Play Meter

Issue: 1981 December 15 - Vol 7 Num 23

music
on diSDIBU
Handu wrapping
Coin machine operators who
must hand co un t and wrap coins o n
location may find use of the Easy
Wrapper makes the job faster and
easier. It will count and wrap all
current U.S. coins, company
literature claims.
.
Made of durable, red, molded
plastic, the attractive Easy Wrapper
has seven openings to accommodate
coin wrappers for nicke ls, dimes,
quarters, halves , both the "Ike" and
"Susan" dollar coins, and pennies.
The familiar paper coin wrapper
tube is placed into the appropriate
coin hole. It fits around an "island"
which holds the wrapper upright,
ready for filling. Coins are dropped
into the paper wrapper tube. When
the coins reach the top surface of the
Easy Wrapper and are level with it,
the wrapper can be removed and
closed, because it will then contain
the correct number of coins, without
any actual counting being necessary.
The Easy Wrapper comes
complete with instructions. It is
4lh inches high, 6 inches long, and 3 \1;>
inches wide.
Prices is $19.95 , postpaid, from:
Coin Handlers, Department PM,
1445 Sunset Ridge Road , Glenview ,
Illinois 60025.
54
The VMC - Video Music Center
was introduced by Stern/ Seeburg
at the AMOA. Its standard 19-inch
color TV monitor displays music
titles, credits, information that can
be stored by the location - such as
sports scor e s or stock market
readings, the selection current ly
playing, and "operator only" service
modes.
In the attract mode, the screen's
list of music in title/ artist/title format
scro lls upward. The location·
formatted message can contain 40
letters in each of 12 lines.
The customer utilizes only two
controls, a thumbwheel and a select
button. When he moves the
thumbwheel, pushes the select
button, or inserts coins, the main
index is displayed. Credits are
displayed upon insertion of money.
The control panel features dual coin
mechanisms to reduce downtime
due to jammed coin rejectors.
The stereo speaker system
consists of two separate channels
housed in one cabinet to produce full
stereo sound, mid-level in the unit,
with a total of six speakers within
each system- a woofer , tweeter,
and midrange in each channel.
Songs are programmable up to 200
selections.
Seeburg describes the VMC
cab inet as "high technology contem-
porary." Access to the interior is
gained by opening two key-locks on
either side of the speaker grille, per-
mitting all service from the fro nt.
cops'n'robbers
Capitalizing on the recent detective
craze in fiction, television and the
movies , Taito America Corp. has
released Lock 'n' Chase, a video
game of pursuit and capture.
The cops-and -robbers adventure
begins as "Lupin" stealthily moves
through the maze heisting gold coins
and other assorted riches. Super
sleuths are in hot pursuit as Lupin
attempts to outwit his pursuers, nab
all of the riches, and move on to a
more devious maze offering
additional riches. Lupin escapes the
detectives by manipulation of the
joystick and skillful use of the lock
button which can temporarily bar
the path of his pursuers or lock them
behind bars.
But Lupin must beware of the
gates that open and close at random,
blocking his path. He may exit the
maze and return on the opposite
side, thereby skillfully eluding the
super sleuths. Collecting the hat,
crown, valise, and telephone in each
successive maze earns bonus points,
with points doubling for each money
bag he snatches. But with each
successive maze the detectives
become more devious and resource -
ful.
The game is available in 1- or 2-
player upright models. Lock 'n'
Chase, originally designed by Data
East of Japan for its cassette system,
is being manufactured for North and
South America by Taito America in
Taito's standard video game format.
PLAY METER , December 15,1981
Chanuemasters
are introduced
Two new Changemaster models
have been introduced by Hamilton
Scale Corp. Both feature a new
extended hopper design allowing
greater capacity at lower cost than
existing models. The one-hopper
model features a capacity of $1000 in
quarters while the two-hopper model
features a capacity of $1600 m
quarters.
Either model can be ordered to
accept $1 bills , or $5 bills and $1 bills.
Both models use only one validator.
This bulk load equipment can also
vend tokens, instead of coins,
without modification.
Security is another Changemaster
feature. Constructed of high
strength, heavy duty 3/ 16-inch thick
steel, cabinets are available with
front openings for both the one- and
two-hopper models. The one-hopper
model is also available in a back-load
design , permitting privacy and safety
during loading and collection
operations.
For more information, contact
Hamilton Scale Corp., 3350 Secor
Road, Toledo , OH 43606; (419) 535-
7667.
PLAY METER, December 15,1981
Taito test fixture
Hot oursuit
Cinematronics Inc. has introduced
Solar Quest, its latest one- or two-
player video sensation.
The game begins with a spaceship
appearing on the screen. Soon you
are being followed by enemy
spaceships which try to ram you.
The object of the game is to destroy
the enemy spaceships and pick up
their survivors. When you pick up
twenty-five or forty survivors
(operator selectable), you get an
extra ship.
Solar Quest contains five hundred
different phases, accord in g to
Cinematronics. Each time you
destroy a wave of attackers, the next
wave contains more responsive and
accurate enemy ships. On the fifth
phase the attackers actually begin
firing at you. The game can be
adjusted by the operator to begin on
any phase from one to eight.
Cinematronics Vice President/
Marketing, David Stroud said:
"Players are very excited about the
challenge of Solar Quest. They can
shoot the enemy ships with regular
shots, as well as use a nuke to
destroy them in bunches, or
hyperspace through the gala xy to
safe location. But cha ll enge
increases as the players improve,
which leads to more excitemen t and
greater collections from your
locations ," Stroud went on to
mention .
Taito America Corp. has developed
its computerized Test Tech fixture
for troubleshooting individual Taito
logic boards to component level in
the field or on the bench.
" The handy fixture is self-
contained in a briefcase for on-the-
job portability," said Rene Lopez,
Taito's director of customer service.
Taito Test Tech features its own
internal 6809 microprocessor.
"Using its keyboard and display, it
performs tests of all major circuit
functions and generations of
patterns for signature analysis,"
Lope z said. Signature analysis is a
numbered readout corresponding to
a book code which determines
where the problem is located. The
device allows the technician to get to
the heart of the video game's system,
thereby isolating a particular
problem.
"The Taito Engineering Depart-
ment has recognized a particular
industry need in developing the Test
Tech to meet the need," Lopez said.
For more information on the Taito
Test Tech, contact a local Taito
distributor.
.
.
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