Let the MODS begin
Back story: Several months ago I purchased a (rough condition/broken) Bellco Double Chance Pachislo (circa 2000) machine from a local craigslist add as a diversion and opportunity to exercise/improve my electronic understanding and troubleshooting skills. The machine did not disappoint. While the seller presented the error 'Cr' as "it may just be something wrong with the coin slot", there was more wrong with the machine than they shared. Which was... digital logic issues eventually tracked down to a defective CPU (which I ended up replacing twice) but that okay... it was learning experience for me. So a few hundred dollars in test equipment and a couple $30 parts purchases from China later, I finally got this puppy working properly again! (Yea... happy dance ensues...)
So... now that I have base functionality working, I'm thinking through what modifications I can make to the machine to make it the most enjoyable to keep around. I would ask the Pachislo community for their input on what mods added the most enjoyment/value to their machines.
While troubleshooting issues with the coin acceptance circuit I created a little arduino circuit to 'coin up' my machine while awaiting replacement photo interrupters. (By the way, an EXACT REPLACEMENT photo interrupter for a 2000 vintage Bellco machine is the Omron EE-SX3081, which I was able to purchase at $2.17 @ qty 5.) That being said, having a way to 'coin up' the machine without stealing medal from the hopper was both convenient and nice. I'm thinking of adding a button to 'coin up' based on this experience.
I've also seen references to available aftermarket boards to automate pressing the stop buttons. While helping another pachitalk member troubleshoot his stop buttons, I understand how this modification works. I'm just wondering how much value it adds. Is it really more fun to not press the stop buttons?
Lastly, I'm thinking about the florescent belly glass lighting (and a few other florescent bulbs), has anyone tried replacing them with LED strip lighting? I would think that would solve a lot of problems, but haven't seen any discussion on it. Maybe I entered the wrong search keywords and missed it, but would appreciate any community insight on the positive/negative implications on this. I have some leftover LED lighting strips from my kitchen remodel. It seems like an obvious replacement for the florescent bulbs that 'kinda suck' on my machine
Please everyone... feel free to chime in on this... I'm relying on the benefit of your experience owning/playing/sharing Pachislo machines to prioritize what I might do to this one to make it the most fun possible.
By the way, it's no museum piece - so don't feel compelled to keep it original
Blessings to all...
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