USB Experiment board

[TZtech]

Hi All

If you are looking for a cool electronic project and know which end of the soldering iron to hold have a look at this kit - http://www.vellemanusa.com/us/enu/product/view/?id=500349.
Another member here that I am corresponding with  mentioned this and I had to go out and buy it. You get 8 Digital Outputs and 5 inputs as well as 2 analogue inputs and outputs.

Kit is of very good quality and I got it working without any hassles - Currently I am using the DLL suplied to control it from excel (Using VBA).
This is an excellent way to experiment with computer control of slots and peripherals from your PC for those of you into these things

Ian

[StatFreak]

Thanks Ian.

K+. That's a cool site.

It's too bad they don't sell directly. Have you found a website merchant with good prices?


Stat

[TZtech]

Hi

Picked mine up at our local electronics supplier - Bear in mind I am located in South Africa. Have a look at the top of the webpage for the distributors link and select your state from menu.
For Nevada I see Fry's is listed - Back when I was with IGT I was lucky enough to be sent to Las Vegas - I was at Fry' regularly and spent most of my travel allowance there 

Ian

[jay]

Have you been able to pull in any of the gaming statistics from the slots ?

[TZtech]

Hi

2 Of the inputs have a counter functions so the possibility is there but I have not yet interfaced it to machines - This will allow you to record Total In and total out. Unfortunately this function only works on input 1 and 2. My VBA app currently can log the status of all 5 intputs at  a preset interval so it is feasable to calculate movement on the remaining 3 input channels but would not be 100% accurate

The guy I have been corresponding with is working on a pretty cool project where he is interfacing the card with my coin in / out simulator . I hope he will post some details soon.

Ian

[StatFreak]

They also have a second USB card with more I/O.

http://www.vellemanusa.com/us/enu/product/view/?id=522974

[jay]

For me the issue is less on the VB/PC side but more on the slot side.

It is a simple enough trick to take the Coin In interface (S+) that is used for progressive and keep track of each close. This will give you credits played.
I could similarily take a feed off of the hopper optic and and note the output pulses. However I consider both of these hacks.

I would much rather use the SAS interface and query the machine for all of the counters.

[StatFreak]

The closest we got for home use was Bunker's Prolink unit. (I think that's what it was... CRS... again )

[stayouttadabunker]

The closest we got for home use was Bunker's Prolink unit. (I think that's what it was... CRS... again )

You're right Stat...the "CDS ProLink" unit.
When I use it, it doesn't feel like a hack job...
it was designed for connecting may machines to a computer.
however, it still requires a very cumbersome harness to make it work.

Maybe later on this winter, I'll try to construct a much better harness using smaller
wiring such as telephone or Ethernet cabling and changing out the connectors or make adapters.