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Progressive Controllers, Displays and Slot Toppers => Mikohn Progressive Systems. => Topic started by: tjohnson3432 on May 18, 2011, 12:24:49 AM



Title: REALLY NEED SOME HELP WITH THIS PROGRESSIVE!!!
Post by: tjohnson3432 on May 18, 2011, 12:24:49 AM
So i have bought a Bally S6000 Silver and Gold machine with a progressive unit. had a few set backs right away and now that evrything works THE PROGESSIVE DOESNT! flashes $0 then C1 done some reading but do not know that much about these. If someone would be willing to give me a call on the phone i am a much better listen to learner than a read to learner! if anyone has some SLOT for dummies help out there i would be very GREATFULL!! THANKS


Title: Re: REALLY NEED SOME HELP WITH THIS PROGRESSIVE!!!
Post by: MrBellMan on May 18, 2011, 12:38:29 AM
You will find a TON of help here:

http://newlifegames.net/nlg/index.php?board=26.0 (http://newlifegames.net/nlg/index.php?board=26.0)

It took me a while to figure mine out, but the answers are in here. Sorry I don't remember off the top of my head.

Good Luck!



Title: Re: REALLY NEED SOME HELP WITH THIS PROGRESSIVE!!!
Post by: jay on May 18, 2011, 04:14:34 AM
Hi,

The C1 is a controller error and it usually means no data.

The first step is to determine what kind of controller you have - Mikohns come in a bunch of flavors.

The best thing you can do is to take a picture of the controller and post it here.
If there are labels on the chips please post what they say.

There are two major types of controllers, Link and Standalone.
If you don't have a standalone controller then you will need a Link Controller to drive your display controller board.

Link controller --- Display controller --- Meter     vs      Standalone Controller ---- Meter

Regardless of the type of controller you have (or need) you will need a PC with a serial port and a PC program called PSP.
You will need a 9 pin serial cable that has a slight modification. The links provided will show you the mod.

Do you have PSP ?




Title: Re: REALLY NEED SOME HELP WITH THIS PROGRESSIVE!!!
Post by: tjohnson3432 on May 18, 2011, 11:04:49 PM
So the progressive unit has some numbers they are as follows- 341-075-00 CSTLR STND ALONE. and on one of the chips is readsCH@ STA/V2.01. Where do i find a Serial Cable and do most computers have this? Any help is GREAT! Thanks


Title: Re: REALLY NEED SOME HELP WITH THIS PROGRESSIVE!!!
Post by: tjohnson3432 on May 18, 2011, 11:07:19 PM
I see that there is a USB to Serial Cable, Would this be something that would work? Niether of my computers have a serial port!


Title: Re: REALLY NEED SOME HELP WITH THIS PROGRESSIVE!!!
Post by: knagl on May 19, 2011, 02:33:02 AM
People have had very limited success using USB to Serial converters.  I won't say you can't do it with one, but you're adding one more variable to the communications equation that is already pretty tough to get going in the first place.

I don't want to put you off from getting this working, but understand that you're entering into territory that requires a minimum of a moderate amount of computer and DOS experience -- these things are not impossible to get running, but they're not exactly "very easy" either.

You should be able to purchase a serial cable from a computer store or Radio Shack or online.  Of course, you'd want a computer with a serial port, and preferably an older operating system (Windows XP or earlier).


Title: Re: REALLY NEED SOME HELP WITH THIS PROGRESSIVE!!!
Post by: jay on May 19, 2011, 04:53:57 AM
What you have is a ChamII+ standalone controller.
You simply need the PSP software running on a computer with a serial port.

Please see this thread.
http://newlifegames.net/nlg/index.php?topic=106.0 (http://newlifegames.net/nlg/index.php?topic=106.0)
The very first post from Knagl (Kevin) has a PDF that has the exact description of the slightly customized 9pin cable that will work with your controller.

When I built mine I cheated a bit as having just moved I could not locate my soldering iron.
I picked up a 9 pin serial cable from Radio Shack and cut it in 1/2.
I then slipped on a length of shrink tube (also avaialble from Radio Shack)
I simply pig tailed the wires together, used a dab of electrical tape to stop them from shorting.
After I tested the cable. I used a BBQ lighter to shrink the tube down over my mid cable splice and it looks almost commerical.

Not that you need it - as you have your controller already connected to your bally but here is a thread on the cable interface between the controller and your bally slot.
I recommend you print it out and file it with other documents you collect about your machine.
http://newlifegames.net/nlg/index.php?topic=10001.0 (http://newlifegames.net/nlg/index.php?topic=10001.0)
This link also has some screen shots of PSP

I concur with the other advice you have been given - usb to serial adapters will not work well for this application.
PSP is a (old) dos based program designed to talk directly to a serial port and does not follow any of the current communication methods.....
When you use Vista or Windows 7 they are expecting a windows program to use a run-time-libary to make a serial port call to the operating system and PSP doesnt, cant, wont etc play nice with these Operating systems.
If you have a machine with XP some USB serial adapters may work, (most won't) - and you will pay anywhere from $9 - $30 for this cable. 

What you want to do is hit Laptop Depot or ebay etc and buy an old laptop for $25.00 that runs Windows 98 or XP - doesn't have to be fast, pretty etc just have an older OS and a real serial port.

Do you have a copy of PSP ?



Title: Re: REALLY NEED SOME HELP WITH THIS PROGRESSIVE!!!
Post by: Foster on May 19, 2011, 04:57:56 AM
I have found the easy way to fix the communications issues is to actually solder a wire between pins 1 and 5 on the solder side of the controller.
Might be easier than trying to modify the cable.



Title: Re: REALLY NEED SOME HELP WITH THIS PROGRESSIVE!!!
Post by: jay on May 19, 2011, 05:04:31 AM
Foster - excellent advice. This would be a very clean fix as then any straight through cable will work good.

In my case - I have 7 thumbs and I find $6.00 cables easier to replace than controller boards when I melt traces off the PCB or splash solder all over the place. LOL


Title: Re: REALLY NEED SOME HELP WITH THIS PROGRESSIVE!!!
Post by: stayouttadabunker on May 19, 2011, 01:16:30 PM
I have found the easy way to fix the communications issues is to actually solder a
wire between pins 1 and 5 on the solder side of the controller.
Might be easier than trying to modify the cable.


Foster,
Now that's JUST way too easy.... :60-
We like to do things the hard way!!!  :72- :208-


Title: Re: REALLY NEED SOME HELP WITH THIS PROGRESSIVE!!!
Post by: knagl on May 19, 2011, 03:54:26 PM
In my case - I have 7 thumbs and I find $6.00 cables easier to replace than controller boards when I melt traces off the PCB or splash solder all over the place. LOL

My thoughts exactly.   :89-


Title: Re: REALLY NEED SOME HELP WITH THIS PROGRESSIVE!!!
Post by: Foster on May 19, 2011, 07:43:50 PM
I will say this I am not best at soldering either.
helps if you tin the wire with a bit extra and lay the wire on the solder pad and hold iron there until the solder flows.


Title: Re: REALLY NEED SOME HELP WITH THIS PROGRESSIVE!!!
Post by: McCackie on May 19, 2011, 11:15:41 PM
USB to RS232 work usually iff you go into Windows and force the COM port selected to be COM1.  Often it will have assigned something like COM14 which is useless.  Go into "Settings - Control Panel - System - Device Manager - Ports (Com & LPT)"  and force the device to Com1.


Title: Re: REALLY NEED SOME HELP WITH THIS PROGRESSIVE!!!
Post by: tjohnson3432 on May 20, 2011, 12:09:04 AM
ok, i got the cable made!! i got the computer!! and now i just need to know what is PSP and where do i find what software i need?