New Life Games Tech Forums

Hi dear friends of NLG…

I was wondering if someone here could give me a hand with a Futurelogic printer.  It’s a GEN2 Universal installed in a AVP Trimline machine. 

The problem is that I got a new board for that printer but it comes without firmware (“.VFX” file) and templates (“.SLF” file).  I need those files for the machine I mentioned (NETPLEX protocol).

Any suggestion or advice regarding the files and the download process will be greatly appreciated. My email address is andres_dandrea@yahoo.com

I’m attaching pictures of the slot machine and the printer with the board already replaced.

Thanks in advance.

I'm not too sure SAT but I think they have it at this link?

http://slot-tech.com/interesting_stuff/TechFest%2018%20Goodies/ (http://slot-tech.com/interesting_stuff/TechFest%2018%20Goodies/)

Hello Sat

You have mail. Does AVP still use netplex ? Not to familiar with that platform.

Ian

you guys are the best!!!

I'm also a newbie regarding the AVPs....  I guess they use NETPLEX since everything on IGT uses that protocol (even the button lamps LOL )  Anyways, if I'm wrong about the netplex stuff let me know so I don't get any smoke out of anything :D

I'm going to have some fun with that little baby on the floor.  Thanks a lot for your inputs!!

Hey Andre,

I saw the Student Protests last night on the news..... are you heading North ? to work in Mehicako with Oz ?

Man... what can I say....

I'm working outside venezuela at the moment... .  I just hope there appears military individuals with balls enough to get rid of chavez this year (like they did in Honduras)

Regarding your question: my prays are focused on that!!

Best regards to you Jay

Guys I'm stuck right now and need your help please...

I got the latest version of the downloader program (FLI 2.00.0016) and some firmware versions to try out (thanks Ian!!!  you're the man!! )   but I couldn't get connected to my printer at all.

Check the previous pictures I posted so you can have a look at the printer board, there are couple of important things to note:

- The new board we got has no jumpers at all (the one already installed in the printer)

- It has a USB port for firmware-upgrades purpose (no molex connectors nor dip-switch banks), so I got it physically connected to mi laptop through an USB-printer cable.

Then I open the FLI downloader  and perform the procedure as described in all the manuals I have read and nothing happens.... It only shows "No Printer" - "Printer not detected" - "Printer none" and things like that.

Another strange fact I'm watching is that it doesn't take the paper once I feed it...  The printer has the "paper" and "fault" leds solid ON.  It just does nothing, it's frozen.

According to the manuals and my email conversation with TZtech,  the printer need to get paper first in order to get flashed, but none of them are happening.  I tried it with the two ports that appears available on my laptop:  COM1 and COM4.  Both outcomes were the same:  nothing!

The board is brand new, so I think the problem is most likely to be myself  :D

I'm clueless at the moment, so any input from you guys will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

It sounds to me that the printer fault is preventing it from initializing, perhaps the board was bad, or incompatible.  The other thing is i would check your com port to see if it is com 1 or com 4.  perhaps the usb port you have the device cable hoohed to is a different com port.  I have had this happen with other electronics that communicate through usb.

Thanks,
Wayne

Hi

Ok my suspicions may be right in that the AVP does not use Netplex anymore but uses USB for peripherals. This may also mean that you may need a different FLI downloader ?
Will see if I can dig up anything.

Ian

Hi Wayne, thanks for your reply.

Actually, the laptop I use for this kind of tasks is a COMPAQ Evo N600c.  It has only two USB ports, one parallel port and one serial port (that is probably COM1)

The downloader program (FLI downloader) only shows two options available for choosing:  COM1 and COM4.  I tried first the COM4 since i believe COM1 is the serial (DB9) port.  I tried the two options in each USB port and the result was the same: nothing.  The printer is like frozen.

At some point I was wondering if i needed to instal some drivers in my laptop because once i connect the printer to the USB port it shows the  "Found New Hardware" message in the screen and it starts looking for drivers, asks for driver cds etc..  Since i don't have drivers cds i cancel everything and then, when i go to device manager it shows two alerts in "other devices" that are related to my ticket printer.

Other strange fact for me is that the printer doesn't take the paper when I feed it.




Hi Ian, thanks for your help buddy.  Look, the manual for GEN2 Universal says that the external USB port located in the printer is for firmware download purpose, it even says that the connection can be done in hot (without turning the printer off), but it doesn't says anything about the program used for this purpose.  I guessed it was the same FLI downloader used for GEN2.

Who knows...  I'm clueless at this point.

I'm trying to find out the order information for this part to see if I can get some after sales support. 

Anyways, if something comes up to your mind guys let me know through this way or at andres_dandrea@yahoo.com

K+ to all you and million thanks for your efforts  :3- :3- :3-

some screenshots

couple more

Hi

I have checked out the brochure for this on the futurelogic website. According to that it should work on USB,Netplex or RS232. Unfortunately there is no info on what you need to flash these. I know the SW works on the previous generation Gen II but i am not sure about this one. Will keep looking.

Ian

I just tried couple of things more:

1.  I tried to connect again the laptop to the printer but this time i took off the USB cable that connects the printer to the slot machine in order to use the slot machine as power supply only.  The result was the same.

2.  Since the printer is showing the red and yellow leds in solid state, I swapped the printer's head with the machine next door to see if there was something wrong in the printer's head that was impeding the paper to be feed, but it wasn't the case. The first printer worked OK in the machine next door and the last one started to behave the same way, what tells me the problem (whatever is) is on the new board. It needs to get flashed in order to work I guess.

I'll keep you posted.  Best regards to all you and thanks again  :244-

Hi Andes

Asked on the slot Tech forum and got the following reply

http://forums.delphiforums.com/slottech/messages/?msg=7420.1 (http://forums.delphiforums.com/slottech/messages/?msg=7420.1)
Dont know if you are aware of this forum and also Results Website - Good info on both.

The last link may work on your printer. The only problem is that the files I sent you probably wont  work on your model. At least if you can establish comms you are halfway there.

Ian

Like I said Ian:  You're the man!!!   One day we'll have to meet each other to invite you some beers buddy  :89-  :151-

I'm downloading all of them... will try and let you know

Tell Mr. Robert that I'm very thankful for his help, will catch up with that forum later ;)

Cheers

Seams that I'm half way down as TZtech said...

I performed the installation as stated in the readme file, then I connected the USB cable to the printer, tried "erase" (cause I have nothing to upload yet) and it seams the com was successfully established. 

Now I'm just missing the firmware file itself.  According to the self-test ticket from the printer next door I'll need a firmware version GUN0010020

I'm attaching couple of screenshots to leave as reference.

Thanks to all who came up with tips and advices.  I don't have enough words to express my gratitude  :3- :3- :3- :3- :3-  :89- :89- :89- :89-

Best regards and K+ to all you people  :131-

Hi Sat

Great stuff - Glad its working. Now I also know what to expect if I ever run into one of these.
Will keep on digging for the firmware.

Ian

No chance you could do a READ or backup from the machine next door and get the firmware, then write it to the other one ?

I wish I could do that... but didn't see any option to do that in the program for IGT USB download... 

Take a look at the screenshots I took from that program

CHeers, going home to have some rest

Hi, New here. RE#16. Sat, Just so you are aware, the latest version for the Trim Line Gen 2 Universal is GUU0010501 and is available from Zuzo/Happ. It is "supposed" to help take care of a false printer jam condition. Hope this helps.

Thanks Mike for the tip and welcome to Newlifegames.  I hope you enjoy this forum as I have been doing for quite few years now.

Anything I can do for you let me know ;)

Best regards to all

Just wanted lo let you know that I've been in contact with a representative from HAPP and she shipped me some CDs with the files I need and the latest download utility. 

Will keep you posted regarding the end of this thread. 

Best regards

Awesome SAT! This is a great thread to watch... :91- :89-
I hope you get it running the way you want!

Great. Glad they were able to help you. Just a heads up though. I have ran into problems with the latest firmware. Seems that it doesn't like the emulated/legacy (Blue options menu) games. Every printer that I loaded it into went into a printer com fail and I had to reload the previous version back into the printer to get the game back up. I have also had a few of the non-emulated (Grey menu) games refuse to recognize this update as well.

As for the download tool being able to do up to 5 printers at a time thru a hub, well lets just say I don't trust it. Tried doing 4 at once. 2 took the update, one got wiped and had to be replaced and the 4th just didn't take it at all

Regards

Ok thanks for the tip!  I'll let you know the outcome of this thread when I receive and install what was shipped to me.

Good news people!!!    :71-

The printer is now working like a champ! 

I installed the firmware version GUN0010020 (Thanks Mike!!!) and it was lovely... the connection was established successfully between my laptop and the printer, it automatically erased-verified-downloaded the whole thing and all the red lights/problems/errors went away  :89-  I saw only GREEN light ... Didn't realize before how beautiful is the GREEN light  :89-  :72-

I was able to print a self test ticket and a test ticket confirming the firmware was successfully installed in my printer, having it ready for operation in consequence, so this is pretty much finished  :91-

An important note: the firmware files of either "GEN2" and "GEN2 Universal" are specific for each type of printer.  The "GEN2 Universal" firmware file is a ".SHA" file, while the firmware file for the GEN2 is ".VFX" file.  Bottom line: the firmware used for one won't work for the other!!!

I'm attaching a screen-shot of a successful download in the GEN2 Universal for everybody to know how it looks like, what software is needed and all the details in order to avoid them having the troubles I had.  That's my contribution to this wonderful forum (for now...)

I also want to express BIG THANKS  to all who, in a kindly manner, provided tips, suggestions, manuals, files and any sort of help...  I told my colleagues here that there is a bunch of good technicians/friends behind this solution, so:  All the credit is for you guys!!!  K+ for that!!!!    :244- :244- :244- :244-  :3- :3- :3- :3-  :131- :131- :131- :131-

Hope to see you in other thread's I'll surely be making myself  :96-

SAT (aka GANDHI)

SAT,

 :105-

Glad to here that you are up and running! I can't wait til I get to the point that I have that hardware to play with!

CaptainHappy :95-

Hi SAT,
  That's great.  It's great that you posted the results also.

Thanks,
Wayne

Glad to see that you got it going.  :244-
Eric

Great stuff - Glad its working. So does the printer communicate to the machine via the USB port or the netplex port ?

It's a tricky question...  The printer communicates with my laptop through USB ports, and that's for sure USB serial com.  But when I print out a self-test ticket the protocol stated as interface is NETPLEX, so it's kind of both I think.

The printer does USB for firmware upgrades and netplex for the slot machine.

Correct me if I'm wrong...

Thanks to all for your comments and another round of K+ on me :D

I glad you finally got it going SAT!!! :131-
You have any hair left???? :96- :200-

 :97- :97- :97- :97-  fortunately I left some for my "CRT-repairing" adventures   :208-

is this firmware GUU0010501 only for IGT machines or once you download it to a printer can you use on other manufactures machines

Depending on the machine where you have the printer installed you could need a firmware for RS232 or NETPLEX communication protocol. 

The number you listed is for IGTs running GEN2 Universal printer which communicates through an USB cable, but when you print out a test ticket it lists NETPLEX as the protocol used.

Hope this responds your question.

Thank you

does any one know what firmware is needed for all the manufactures i know the latest IGT firmware is is GUU0010502 and for WMS i have GUN001410

Hi all,
Can I use PST-66ST2NU (universal) for Aristocat please? I know that this printer is used for IGT machine but on the label show USB,RS232 and Nexplet, its firmware is GUN0010020.SHA now!
what is the lates firmware of Aristocrat machine now (USD currency)?
Thanks.

Hi,
  I am also in need of the firmware (GUN0010020-Netplex) for a Gen 2 Universal. I have been sent incorrect firmware now 4 times. This is for a S2000 machine with the Gen2 Universal printer. Can anyone assist please?  Please email it to me. My email is in my profile.  It would be greatly appreciated.








MODERATOR: Removed email from post to prevent it from being picked up by spam bots and web crawlers. SF :31-

Hi everybody... I need the firmware for a GEN2 U to use it in an IGT Trimline..... maybe the GUN0010020-Netplex o other... I don't know.. Can anyone assist please?.... Thanks.......Saludos de Argentina

Hola a todos... necesito el firmware para una GEN2U para usarlo en una IGT Trimline... puede ser el GUN0010020-Netplex  u otro... no lo se... puede alguien asistirme.....Gracias.... Saludos de Argentina

Hi Everyone,I had similar issues but I wish to go further.
I am using windows 7 x64.
Why is the Gen2 printer detected as "unspecified device" instead as a standard printer in windows 7?
How to make it the default printer such as to run a print test?

Wow.... it's been quite a while.

I'm not sure if this things works with Win7....  Try the good old Xp to see if it works.

Cheers and happy new year.

Hi Sat,

Happy New Year to you too.
Thank you so much for your prompt reply.
I really appreciate it.
I will check it with XP.
By the way I have a doubt about the firmware.
I did a self test on the printer so am uploading the pics herewith.
I would like to seek your advice regarding the interface,according to the selftest it shows serial communication.
The fact that I intend to hook it on my pc via USB port,I wondered if the settings is corrrect.
Thanking you in anticipation.

Best regards,
Ravi ;)

All looks Hunky Dory my man....

Give it a try using XP and it should work.

Cheers!

Ok sir,I will try it.

Thanks you so much.

Best regards,

Ravi