# Yellow Dot Decoder - Fake Prototype Playtest Cards

**URL:** <https://www.elitefourum.com/t/yellow-dot-decoder-fake-prototype-playtest-cards/52472>\
**Category:** Articles\
**Tags:** prototype, resource\
**Created:** [January 27, 2025, 6:58pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/yellow-dot-decoder-fake-prototype-playtest-cards/52472 "2025-01-27T18:58:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 11

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mika](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/mika/32/145142_2.png) [@mika](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/mika)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2025, 4:58pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/yellow-dot-decoder-fake-prototype-playtest-cards/52472/11 "2025-01-29T16:58:46Z")

</div>

Nothing more than according to the original article:  
[https://w2.eff.org/Privacy/printers/docucolor/](https://w2.eff.org/Privacy/printers/docucolor/)

> Each column is read top-to-bottom as a single byte of seven bits (omitting the first parity bit); the bytes are then read right-to-left. The columns (which we have chosen to number from left to right) have the following meanings

- 15: unknown (often zero; constant for each individual printer; may convey some non-user-visible fact about the printer’s model or configuration)
- 14, 13, 12, 11: printer **serial number** in binary-coded-decimal, two digits per byte (constant for each individual printer; see below)
- 10: **separator** (typically all ones; does not appear to code information)
- 9: **unused**
- 8: **year** that page was printed (without century; 2005 is coded as 5)
- 7: **month** that page was printed
- 6: **day** that page was printed
- 5: **hour** that page was printed (may be UTC time zone, or may be set inaccurately within printer)
- 4, 3: **unused**
- 2: **minute** that page was printed
- 1: **row parity bit** (set to guarantee an odd number of dots present per row)

For example:

 ![image](https://efour.b-cdn.net/uploads/default/original/3X/8/f/8f4199785a75fe69dda5df6a05dba9748825d4f9.png)

This is 2024 because in the **8th column (YY)** there are the **4th** and **5th** dots in yellow, giving a binary value of 00011000.

We can then convert this binary value into a **decimal value** , giving us **24** (16 + 8).

@pfm also explained the decoding process very well in his [article](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/many-of-the-pokemon-playtest-cards-were-likely-printed-in-2024/52421)

---

_[View the full topic](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/yellow-dot-decoder-fake-prototype-playtest-cards/52472)._