I'm trying to get into biometric access control.
I can't find any readers that will natively output serial to interface with home automation product I use (HAI).

Google helped me find few different Wiegand to RS232 converters.
Here is one but it’s in Australia: [Link: priority1design.com.au]
 
Here is another one: [Link: rfideas.com]

Had anyone ever used something like this?

Anything I need to know about Wiegand protocol that would make one reader work and not the other?

Search here provided little info unless my KungFu is not strong enough: [Link: remotecentral.com]

What exactly are you trying to do with the Interface to the HAI system? I just dont see a whole lot of market for for something like this. wouldnt the biometric system already have all the access restriction built in already? what would really be the benefit of making changes via a third party?

Can you use an access control panel and have the panel interface with HAI? The Wiegand protocol is pretty simple if you're not using any encryption. It's just binary, the access panel looks at the D0 and D1 terminals, 5v drops from D0 that's a binary 0. 5v drops from D1 that's a binary 1.

I have HAI board (not the reader) handle door opening. While I could move that to access control, the door strike is also tied into the house phones and door station. That, and I can open door remotely from my cell as well.

I also have HAI send notifications via email-->SMS of who came in.

It helps me to know my 8 year old got home safely.
Great tool for knowing when wife got home as an indicator of how soon I should come home to a hot meal.

Lastly, I also trigger events based on who's coming thru the door (lighting and music), as well as announcing over DA that "Mother is home" or "Father is home".
 

Justin, having this be easy is precisely what I'm hoping for.
From what I'm reading, the first 12 bits are location ID (front door, garage, etc) and the second 12 bits are user #; is that correct?

If so, I should be able to tell that front door (#001) was accessed by wife (#002), right? Then with an RS232 string I should be able to send 001002 string to HAI to execute a system disarm, start playing her music and if dark, light the path to the kitchen.

The first bits are the facility code/site code which adds some security so that if job A has a facility code of 026 and card number 00001 and Job B has a facility code of 025 and card number 00001. If the access control board is programmed to ignore the facility code that same card will work at both sites.

Maybe this link will help explain some of it,

[Link: blog.opensecurityresearch.com]

I think I remember an Arduino project that used a Wegand reader, let me see if I can look it up.

Here it is, [Link: proxclone.com]

I would ask HAI what they would recommend for a Weigand reader.

What you're looking for really, I think, is an HAI compatible door station. What does HAI say to use?

how about the HAI 75A00-2?