5 replies to this topic

[Mickey D]

Hi Everyone,

Just bought a Showtime Spectacular (£8 Jackpot and according to the stickers on the inside of the back door it is a Bell Fruit Machine (is that BFM?)) for my dad's 80th birthday as a money box and to stop him wasting a fortune on scratch cards. It works great and he is already having fun. But I am new to all of this and as I have been reading these threads I realise I haven't a clue what anyone is talking about. Does anyone have an idiot's guide please?
I think I am starting to get some of the lingo, I take it the hoppers are the tubes where the money drops in and the Alpha is the digital display on the front. But that is about it.
I have 3 keys for it, one is to open the back, one to open the front, cash box and the last one goes in the front and turns but doesn't unlock anything. What is this for?
I also wanted to know how you get the money to drop into the money box underneath so that I don't have to keep pulling it out to get to the money at the back. Although, I can't even see how I get it out of the hoppers. Do you have to fill the hoppers to get the money to drop in and if so how much do they take as he doesn't have a lot of cash to fill it up.
So, I guess I am saying:

• does anyone have an idiots guide to fruit machines, terminology, parts etc?
• can anyone tell me how to get the money to drop into the money boxes underneath?
• how do you empty the hoppers?
• Is there a manual for this machine so that I know what' what?

Many thanks. and sorry if I sound like a numpty but we all have to start somewhere.

[todd1970]

Welcome Mickey..im in no position to answer your question but there are a few good 'tech guys' on here that know thier stuff.

Im sure there is a way of bypassing the hopper so the coins just drop into the cashbox..but im thinking with an empty hopper it wouldnt pay out..therefore where is the fun in that.

Plus with the coins dropping into the cashbox it wouldnt register the credits so it would need to be set to free play ?

I dunno..possibly who knows i dunno wtf im talking about..just a wee reply to welcome you to the site and hang tight and one of our engineers should answer your questions soon hopefully.

[Mickey D]

Thanks for the welcome.

You are right there would be no fun in that, I just didn't want him to have to fill the tubes. Perhaps if there is a way to empty them and then tip half back in so he gets to reuse his money without leaving too much in the back.

Once again thanks for the warm welcome.

[Bencrest]

Assuming it has tubes, you may or may not be able to set the machine to automatically divert coins into the cashbox. It depends on the coin sorter and tubes themselves - some machines send all coins to the tubes, and when the tubes are full the coins spill out of holes in the side of the tubes themselves. Others keep a record of how many coins the tube should have in, and when the machine believes the tubes are 'full', they will divert the coins into the cashboxes by sending a message to the coin validator / sorter instructing it to send the coins into a different chute.

It might be worthwhile uploading a photo or two of the inside of the machine to us, just to see what your options are

I don't suppose there is a button anywhere that says 'topped up' inside the back of the machine? Normally it would be a highly visible button, with a label pointing to it.

[stanmarsh14]

;)I have 3 keys for it, one is to open the back, one to open the front, cash box and the last one goes in the front and turns but doesn't unlock anything. What is this for?

That will be your refill key, which is normaly a Lowe And Fletcher 87000 (L+F), though there are others that are also used, but this is the most common one. This is used to fill the machine, without having to open it up, via the coin mech.

Also depending on the machine, it cal also be used to check last bank / win, and to set volume levels.

[Mickey D]

"It might be worthwhile uploading a photo or two of the inside of the machine to us, just to see what your options are"

Thanks Guys
I will be round my dad's at the weekend I will take some pics and take a look for the button.
By the way it is now showing a Reset error 04. Does anyone know what this is? He has been playing it with the cash box door off, could this be it?