Where to find set chips for mk6-xp

[D.gee478]

I think I need set chips for my machine. Anyone know where I can purchase some? Thank you.

[Heihachi_73]

For those playing at home, SA = South Australia.

Setchips are only for American machines. QCOM games are designed to be set up remotely through a site controller ($$$$) - the zero-dollar alternative for home use is to use a QCOM emulator e.g. a PC talking to the machine via serial. Without anything hooked up, even if it was already set up you'd be stuck staring at a Game Disabled message anyway.

By the way, if the game actually uses VLC protocol (Video Lottery Consultants, not VideoLAN!) instead of QCOM, you're probably out of luck as AFAIK there is no VLC protocol emulator (QCOM is open source, VLC is proprietary). In almost all cases, you're better off just converting the machine to use NSW software. IIRC all you need to make it a NSW machine is a LAB comms board and some new chips (e.g. NSW base+game). NSW doesn't use any comms unless you are hooking up a progressive jackpot e.g. random jackpot or a Hyperlink game e.g. Cash Express.

[D.gee478]

thankyou so much for your reply, very helpful.
is there a way to check what protocol its running or just a trial and error sort of thing?

ive been looking high and low for a qcom/qsim software but seems hard to find while filtering through all the qualcomm stuff that pops up as qcom. any points in the right direction to find a qcom config tool?

Also any reccomedations on where to find LAB Comms boards and some nsw eeproms?

[Heihachi_73]

Not really sure without seeing the menus (e.g. do any of them mention QCOM or VLC?), but I have a feeling it might be VLC protocol as it's a fairly early MK6 game.

[D.gee478]

Nah nothing at all mention it. Wich menus do you need to see

[D.gee478]

From what I've read, I think "E2" is vlc protocol. Is it the same deal as qcom?

[Heihachi_73]

Not sure what you can do with VLC games as I don't think there is a VLC protocol emulator out there. If it wasn't for the open government initiative in Australia even QCOM would have been proprietary and hidden under lock and key. For once we can actually thank the Queensland government for something!

I know over here in Vic we had both protocols running together but not sure how it was done; either the site controller could understand both protocols or they were run on separate machine banks, although it didn't stop things like Wild Cash/George's Gold jackpots going off on both types of machine. IIRC there were two or maybe even three variations of the VLC protocol as well - one for Tabcorp (Tabaret), two for Tatts (VLC C and VLC D), as well as QCOM for both operators. Not sure whether Tabcorp VLC was the same as one of the Tatts versions (or if SA might use an identical version) but either way all VLC games are long gone now, there's now only QCOM in Vic as of last year. When George's Gold (or 1c Jackpots, or Showcase etc.) went off on a VLC-based machine the whole screen would go blue with the jackpot message superimposed on it like an old VCR while the machine went into lockup mode complete with the alarm sound, whereas QCOM games simply showed the jackpot message on the screen. Tatts VLC games also printed a dot-matrix cashout ticket when collecting beyond the min/max credit limit (under $1 or over $50) whereas everything else did a handpay lockup (usually $200 limit).

[D.gee478]

Very helpful post, appreciate it.

So my current setup is useless, can I overwrite my current eeproms with NSW eeprom dumps I can find online for the name emulator?

Also do I need to try find a LAB COMMS BOARD that replaces my MKV VLC COMMS Inlet Board wich I gather is now useless?

I also noticed on my VLC Comms board it has "iss.0" printed on the pcb wich I found a chip on the MK6 main board with the same reference to "iss.0". I have attached a picture to what chip I'm referring to. Does this also need to be replaced and what is it for?

[Heihachi_73]

Issue 0 (or A) just means it was the first version of that PCB and/or chip, if anything it's probably the only version made due to the obscurity of the device.

[D.gee478]

This machine is getting more and more confusing by the day. Just as I thought I was getting somewhere 🤣

[pokie3]

The SA games need a network, so it will sit there until it finds one.

But all is not lost here are your options;

You will need;
* buy cheap eprom burner (look up the eprom chip @ 42 pins)
* buy cheap eprom eraser

For NZ games;
* obtain (google etc your friend) NZ roms because you won't need a comms board or meters.
* use the NZ qcom disable program (only for qcom NZ, you can enable the game and it doesn't need to be networked, and no it wont work with SA).

For NSW games;

* source a comms board (mk5 and mk6 are the same).
* source meters - do you have hard meters? (I doubt it, so you'll need these, this part is more tricky, thats why NZ will get you going, if you do then you are good).

You can use USA/Export games;
* if you have meters - then you won't need a comms board. (I am not sure but it's possible some export games will run without hard meters but not really sure).

This is a hobby for people here, don't rush or give up

[D.gee478]

By hard meters do you mean these?

[pokie3]

Yes, that's it!

So actually, the next step is you can run USA/Export games right now easy. (without comms board).

Later on work towards a comms board.

[D.gee478]

Can I find dumps somewhere and burn my own eeproms or need to find the game chips on ebay or something

[pokie3]

Best to start with ebay, some sellers sell a few games at one time.

[D.gee478]

Do I need the setup chips with each specific game, 1 setup controls x amount of games or just one set for all games?

[pokie3]

Nup set chips work for all games, if you have a reasonable version, ie not too old.. something new ie like 6.03.xx. But doesn't need to be that new either.
You also need some system chips - again if its a newish system version you only need the 1 set for all the games. (often a system chips will come with a set anyway).

[D.gee478]

Cheers. I might have a look around now

[Heihachi_73]

Just a note about USA software, to make it more "Australian" you will need to change the jurisdiction to somewhere in South America to get around the $1199.99 credit limit and reverse the button layout*. Assuming it's the same as MK5 as I have never seen a MK6 setchip menu.

* American machines select the number of lines on the top row, with the bet buttons on the bottom spinning the reels. Because Australia is upside down (and totally not because the rest of the world outside of America also uses the Australian layout), we select a bet multiplier on the top row first and the line buttons spin the reels.

Not all Australian games are available on the USA platform though, conversely there is also a lot of USA-only games that was never released anywhere else e.g. Jeff Foxworthy series (which IIRC are basically rebadged Cashman games). Others are renamed e.g. Lil' Lucy is the American version of Lucky Devil, but the base games are completely different and usually have a unique theme rather than recycling games like Sweethearts II or Golden Canaries. Likewise, Money Honey is Lady Luck, Treasure King is King Neptune, White Water is Rapid Riches, Bloomin' Wild is Wild Waratah etc.

Other games have completely different paytables and/or features e.g. on USA Queen of the Nile 5 Cleopatras only pay 3000 instead of 9000 (as with the clones Adonis/Dolphin/Geisha etc.) while USA Centurion is basically a rebadged 5 Dragons rather than a unique game. Other games have way higher RTP settings e.g. apparently Outback Jack can randomly give you a $100 Big Rock bonus just betting the base 30 credits; IIRC our version only goes up to $20.

[D.gee478]

Can you not just switch buttons around on the machine so it thinks the top layer is the lines options?