Coin doors... why?

[Ed ONeill]

Ok I see alot of people asking and talking about coin doors and I don't know why.

Also why so much intrest in over under style as opposed to other styles.

Please excuse my ignorance as I have done things backwards. I actually bought a few used video games to convert to mame and I haven't even built the computer that I got for christmas to run my mame machine.

Signed
ED

[Generic Eric]

authenticity is the main reason

[TheTick]

I installed one in mine for the pretty red lights.

Everyone that sees it at my place seems to get a kick out of it. "I have to put in a quarter?"

[JustMichael]

My Mame cabinet just wouldn't be the same without having to put in a token in order to play...

[mp2526]

authenticity and no need for credit buttons to muck up the CP

[SirPeale]

Definitely authenticity.  And that really cool sound it makes when the quarter drops.  Brings back a ton of memories.

I personally think the over/under doors are butt ugly.  I much favor either the Midway or Williams style.

[slicer_d]

It really just adds to the look and feel of a real arcade cab.  I think the type of coin door is really based on the type of cab most people have or build newer looking cabs something like a MK or capcom cab and they had the happs over under styles so you get them to go with the look.

I'm building a midway cocktail cab so I got an old ms pacman door a refinished it so it would go with the general look of the cab.

Really its just optional though if you are going to build a custom cab many people just leave it out its just that much more you dont have to buy/worry about.

[StephenH]

Some people like to drop a quarter or token to start their game.    It is part of the arcade experience.   Many people wire these coin doors to their "5" or "6" key, for guess what?  Insert Coin in MAME

[NoOne=NBA=]

I have a different reason for mine--BIG Piggy Bank!
I put all my quarters in there when I get change from places, and guess what?

When I need to do an upgrade, I have the money!!!!!
I've got about $400 or so in mine at the moment.

[alphasqorner]

Ok I see alot of people asking and talking about coin doors and I don't know why.

Also why so much intrest in over under style as opposed to other styles.

Please excuse my ignorance as I have done things backwards. I actually bought a few used video games to convert to mame and I haven't even built the computer that I got for christmas to run my mame machine.

Signed
ED

I use my  coin door mainly as a unique piggy bank among my peers.  Plus it just feels good to have to insert a coin and listen to it drop through.

[slicer_d]

I have a different reason for mine--BIG Piggy Bank!
I put all my quarters in there when I get change from places, and guess what?

When I need to do an upgrade, I have the money!!!!!
I've got about $400 or so in mine at the moment.

Dude thats a great idea I wish I had the will power for that but I think I would raid it every time I needed a chesse burger.

[paigeoliver]

I also prefer the square doors to the over/under styles. But this isn't based on looks as much as it is reliability. The square doors just seem to be built better, and to have less problems.

[hulkster]

man you guys must have some seriously genorous friends.  if i wired my coin door to my machine so that you had to pay to play....they wouldnt even want to!  i mean, do you have people come over all the time just to play the arcade???

[Druin]

I got the over under type because I figured its easier to access the coin bank, and although I'm going to have it wired to require coins for credits, it's purely authenticity and nooone will have to actually pay, I plan to have a dedicated pile of coins recycling.  I don't think I have willpower to save money by keeping it inside there either.

Of all the games I would have nostalgia for dropping in a coin, the biggest would have to be arkanoid.  Whenever I'd play that I'd anticipate the bassy coin insert, and if I put more than one credit in, I'd do it slowly to get the full audio as many times as coins put in.  The day I had this ability in Mame was a good day.  I think I'll go press 5 a few times now...

[Ed ONeill]

Ok

So let me see if I have this right

1. Most people use it for looks
2. You can have it in your cabinet and use it or not not use it.
3. If I don't use the coin door I will need another button on the control panel.

Signed
ED

[Minwah]

Ok

So let me see if I have this right

1. Most people use it for looks
2. You can have it in your cabinet and use it or not not use it.
3. If I don't use the coin door I will need another button on the control panel.

Signed
ED

More than that I think...real arcade cabinets ALWAYS have a coin door.  That's why we like them  Imagine building your own arcade machine and not bothering with a marquee - that's the kindof thing.

Personally I will be using my coin door (20p a play).  What nobody really touched on is that games play BETTER with real coins.  Why?  Well how many times have you played a game you're crap at in MAME, and you end up just hitting 555555555 because your credits run out so quickly.  This doesn't encourage you to actually improve at the game - it is TOO EASY just to hit '5'.  Using a coin door means you have to search your pocket for the correct coin, crouch down to see the coin slot and insert (+hope the coin isn't rejected) all within 10 seconds.  It improves your gameplay and adds to the excitement.

Or perhaps that's just me  

[Sephroth57]

yeah i get the same feeling, i think i was playing metal slug 3 and im like damn if i was in the arcade i wouldve walked away 15 min ago i wouldve spent 5$ on this already cause i keep dieing!! i was thinking i could buy tokens on ebay and charge people like 1$ for like 20 tokens, just so i get some money for upgrades. but i doubt anyone would actually pay though =P damn grubbers

edit: oh yeah and on topic.. coin doors... why NOT? this has all been said but.. they look cool, i like dropping in coins its cool, 2 less buttons for a 2p panel, shiny lights

[Stingray]

It's just not the same if you don't have to "insert coin".

Mine is going to run on tokens though, I plan to keep a bucket of them next to the cab.

-S

[NoOne=NBA=]

Dude thats a great idea I wish I had the will power for that but I think I would raid it every time I needed a chesse burger.

Try giving the key to someone who won't give it back unless necessary.
(Preferably someone who understands needing to spend $80 for new joysticks....you know.... somebody NOT like my wife?).

You may also need to intentionally strip the screws, or something, on the backplate to keep from getting in from there, if you are really weak.
Once it's in there, you don't really miss it.
I've got a bunch of bills in there too.
When I hit payday with money in my wallet, I will usually lose it into the bucket.

[Stingray]

No good for me, you can reach the coin bucket from the inside if you have the back open on mine.

-S

[Witchboard]

I like coin doors just because it makes it feel more like an arcade cabinet.  I'm going to be putting coin doors in my cab when I start building it.  They'll be wired up so when you drop that coin in you can hear it hit the coin box and that wonderful credit sound from which ever game your playing.  I'm also going to put microswitches on the bottom of my CP for credits so you're not required to feed the machine and I won't have to have extra buttons taking up real estate on the top of my CP.

[Chris]

My coin door is wired up, but the reject button is also wired as a credit button.  I have a switch inside that can turn off the rejects and force the use of coins, though...

[Stingray]

Chris, someone else here recently suggested that to me, and it seems like a great idea. I'm pretty sure I'll be adding switches behind my coin reject buttons too.

-S

[BillyJack]

I would give the coin box key to my woman, but I can pick cabinet locks with no problems.  So I'd eventually raid it anyway.  

So maybe I should spend money on a better lock...  
(Honey, I need the key...  )

[dmsuchy]

If I buy a single player coin door, can I double it up on the I-Pac to represent a token entry for 2 players? If not should I just mount a push butoon next to the coin door for second player credits?

[Witchboard]

I don't think you'll have a problem with racking up credits with a single coin door on 2 player games.  I think the only games that have those kind of issues are the 4 player games like Gauntlet.  Being new, I could be wrong though.

[eightbit]

I don't think you'll have a problem with racking up credits with a single coin door on 2 player games.  I think the only games that have those kind of issues are the 4 player games like Gauntlet.  Being new, I could be wrong though.

There are a significant number of 2 player games that matter which slot the quarter goes into.

[Witchboard]

Then I guess I'm wrong.  

[Brad Lee]

BUT what you could do is wire from your single coin slot to both coin1 and coin2. Inserting a coin and tripping the switch would send a signal to both coin1 and 2, so it would be like dropping a coin in both slots simulataneously

Some games this may cause problems with- I cant think off hand which but there are some that start as soon as a coin is entered