A test meter for receiving a test strip comprises:(a) a housing；(b) electronic circuitry disposed within the housing and(c) a strip port connector connected to the electronic circuitry and extending to an opening in the housing, said strip port connector connecting the electronic circuitry with a received test strip. The strip port connector contains a pair of top and bottom contacts, said top and bottom contacts having a proximal end and a distal end and a central contact portion, the top and bottom contacts of the pair are transversely aligned with one another； and the distal ends of the top and bottom contacts are separated or separable from one another by insertion of a test strip between the opposed contacts. The contacts and the meter are adapted to permit detection of faulty contacts and/or coding associated with an inserted test strip.
