Friday, July 28, 2023

How to setup a ITC 5400 Paystation (Coin-Op) for use with papercut

 


I've recently just setup a new Coin-Op and printer to use with papercut. It is very fancy taking debit, credit bill and coins. This post will guide you though the settings for configuring the Coin-Op for use with Papercut and the settings for using credit/debit.

To start there is a config file from the vendor ITC.  It should be located in the “root/extensions/credit-sources” folder.  The filename is X5400CreditSource.properites. The papercut print release system communicates to the coin-op using a USB to Serial cable. I've had very good success with the FTDI chipset for these cables.






It has all the setting for communicating with the Coin-Op

##########################

## DEVICE CONFIGURATION ##

##########################


#

# Serial port identifier

#

port=COM3


###############################

## SERIAL PORT CONFIGURATION ##

###############################


#

# Baud rate to use on serial port

#

baud-rate=9600


#

# Data bits to use on serial port

#

data-bits=8


#

# Stop bit to use on serial port 

#

stop-bits=1


#

# Parity to use on serial port. Options are: 

#    [0] none 

#    [1] odd

#    [2] even

#    [3] mark

#    [4] space

#

parity=0



############################################

## ADVANCED CONFIGURATION; AVOID ALTERING ##

############################################


#

# Maximum number of write attempts to serial port (if the first should happen to fail)

#

retries-write=10


#

# Maximum number of read attempts to serial port (if the first should happen to fail)

#

retries-read=10


#

# Maximum number of tries to receive a valid response from the device

#

retries-valid=5


#

# Timeout for connecting to serial port

#

timeout-connect=750


#

# Timeout for reads/write to serial port

#

timeout-device-response=1000


#

# Timeout for receiving a valid message from device

#

timeout-messenger-receive=1500


#

# Time to wait for controller thread to finish 

#

interval-wait-end-session=750


#

# Time to wait before reading response once signaled its available

#

interval-wait-read=100


#

# Time to wait for RMI server to start

#

interval-wait-rmi=250


#

# Polling interval for response availability

#

interval-poll-messenger=25


#

# Polling interval for available credit

#

interval-poll-controller=50


#

# Interval for retrying read/writes

#

interval-retry=25


Ensuring thatOn the coin-op there are 4 buttons moving and modifying settings as shown below.


The MENU button moves you back a menu if you're in a level deeper than the first level; Enter will take you down the levels of the menu and UP/DOWN with cycle you though the menu or allow you to change options.  Below are what some typical settings could look like for the coin-op to operate properly and are what the costs are. You will note I have the cash and the credit price set as the same.  You can make these prices different for the different types of payment formats. It depends on what you want. In this case I want the price to be the same if you are paying with either cash or credit. Please note these settings can only be modified when the Coin-Op is in bypass mode and making changes to these settings require rebooting the Coin-Op.  This is done by pulling the power cable.


System Setup -> Com3 Parity -> Set to NONE

Print Type -> Set to Protocol 1 (Papercut Connection)

Prices Cash -> line 1 Cash cost -> $1.00 (black and white)

Prices Cash -> line 2 Cash cost -> $2.00 (colour)

Prices Credit -> line 1 Credit cost -> $1.00 (black and white)

Prices Credit -> line 2 Credit cost -> $2.00 (colour)

Coin Changer -> Return Escrow -> Anytime (cash return - coins)

Print Setup -> Com Port? -> Com 1 (Printer Connection)


Papercut communicates with the Coin-Op though COM 3 any printer setup to charge for coping would typically use COM 1.  The papercut communication is enabled though the Print Type-> Protocol 1 which uses the COM 3 port for this post.


If you are setting up a new coin-op that you are charging people for copying/printing this should get you up and going.


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