • Let it charge for at least 30 minutes before trying again.

  • Press and hold the power button on the side of the reader.

2) Bluetooth connection dropping or unstable

  • Make sure the mobile device's Bluetooth is enabled and no other device is paired to the reader simultaneously.

  • Keep the reader within close range of the mobile device — Bluetooth range drops significantly through walls or in crowded environments.

  • If the issue persists, clear the Bluetooth pairing info and re-pair:

    • Press and hold the On/Off button until you hear a characteristic sound and the 4th white LED lights up.

    • Release the button. A second sound confirms the pairing info has been cleared.

    • Re-pair from Step 3 above.

3) Card read failing (chip, tap, or swipe)

  • Chip: make sure the card is inserted gold-contacts-up and seated fully in the slot.

  • Tap: make sure the contactless logo on the reader is illuminated — if not, tap may not be active for this transaction type.

  • Swipe: the magnetic stripe must face up when swiping. Keep the card flat on the inner base of the slot for a clean read.

  • If all read methods fail consistently, the reader may need to be replaced — contact ValPay Support.

4) Reader not showing up in POS app after pairing

  • Confirm Bluetooth is active on the mobile device and the reader is powered on.

  • Close and reopen the POS app.

  • If the reader still doesn't appear, clear Bluetooth pairing info and re-pair (see Step 3 above).

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