slotsmagic

Oooh, positive monitor update! I was measuring up for a replacement portrait mode screen and decided to try a DVI output from the T7 into the monitor I suspected was faulty. Turns out the monitor is fine, even if it does display a white screen instead of 'no signal'. Not sure what's happened there. Back to the original plan then of running dual screens. At least until one of these breaks. It looks like converting to a single screen wouldn't be the end of the world (a 27" in portrait mode would fit nicely with a couple of CM spare vertically and horizontally - but feel as I may as well use the original screens for the moment, keep it 'original', and doubt the current screens have much value. (edit) But now I keep thinking a single screen would be much easier, even though I'd have to make my own bracket / frame... I can see why people build cabinets from scratch now

First packages of bits have arrived after the bank holiday! Was happy with the Lepy amplifier in the Interplay so have gone with the same here, a 3.5mm to RCA cable to connect to the PC, a reasonable length of 20AWG (I found the 22AWG I used last time to be a bit too thin), some wire labels to keep things identifiable, a PacDrive 'Special' and an iPac. I was going to look at a DuPont crimping kit... but what I think I'm going to do instead, since I can't see me using one much in the future, is I'm going to just butcher the existing connectors and looms, and use some Fago (fake Wago) connectors to link it all up They are due to arrive tomorrow Plenty of hurdles to overcome yet though. I found some PSUs that were capable of powering the monitors. However the bottom, touchscreen monitor is now helpfully only giving me a white screen. Not 'no signal', just a white screen. So possible the interface board has died between the machine stopping working and now? To narrow it down I'll try swapping interface board from the top monitor. Another, simpler (in some regards) option would be to modify the top door to fit a single portrait mode screen. That would make my life a lot easier in terms of layout compatibility, and the fact I'd only need to drive a single video output. I don't require touch screen functionality in this cabinet as it's going to be purely for lo-techs and I can probably just use the bottom gameplay buttons to navigate a simple menu But also would introduce more issues - like how to cut the metalwork to allow the fitment of a large single screen PC shouldn't be any massive problem, I've got a couple of spare SFF units (Dell and HP) that I can happily lob inside. I may well keep the computer in the bottom of the machine this time and just keep the iPac, PacDrive and amplifier on inside rear of the cabinet for simplicity.

It is possible, absolutely. Just got optimistic from the way they seemed to initialise correctly, but they stop seeing the opto soon after. It's in the manual, it depends on the donor machine the kit was fitted to. If it was fitted to an OXO machine then doesn't need switch 8 on, only if fitted to a BAR X 125 (I'm guessing they used different / bigger reels as they had stacked symbols and possibly more stops per reel?) I honestly don't think they'll be playable in the current emulator, but just having them boot piqued my curiosity. In some ways it would be been better if they didn't boot in that we could just draw a line under it! Wish I'd kept a copy of my OXO 777 ROMs as I wonder if stock Electrocoin ROMs might run, at least the ones from single player units?

Weird timing, I got notified about this post just as I'd sent them over

I would expect so but honestly don't know as I've never looked inside one! The only difference between the version Concept used in Go For Gold and the standard Phoenix 2 is that Concept, in their ultimate wisdom, replaced the stock Z180 CPU with a 20MHz (?!) version. Seems like overkill but must be a reason for it. I was concerned that it might cause issues, but now I'm wondering if the 'auto throttle' of MFME might compensate and allow the machine to run at a useable speed? Again the fact it even runs to this extent has blown my mind Ta for that, a mentioned above in a reply I've tried that as @dad suggested it as well, but no joy. Maybe it would just be a case of trying many different opto numbers? Really appreciate the offer and great to see you back around here I have passed the layout and ROMs over to @dad for the moment, I can send them over you if you fancy a look (and @vectra666 as mentioned above) but feel I've already offered exclusivity to @dad should he be interested, at least should he fancy a DX. Being a fellow lo-tech / Electrocoin fan it made sense

Yeah, I'm going to finish off some of the Concept WIPs that I started back in March in the near future. As I move back towards emulation I'm in need of some of the sort of machines I'd have played while out and about As for the layout, I've passed it and the ROMs over to DAD for him to have a play with. No rush, happy to leave him with it. It may well be that it just won't work correctly anyway - but if it does work it would be nice. Something a bit unique as far as lo-techs (well, mid-techs) go. Crap image attached - I still have the glasses so obviously if it does run to a reasonable extent I could photograph the glasses.

I've just tried your suggestion, many thanks Unfortunately it still does the same - but now gives a couple of spins before it seems to be unable to see the opto It might be that it's just going to be impossible to get going, but it would be lovely to see that even though the machine is physically no more (metalwork and woodwork going to the tip tomorrow), it could live on in some regard If you did fancy a tinker with it I'd be happy to send anything over that might help

So, after scrapping Go For Gold (but I've kept the glasses, as I quite like them, reels, hopper and coin mech for other projects), I decided to dump the ROMs today. To my surprise, they actually kind of work - I mean the machine boots, I've worked out START and STAKE buttons. BUT after initialising I can't get the reels to stop (like they can't see the opto tab?). The machine apparently uses either 48 step or 200 step reels (switchable using DIP switch 8 on bank 1). But using both I'm still getting a bit stuck. The bands have 24 symbols on, but the manual refers to '20RM' - no idea if thats the amount of stops, or if that's something else?! Also the 7 seg displays are displaying random things... but that's probably something simple I'm doing. Main thing though would be to get the machine into a playable state first I'm quite happy to plug away and problem solve but wondered if anyone wanted to assist? Would be nice to have a collaborative thing, even if all I've managed so far is to kinda get the ROMs to at least respond. I do have the original instruction manual here, which might make things easier! I obviously still have the glasses and reel bands too Link to YT video Of course if someone wants to try and go it alone that's also fine, let me know and I'll shove the ROMs over, and again I'd be happy to assist with a scan of the manual if it helped! Would need to be someone with good experience of classic layouts, or who enjoys tinkering to see if they can get things going of course

Brilliant, thanks! Just remembered something else I need to order. An amplifier lol. Going to do the same as the Interplay - use the original cabinet speakers running off an amplifier. I'm back at work until Sun, then off for 4. I guess it's possible some of the bits will have arrived before I'm back at work on the following Thursday. If not there's plenty of cabinet prep I can do. Needs a bloody good clean for a start, plus I may actually come up with a proper plan on my days off and remember the rest of the bits I should have ordered and forgot to do

... Ordered various bits to get me started - PACdrive (ID1 'Special') iPAC 2 10 x 5V 10mm wedge LEDs (the cab already has LED buttons but not sure if they are 12V or 5V!) 30m of 20AWG red and 30m of 20AWG black. I used 22AWG in the past and it was a bit thin! Bunch of cable / wire labels and a marker pen. ... still more bits that I'll order as I remember them. I've never been one to have a proper plan. I tend to jump in and cross my fingers. Note to others - for god's sake don't follow my example!! I'll be trying to work out which PSUs I need for the screens next. Might just try random ones I have from other machines and hope nothing explodes!

Theres been a few of them pop up over the years. The games appear to be pretty basic, but they allow a £10 a spin 'Super Bet' which does make them more desirable. I wouldn't suggest buying a working one to convert, but if you got a broken cabinet it could be worth it. The Interplay I started converting and will finish off with real coins and notes at some point is another cabinet considered amazing for MFME, but I'll probably be the first one to actually convert one. Only started converting it when I started getting some minor errors. Probably would have made more sense to fix it up 100% and carry on running it until it properly died, but decided to crack on and split it anyway. While I have it running games in free play, I will be redoing the internal design and whatnot at some point when I also stick a hopper and coin mech in. Only slight annoyance is that the coin mech is part of the gas lift door. Would prefer it if the mechanism was part of the hopper metalwork inside the cabinet with just an entry chute inside the door!

It should be easy in some ways - if the metalwork is all compatible e.t.c. then that's good! Very early days though. I need to put together a shopping list next. I've got a spare PC which should do the job, but need to order the applicable iPac and PacDrive units. I'll do some more research later on how others have wired theirs up to see if I can get away with a single PacDrive (remembering to order the 'special' one for hoppers!) or if it's worth running two. (edit) here's a random one, the original SR5 says that it works in Parallel mode. I wonder if it might be possible to use the original SR5 mech then? Not sure if it has different pinouts to the 126DFx (probably has), but at least it would fit without needing to chop bits off

Ok, this is ridiculously early days. But I figured I'd at least show my intention. So I've stripped the working parts from the machine (Quixant PC - already sold - NV9+ USB notey, SR5 coin validator and an Azkoyen hopper, albeit too modern I believe for MFME). What I've also done while at it is broken Go For Gold for parts. As nice as Go For Gold was as a curiosity, it was bought relatively cheaply as faulty, and just happened to have the correct coin validator (126DFX) and hopper (Azkoyen parallel) that others seem to be using in MFME cabs. So in some ways, even though it's died, it's donated some organs... OK that's a bit grim. But at least it served a purpose. The intention is to run MFME with coins in and out using the existing metalwork, hopefully negating the need for any DIY bodging. In good news the hopper from the Go For Gold is set up in exactly the same way as the one from Vegas Strip - ejects coins in the same position, and even fits onto the existing bracket. So again, no need to 'bodge' the hopper to make it fit!! In other news, the 126DFX is just a teeny bit tall for the existing metalwork - so I'll either need to make a small alteration to the metalwork, or trim a bit of plastic from the top of the 126. Existing buttons are all fine. I do have the buttons and decals from Go For Gold if I fancy a more 'Concept specific' decal collection but I'm not too fussed. The original Electrocoin ones look quite nice. As I said very, very early days. Barely even started actually. But I hope that by putting this thread up I'll give myself a bit of a kick up the arse to actually crack on with it as a New Year's project! Aim is to run a bunch of Concept ROMs (and possibly other lo-techs), it'll be my dedicated 'simple slots' machine, leaving the cab I got from No1Stoney and the Interplay (which I'll also do some more work on) for pub fruits and the like. https://youtu.be/qn7DiaiX34w?si=ZiBafk9So7_pum3F

Hope you are winning against your health issues, and welcome back!

Brilliant, thanks! Possible change of plan. Since Vegas Strip is dead, and it's an Electrocoin themed cab with Electrocoin buttons, and already has an Azkoyen hopper (albeit wrong type) I fancy putting the Go For Gold bits in there. Would remove the need to make a lot of physical adjustments to make the hopper fit and pay out That would get a thread of its own Back on the topic of Interplay I'm going to get the metalwork for the hoppers back from Spa (don't need the hoppers but think Spa did), and use one of the old Parallel MK4 Universal hoppers from a skill with prizes cabinet in it. Again, that would save me from needing to 'make' metalwork and whatnot for the coins to pay into the payout tray, as it should all line up correctly as-is. In theory I could also add a 20p hopper down the line in place of the original 10p hopper that would have been fitted adjacent to the Universal hopper. But I'm not planning on double hoppers at the moment. At this rate I'll end up with a garage of MFME cabinets lol

Wow, this thread got old. Unfortunately I started getting a bigger machine collection - but I'm currently in the process of selling most of it so that frees up time and space for me to finally work on the Interplay Now - the Concept Go For Gold - that I was planning on keeping purely as it has bugger all value - I realised I could actually use some bits from it... The coin mech is a 126DFX which looks like the correct type. But I'm wondering if this is a parallel hopper? I hope so. It doesn't look like CCtalk or anything daft like that. If so it gives me a few options - use it as a donor, or possibly (and this is a bit mental) keep the cabinet intact but add a PC, stick a monitor on the reel shelf and monitor on the shelf and use it for lo-techs, with the 'reels' on the monitor visible through artwork on the front glass Haven't decided which but the main thing is seeing if it's the right hopper

Yeah, the Reflex apps, CashmanEQ apps e.t.c. are all playable on phone. Mind you I do go for the bigger handsets (normally 6.5" and upwards) due to my fat fingers lol.

Interesting idea but doesn't really seem worth it. That cabinet is designed for a 9.7" original 2010 iPad from what I can see. So to get a 15" display in would require more than just a bit of cutting. You can get smaller touchscreens obviously. Don't forget you've got to also get a PC, capable of running MFME inside there, as well as iPac for buttons. As a novelty project I guess it would be an interesting challenge but if you wanted a compact cabinet you'd be better off building your own, or looking for a portrait mode bar-top.

I think we are all just getting older and our reflexes are letting us down

Interesting! I'll have to look at that. I feel like on some machines it did jump off... I think Big Brother might have done from when I owned the real machine? If so it's likely similar machines based on the same code (Psycho Cash Beast, Frenzy) might exhibit the same behaviour? Been a while since I played any in the wild.

I think the issue is that the PC power supply is typically used for driving hoppers and the other components, and the PACdrive and hopper it drives needs to share the same power circuitry. So with a teeny little PC or laptop you'll probably just have a little external PSU providing a fixed voltage. With a desktop PSU you'll typically have a range of cables with different specs you can easily drive other components with.

My garage PC is a Dell Workstation, had everything I needed including loads of USB3, dedicated GPU, cost me about £100 delivered and was basically mint inside. 480GB SSD and 16GB RAM as well as official Windows 10 Pro. It's pretty old hardware (Xeon CPU equivalent to a 6th gen i7)... but total overkill for something like MFME. I can't recommend old office PCs enough.

I tried using a micro PC (teeny little Lenovo) in one. It's fine for free play e.t.c. but it'll cause issues when it comes to running real coins. So it'll be parted out and swapped with a proper tower at some point. But if you just want a fun way to play a collection - yes, laptop innards or teeny PC would be perfectly adequate, just make sure it's not totally ancient.

I didn't realise MAME would play JPM things like this! Not seen the video yet but will watch it now before work, ta