Play Meter

Issue: 1978 July 15 - Vol 4 Num 13

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Vol. 4, No.13
July 15,1978
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Staff
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A Guide to Buying Electronic Parts . .............. 2&
Tom Howarth puts together an excellent buyer's guide of
what you'll need , where to find them , and how many of
each .
Publ isher and Editor:
Ralph C. Lally II
Manag ing Editor:
David Pierson
International Editor:
David Snook
Editor, Coin Slot
Technica l Ed itor:
Robin Minnear
Game Doctors
Operators Dlscu .. the
Advent of Solid State . ........................... 31
The technological revolution has now manifested itself
upon the industry, and Dan Hanson asked around to get
operators' reactions to the maintenance problems and
answers that have come with it.
Correspondents:
Roger C. Sharpe
Gene Beley
Dick W e(u
Art Direction :
Katey Schwark
Administrative Assistant :
Valerie M itchell
Typography :
Vickie Lofton
Staff Cartoonist :
Norm Rockwell
Circulation Manager:
Debbie Barnes
Advertising Representative:
Ralph C. Lally II
European Representative:
Esmay Leslie
PLAY METER , July 15, 1978. Volume
4, No. 13. Copyright 1978 by Skybird
Publishing Company . PLAY METER
is published semi-monthly on the 15th
and end of the month . Publishing
offices : 112 North Roadway, New
Orlea ns, La . 70124, P.O. Box 24170 ,
New Orleans, La . 70184. Tel. :
504 / 282-0261 . Subscription rates:
U.S. and Canada - $25; Europe and
Japan - $45; elsewhere - $5O . One
order subscription : 2-9, $20 each;
10-24, $17 each; 25 or more, $15
each. Advertising rates available on
request. No part of this magazine
may be repooduced without expres-
sed permission . The editors are not
responsible for unsolicited manu-
scripts . Second-class postage paid at
New Orlea ns 70113 . Postmaster:
Send Form 3579 to PLAY METER ,
P.O. Box 24170, New Orleans, La .
70184 .
Determining Your Cash Row ..................... 47
In the second in the series on a business analysis of your
operation, David Pierson covers the subject of cash flow
and the time value of money.
Wooden Pegs and Wooden Heads . ............... 8&
Did you know that pinball tournaments are havens for
gamblers? Well, according to the I.R.S ., they are. PLAY
METER investigated the problem.
Don't Take the Money and Run . ................. . 74
Roger C. Sharpe has some suggestions on how operators
can improve their images, and why they should bother
about improving their public image.
From the Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Mailbox ......................................... 8
Colnman of the Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Operating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 18
DllltJ'lbuting .••.•...........•....•..•..•••..•••.. 34
Music Programming . ........................... 38
Technical Topics . ............................... &0
Critic'. Corner .................................. 64
On the Move . ................................... 68
Manufacturing . ................................. 80
New Producb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Intematlonal New •. ............................. 78
CI ... lfled . ...................................... 78
European office : PLAY METER Pro-
motions, 15 Great North Road ,
Brookmans Park , AL 9 6 LV,
Hertfordshire, England .
PLAY METER , July, 1978
3
Being involved with a publication that serves a national , as well as a
worldwide , industry , I have numerous opportunities to travel and keep in
touch with operators around the country . Often I find the opportunity to
seek out the local arcade or "watering hole" that features coin-operated
games.
It's more than my eagerness to play the games which compels me to visit
these spots. I am always curious to see what equipment is in there , how
well it's being kept , and how it is set up and arranged .
Having been in the operating/ distributing business for six years before
starting PLAY METER , I find myself missing your end of the business , and
these visits give me the chance to stay in touch . It's also a chance for me to
reminisce . I have always enjoyed seeing how the rest of you guys are
doing .
It's grown to be a habit with me - these "inspection" visits of mine .
Whenever I find myself in an airport with a little time to spare, I always
make it a point to see if there's an arcade there . When I'm out with friends
in another city , I make it a point to play any music or game equipment we
happen to run across . Besides the plain simple fact I enjoy playing the
games during these "inspections," I find it also helps the business . After all ,
when someone sees you playing the equipment , it encourages them to
play.
The past few years have shown dramatic increases in play appeal ,
reliability , and the earning power of the solid state equipment presently
being manufactured . The diode and resistor have truly come of age in the
industry .
The operators of America ought to be congratulated for their success in
taking in this new technology so rapidly and for doing such an outstanding
job of keeping the equipment going .
The most important thing about this business is , and always will be ,
SERVICE . No matter how great the equipment is.or how good your
location might be , if the machine doesn't work , it doesn't earn for you .
Thankfully , most operators today have kept pace with the
rapidly-changing techn.ology and are enjoying some of their best years
ever.
To the progressive service-oriented operator and to those striving to be ,
we dedicate this issue . May your best years be still to come .
----
Ralph C. Lally II
Editor and Publisher
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PLAY METER , July, 1978

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