Anyone have experience with a Ticket Dispenser?

[MrTroy]

After many of months of trying to get settled in my new apartment, I'm ready to jump back into the arcade scene. A challenge that I've always wanted to tackle was making a redemption machine. Nothing too big, just a simple game running off of flash, that triggered something that make tickets come out.

In theory it should be easy.... but before I drop $100+ on a ticket dispenser, I want to know if anyone here has any info on these things. Brand doesn't really matter, I'm shopping around.

[grantspain]

i work on a few redemption machines,what exactly do you want to know

[MrTroy]

I'm hoping there's a ready made solution like the LED-Wiz from Randy that I could easily configure.... but I'm also curious what kind of switch/trigger causes a ticket to come out. Is there a manual that comes with them that explains exactly how they work?

[grantspain]

have a look at the schematics at www.deltroniclabs.com,they give the full diagram of the two different ticket dispenser types

[grantspain]

btw there are dispensers available on ebay in the u.s

[MrTroy]

That site information was exactly what I was looking for! Thanks!

[shardian]

From what I have seen of ticket dispensers, there is just a switch that supplies voltage to a motor that spits out the tickets. You could build a simple program that sets different run times for different amounts of tickets. For instance:

1 ticket = 1 second of run time
10 tickets= 10 seconds of run time.
Of course, a little trial and error to determine how long it takes to spit out a ticket would be in order.

I'm not positive on this, but at least think I am correct.

[grantspain]

they run via an opto sensor and return pulse,whereas for instance your pc pulse 20 times an output signal to the dispenser,the opto counts out the 20 pulses to each ticket(20 tickets) and then a return pulse is sent to the pc to say job done.a timer would suffice though you would only need to run the motor direct from a timer circuit and not need the dispenser circuit board at all

[MrTroy]

Well the thing that I was also thinking is... doesn't each pulse register as "1" ticket.... and isn't it possible that sending out for 1 second could result in the ticket dispenser thinking "1 second = 10 tickets"... Or it thinks that the pusles are happening really quickly and therefore send out thousands of tickets?

Or is it a release thing? Once it stops getting a signal it always reads it as 1. I'm ordering one tonight. I'll keep everyone updated on my progress.

[shardian]

What I was implying was that you could bypass all of the original circuitry, run the dispenser motor directly off of dc power with a switch controlled by a simple program. From what you are saying, you are intending to make a custom redemption game. You will have no way to interface with the ticket dispenser if this is the case...unless you have some sort of manual that details all of the electronic circuitry of the ticket dispenser.

The only problem is that you would lose the use of jamming/empty ticket functionality. You could possibly use a motion sensor circuit to verify whether tickets are being fed while the motor is running.
If you aren't a programming wiz, you can control the whole assembly with one of these: Basic STAMP board I used one to drive an electronic fuel injection system for my senior project in college. Very easy to program.

[clanggedin]

MrTroy,

I have a brand new Ticket Dispenser from Deltronics that I will sell for you $50. LMK if you are interested. I can post photos if needed too.

[MrTroy]

Nice. Just what I was hoping. I do have a basic stamp, I'll figure out what to do with this thing.

[RichSorr]

The only problem is that you would lose the use of jamming/empty ticket functionality.

He could just mount a switch at the bottom of the ticket bin that triggers an LED when released.

I work very close with Deltronics, they are also down the street from my house. If you call them they can answer any questions you have and more than likely give you a walk through

[shardian]

The only problem is that you would lose the use of jamming/empty ticket functionality.

He could just mount a switch at the bottom of the ticket bin that triggers an LED when released.

I work very close with Deltronics, they are also down the street from my house. If you call them they can answer any questions you have and more than likely give you a walk through

Good idea, but may I modify it? At a point right before the exit point of the tickets you could mount a coin switch - the ones with a spring loaded clip that the coin hits to register credits. Set the switch to normally closed, and when the last ticket runs out the spring will flip to open, thus triggering a buzzer or an on-screen message.

[RichSorr]

The only problem is that you would lose the use of jamming/empty ticket functionality.

He could just mount a switch at the bottom of the ticket bin that triggers an LED when released.

I work very close with Deltronics, they are also down the street from my house. If you call them they can answer any questions you have and more than likely give you a walk through

Good idea, but may I modify it? At a point right before the exit point of the tickets you could mount a coin switch - the ones with a spring loaded clip that the coin hits to register credits. Set the switch to normally closed, and when the last ticket runs out the spring will flip to open, thus triggering a buzzer or an on-screen message.

That would be pretty hard to mount where you are saying. On the inside you have the actual ticket mech going all around the slot where the tickets come out. Doesn't seem like there would be much space unless you had some crazy ass shaped wire coming off the switch. That is the same idea as putting a switch on the bottom of a ticket bin, I suggested that because that is what is actually done on the majority of redemption games. Just a validator switch NC and when the tickets run low (not out) the switch opens triggering a light/buzzer/message/whatever letting the operator know that the game is almost empty and needs to be refilled. Extremely helpful if you're working a floor of a busy arcade. Especially with those games that only hold one stack of tickets (2000 tickets).

You can also contact deltronics and talk to them about custom software that can suit your needs. They will do custom hardware and software.

[shardian]

Doesn't seem like there would be much space unless you had some crazy ass shaped wire coming off the switch.

That wire could be modified.

I guess I could concede that early warning would be better...

What can I say, I'm always trying to make things harder than they have to be - it's more fun that way!.

[RichSorr]

What can I say, I'm always trying to make things harder than they have to be - it's more fun that way!.

Who doesn't?