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Thread: Idea for high score mod using audrino

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    Sandwich Shooter samslack's Avatar
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    Default Idea for high score mod using audrino

    So i had an idea after playing with battle counters a bit and Audrino. I want some thoughts from the experts that have done pachinko machine interfacing with battle counters.

    So I have 5 pachinko machines 4 of them are CR units. I want to have it when it triggers a jackpot to send that signal to the audrino. Each machine will be assigned an identifier. When it jackpots / fevers a small lcd screen that is mounted next to each machine will prompt you to enter your initials / name . Kind of like an old scool arcade high score. I wonder if its possible to capture the amout of balls or cycles it did to attach to the initials.

    I am knocking around the idea of having it store a small table of scores / fevers/jackpots with the initials. I also have thoughts to export and display this data on a scrolling 2 color lcd display that I can mount.


    So far

    I can determine that when it fevers there is a signal sent (same one the battle counters hook up too)
    I can also create the touch screen that allows a user to input a name or initials
    I am pretty sure with some testing and expermintation I can get it to even display on the LCD.

    What I am not sure about is the signals from the machine. they seem to be different per machine and machine age.

    Some older machines seem to output a 11 V signal as opposed to a contact on/off. Has anyone done anything similar or have experience with the signals the machines output?

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    Fever Hunter alucard7x7's Avatar
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    Default Re: Idea for high score mod using audrino

    I think this is a great idea, for individuals who have multiple people playing their machines, as well as future parlors. Unfortunately, I don't have much experience in this realm but I would love to hear if you figure it out and get something working
    Pachi Fever!

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    Sandwich Shooter samslack's Avatar
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    Default Re: Idea for high score mod using audrino

    I have 5 total all mounted in cabinets my friends and family love coming over and playing them especially since I just got a 3d star wars machine. Im not gonna lie I have been way less productive since I got it. Oh well lol.

    As far as the Audrino part I can probably make all of that happen the part I will need help with interfacing from the output boards (the same ones the battle counters hook up too. I am not totally familiar with what you can get away with.

    for example when you hit a jackpot one of my machines outputs briefly a 11.2 v signal fom cn 2. I can create a "relay circuit to send a 5v digital signal to trigger the score screen to prompt you to enter the name /initials.

    Im knocking this idea around I think it would add a competitive edge rather than the unlimited free play.

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    Master Inventor daverob's Avatar
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    Default Re: Idea for high score mod using audrino

    I have considered a similar project myself, but I was planning on using a Raspberry Pi, and a small LCD touchscreen. I never got round to actually building anything, or even making any proper design notes, but here is the condensed version of what I know about connecting to these outputs.

    Most recent machines (last 5 years) have opto isolated 'contact' outputs, before that there was a mix of optos and relays, and also 'voltage' outputs as well.

    For the contact outputs, you can wire them directly as inputs to your arduino, but if you were making a commercial product I'd be tempted to use an opto-isolated input circuit as well, as mis-connecting an input pin directly to a voltage output on the pachinko is likely to fry your arduino.

    For the voltage outputs there can be quite a difference in the measured voltage levels. They are intended to drive an opto-isolator in the input circuit of the battle counter, so if you have voltage inputs on your battle counter, trace back the connections, and see what value resistors are used in-line with the LED side of the opto-isolator and copy that in your design.

    The actual output voltage may vary on different machines, and could also change under different load conditions. I believe your 11.2v pulse would have been measured with the battle counter connected, as most machines will measure much higher without a load (up to 36v).

    For example the voltage output circuit for the Takao 'Hornet' frame is a 32Vdc feed to pin 1 of the output connector, and the other pin is grounded by an NPN transistor with a 620 ohm resistor in series with the collector. I think some other frames use a 20v supply and a lower value series resistor, and some are direct 12v outputs. I think the general idea is to get a voltage of around 12v at the connector with a load of around 30mA, though this is pure speculation on my part!

    Take a look at the Takao 'Hornet' frame manual on my website, on page 3 and 4 you can see the internal circuits of the contact and voltage outputs, and the external circuits they are intended to drive, along with the waveforms on each of the outputs. The Japanese text explains how and when the pulses are output.

    The contact output are 'hall computer' signals, for logging stats about the game.
    CN4 (white) - Prize Ball - 0.5s pulse for every 10 prize balls paid out.
    CN5 (black) - Loan Ball - 0.2s pulse for every 25 loan balls paid out.
    It also shows the activation of CN6 (door open) and CN7 (out of balls).

    The voltage outputs are the 'battle counter' connections.
    CN2 (brown) - Start - 0.1s pulse when start pocket hit
    CN3 (red) - Kakuhen - I think this reads as 0.6s pulses during Kakuhen (high probability) rounds
    CN4 and CN5 are the bonus outputs, and (without consulting a Kanji dictionary!) my best guess is CN4 is active during all bonus rounds, and CN5 is only active during the bonus rounds that will be followed by a high probability round.

    Some of the other manuals show similar circuits and timing for different manufacturers frames, which may also be worth a look. For the most modern machines, if you can get your hands on a cell manual, then there is usually a lot of detail about the cell outputs which will provide a lot more information about the gameplay than is required by a simple battle counter, but could be very interesting to gather for statistical reasons.

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    Sandwich Shooter samslack's Avatar
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    Default Re: Idea for high score mod using audrino

    Thanks Dave!!! That actually is very helpful. BTW your emulators and card readers are impressive and add a very nice features thank you for creating those! Ill be doing more tesing , tracing and thinking before I draft up a formal flow chart. I will definatly keep you in the loop on how its going

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