Electronic Debit/Token systems question

[castlesteve]

Im trying to find information on the electronic credit / smart card systems employed by places like D&Bs or Jillians.  No, I dont want to know how to hack them... as I already know about how it works...  but rather, I'd like to find some company names who makes or sells these parts / systems or whatever.   I am helping someone set up an arcade using a used system but he knows ZERO about it.. and doenst even know the manufacturer etc.

I want to be able to go in with some basic information / manuals or whatever to be able to set this stuff up and know what possibly we are missing.

If anyone can point me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it.

Steve

[SavannahLion]

I know exactly what you're talking about, Incredible John's Pizza uses that sort of system. I haven't figured out exactly what brand IJP uses but as near as I can tell it's called a Stored Value Card System. Intercard (iReader) is just one such manufacturer. Sacoa is another.

I've seen a couple of websites call them Arcade/Gaming Debit Systems but I've had less luck searching for any information under that term.  

It's a PITA to sort through all the sites since I guess they're used in everything from casinos to POS to hotels.

Isn't kind of a pointless though? Given that these systems use a central server for tracking, you're either going to end up hacking the communication protocol or just rebuild the whole device to interface however you like.

Or is that your intent? To modify the card reader? That would be an interesting project I'd like to see what you come up with.

[castlesteve]

Thanks for the headsup.  Actually, my intent is to set it up as originally intended with a proper server etc in a multi game arcade room

[SavannahLion]

Thanks for the headsup.  Actually, my intent is to set it up as originally intended with a proper server etc in a multi game arcade room

That would definitely be a project I would want to read up on. I thought many times of rolling my own using off the shelf components, I just didn't want to dedicate a server over to such a project.

Do you have any clue at all what kind of hardware he has? Is he starting a business or is this a private room?

[Ken Layton]

Don't forget all the carving up of the coin door or the front of the game cabinet to install those card readers. Then there's the game internal wiring to do. Those card readers don't run on batteries you know.

Those systems are a big waste of time and effort IMO. Personally, I would NEVER patronize an establishment that used them.

[castlesteve]

Actually, from my understanding... he and his partner had a running arcade with this system in place.  They broke up and split a lot of machines.  So all the machines are already prewired for it... i just dont know what he may be missing... and if it isnt there, then I wont know what brand it is supposed to be 

[cyapps]

Every system I see in my area (Kansas City) is made by Sacoa (at Dave & Busters and PowerPlay). From what I can tell they come out of the machine using ethernet and all hook up to a switch which routes them to what I am guessing is a server. I haven't been able to find much on the devices from the manufacturers. Do you happen to have any pictures or any details on the system your friend has?

I am about to recreate this whole thing on my own using an arduino development board and a ethernet shield for just under $100. This of course is more about getting experience with the arduino rather than making anything permanent. Would be fun to give a card to my nephews and nieces and only have there card active if it is in a certain time frame.

[SavannahLion]

Those systems are a big waste of time and effort IMO. Personally, I would NEVER patronize an establishment that used them.

More and more of the establishments are using them now.

From a business standpoint, I think they're as brilliant as the token. Quite a few people don't use up their credits and the cost of the card is probably much less than any number of tokens. It's a recipe for pure profit.

Looking at the SVCS I've seen, they don't seem to cut into existing doors, they appear to be direct drop-in replacements. From what I can tell, the installation of the readers appears to be reversible as described in this article. I would hardly call carving up the coin door a reversible process.

I'm old school and prefer the tokens, but the reality is that these things are going to be hitting the collectors market soon enough and there's going to be an entire generation of kids who consider these readers the norm.  Also, despite any restores I have in the tubes, networking my cabinets is on my ToDo list. It isn't a much bigger step to add in card readers.