Progressive lesson please

[cruisepl]

Let me start by saying that I know nothing about progressives and I am not even sure this is correct place to ask my questions. Forgive me and move this thread to the correct place if I am way off base here.

My question:  Is there something  available that can be programmed to display a message instead of a progressive jackpot.  I'm thinking it would be neat to have a -welcome to my game room- type message either on one machine or moving between multiple machines?

If it can be done then only for the S+  ?  or will it work with S2000, IGames or Williams machines (401s and 550s)

Thanks

[stayouttadabunker]

You have to have a number of things to program messages to a display panel.
First of all, you would need the PSP program that "talks" via your computer to a CON1.
 The CON1 talks to the display's logic board which in turn sends the messages you typed - to the display panel.
The simplest set-up I would recommend is a CON1s controller matched up with a CHAM44 hooked up to the LED4 panels.
April Lemans ( she has a store up top here) usually has all this stuff including the power supplies...The serial cable from the computer to the CON1s - you'll have to make yourself.
It requires jumping a couple of serial pins with a small wire so your computer can communicate with the controller.

[Thor777]

All done in DOS of course with a older slower computer that has serial ports of course

   Bunker you are also assuming he is using a Mikon Progressive? 

[cruisepl]

April Lemans ( she has a store up top here) usually has all this stuff including the power supplies...

Thanks, I am planning on heading to Ohio in the next few weeks, maybe I should add April's place to my list of stops

[jay]

If you are just looking at scrolling signs.......

1. Future Shop had a gift card with a 64character scrolling display. I got a couple of 0.25c gift cards from my friends at NLG. These worked well to fill in a spot in a player tracking bar. Just slightly too big for behind the pay glass - if you want to use it for the pay glass then you need to mask the edges a bit with some black card board.

2. You can get scrolling LED displays in many sizes - just type in Moving LED on Ebay and you will get a a lot.

3. The Mikohn Progessives are a lot of fun to play with and a number of us have them here on NLG so most importantly your support base is pretty wide.

A linked progressive consists of 3 componets
a. Controller - this connects up all the machines and is connected to all of the displays. It is the heart of the configuration.
b. Display driver - this connects to the controller (with 2 wires) and connects to the display with a ribbon cable and usually a power cable.
c. Display - more aptly called the Meter. This shows the progressive amount and messages.

You set up the controller by setting the following parameters:
i  Base Amount - this is the amount the progressive gets "reset" to once it is won. This is usually set to be the same as the normal TOP award that your slot uses.
ii Current Amount - this is the value that the progressive currently is at.
iii Contribution (or percentage) - mine is set to 4% and as I use quarters this mean it goes up 1 penny for each quarter dropped. This is how I know its working. In a real casin you would increment 8 quarters = 1 penny.
iv Max - Mine is set to 999999999, no limit but for instance you could limit your top payout to be 10K

You also download the messages and such through this same interface.

As bunko noted you normally use a older PC - (newer ones don't come with 9pin serial ports any more) and WIN-NT, WIN98, etc work well for this. Newer OS's are more spotty if they work or not.
The main issue is that the program used to program the progressive is called PSP and its based in DOS and uses hardware interrupts. Depending on the PC and how well the OS interacts with the HAL (Hardware Abstration Layer) determines if XP is compatiable or not.

[Thor777]

As bunko noted you normally use a older PC - (newer ones don't come with 9pin serial ports any more) and WIN-NT, WIN98, etc work well for this. Newer OS's are more spotty if they work or not.

   JAY!...Are you calling me "bunko"        

THOR777... 

[jay]

LOL...I refer to Stout as Bunko ....... but there is room in the club for all of us

[Neonkiss]

My question:  Is there something  available that can be programmed to display a message instead of a progressive jackpot. 

Thanks

Cheapest way out, would be to get a Beta-Bright sign.
The new ones are color and you can add graphics.
Do a Google search.

http://www.betabrite.com/

[stayouttadabunker]

[/quote]
Cheapest way out, would be to get a Beta-Bright sign.
The new ones are color and you can add graphics.
Do a Google search.
http://www.betabrite.com/



But, but...that would be too easy...