MDB older machines

[Corvus Corax]

Okay, I'm sure it's been asked and answered before but here goes. I have 3 DN368 two deep can machines, can I MDB them? Also have 2 National 147/148s, and a Glasco clone, Same question. I also have what looks like the Royal version of a 368, also would like to MDB it.

Thanks in advance.

[AZVendor]

No MDB on single price machines and the snacks you listed would need aftermarket logic boards to put MDB into them.

[AngryChris]

D&S Vending has a control board listed for the Royal 2000 series.  If the Royal you are referring to is a 2000 series, which will likely have a board with eprom version 5.xx on it, then you can buy the aftermarket board, mech, and validator and you'll be all-mdb on that machine.  That's probably well over $600 for the conversion just to make it MDB.  You won't really add any features unless you plan on investing an additional $300 in a card reader.  

For the 147/148's, you can use an aftermarket board as AZVendor said, but the costs will be at least $600 to add the board, mech, and validator.  You can also upgrade the board only with an InOne board and keep your existing components but you won't technically be using MDB so there's no point in doing that for your purposes.  On the glasco, it 100% depends on what's in it.  I will be upgrading a gs2 once I get a validator to put in there.  It appears to the glasco versions came with several different boards and other accessories.

For the single price, there is no board you can add.  With all machines, including the single-price, you can buy a conversion kit that requires you to cut wires and tie some wires together with wire nuts in order to add MDB components.  For about $150-$200 for the module, and $200-$300 for used MDB mech and validator, you could make any of them MDB-capable but you might not be able to add a card reader depending on what module it is.

I recently bought one MDB conversion module just to try it at a location with an AP 5000.  I did it mostly just out of curiosity and because I had some spare parts to do it.  In reality, I would have been better off getting an InOne board and using a TRC-6000 and VN-2511 as I had to use a 24-volt validator for the conversion which I really could have used elsewhere.  Regardless, the machine works fine but the machine is slow to register and payout money.  You can put a dollar or change in, and have to wait a few seconds for it to even register, then you might get SOME change back initially, then you get the rest of your change once you make the actual selection and wait a few more seconds.  Overall, the module conversion works but I think it should be reserved for applications where swapping out a machine isn't feasible but you have to have MDB in there, like if a machine was making good money and located up a flight of stairs but your customers wanted card acceptance.  Or maybe if you live in an area where your machines are profitable enough to add some upgrades (card readers, $5,$10,$20 acceptance) but you cannot find any movers.  Aside from those instances, for the money, I get rid of single-price machines and older machines that aren't worth upgrading and I invest into newer equipment.  For example, I no longer want anything older than a National 157/158 or an AP 110.  I'll settle for a 157/158 or a 110 but finding something that is newer is worth way more if the price is right because no conversion is necessary and parts might be more available (but not always).

[Corvus Corax]

My main reason is to add PARLEVEL telemetry.  I have some Mars 2512s and some Conlux 5s, so mechs and validators aren't a big issue.

[AngryChris]

I don't know if the kits for single-price machines will report you anything.  You might be limited solely to card sales.