FAQ

Yes. The device connects to your home WiFi and fetches price data from the JustTCG API at regular intervals. Without internet it can't retrieve updated prices. The display will show the last known price and flag that data is stale. Everything else (LED effects, button functions, Night Mode, audio) works offline.

Any game that is listed on TCGplayer.com is supported — the device just needs the card's TCGplayer product ID. It includes built-in per-game display themes for: Pokémon, Pokémon Japan, Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh!, One Piece Card Game, Digimon, Disney Lorcana, Dragon Ball Super: Fusion World, Gundam Card Game, Star Wars: Unlimited, Grand Archive TCG, Union Arena, Flesh and Blood TCG, Hololive Official Card Game, and Riftbound. Additional games use a standard theme.

On first boot, the CardPulse creates a WiFi hotspot called 'CardPulse-Setup'. Connect to it from your phone or PC, then open a browser and go to 192.168.4.1. The setup portal (a web page served by the device itself) walks you through entering your home WiFi credentials, your JustTCG API key, and the TCGplayer ID for the card you want to track. Tap Save & Restart and the device connects to your WiFi and begins tracking. No app download required.

Approximately 90% of graded slabs fit in the Original's card holder. This includes most PSA, BGS, and CGC slabs at standard thickness. Very oversized premium holders or unusual slab sizes may not fit. Raw cards and sleeved cards (standard sleeves) all fit comfortably. The Tracker does not have a card holder.

Yes. The device stores audio files in its internal filesystem (~10MB available). You can replace any alert sound via the setup portal: enter setup mode (hold BOOT 5 seconds), connect to the hotspot, go to 192.168.4.1, navigate to /list to view existing files, delete the one you want to replace, then upload your custom MP3 via /upload. Files must be named exactly as the required filename (e.g., SmallGain_1.mp3). Use the /test endpoint to verify playback without triggering a real alert.

The device requires USB-C, 5V DC, 2A (10W). Most modern phone chargers and USB-C power adapters work fine. Avoid powering it from a low-power USB hub, as the combined draw from the ESP32, display, LEDs, and audio amplifier can cause instability on weaker supplies. If you notice random reboots, try a higher-quality USB-C adapter.

The ESP32-S3 microcontroller only supports WiFi 802.11 b/g/n on the 2.4GHz band. It cannot connect to 5GHz networks at all. If your router broadcasts both 2.4GHz and 5GHz under the same network name (SSID), your phone may be on 5GHz while you're trying to configure the device for it — make sure the SSID you enter in the setup portal is your 2.4GHz network. If they share a name, temporarily disable 5GHz on your router or set them to separate SSIDs.

JustTCG (justtcg.com) is a third-party TCG price data API that aggregates market prices from TCGplayer. The free tier gives you 1,000 API requests per month (100 per day), which is enough for years of normal use — the device only makes one request per refresh cycle, typically every 15–60 minutes. You sign up on their site and get an API key in under a minute. There is no ongoing cost beyond the free tier for typical single-card use.

Enter setup mode by holding the BOOT button for 5 seconds. Connect to the CardPulse-Setup hotspot and open 192.168.4.1. In the setup portal, there is a Factory Reset option that clears all stored WiFi credentials, API key, card ID, and settings. Alternatively, on the device itself: while in setup mode, hold both BOOT and TOP buttons simultaneously for 3 seconds. The device will restart and prompt you to set it up again from scratch.

MP3 format, mono or stereo (mono preferred), 44.1kHz or 48kHz sample rate. Keep file sizes reasonable — under 500KB per clip is ideal. The I2S amplifier (MAX98357A) outputs mono audio regardless of whether the file is stereo. Very long files or high-bitrate MP3s may cause playback issues on the FFat filesystem; 128kbps MP3s work reliably. Files must be uploaded with the exact required filename as listed in the audio reference table.

The Tracker fetches all watched cards in a single batch request per refresh cycle. After fetching, it evaluates every card against its alert thresholds. Cards that crossed a threshold have their alert state stored in memory. The card currently on screen fires its alert immediately (LED + audio). All other cards hold their alert state in the queue. When the rotation brings an alerted card to the screen, it redraws first (so you see the right card) and then fires the LED and audio effect. The most recent alert always overwrites a stale pending alert for the same card.

The Original is designed for a single showcase card — it has a physical card holder where you place the card, and two vertical LED strips (wings) on either side that create the signature look. It tracks one card. The Tracker has no card holder — instead it has a single underglow LED strip on its underside that spreads ambient light across your desk surface. It tracks 1 to 8 cards simultaneously, rotating through them on the display. Both use the same ESP32-S3 hardware, same firmware codebase, same display, same audio system, and same alert tiers — just compiled with a different product flag.

No. The Original is designed around a single card — the display, holder, and alert system are all built for a single-card experience. If you want to track multiple cards simultaneously, the Tracker is the right product. The Tracker can also track just one card if you prefer the underglow aesthetic.

The default refresh interval is configurable in the setup portal — typically every 15 to 60 minutes. More frequent updates consume more API calls from your JustTCG monthly quota. The display shows a countdown bar that fills green → yellow → red as the next refresh approaches, so you always know how fresh the data is. The on-screen timestamp also shows when the last fetch occurred.