# Coin operated animatronic ?!



## TryAgain (Mar 23, 2011)

Hiya guys! 

I'm new to the forum so i will write a introduction soon! 

I have this idea for a coin operated animatronics, similar to a vending machine or arcade machine that when the correct amount is inserted, the animatronics will begin!

The animatronics I have are operated by VSA, so the coin slot system would have to be USB I guess. 

Any Ideas would be greatly accepted! 

Thanks


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## TheOneAndOnlyKelly (May 7, 2009)

Firstly, don't post in black, very hard to read! 

Are you giving away token for these animatronics? I don't think ToTs carry a lot of change... You might check places that sell or reburbish these devices to see what's available, so you don't have to reinvent the wheel.


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## gadget-evilusions (Jan 26, 2007)

http://www.happcontrols.com/

Happ sells the coin slots and bill acceptors. They mostly all just provide a contact closure upon insertion of the proper amount.


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## TryAgain (Mar 23, 2011)

I have found USB coin acceptors that take and check the change/tokens such as this one: http://www.sitekiosk.com/Help/SiteKiosk/sitecash/dev_emp800.htm

Its just trying to activate the VSA routine through the conputer. Im not sure how pc's react to these usb coin slots.

Im getting started on the design of the booth! 

Any ideas would be great!


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## samseide (Jun 1, 2010)

you could use the coin slot that happcontrols.com sells like gadget-evilusions said, and then connect that coin slot to an IPAC board:
http://www.ultimarc.com/ipac1.html

that board can take the signal sent from the little switch and make the computer think that a button has been pressed on a computer keyboard. That would make it super simple to trigger your routines.


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

Maybe it could be rigged to accept candy for payment instead of money. The kids would have to trade a piece of candy for the entertainment. Then you could give out the candy that you collect. Sounds like a win win especially for the tots that don't have money.


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## TryAgain (Mar 23, 2011)

Thanks for the Advice! 

I love the candy idea! but not sure about how it will trigger the routine. I wonder if there is some sort of USB motion sensor, or trigger or pressure sensor? 

For charity events It would still work for spare change too!

I think im theming it around a vintage fortune teller using my SkulltroniX


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## ironman37 (Mar 15, 2011)

yea but they would only pay with the sucky candy


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## Rahnefan (May 1, 2009)

I love this idea. Really hope you do this.


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## JeffHaas (Sep 7, 2010)

For the motion sensor, have them drop the candy (or wooden nickle) through a slot. It would break an IR beam from a Velleman kit and your can read that event and start the show. See this post on Garage of Evil for details:

http://www.garageofevilnetwork.com/profiles/blogs/10-dollar-ir-break-beam-with


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## HomeyDaClown (Oct 3, 2009)

If Miniguy is still around, he built a VSA based coin-operated 
fortune teller.

You might want to check this link:

http://www.halloweenforum.com/halloween-props/62509-vsa-triggers.html?highlight=coin+operated+fortune+teller


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## HomeyDaClown (Oct 3, 2009)

Talk to Nelson over at MonkeyBasic.com ...

You will need to get VSA console but
his free software supports triggering VSA events from USB devices.



TryAgain said:


> I have found USB coin acceptors that take and check the change/tokens such as this one: http://www.sitekiosk.com/Help/SiteKiosk/sitecash/dev_emp800.htm
> 
> Its just trying to activate the VSA routine through the conputer. Im not sure how pc's react to these usb coin slots.
> 
> ...


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## fritz42_male (May 5, 2009)

I'd use a beam break for a simple coin drop if you are more interested in just having the 'effect' than grabbing the tokens/money.

I'm hoping to build a laughing evil clown kiosk for this year but next year I'd like a creepy fortune teller that gives out nasty fortunes.


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

ironman37 said:


> yea but they would only pay with the sucky candy


True, I did think of that but the candy would be given away. I do think an IR sensor could work. However, if the prop is being used to collect money for charity then obviously money will have to do. Hmmm, I guess canned goods for charity is another thought...drop it into a bin to activate the prop.


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

I think you should have to insert a finger into a slot to activate it. Maybe have Charlie the Chopper animatronic...heheheh..make the kids worry thier finger will be chopped off...


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

debbie5 said:


> I think you should have to insert a finger into a slot to activate it. Maybe have Charlie the Chopper animatronic...heheheh..make the kids worry thier finger will be chopped off...


Now that's a good idea Debbie! That opens up many possibilities for hidden shocks and thrills. You could have someone hiding in a box and pull their finger.

Damn it, now I'm just off topic. Sorry TryAgain.


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## Aquayne (Sep 1, 2008)

I have been toying with this idea for some time. I believe that putting a motion sensor inside a box will work. Then anything that falls into or through the box will activate the event. Anything will work and there is alot of info on using the motion sensors on the net.


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## DarkLore (Jan 25, 2009)

Google zultan fortune coin op for examples.






There are several examples of this being done to the Gemmy fortune tellers.


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## TryAgain (Mar 23, 2011)

Hiya guys,

Thanks for all your help! I never knew how keen you guy are about these things! 

I found 2 thin wires, and even though i had no idea what I was doing i put them into pins 15 and 25 like the Helmsman help page suggested. Using helmsman, when i touch them together and the routine triggers! I couldnt belive it as im usless at this sorta thing! 

So I guess i can wire the ends of these 2 wires to sensors and mat swiches ect, but does anyone if UK coin acceptors have a trigger that I can wire these 2 ends to? Im looking at these ones. http://www.eurocoin.co.uk/cat_mechanical.cfm

Thanks again for your help, any input would be great!


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## TryAgain (Mar 23, 2011)

I apologize for how badly worded that post was by the way! :googly:


TryAgain said:


> I couldnt belive it as im usless at this sorta thing! - but does anyone if UK coin acceptors


Also by the pins, I mean in regard to the printer port.


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## ironman37 (Mar 15, 2011)

Lunatic said:


> Now that's a good idea Debbie! That opens up many possibilities for hidden shocks and thrills. You could have someone hiding in a box and pull their finger.
> 
> Damn it, now I'm just off topic. Sorry TryAgain.


LOL you may not like the results of pulling people's fingers.


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

Maybe that's not really a finger...


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## hpropman (Jul 27, 2008)

Most arcade coin doors use micro switches. I purchased an old coin door off ebay for my arcade cabinet (Mame) and then refurbished it with parts from Gatorcade.com. Make sure the one that you buy has the coin mechanisms (normally .25). I removed the micro switches and replaced them with beam break circuits connected to a Picaxe 08M wich sends the pulse to the keyboard emulator. The keyboard emulator send the keystrokes to the computer then you can use a program like autohotkey to run a macro to do pretty much anything you want.


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## MonkeyBasic (Mar 22, 2009)

Not sure if you are the same person that emailed me, but if you can get some sort of sensor, you can use my Helmsman software to read the sensor and trigger a routine (or a random routine as some people do).


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