slotsmagic

Computer just arrived - very, very impressed for the money. Pretty much immaculate inside and out. Exactly as photographed - normal motherboard, bronze rated 250W PSU (which if underpowered I can swap out anyway), which has Molex connectors so I can use my Molex splitters for hopper / coin mech. Only just got here and won't have a chance to play with the machine as now I'm free mum wants to go out for some fresh air. Fresh is bloody right, the cars haven't defrosted yet!! Anyway I'm so impressed I may well order another for the Interplay, as that'll need a dedicated PC too rather than the mini PC in there at the moment!!

Oh that's almost certainly what I'll end up doing. The complete PC was £46 but assuming it's as advertised it's a standard H110 mATX board, so it'll almost certainly be mounted on the back of the cab at some point, on some plywood. I would have done that with the original PC, but since it transpired it used non-standard PSU wiring, and needed an external GPU, I couldn't be arsed in the end. Didn't have confidence in the motherboard itself supplying 12V for all the peripherals (rather than 12V from the PSU via Molex / SATA, the stupid HP board had a single SATA power socket on the board itself). At least this board I can shove any ATX power supply I want on it. That was something I was thinking about, using a PSU to double as an exhaust fan at the top of the cabinet, on a little shelf made out of plywood.

New PC should be here tomorrow, so that's good! Just done a little housekeeping so far today, sorting out the cabling for the monitors, both now have their own external PSU, removed unnecessary cables, sorted out wiring for coin entry lamps... and then realised they are 5mm and I only have 10mm LED wedge lamps I do have a couple of questions for anyone who is willing and able to help 1) Do people think a 250W bronze-rated PSU would be sufficient for hopper and coin mech running off the 12V supply? If I'm lucky the integrated graphics will be sufficient, meaning I've only got the CPU at 51W as the main system component... but I'd be gutted if I potentially caused any damage using an insufficient PSU, even though I'd hope the PSU would have over current protection e.t.c. 2) My SR5 coin mech that I'm planning on using has a 21 pin parallel interface, compared to the 17 pins of the Cashflow 126. Having looked at the pinouts for both they should be identical, except for the SR5 having additional pins 18 and 19 as additional coin 7 and 8 inhibits, and pins 20 and 21 being for 'bank select'. Does it seem logical for me to just use the 17 pin connector and just ignore the other 4 pins? Other option is to modify the 126DFX to fit (involves cutting bits off as the mech is physically taller than my SR5!) or making a 21 pin connector I guess?

... OK, a change of plan. So I was in the garage earlier agonising about what to do with the existing PC, the HP I was planning on using. I had several ideas - effectively break the case up and just keep the motherboard mounted on the tray. Potentially use a different power supply. Unfortunately I then made some unfortunate discoveries... The motherboard was non standard... fair enough... but isn't even proper ATX. It has 6 pin board connector (rather than ATX 24 pin)... and the board itself then outputs 12V for the drives via a bespoke mainboard power delivery section. It's a bit like an early version of the new ATX12VO standard. Meant using another PSU would be awkward. Meant that relying on the 12V supply from the board being sufficient to power a hopper didn't fill me with optimism. Anyway, I spent a few hours slotting in the garage while browsing eBay, checking classifieds... and found this. I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure it's an absolute steal. Few plus points - assuming the photos are accurate : 1) Off the shelf motherboard. MSI H110ECO which has normal power circuitry, and all the video outputs I need. 2) i3 7100 CPU - not going to set the world alight, but a perfectly competent little 2 core / 4 thread CPU. Should be ample power for MFME. 3) 80+ Bronze PSU. Admittedly it's not 80+ Platinum or anything but it's a positive to see. Essentially what this means is the following - I'll try and fit the case in the machine intact. But if it's still too big, I can remove the motherboard (hopefully on the metal tray, if it has one) and mount that inside the cabinet. The motherboard, assuming it's as shown in the photos, takes normal ATX PSUs, so I can easily run something more powerful if the included one doesn't look up to the job. Speaking of which, I might use the SFF PSU included as a spare for a T7 assuming it has sufficient connectors, which I'd expect it to Sharing the PC I found incase anyone else finds it interesting. Just seems a bit too cheap?!! P.S. sorry for the latest video from The Bandit, I have YT Premium and often run a little YT window while browsing, for the audio mainly!

I know I wasn't quoted here but just to add that with the leaked / hacked emulators I was referring to v9.4 e.t.c. - I seem to recall (without wanting to drag up some pretty awful times in the history of MFME) that someone effectively stole non-public source from Chris and leaked it, possibly with additions? Rather than it being someone simply updating the v2.0 source. Fully agree with the sentiment. Nothing has ever stopped anyone other than a lack of knowledge or skills, both of which could be learned. JPeMu, BFMulator, Amber, MAME and the current virtual arcade projects all demonstrate that. Of course it's far easier to blame those who aren't around to fight their own corner apparently! The more I read from JA the more I assume he's intentionally trolling, thank god I just found out how to use the ignore options under account settings

It would make everyone's life easier, including scammers unfortunately. People could edit the source, pass it off as their own, sell it on eBay, add malicious code, the list is endless. I can see why Chris opted to keep it closed-source, and as anti-community as it might be, I'd have done the same in his shoes. As for things you can't talk about on this site, I'm not sure of the exact rules, but I'd avoid talking about hacking of any machines that are still sited and that would leave people open to litigation. For example most pub fruits are now basically dead, I doubt the manufacturers really care about them despite them being sited. But I wouldn't discuss how to hack current video based slots in a public forum.

Cheers Ross - yes, it's going to be dual screen for the moment. Once one screen dies I'll rip the pair out and stick a single portrait screen in there They are both the same resolution. At a guess I'd assume 1280x1024 but could be 1024x768. They aren't that sharp! To be honest this cabinet is mainly going to be for my Concept machines - I figured Electrocoin based layouts may as well go into an Electrocoin branded cabinet - along with other select lo-techs (Mazooma, Astra e.t.c.) but it'll obviously be capable of running hi-tech machines too. It's just that it only has the 7 lower buttons, and only the bottom screen is a touchscreen - so any buttons on a top glass would be inaccessible. I've got the Interplay - which I will finish once I sort this out - as my main hi-tech cabinet, since it's got the 32" touchscreen in portrait mode I've decided I'm going to butcher the existing PC and just have a shot with it. If it doesn't work, fair enough. My main concern is the PSU, not sure that the SATA specific power outputs will be able to handle the load of the hopper. But I guess there's only one way to find out. If it goes pop I'll just have to hope it doesn't take out any USB peripherals like the PACdrive and iPAC!!

Well I discovered a few things today. Firstly - make sure your computer will fit inside the machine you are building. Probably a good idea to do that first! Also, make sure it has Molex power from the PSU! I'm not sure SATA power is going to be up to it. ... At this rate I think I might build my own little ITX or mATX based system specifically for this cabinet now! I could potentially fit the originally intended PC against the upper back of the cabinet, but even then it's going to take a lot of work to mount it up there. Unless I just rip out the motherboard and mount it, and shove a standard ATX PSU somewhere nearby? All I've done today is added an IEC power input to the back of the cabinet (from a scrapped skill game a while back) and mounted the 4 gang extension. Now, I've got a tidy option - cut and solder the existing extension cable to the IEC socket. Or, I might just terminate the black cable coming from the IEC socket with a switched 1 gang outlet so I can turn all components on and off from within the machine. Might go with that option! (another edit - now wondering if I might just butcher the PC cabinet, mount the motherboard on it's tray directly to the inside rear of the cabinet above the I/O plywood board? OK it'll look very amateurish but then again it's a solution. Only small issue would be keeping the PCI-E low profile graphics secure. Might be a job for a Dremel!!)

Whilst I'm pretty sure MFME should have been open source (I could be wrong but I'm sure that back in the day if you used MAME's open source code, you were expected to both declare it and make your own project open source?) I'm still grateful for the incredible bit of software. There is no exclusivity when it comes to emulator creation - you only have to look at the huge amount of console emulators, all with different quirks and characteristics. In the past there were also other fruit machine emulators - in the early days we had to use MFME for MPU3/4, BFMulator for Scorpion 2 and JPeMu for IMPACT. Anyone is free to write their own emulator, and given that MFME will obviously never be updated, MAME is the logical successor (unless anyone fancies writing another emulator). Cheers for the laughing emoji you left on my post above too. Whilst emojis are good fun, I'm intrigued to know what you felt was so funny?

Not much of an update, but since I'm on annual leave today I spent a few therapeutic hours on the cabinet after seeing mum in hospital and then making some tea** Basically I've tidied up the 'bracket' that holds my iPAC, PACdrive and amplifier (refitted it all using spacers). I've also been through the loom and removed all the unnecessary wires making it a lot easier to work out what is what at a glance. Some of it will be replaced - so for example the monitors were powered originally from the machines single PSU. They'll now be running off independent 12V 5A PSUs. Once that was done, I fitted all the wires that were checked for continuity earlier in the project, and connected them to the iPAC and PACdrive. So, although I haven't fitted the PC yet, I'm very confident that the buttons and button lamps are going to work fine. I'm debating next steps for tomorrow in between my other things (probably another hospital visit or two) - I really ought to sort out mains to the inside of the cabinet. I may well just hang a 4 gang extension off one of the MDF brackets that held the original power supply before conversion. They are visible at the bottom left of the photo, just under the gas struts. Might be a good shout, getting the cabinet powered with a PC temporarily fitted - will give me a chance to test layout scaling across both screens, test the buttons and lamps so far! ** Ordering a Chinese. (edit) Hadn't realised until tonight but my fibre broadband is down this evening, hopefully I can get it sorted by tomorrow or I'll have to take a laptop to a WiFi hotspot to grab any necessary drivers!

I don't believe there is any current source code out there for MFME, so no. There was stolen source code out there years ago, which resulted in several leaked / hacked versions of MFME - but even if the source is still out for those, I seem to recall it was about 15 years ago(?) so it would be massively outdated anyway. While (for me at least!) MFME is still 'the' fruit machine emulator, there is ongoing work in MAME. As for the graphical and classic layouts that people design to work in the emulator - they can be edited and you can do what you like with them, for personal use (so not for distribution elsewhere).

I'm sure I've said it before but playing machines on MFME is incredible, but the fact MFME lets you build a cabinet around it and have it (almost) fully working, as a digital recreation with coin acceptance and payout, is absolutely magical.

If the artwork is good enough then more and more people are working at 4K resolution these days, so I'd aim to use that where possible. MFME can scale lower resolutions up to fill the screen with decent results. Other options I've used in the past would be things like 1080p/1200p screens but running in portrait mode.

... And been back at A&E with mum since this morning. Plus Amazon cancelled my 'like new' crimping set as they couldn't find them. Which I think might be code for they found them and the box was either empty or smashed. Not really an issue as I can order a new one anyway, which would arrive with my 3m HDMI to DVI cable tomorrow anyway. Assuming I get back in good time today I'm feeling a little better than yesterday but not 100%. Less tired and achy, less sore throat, just a load of congestion and my head is a bit fuzzy. Annual leave from Monday so all being well I'll be able to spend plenty of time on it next week. Really just gagging to get some Concepts running. I need my bleepy bloopy Bar X fix

I hope so too. Bloody hate congestion. Especially when it involves sinuses. Urgh. Day hasn't been a complete write off. I've been chilling and doing some research on cabinet stuff at the same time, specifically with regards to coin mech and hopper connections. Coin mech should be a doddle (I hope!) as I can use the old connector and wiring from the scrapped Go For Gold Decided I would order a few more bits - a DuPont crimping kit with 1550 different connectors, and some Molex splitters. I'm hoping I can use the Molex splitters to give me a tidier connection for 12V components to the PSU. I've always kinda fancied a proper crimping set for PC use, Amazon had a 'like new' one in the warehouse so have ordered that. If it turns out to be rubbish they can have it returned at their cost Preciva brand, most of their other tools I've used have been pretty good to be honest - soldering station, multimeter and other crimping bits.

No progress today. Have been struck down with super mega ultimate Man-flu. Hopefully it's better before my last couple of days at work. If not I'll leave them the option of me turning up (presenteeism?) or me having the weekend off sick. Haven't had a sick day since rejoining the business 13 months ago so not like I'm taking the proverbial. But yes, getting knackered just walking around the house so the idea of trying to stay warm in the garage while aching a lot means I really don't feel like working on the cab. At least the spacers, nuts and the monitor PSU have arrived. So I reckon I should now have everything I need for when I next feel up to it. Apart from possibly a DVI-HDMI cable. I have several of them somewhere, and adaptors rather than cables, but might just order a new cable to be safe since they aren't dear and if it's not needed now I can use it for another cabinet in the future.

Ah... That's got me thinking. Wasn't the original in the short Genesis cab? At the same time I'm sure I played at least one in the 'New' tall Genesis cab. But I could be remembering that completely wrong!! Wondering if maybe one set for the old cab and one for the new?

The Interplay has a massive 32" portrait touchscreen and is a lovely, hefty machine. But I never fully completed mine, I'm going to revisit it after this conversion and finish it up. It does work fine - buttons and lamps, touchscreen works, speakers work, it's just I never finished coin entry, and if I revisit it I'd do that, and also relocate the PACdrive and iPAC to better positions But for playing on... lovely big portrait mode means it does feel pretty amazing to play on

Thought I'd kick this thread off, since I've had an odd experience with a machine in my cabinet which I'm going to assume is anti-stat code or anti-force code in operation? @Tommy c released a stunning Ultra HD version of Cash Explosion by Mazooma. I used to have this in a local pub, and it's on my MFME cabinet. Until the point where I buggered up and caused a COIN MECH error, which means I'll need to RAM clear... but anyway... The machine absolutely, point blank refuses to give the 5 dynamite sticks or an IM. I've been playing purely with £1 coins in, as that's normally what I do (despite the fact the mech does accept other coins). I'm not talking just makes them hard to get, I'm taking £1000+ into a £25 machine - over several sessions - and while it'll sometimes allow a cheeky single JP from red-line features on the base, it's refusing to play ball with regards to the top feature. It is one of those 'collect on a mystery' type games, so I'm assuming either it can't be forced out (IM / top feature cycles round on a certain amount of plays) - OR I've triggered the anti-stat code. Not sure if anyone else has played the layout but it's a corker from a graphics perspective, lovely and clear. Just a shame it's been playing like a total pig!!

Little update for today - have made myself a little plywood board for the back of the cabinet. I've used the original M4 threads that were in the back of the cabinet (they held the original Quixant PC in place) - that space is now used by my plywood I/O board It'll handle buttons and coin inputs (iPAC) and lamp and hopper outputs (PACdrive), as well as hold my cute little Chinese amplifier. Only small things are a) Don't have any M3 nuts in my big nut organiser. They are coming tomorrow (cheers Amazon!). b) Can't find my ABS spacers, so as a bodge for now - obviously with no power connected - I've used lots of nuts and washers to act as spacers. Big 1000pc box of ABS spacers coming tomorrow. Once again, thanks to Amazon Once they are here I'll tidy it up a bit, sand the edges I've cut, and I'm also debating whether to paint it black or just leave it plywood coloured. Black would look more professional, but plywood adds a bit of DIY charm The big space between the iPac and PACdrive could possibly hold another board or device down the line if required. If not I'll probably stick an MFME logo there or something similar

Picked mum up from hospital last night, so in-between work and that I've had bugger all free time. We are still awaiting biopsy and MRI results but at least she's back home and seems chipper. Anyway, I've spent a few hours in the garage today. Taking a bit of a plodding approach with this, but achieving little bits is better than nothing. All I've done today is remove the buttons, clean the button panel, replace the buttons, and have a look at the loom for buttons and lamps - checking continuity and labelling the wires ready for connection to iPac / PACdrive. I'm pretty shocked - but it looks like I can use the existing loom for the microswitches and lamps! Probably because the base machine had so few lamps and switches - it doesn't seem to use any diodes on the loom itself. Lucky really as I can't find my crimping set Also fired up the PC I intend to use, with a fresh Windows 10 Pro installation. I've put the Radeon R7 250 graphics card in - only slight concern is the power draw. It doesn't use any additional power connectors - just getting power from the PCI-E socket itself - but it's got a 50W potential power usage. Doubt FME is that demanding mind. The PC has a 240W SFF power supply. Fingers crossed everything combined doesn't overload it https://youtu.be/WhXUHyFIWFI?si=2R31kHu7NIsVnxEY

I generally liked these, but think the one in a local village pub must have been an early chip, used to go utterly bonkers. The one in the centre of town once gave me an absolute battering. I felt safe on it knowing what the other one played like. The joys of being an underage addict, not appreciating the difference a shit chip could make

I don't have access to the ROMs from here but shouldn't MFME automatically insert the correct PIC code on booting? If not I'm pretty sure it can be worked out easily enough. Failing that, if the lamp numbers - while wrong when used in another DX - remain the same between boots and when being played, it wouldn't be too hard to convert the lamp numbers. Just a case of editing the layout, probably about an hour's work.

Cheers chaps. Waiting to hear updates now, she's just gone for her MRI scan and I'm just about to start work. I changed my mind on the graphics card... I've ordered it and paid for it, but probably won't be using it. I got an AMD R7 250 for £15 that I plan on using instead. It's significantly more powerful. The GT610 may well have been enough but with running dual screens I just wasn't convinced, it's a pretty crap card No other updates on cabinet yet and doubt there will be any until Monday

... Was in ED for 8 hours, which I never want to go through again! After that Mum got moved up to a ward, which is lovely and peaceful and she's got her own room and the staff are fantastic. Prognosis looking potentially worse than expected, which is shit. But she's in the best place and hopefully her scans and whatnot will be good tomorrow. Although the consultant was honest and didn't want to give any false hope. So yeah, shit day by all accounts. Back at work tomorrow and have forewarned them that my mind is elsewhere. I went to get petrol on the way home, filled the car up, got back in, started driving off and realised I'd forgotten something. Paying for the bastard fuel. Then grabbed a KFC and walked off without my drink. Was still there when I returned but surprising how worry can make you function like a complete idiot! Back on the cabinet front, I'm working now til Sunday and have so much stuff on I can't see me getting anything done over the weekend. But at least I reckon I have almost all the stuff I need now!