New Life Games LLC
**Reel Slots** Gaming Machines => WMS Reel Games => Topic started by: jagroups on June 05, 2022, 04:56:03 PM
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I'm trying to connect my top box for Monopoly Jackpot Station. This box requires 2 controllers, which I need help with connecting.
This is where I'm at, and what I need help with. Photos of my progress are posted. Please correct me if I made any errors, before I continue.
Thank you!!
The top box :hail:
(https://newlifegames.com/nlg/MGalleryItem.php?id=1221)
This is the back of the top box. The left side harness is connected to boards 1 & 4
The right side harness is connected to boards 2 & 3
(https://newlifegames.com/nlg/MGalleryItem.php?id=1222)
These are the 2 light controllers I have to work with.
(https://newlifegames.com/nlg/MGalleryItem.php?id=1220)
This is the Top Box Connector attached to the cabinet.
(https://newlifegames.com/nlg/MGalleryItem.php?id=1230)
I paired up the Yellow Harness labeled 1-4 with the orange/brown harness to boards 1 & 4
(https://newlifegames.com/nlg/MGalleryItem.php?id=1223)
I paired up the Yellow Harness labeled 2-3 with the orange/brown harness to boards 2 & 3
(https://newlifegames.com/nlg/MGalleryItem.php?id=1225)
I connected the Harnesses for 1 - 4 to one controller
(https://newlifegames.com/nlg/MGalleryItem.php?id=1238)
Then connected the harnesses for 2 - 3 to the other controller
(https://newlifegames.com/nlg/MGalleryItem.php?id=1239)
These are the 2 wires I'm left with: P1 and P2 - both coming from the Top Box.
(https://newlifegames.com/nlg/MGalleryItem.php?id=1229)
I assume P1 goes here, in slot B of the Top Box Connector, where the previous box was connected.
(https://newlifegames.com/nlg/MGalleryItem.php?id=1228)
For the Jackpot Station P1, I notice the black wire is in a different slot, then the one pictured above.
Does this make a difference, or it doesn't matter?
(https://newlifegames.com/nlg/MGalleryItem.php?id=1226)
Now I'm left with P2. I assume this gets connected to the power pack, but the connectors are different.
P2 has 6 pin molex, with pins in all 6. The power pack has 8 pin molex with 2 pins.
(https://newlifegames.com/nlg/MGalleryItem.php?id=1227)
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I forgot to mention, I plugged the power adapter into the power pack.
(https://newlifegames.com/nlg/MGalleryItem.php?id=1231)
The other end of the adapter I connected to slot "I" in the Top Box connector.
(https://newlifegames.com/nlg/MGalleryItem.php?id=1233)
So, does everything look good so far?
Where I'm at:
1) Does P1 get connected to slot "B" in the Top Box Connector?
2) Does the positioning of the black wire in P1 matter?
3) Does P2 get connected to the power pack? If so, how do I do that with the different connectors?
Thanks in advance :)
Joey
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Wow! How fun!
When it comes to these types of connectors, the retaining clip is the "bottom" of the plug. Numbering starts from top-left across to top-right, then continues at the beginning of the next row. Everything in the picture is upside down.
1234
5678
You probably know this already, just putting it out there in case someone doesn't know.
Not sure anyone really 'knows' this stuff. But, I have done way too much work on these light controllers and backplane connections... too much. I might be one of the only one's that can help.
WOW! So that's how they did it.. paired up the controllers. And that's what those other unused connectors are for. Wow! Click Click Click. Things making sense now. I like it when I ask myself "What were they thinking?" "Why would they do that!?" .. and years later finding out .. I think this is one of those moments.
Are you certain these controllers are for this topper? These contollers are programmable and they almost always have specific firmware for the game and role it is being used for.
These controllers work by sending serial (8 bits) bytes to these bit shifters. You will (may) notice 3 serial bit shifter chips.. The CPU on the board sends bytes out one of its pins to the first bit shifter. The bit shifters have a serial out pin to 'cascade' or daisy chain a bunch of them together. So you send a byte which is 8 bits, and those bits represent one of the outputs that trigger the lights on or off for up to 8 lights (1 bit for each!). To add more lights, you add another bit shifter, connect the SEROUT pin to the SERIN pin on the other chip, send another byte, the first byte you sent gets sent to the other chip. Now you can control 16 lights, etc. This controller has 3 bit shifters for a total of 24 lights.
Why am I telling you this? Well, for me, this is the part that clicked! The third bit shifter chip sends its SERIAL OUT to a connector .. P4.. There's also a P3 connector on the other side of the board! I'll trace it but I bet it goes to the SERIN on the first bit shifter. This must be how they add more lights. With a jumper cable from Controller 1 P4, to Controller 2 P3, we have created another 24 channels of lights that can be turned on and off! (by sending 6 bytes, 48 bits) I always wondered why they routed SERIN and SEROUT to these pins. It is clear as day now.
WMS, in my experience, use the P1, P2, P3, etc scheme in many places. I prefer to call the cables what they are. ... The communication plug, the power plug, heh Maybe they really do mean something, though... P for power I suppose..
For these type of controllers, the RX/TX pins from the game machine (RS232 12v+ levels) are on the power connector.. Pins 3, 5, 6 in one of your pictures. There is a power supply and controller picture you show together.. It only has power. No communication cables, which makes me suspect this is the slave controller! Since there is no RX/TX on the power connector, it has to come from somewhere else..! Yes! The connectors marked P3 and P4 on the controller board. Blah! See? WMS is using P again!
In my experience, I never used the top box connector thing in the topbox... I just use the plug on the backplane. So I leave it to you to confirm the plug in J21 on the backplane goes to the top box connector in the topbox, connector B. PRETTY SURE it is, but please confirm by either using a voltmeter or tugging on the wires until you are satisfied you have found the same connection, an extension cord so-to-speak.
J21 (Top Box Connector B?)
Pins 6 - 9 are ground - to answer your question,
"For the Jackpot Station P1, I notice the black wire is in a different slot, then the one pictured above.
Does this make a difference, or it doesn't matter?"
Assuming B is an extension of J21, According to the pictures, those pins 6 through 9 should be ground.
Included is a J21 diagram. Unless I forget to attach it.
(your home work is to confirm J21 is the same as Top Box Connector B, an extension cord).
The 6 pin connector on the light controller is power and it is also RX/TX from the game machine. To me, it looks like the connector labeled 1-4 Yellow/Black and Gray/Purple/Black wires would be the power input and RX/TX from the game machine. I am not sure if you show a complete picture of that 'harness' or where the other end goes.
Without being there, the 6 pin connector with black and yellow wires labeled 2-3 might just be power to the lights to light up the 'sign' portion. ?? Please trace where those wires go.
Yellow wire is usually 12v, black wire is usually Ground.. At least enough confidence to use a voltmeter and confirm...
I am making an assumption the cable marked 1-4 with a 6 pin connector has 2 connectors on the other end, a 20 pin connector (the RX/TX and Ground), and something for power input... probably a 6 pin connector with Black/Yellow. If the voltage on the pins match up on the top box connector "G" (that is, if you get 12V on the same pins that have black and yellow wires, plug it in). Otherwise, we will find another place for the 12v for controller #1.
Without being there or having more pictures, this is how I think it works..
Ready?
Take the 20 pin connector labeled P1 (it is RX/TX, GND), plug that into Top Box B, better yet plug it in to J21 on the backplane if it reaches. That takes care of RX/TX between controller 1 and the game.
Now for power to controller 1.. Whatever other connector is on the other end of 1-4 cable it needs to go to 12V.. Hard to tell from your pictures maybe you did not include a picture of the connectors on the other end of 1-4 cable. Anyway, the remaining connector on 1-4 should be for 12v power. Stop here if it is not.
Go ahead and plug in the remaining 2 connectors, the 12 pin and the 24 pin connectors, those are your game board lights. Hopefully they set this up logically, and controller 1 works one side of the board (left?) and the other controller controls the other side.
So now we have controller 1 with Power, RX/TX, and the (left side?) lights connected.
(This is probably enough to get the game up and running, but we will go the whole way)
Controller 2...... That's the one with the power supply. Plug power in as you showed in your picture, I think that big 3 pin top box connector is AC. Otherwise, just use a regular power cord to power the power supply with AC. The DC side, 6 pin, just plug that in to Controller 2, power.
Plug in the lights for the board.. 24 pin connector, 12 pin connector..
Last is the UNCONFIRMED BUT PROBABLE jumper wires from Controller 1 P4 to Controller 2 P3. Give me some time to go back and confirm which pins on these connectors go where. Might be straight through but let me check.
My controller has these connectors broken off so I am unable to tell you what connector P3 and P4 are. Probably some kind of Molex since they use molex for every thing.
..............................
Clear as mud!
Wait for me to get back to you on P3 P4 pinouts before connecting controller 2. You can still connect controller 1 and get the game up and it will confirm a lot of this text. The second controller, like I said, I'll look at P3 and P4 traces. Maybe there is a cable laying around in there that plugs in to those ? Take a look!
One last thing, the second controller probably has some sort of firmware on it only to turn the pin off going to the bit shifter SERIN pin, otherwise any firmware running would interfere with the SER data coming in on connector P3... So the CPU on controller 2 is probably programmed to do nothing! Bummer, but who cares?
There are some status LEDs on the controller board. When you power up controller 2 do any of those LEDs light up on their own or different than Controller 1's on board status LEDs? (LED1 and LED2 on the board). Maybe they gave the CPU something to do on the slave controller and turn LED1 and LED2 on/off?? I would have if I made it!
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:wave:
Wow. Thank you for this response. I have to reread thought it all several times and make sure I understand.
I'll will have to triple check I'm not missing anything, specifically any connectors from 1-4. Everything is tied together. I may have to cut the bands holding them together so I can follow all of the wires. I was only left with P1 and P2, which may be those connectors. I'll check Thursday night and report my findings. As for the controllers, I'm certain they weren't for this game specifically.
I'm hopeful we can figure this out! I'll do more homework.
Again, THANK YOU!
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I thought someone would reply with a legend of the Top box connectors...
Anyhoo... Looking now at the traces on P3 and P4 on the controller board.
Pins
P3 P4
1 - ------ Passthru -------- +12v
2 - ------ Passthru -------- - GND
3 - SERIN SEROUT
4 - ------ Passthru -------- SRCK
5 - ------ Passthru -------- RCLK
P3 Pin 3 - INPUT (data from the master to this slave)
P4 Pin 3 - OUTPUT to another board (passing on to another slave..)
In summary, it seems like we could power the slave board from this header, too. By connecting Master Board P4 Pins 1 and 2 to Slave Board P3 Pins 1 and 2... Not sure if we want to do that.
Pin 3 is the magic pin.. it is the "IN" on one side and "OUT" on the other.
We need to connect pins 2, 3, 4, 5 between the two controllers. Master board P4 pins 2, 3, 4, 5 to Slave board P3 pins 2, 3, 4, 5
Pin 1 disconnected.
We also need to know what connector P3 and P4 is....... ??
This is what I found on the top box connectors.. The Letters in the picture do not line up with the letters on the metal plate, so I updated it to match your's.
I think you can leave the power plugged in to "I" ..
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P1 lead to the 1-4 yellow harness
(https://newlifegames.com/nlg/MGalleryItem.php?id=1234)
P2 goes to both 1-4 & 2-3 yellow harnesses
(https://newlifegames.com/nlg/MGalleryItem.php?id=1235)
This is a spare green cord that's provided. This appears to be the connector for P3 and P4 of the controllers, if needed.
(https://newlifegames.com/nlg/MGalleryItem.php?id=1237)
(https://newlifegames.com/nlg/MGalleryItem.php?id=1241)
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Taking a closer look at the wires for P2, the two thicker yellow & black wires goes to both yellow harnesses: 1-4 and 2-3.
The smaller yellow & black wires are going to the 4 corners for the LED lights.
So I assume P2 is powering both controllers and the Top box lights?
(https://newlifegames.com/nlg/MGalleryItem.php?id=1240)
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Great pics.
Here is the diagram we have so far...
Note, the lines representing wires are not going to the actual pins in the picture, it is just reference.
I would like you to connect the controllers up to the lights on the top box. Power one up at a time without the green cable connected. Usually they cycle through all the lights while they are idling. If both controllers do this, then that tells me one of them is not a slave controller. I just happen to have a slave controller that will work perfect for this purpose. I am concerned about the firmware now, since these controllers are NOT for this game.. We might get lucky though!
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By chance, does anyone out there have a Monopoly Jackpot Station machine, fully functional with the top box?
Not looking to buy, just have some questions regarding what's going on, inside of the top box :)
Thanks in advance. This one is driving me crazy!
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Yes, we seem to have hit a wall...
The lights will cycle during boot.
The game comes online and is playable. However, when the bonus plays the lights do not light.
If anyone can check around for this board, please send jagroups a message with a picture of what you find..
Thanks!
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Yes, we seem to have hit a wall...
Eddiie, if you scroll up to the diagram you made, the revised info is that Connector 1-4 goes to the slave controller and connector 2-3 goes to the master controller. Noting the P1 (purple wire) that goes to the Top Box Conn B (J21), it's part of the 1-4 connector that goes to the slave controller.
I'm going to test swapping the P3 and P4 (Green wire connection) between the two controllers, to see if they are reversed. Just to eliminate another possibility.
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I'm happy to have this solved. I wanted follow up for anyone that's fortunate enough to have one of these awesome machines. The answer was simple, you just need the correct LED Controllers. :applause:
A huge thank you to Eddiie, for all of his help. FireballJackpot, thank you for your photos. That helped answer all of our questions and headed me in the right direction.
(https://newlifegames.com/nlg/MGalleryItem.php?id=1289)
(https://newlifegames.com/nlg/MGalleryItem.php?id=1286)
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Thank you! That was a lot of fun figuring out.