Coin Acceptor

[Chris Breeze]

I've just added an article to the website about how to use a coin acceptor with DSLR Remote Pro's photobooth mode:
http://www.breezesys.com/articles/photobooth_coin_acceptor.htm

All that is required is a coin acceptor with microswitch (I used an inexpensive one from Gremlin Solutions (http://www.gremlinsolutions.co.uk/coinmechs.php) in the UK), a StealthSwitch II and an AutoHotKey script which can be downloaded from our website.

[stillmation]

Excellent. This was on my list of additions to TheSnapBox. Coin or token acceptor.
I should add, Gremlin are great suppliers too, I use them myself.

Thanks Chris.

[alexsiskahn]

To avoid having to buy the stealth switch can the "coin operation command" be added to the Photobooth Button Program? I'd like to wire up com port 9 to the coin acceptor.

thanks!

[anastassis]

Will it be possible to use the touchscreen settings (ie. black & white or color, profile A or Profile B), after we insert a coin in the ready screen, and before we hit the stealthswitch?

[Chris Breeze]

To avoid having to buy the stealth switch can the "coin operation command" be added to the Photobooth Button Program? I'd like to wire up com port 9 to the coin acceptor.

thanks!

You could use it to start the photobooth shooting sequence but there isn't an option in the photobooth button utility to send an F6 key press to switch between standby mode and ready mode. Even if the photobooth button utility had the option to send F6 it wouldn't work properly if someone inserted another coin because that would switch back from ready to standby.

[Chris Breeze]

Will it be possible to use the touchscreen settings (ie. black & white or color, profile A or Profile B), after we insert a coin in the ready screen, and before we hit the stealthswitch?

If you use the coin acceptor to switch the booth from standby to ready you can then use all the normal touchscreen settings and then press the start button to start the shooting sequence.

[anastassis]

If you use the coin acceptor to switch the booth from standby to ready you can then use all the normal touchscreen settings and then press the start button to start the shooting sequence.

So to understand this correctly, i will still need the coin acceptor and connect it to the stealthswitch as shown in your document, but i will be able to start the photobooth sequence by pressing the go button in the touchscreen than hit the stealthswitch button..Makes sense? Thank you

[Chris Breeze]

So to understand this correctly, i will still need the coin acceptor and connect it to the stealthswitch as shown in your document, but i will be able to start the photobooth sequence by pressing the go button in the touchscreen than hit the stealthswitch button..Makes sense? Thank you

All the coin acceptor and AutoHotKey script do is switch between standby mode and ready mode which is the same as pressing F6. After printing the photos the script sends F6 to put the booth in standby mode (which cancels live view and displays the welcome.jpg screen). When the StealthSwitch II gets the signal from the coin acceptor it sends F12 which is picked up the script which in turn sends F6 to the photobooth to tell it to return to ready mode (which re-enables live view and displays the ready.jpg). From then on everything works as normal and you can use a touchscreen, StealthSwitch button or any of the other input methods to start the picture taking sequence.

[anastassis]

All the coin acceptor and AutoHotKey script do is switch between standby mode and ready mode which is the same as pressing F6. After printing the photos the script sends F6 to put the booth in standby mode (which cancels live view and displays the welcome.jpg screen). When the StealthSwitch II gets the signal from the coin acceptor it sends F12 which is picked up the script which in turn sends F6 to the photobooth to tell it to return to ready mode (which re-enables live view and displays the ready.jpg). From then on everything works as normal and you can use a touchscreen, StealthSwitch button or any of the other input methods to start the picture taking sequence.

Very informative...thank you..

[BoothThis]

You could also use the UHID nano to emulate the key presses rather than the stealth switch.

[anastassis]

Chris,

can you please advice from where you purchased the microswith for the coin acceptor, showing in the picture in this page:

http://www.breezesys.com/articles/photobooth_coin_acceptor.htm

I sent the picture to Gremlin Solutions and the told me that they don't have microswithes of that kind. The ones they have are here:

http://www.gremlinsolutions.co.uk/arcademicroswitches.php

[Chris Breeze]

I used this coin acceptor from Gremlin Solutions:
http://www.gremlinsolutions.co.uk/products/100pmech.htm
The microswitch is part of the coin acceptor and doesn't need to be purchased separately.

You can see their range of coin acceptors at:
http://www.gremlinsolutions.co.uk/coinmechs.php

[anastassis]

Happy New Year!

Chris,

I have done successfully all the steps as described in your article http://www.breezesys.com/articles/photobooth_coin_acceptor.htm. But i have one issue and one question:

Issue
When i insert a coin to the acceptor the photobooth display switches, from standby mode to the ready screen. But after that even if i press the main stealth switch II button or F4, the photobooth sequence dosen't start. Any suggestions;

Question
Is it possible to insert specific amount of coins before the photobooth display activates (ready screen)? ie 3 x 1 euro coins, if we have 1 euro coin acceptor

[Chris Breeze]

Happy New Year!

Chris,

I have done successfully all the steps as described in your article http://www.breezesys.com/articles/photobooth_coin_acceptor.htm. But i have one issue and one question:

Issue
When i insert a coin to the acceptor the photobooth display switches, from standby mode to the ready screen. But after that even if i press the main stealth switch II button or F4, the photobooth sequence dosen't start. Any suggestions;
It may be an input focus problem - if the app doesn't have input focus it won't receive key presses. Does it work if you press F6 on the keyboard followed by F4?


Question
Is it possible to insert specific amount of coins before the photobooth display activates (ready screen)? ie 3 x 1 euro coins, if we have 1 euro coin acceptor
You should be able to modify the script to count the coins. You might need something a bit more sophisticated if you want to be able to handle things like people changing their minds and wanting their coins back.

[stillmation]

Is there any reason this script and feature wouldn't work with PSremote?

[Chris Breeze]

The script won't work with PSRemote without modification because it makes use of the F6 standby and welcome.jpg screen option which is only available with DSLR Remote Pro and NKRemote. You would have to modify the script so that AutoHotKey displays a window covering the PSRemote photo booth screens when it is waiting for the coins to be inserted.

[stillmation]

The script won't work with PSRemote without modification because it makes use of the F6 standby and welcome.jpg screen option which is only available with DSLR Remote Pro and NKRemote. You would have to modify the script so that AutoHotKey displays a window covering the PSRemote photo booth screens when it is waiting for the coins to be inserted.

Thanks Chris,
I'm going the route that you described with the Gremlin kit. I'm currently putting together a package for 5 units that will be on long-term lease to a wildlife park in Germany. Exciting stuff but needs to be rock solid.

I'll have a play to see if I can get the script tweaked as soon as the hardware arrives.

[anastassis]

You should be able to modify the script to count the coins. You might need something a bit more sophisticated if you want to be able to handle things like people changing their minds and wanting their coins back.

Chris,

Way back we had this conversation re: modify the script to count the coins. Can you please give me a heads start or let me know how can i modify the AHK code?

Thanks

[alexsiskahn]

anastasia you can just hire Chris to write the script for you or pay someone else like www.rentacoder.com
or if you insist on it being free take a week or two to learn how to program or ask the folsk at the www.autohotkey.com forums.

What you are asking is like asking:
can you teach me how to build a photobooth so I can be your competitor?

[anastassis]

Chris,

Way back we had this conversation re: modify the script to count the coins. Can you please give me a heads start or let me know how can i modify the AHK code?

Thanks

Chris is this something you are interested to work on? Thanks

[Chris Breeze]

Yes, please email me at [email protected] and send a detailed description of what you need so that I can give you an estimate of the cost. My time isn't particularly cheap, but obviously I do know the software very well.

[jfreeman1412]

This is something that I would be willing to split the cost with someone, unless it will be make public.