1. How To Make A Slot Machine Bill Validator Device Invalid
2. How To Make A Slot Machine Bill Validator Device Without

We’ve all seen, and occasionally wrestled with, bill acceptors like the one [Another Maker] recently liberated from an arcade machine. But have you ever had one apart to see how it works? If not, the video after the break is an interesting peak into how this ubiquitous piece of hardware tells the difference between a real bill and a piece of paper.

But [Another Maker] goes a bit farther than just showing the internals of the device. He also went through the trouble of figuring out how to talk to it with an Arduino, which makes all sorts of money-grabbing projects possible. Even if collecting paper money isn’t your kind of thing, it’s still interesting to see how this gadget works on a hardware and software level.

Generally, the relay 'Pulse' interface will suffice. This pulses once for every dollar accepted (once for a $1 bill, five times for a $5 bill, etc.). The easiest way to connect a validator to a PC is to use the relay output of the validator connected to the COM port in such a way as to generate an interrupt. If you’re a slot machine player, you have undoubtedly had the experience of trying to feed a bill into a machine, only to have it spewed back out again. Sometimes, bill acceptors (yes, that’s what they’re called, although “bill validator” is also acceptable) can be temperamental, but here’s a quick workaround. Also, your machine has to have the bill validator set to Enabled in the setting/preferences, if it is disabled you will need to use a SET chip. You can press the white TEST button inside the machine and bring up the menu on the front display. If your machine is coinless, it will be delivered without a hopper to save on weight. Bill Validator – The make and model may vary depending on the type installed on the machine, but either a DBV, WBA or MEI Cashflow acceptor will be present. DBV acceptors are present on IGT S-Plus machines. With these acceptors, bills will. I just went into the diagnostics program and the only options I found for the bill validator were either Bill Test or CRC. I opted for the bill test and the BV lit up and I tested both a $20 and a $5 successfully. When I put the machine back in service the BV light went out and it would not accept any bills.

As explained in the video, a set of belts are used to pull the bill past an array of IR LEDs. The hardware uses these to scan the bill and perform some dark magic to determine if it’s a genuine piece of currency. [Another Maker] notes that these readers actually need to receive occasional firmware updates to take into account new bill designs. In fact, the particular unit he has is so out of date that it won’t accept modern $5 bills; which may explain how he got it for free in the first place.

How To Make A Slot Machine Bill Validator Device Invalid

Years ago we saw one of these bill acceptors used to make a DIY Bitcoin ATM. Of course back then, a few bucks would get you a semi-reasonable amount of BTC. These days you would skip the paper currency and do it all digitally.

If you’re a slot machine player, you have undoubtedly had the experience of trying to feed a bill into a machine, only to have it spewed back out again.

Sometimes, bill acceptors (yes, that’s what they’re called, although “bill validator” is also acceptable) can be temperamental, but here’s a quick workaround. Because you know calling an attendant can take forever.

If you’ve tried inserting your bill several times, to no avail, put it into a nearby machine and cash out immediately. Assuming you’re in a ticket-in/ticket-out casino, you’ll get a ticket. Now, take that ticket and try feeding that into your original machine. Bill acceptors that have trouble with a given bill are likely to accept a ticket without hesitation, and you’ll be well on your way to your next slot jackpot.

Don’t let a touchy machine stand between you and a hand-pay win, baby.

How To Make A Slot Machine Bill Validator Device Without

Bill acceptors scan paper currency to determine if a bill is real or a counterfeit. These devices can scan for a bill’s conductivity, fluorescent properties and optical properties. Some bill acceptors scan for size, the bill’s ink or the security strip.

Sometimes, your bill acceptor might just be having a bad day.

Now that you know the ticket trick, though, you can outsmart the bill acceptor and get on with your play, already. You’re welcome.