Adding a change machine to an MFME cabinet (cheap).

[Amusements]

Hi Guys. 

Here is an idea that may interest those of you with an MFME cabinet, or those of you are thinking of making one.

For my 2nd MFME cabinet build I am adding a note accepter(pulse), which hopefully will give change via a JY-142 board, or credit using relays. Hopefully I will be able to use a 2 way key switch to choose credit or change.

 

 

I have spent $82.94 on the note acceptor, and had it factory programmed for my notes, and  $32.03 on the JY-142 board.

Here is an example of this board working with a similar note acceptor and a hopper the same as mine.

 

[davep180]

Awewome @AmusementsDo you reckon you can use it directly with the Mpu5's that take notes and give change? I always thought that noteys were encrypted, so this is a new one on me. Good luck with this, and I look forward to seeing it in your new machine, if you would be good enough to show it off!

[Amusements]

9 hours ago, davep180 said:

Awewome @AmusementsDo you reckon you can use it directly with the Mpu5's that take notes and give change? I always thought that noteys were encrypted, so this is a new one on me. Good luck with this, and I look forward to seeing it in your new machine, if you would be good enough to show it off!

If it can be set up on a layout as a key press, then yes. You only have to send the note pulse to a relay, and the relay makes the key press via the Ipac. 

[Amusements]

Just a quick update on this project. My new hopper arrived broke (base smashed in), and my note acceptor was only working when it felt like it (6 dry solder joints on LED inputs). I ended up having to fix both of them myself. Fortunately my JY-142 board arrived OK. I am now holding off on setting everything up until I get my reset counter. (This goes in between the acceptor and the JY board for book keeping) Cost - about a fiver.

@davep180
Now an update on the key press, so that I can insert notes for credits. I found a really useful solution for this, that will literally only cost 3USD.
GitHub - Juul/ict-bill-acceptor-as-usb-keyboard: Converting ICT bill acceptor pulse output to USB keyboard keypresses

I have just ordered a leonardo thingy for about 4.5 squid and will report back in a few weeks.

[davep180]

Nice one @Amusements Sounds like the post people over there like to give each parcel a good kicking. You obviously have much better electronic type skills than me. I do love this type of stuff, so thanks for updating, and look forward to more. Good luck with the project!

[Amusements]

Well almost a month later, and my reset counter still has not arrived (tracking say clearing customs), my leonardo board got cancelled, and my extra hopper got sent to Texas by accident, and to top it all, my expensive "surprise" board got mysteriously rejected, and sent back to China!

The only good news, is that a new order for a Leonardo board from another seller did arrive (cheaper too), and thanks to help from Ross we can now convert each note pulse to the exact MFME key we need.

So a slight change of plan.. Using the hardware I already have on hand, I am building an MFME add-on, which will test a 3rd hopper (triac mode only), Note changer, and Note creditor.

Hopefully it should be ready by weekend.

 

 

[Amusements]

After the successful 3rd Hopper test (using Triac "X" output), which also included the ability to turn tokens in to cash. IE turn a 4.80 Token win, in to 4 pound coins, and leave the 80p in memory - then adding it to the next token payout. It is now time for the original experiment (Note Changer or Machine Credit). 

All the wiring is finished, and everything is ready to be tested tomorrow.

So hopefully, I can turn the key switch anti clockwise, and insert any number of different notes and press the green button for change, or turn the key switch clockwise and get credit on MFME instead (this makes different keypresses using an arduino Leonardo board in MFME depending on the note inserted). 

Fingers crossed:)

 

[Amusements]

Plugged everything in this morning and it all works:)

Turn the key switch to the left, and you can insert notes and get change, or turn the key switch to the right and you can get MFME credit (using the arduino Leonardo set up).
 

I spent the rest of the day cabinatising everything. Just got the front panel to finish off tomorrow and this part of my prototype experiment is done. Technically I could also add another double pole key switch and use this as a 3rd Hopper payout (via triac to relay) so long as the coins match the way the JY-142 board is set up. The only downside with this board, is that despite there being 2 hopper outputs, there is only 1 pulse input. 

 

[Amusements]

I finished the cosmetics today, so here is the final result. Key switch on the left, selects note change or MFME credit (Key press X(note A), Y(note B) or Z(note C)). The green button, is to initiate the change payout, as you can insert more than 1 note at a time for change.

 

The key switch on the right is for switching the input signal between the note acceptor, or external source IE:3rd hopper.

 

Edited August 1, 2021 by Amusements