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11
BEAR 11 FACTS
TICKET DISPENSERS
TAITO FRONT LINE
PIONEER LD-V1 aaa REMOTE
BY MARK "BEAR" ATTEBERY, VICE PRESIDENT OF ENGINEERING, VENDING INTERNATIONAL, SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA
TICKET DISPENSERS
I
Last but not least is the dispenser itself. A
've decided to give you a lecture on tech-
nical marketing this month! As W.C. Fields dispenser should reliably dispense a ticket or
coupon and not jam up (if it does jam up the
used to say ... Ah, yes ... I see!
In actuality, I'm going to discuss ticket unit should be easy to unjam) and not let any
dispeners. The first thing that should be done extra coupons or tickets be stolen or pulled
when considering any device is to determine through the dispenser. It should validate the
what you want the device to do, in what type of tickets, count the tickets, and operate main-
environment the device must be able to func- tenance-free (meaning no worn out parts) for
tion, how reliable the unit is, and how easy the close to six months on a heavily used unit.
Let's look at an example of that last state-
unit is to maintain.
The device that we are discussing per- ment: One Frog Ball game averaging 1500
forms a seemingly simple task until you take vends per week, averaging four tickets per
into account the environment in which it must vend equals 6,000 ticket dispenser operations
function and the demands for added functions per week. Multiply that by twenty-six weeks (6
months) and you have 156,000 tickets
that management requires.
There are many units on the market at dispensed!
The most common problem a ticket dis-
present, but the four most prevalent units are
produced by Deltronics, Vending International penser will encounter is the optic switch or
micro switch that counts the tickets going bad.
Corp., Norton Co., and Superball.
Until recently, the only games using ticket The operator can lose as many as 500 tickets
dispensers were Skeeball, Superball, Boom when the unit "jackpots". Photo optic switches
Ball and Whac-a-Mole. But within the last two have more of a problem with this (refer to the
years, many more games have come to light. "Bear'' Facts in December '82's issue of the
Vending International Corp. produces eight Journal) than micro switches due to the paper
different games that dispense tickets. The lint residue that is present on coupons/tickets.
The next most common replacement part
kiddie ride companies have the water laser.
There is Ice Cold Beer, Five House and many is the oilless bearing (shim) that mounts the
more. The reason for this "ticket boom" is the roller shaft into the metal housing. After
consistency of income that ticket dispenser 250,000 or so vends, these 7½~ items (4 of
them) will need to be replaced on most units.
games bring in.
If you stop to consider the reasons that a
Upper and lower rollers, motors and hous-
game that dispenses a ticket is played, you'll
ings should not need replacement unless
find two: Fun and Profit! Any time a person
extreme use is incurred. Validation of tickets
receives a prize or trophy for his endeavors,
is very important to management personnel
he feels as if he has accomplished a goal. In due to skimming. At the present time neither
younger people, you will find that- because
Deltronics nor Norton offers this option.
of the competitiveness of which they are a
If you checked the new games out at the
part in school (sports, social activities and so ASI/ AOE Shows last March, you probably
on) - they are driven to be more and more noticed how many had ticket dispensers and
successful, so that when a prize offourtickets what they offered to the operator. You prob-
is won, five tickets is the next acceptable goal.
ably also noticed the games that might be
Prizes play a very important part of the enhanced by having a dispenser on them
ticketdispensergameappeal. E.K Fernandez (even the videos) and the three companies
Fun Factories in the Hawaiian Islands is a showing logic boards to mount dispensers on
videos! But did you notice the price of these
prime example.
The Fernandez organization places a systems? The least expensive was $339.00
higher value upon the ticket they dispense with no price break and the most expensive
and has such prizes as black & white tele- runs around $500.00 I personally believe that
visions, Atari home video game units, bicycles, a unit running $250.00 with price breaks
and so on. This makes winning the prize a running down to $200.00 would make this a
family affair and brings in the whole family unit more attractive option. In any event, ticket
(working towards that B&W TV or Atari home dispensers are an attractive alternative to kits
- cheaper, easier to install, and, If they operate
video game).
the same way as Skeeball, Superball, Whac-
a-Mole, Frog Ball, etc. do, can provide a nice
steady income month after month.
TAITO FRONT LINE
D
ne fix that was called into me last
month could be called "What the
symptoms mean" instead. On a Taito Front
Line video game-while you're playing along,
if the screen jumps a complete scene each
time the joystick is moved (like going into
warp drive), and then during the tank scene a
ton of garbage is present (like a severe program
problem). Check your joystick! It seems that if
the contact for up is touching while the contact
for down is energized, these symptoms will
appear!
PIONEER LD-V'IOOO REMOTE
A
nother bit of information for the field
technician: A remote control unit for
the LD-V1000 disc player is available through
Pioneer. The controller for the LD-V1000 disc
player is known as part #GGV-100 and the
extension cable is known as EXT-100. Useful
little articles to have if testing the LD-V1000 is
desired.
Next month we will get back to the regular
grind! Take care until then ... Bear.