Can someone explain coin doors and mechs

[eggedd2k]

ok i'm building a mame cabinet and i want to be able to use coins with it as you would in an arcade.

can someone explain exactly how coin mechs work, if they need power (i understand they don't unless you want them to light up) and also which bits you need - i.e. the door and mech, just the mech etc.

thanks very much for any responses

[Ken Layton]

I have already explained very nicely in the thread titled "Coin Comparitors, Doors, & Mechanisms" right here on the main forum (Dated April 13, 2005). I don't want to have to type it all out again. Just do a search for that thread.

[Q*Bert_OP]

Ok.. standard coin mechs are mechanical and do not need power.

If you want the reject buttons to light up you need to supply power to them.

To get a coin door trywww.videoconnect.com/pages/miscsupply

Also get the Project Arcade book from your local Barnes and Nobile. It will give you the answers to many questions and help you with your cabinet.

[RayB]

Ok.. standard coin mechs are mechanical and do not need power.

If you want the reject buttons to light up you need to supply power to them.

You supply power to A BULB, not to the coin mech. They are seperate unrelated parts.

[KevSteele]

I've got several articles about wiring up coin doors on RetroBlast:

Wiring up and converting for token use:

http://www.retroblast.com/articles/token-convert.html

Wiring up coin door lights:

http://www.retroblast.com/articles/coindoor.html

Restoring coin doors:

http://www.retroblast.com/articles/coindoorrestore.html

These should give you a good start. Hope this helps!

Kevin

[eggedd2k]

those links are great - thanks.

just one quick question, i'm in the uk and we use 10 pence pieces, 20 pence pieces, 50 pence pieces and 1 pound coins in video games.

on which mechanism do you specify the currency require to get a credit in the game?

[KevSteele]

The "mech" itself is usually where you choose the currency.

There are some mechs that can be programmed to accept certain coins, but the cheapest route is to buy a coin mech that is specifically for the coin in question (10p, 20p, etc.) The US mechs can be had for about $13US each, I suspect the UK mechs will be priced similarly. I used token mechs (.25mm) instead.

I know Happ has a UK office, that might be the best place to find a mech for UK coins.

Kevin

[eggedd2k]

i deffinitely want to have a coin mech that will let me insert all types of uk currency as mentioned above. i also want to be able to set the cost of a credit - e.g. 50p or whatever

[nobody]

i deffinitely want to have a coin mech that will let me insert all types of uk currency as mentioned above. i also want to be able to set the cost of a credit - e.g. 50p or whatever

judging by what ive read youd want an electronic coin comparitor. You put what ever coin you want as the credit in the sample slot and it will only accept that coin for a credit.

[eggedd2k]

actually, i want it to accept any coins which add up to the total amount required for a credit - it's how arcade games work in the uk.

for example:-

if 1 credit =

[Ken Layton]

You want to buy a vending machine "changer". These accept 3 or 4 denominations and accumulate/set prices in addition to having inputs/connections for optional currency/banknote acceptors. These cost a lot of money (usually around $250 to $900 in the USA).

[NY_in_TX]

if you don't want the coinds to be compared, does that mean you just want it to take any coin as a credit?

The Nasty made an awesome hack to a coin mech to take any coin. 

[eggedd2k]

all the arcade machines i played when i was a kid, and play on now in the arcades had a standard looking coin door which allows you to insert any denomination of coin which adds up to the cost of 1 credit. it's as simple as that.

if i have to i'll have a coin door which compares the inserted coin but that means i'm stuck always using the same denomination of coin.  i really want it so i can use whatever spare change i have.

i've never played an arcade machine in whole life which requires you to insert specific coins - you can always insert a variation of coins - as long as it adds up to the cost of 1 credit.

[eggedd2k]

i've just read on.  If i could get a coin mech which would accept ANY COIN as a credit that would work perfectly.

can you get such an item??

[Thenasty]

check the BYO gadget here

BYO Gadgets.

[paigeoliver]

i've never played an arcade machine in whole life which requires you to insert specific coins - you can always insert a variation of coins - as long as it adds up to the cost of 1 credit.

Then every machine you have ever played is different than almost every machine ever made. I have owned hundreds of arcade games, played and examined thousands more, and never once encountered one that took more than one kind of coin.

[vibez]

I'm in the Uk & i'm sure mine adds up the amount of the different denomination of coins. So 10p + 2x20p =50p, which would give you 1 credit. I think my mech has a jumper that you change to set how much 1 credit should be worth. I'll check out the details when I get home

[paigeoliver]

I'm in the Uk & i'm sure mine adds up the amount of the different denomination of coins. So 10p + 2x20p =50p, which would give you 1 credit. I think my mech has a jumper that you change to set how much 1 credit should be worth. I'll check out the details when I get home

Must be a UK thing, neither US nor japanese machines do this. Also, it would have to be the mech, as no gameboard I am aware of supports multiple denominations.

Also, is it an ARCADE GAME thing, or a FRUIT MACHINE thing?

[eggedd2k]

it's on all arcade video and fruit machines here in the uk.


am i right in saying i need a coin door and a coin mech and that's all??

[nobody]

You want to buy a vending machine "changer". These accept 3 or 4 denominations and accumulate/set prices in addition to having inputs/connections for optional currency/banknote acceptors. These cost a lot of money (usually around $250 to $900 in the USA).

thats what you need to have any coin add up to one credit and is in most of the machines in the uk. If you just use one coin (or use the nasties hack) then you just need a coin door and mech

[Stingray]

i've just read on.  If i could get a coin mech which would accept ANY COIN as a credit that would work perfectly.

can you get such an item??

Buy pretty much any metal coin mech, then follow nasty's directions. Takes about ten minutes of fiddling with it to figure it out the first time. After that you can do it in about a minute.

-S

[eggedd2k]

that'll be fine then - if i can get it to accept any coin and give me a credit it'll work a treat - where do i find nasties hack?

[Stingray]

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,19200.0.html

-S

[vibez]

OK as promised. My coin validator is a Mars Money system MS111. It also has a board attached. I cant access their website at the moment. But I guess it adds up the value of the coins & then sends the credit signal to the machine.

Accepts 4 coins:10/20/50/

[markrvp]

In your first post you stated you were building a MAME cabinet.  MAME cabinets are for NON-COMMERCIAL use.  As such, you should have no need for a coin mechanism that adds coins to get the credit value.  A coin mech modified to accept any coin should suffice.  Stock up on 20 pence pieces or tokens and play away.

[eggedd2k]

true. having read what you guys have said i'm going to get a basic coin door and mod it so it accepts ANY coins and gives one credit per coin inserted. sort of like a fancy piggy bank

[ddockery]

What he initially asked for could still be nice to have in a non-commercial setting.  If that's what most machines in the UK do, and he wants to duplicate the arcade feel, then this would be part of recreating the experience.  Not everyone that looks for something different is trying to exploit MAME.

[vibez]

To be honest I hardly use my coin mech. I just use the built in coin feature in mame. It is funny how when I 1st show the machine to my firends, they all start shoving coins in it 

[nobody]

To be honest I hardly use my coin mech. I just use the built in coin feature in mame. It is funny how when I 1st show the machine to my firends, they all start shoving coins in it 

hahahaha, i think now im definatly going to have to find a coin door and mech for mine. Wait for my friends to waste their money and then stride up and start giving myself free credits

[markrvp]

What he initially asked for could still be nice to have in a non-commercial setting.

[markrvp]

I'm sorry for coming across like a ---meecrob--- bag in my first post.  The more I think about the UK coin mechs, the more I think that would have been nice here in the states back when I used to hit the arcades a lot.  When the games are free (in MAME) you don't need that, but I can see wanting one to be more authentic to the "UK gaming experience."

Good luck with your cab and let me know if I can assist with any other questions.

[ddockery]

Mark, for the record, I didn't think you came off like a ---meecrob--- bag.  There has been a LOT of paranoia around thw whole commercial use thing lately though, and it's getting to be a bit too much for my taste. 

[eggedd2k]

np prob mark. thanks for your input.

i've decided (when i get to that point) to get a coin door with mech and then mod it to accept any coin, and give a credit for each coin inserted. nice and easy