Arduino as pac-drive alternative?

Hello Konrad,
My wife is half Polish by her mother.We also celebrate today the 100 years of the armistice in Paris with all the great presidents of this world.
Peace.
Very nice video,I like it
Eric

I was hoping that I will finish some part of Fruit Squeezer this weekend... but as always. I've opened next feature, and coding goes on.

I've finished faulty COM port connections, so now there is no possibility to crash because of wrong typed address. Saving COMs and automatic loading and serial connection after Fruit Squeezer boot is done. Before I post this version I think I will work a bit on LED dimming.

With Arduino Mega set, we can use 14 outputs as analog, and I will use those to drive LEDs with dimming effect. Not many machines use this feature, but some does. We coud use it in cabinets. But nothing is certain before the tests. If I manage to dim a led, then I will publish Squeezer with that function. If I fail... it will be only 0n/off LED.

Bye for now. I'll try to upload upgraded version of Fruit Squeezer after I finish with dimming.

It is late, but I feel that I should put my last version of Fruit Squeezer online. This version has implemented led dimming. Dimming is available only on PWM pins.

I was hoping to show you how the dimming works but my recording software causes so much lags to the system, that PWM dimming is not working properly.

Below is a link to graphics with all Aduino Mega Pins described. Fruit Squeezer has hard coded PIN numbers, and all of those can be found at this schematic gfx. Everything can be changed but the default setup is like I propose.

Link:

https://www.theengin...uino-mega-5.png

Biggest update from all the time.

1. Automatic hooking to running MFME

2. Automatic Arduino connection (after config save)

3. Automatic config load (from config file)

4. LED dimming effect (up to 15 LEDs on bare Arduino Mega - extendable to maaaaany more [up to ~600])

5. 68 outputs (digital - 1/0 output so no dimming, just on/off mode)

6. Hopper support with divider (Sorry, after my cat removed all the wires from the breadboard I haven't tested hopper on Arduino Mega .)

In case of any suggestions (Eric ) feel free to write me, but keep in mind that my coding abilities are very limited, so not every wish is granted.

For now it is half tested version of updated Fruit Squeeze and Arduino code.

Former config files should be deleted. Work only on new created files. Older will crash the program.

ps.

From now we are talking only on Arduino Mega. Smaller versions can work but some features will fail. Mega is going to be the lead board for this project from now.

Hi Konrad,

What a great job, and time given to the Mfme community.

I am admiring for this investment.

I try it.

Many thanks for all.

Take care 

Eric

Small correction to my last upload. It occured that I uploaded Fruit Squeezer with turned off monitoring.

The program should be slightly unresponsive if no MFME game is running. This means, that monitoring process is running and looking for MFME game. Above version does not have this function enabled, but this is only by mistake. This feature is a MUST for cabinet use, so I correct it below.

As for the contribution to community Eric, every one of us is doing something to make our community alive and growing. Cabinet constructors, layout creators, rom dumpers, forum admins, etc. And above all of us is Wizard . This is because of passion, hobby or other reason. Making my software was an attempt to make cabinet constructors community larger. Arduino seems much more available, affordable and versatile from Pac Drive in my opinion, offers a lot more possible features and flexibility. So I decided to create this solution. I'm happy that I succeeded. Software is even better from my first assumptions.

hello Konrad,
for leds everything is good, but I do not understand the operation of the hopper signal.

the pin 55 is always " on " during the game when it should be only during the payment

(I have connect a led  to the pin 55 for this test and the led is alway on ).

the connections are different like the pac drive ?

can you make a schema description ?

thanks

Eric

It might be different. We can work it out. This depends on coin hopper I think. My hopper gives a low signal when coin passes the sensor. Pin is always high because I have put there a command of turning on pull up resistor to avoid some random voltage pulses on this pin.

When it comes to the sensor pin, we can easily change it in the Arduino code. You just delete the line where we set the digital pin 55 to HIGH, and later on, you just put the pull down resistor to it. Simply connect pin 55 to hopper coin sensor, and the same pin to 10k ohm resistor and resistor to the ground. This will cause that this pin will always stay LOW, unless hopper will send HIGH signal.

The difference with pull up and pull down resistor in Arduino Mega is that pull up is a built in feature. Pull down must be added additionally.

As for the Pac Drive connections, I cant say anything, because I don't know them. I will try to draw a schematic, an you will see how it is set up.

Here is schematic of my working set. Just tested and confirmed working.

 Fruit Squeezer_schematic_bb.jpg   145.19KB   4 downloads

I didn't have coin hopper device, so I improvised on this sketch. But everything is described. I think we have to work out a way to support both types of hoppers - for LOW pulse and HIGH pulse.

thank you

Eric, when you will have some time, please describe shortly hopper and pac drive connection. I will se how we can adjust Arduino code to this. I have still one free pin or Arduino Mega. Pin 69 is available and we can do anything with it. It could be used as LOW state hopper payout sensor.

Hello Konrad,
great job, everything works for me. this week i will connect my tremie to do a real test.
thanks again

Eric

Cool

Hi Konrad,

I did a test with my  hopper. after each payment the arduino usb port is disconnected and reconnected.in windows
Is this normal?

Eric

No. It is not.

I think there is some short circuit. Some high pin is probably grounded at the moment of payment, this resets the arduino, which 'stands up' after this and works again.

We can try to work this out. What type of hopper are you using? I will check it.

From the software side it is like that:

Main thread reads the memory, second thread is started when COM is connected and sends the LED data every milisecond. At the moment of payment LED thread is stopped for a while to let the payout communication pass, and starts the LED transmission again after the payment is done. But no COM port should be disconnected.

So, while the payment goes on, it is normal that LEDs will freeze, but after last coin is thrown out, everything should run smoothly again.

Good evening Konrad,
I use a blue hopper powered directly in 220 volts.I will send you a photo of my editing tomorrow if I have time.
below the link of the hopper and relay that I use (works with the pac drive).

Eric

https://www.aliexpre.../661818340.html

https://www.aliexpre...2480128984.html

Here is an example game on Dam Buster gameplay on me set. Seems all OK. At the end of this video you will notice a hopper payout.

Sorry for the terrible sound...

I can't find any manual for this hopper. If you have any doc Eric, please send it to me. I would like to read it. Or at least describe me the outputs.

We have to run it at your setup. It was meant to be versatile solution for everyone. So let's try to do it.

Or in worst situation buy a Cube Hopper for 10 EUR + postage . I will give you a contact .

hi Konrad,

I found my problem, it comes from the ground wire of the hopper

.I have another tremie that works in 24 volts and no probleme now.

Thank for your help

Eric

I'm very happy to see that you've solved this problem.

Fantastic work Majoris, I am looking to incorporate hopper into my cabinet, could you supply the link for the Cube hopper you mentioned?

Pete