Magnetic Symbology Reader

A magnetic symbology reader has a housing containing a polarized light source which directs light though a magneto-optic sensor onto a reflector which reflects light least one analyzer and into at least one camera. A view finder allows the user to monitor the image on the sensor as seen by a viewfinder camera while a processor is coupled to possibly a second camera so that when an image is detected, the image from the camera may be processed by the processor to output information associated with the symbol to an external source. The analyzer and polarized light source provide contrast in the images detected by the sensor. A bias/erase coil located about the magneto-optic sensor can enhance or erase images on the sensor.