Most Idiotic Coin-Mech... EVER!

Scucci

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I'll get pictures of it tomorrow... but here's the basic run-down.

Started working on an In the Groove 2 machine... read 2 coins, then stopped reading. Coin mech broke.

Rube Goldberg must've designed this thing... It's the same basic layout as a Nintendo coin mech. But, since that design was OBVIOUSLY flawed... some fucking rocket scientist decided he's upgrade it for the new "hip" arcade crowd.

The coin rolls in (if you're lucky), rolls between some sensors (if you're lucky), when the sensors detect the coin/token it sends a signal to the coin lockout (if you're lucky), the lockout opens in JUST enough time to allow the coin to go down (if you're lucky). The coin then rolls down a little more and goes between 2 sets of IR LEDs/recievers... those "see" the coin as it falls between them (if you're lucky) and that triggers a little PCB on the side of the mech to send the "hey, a coin!" signal to the game (if you're lucky)... giving you your credit.

The "hey, a coin!" signal wasn't getting sent.

Solution? Took a near 30 year old coin mech off of a Nintendo coin door, it fit perfectly in the coin door for In the Groove 2, cut the two wires that were involved with the actual crediting, attached them to the near 30 year old switch at the end of the near 30 year old mech... and what do you know... it works.

If it's not broke, don't fix it! FFS...

I just had to rant... the ITG2 coin mech is a classic example of developers using new technology in a place where the old tech. was perfected... causing me about 30 mins of I-Wanna-Strangle-A-Kitten intense, burning hatred.

This was last night, and it STILL pisses me off thinking about it.
 
Though mine isnt as complicated as that, i have a really homemade job on one of my pins. Someone ripped all the coin mechs out and bolted two plates over the top holes. They ripped the front eject assemblies off and cut a slot in the left plate.

Next they welded a piece of steel that has a lip, to the back side of the plate. Then attached a regular micro switch with about a 5" arm bent like crazy to trigger a coin.

Basically you can put almost any size coin you want in the slot.
 
Maybe it's easier for them to switch between different types of currencies with that fancy of a coin mech,(being switchable in the menu) then also possibly a lot more secure. I'm sure there is a reason. Do the other DDR games have the same coin mechs?
 
Is the coin mech a comparator or some preset electronic pile of poop? Comparitors are used in gambling devices (which out earn video games 4-5 to 1 BTW) and they work great. Do you have the sample coin installed in the comparator? If not theres your problem.

I HATE those early Nintendo coin mechs FWIW.

Matt
 
Funny, the DDR I service at a local theater came standard with the bill acceptor & dual coin acceptor Happ Controls over/under door. Here's what mine has:

http://www.happcontrols.com/coindoors/40300000.htm


Never had any problems with it.

Some of the Korean and Japanese DDR's came with the crummy roll downs that the OP is talking about. Anyone in the states that wanted to make money with the game installed a Happ or CoinCo door on the game a long time ago.

Matt
 
I can't even imagine working on a complicated mech like that. Man, I can't even figure out had a basic one works. Coin mechs just seem overly-complicated.
 
I can't even imagine working on a complicated mech like that. Man, I can't even figure out had a basic one works. Coin mechs just seem overly-complicated.

The electronic mechs used in gambling devices have to be complicated. Otherwise some one is going to get ripped off.

I like the electronic comparitors. I plan on installing one tomorrow into a Rowe changer thats pissin me off something huge.

Matt
 
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