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Description: The Safe, MCI, 6/74, game is time based, adjustable 30, 45, 60 or 90 seconds. It also has a random function where the game picks the time allotment. After inserting a coin, a timer number appears in the red LED display. As soon as the player moves the safe dial, the timer begins to count down. The player tries to spin the tumbler slowly left and right (a lamp designates the turn direction), and watch the volt meter for the correct combination number (from 0 to 5 volts, where 5 volts is the correct combo number.) As the timer counts down, and the player must open the safe in the time allotted. There are three levels of skill adjustment from easy, medium and hard - this adjusts the speed allowed on the safe dial (harder skill selections means the player must dial the safe slower.) There are four directional combinations. If the player gets the right "combinations" to open the safe door, a token is ejected into the safe area for the player to collect - the player is demmed a "Super Agent" (light on the front panel), and the token also says "Super Agent." The tokens are cheezy and cannot be used to play the game. The game uses all TTL logic, there is no cpu processor. The safe dial uses an LED (glows red when working), which reads a round clear plastic disk with black timing marks. This way the game knows how fast the player is spinning the safe dial. If spun too fast, the game makes a "ERRR" raspberry noise, and you must start over. If the player gets through all four right/left/right/left combination turns, a loud siren is heard, and the safe door pops open - this is done using a solenoid on the safe door. Also another token solenoid energizes, releasing a Super Spy token to the open safe area. The door and token solenoid energize at the same time, when the combination is achieved. The game is often called "Open the Safe", but in reality the true name of the game is "The Safe." Game also came in two colors, yellow and blue. The game uses an LM309 voltage regulator for the 5 volts. Also a 4700mfd 16v cap is used to filter the 10vdc that is the input for the LM309. Often this cap fails. One of the biggest problems with the Safe is the door tumbler LED system. It uses one visible LED transmitter and two LED receivers, and an LM324 opto signal amplifier. This is how the game knows which direction the user turns the dial and how fast. Unfortunately this is a less reliable system. Some have replaced the opto board with a green Happ track ball optic board A052-1010-00 which has two U-shapped optic. You will also need the associated spinner assembly. This board uses a 74HC14 chip and has a four pin connector. The Happ opto board with the 74HC14 chip provides a much improved stairstep signal, opposed to the original "fuzzy" signal the original MCI opto board provided. Another alternative is to use the Betson Imperial trackball board. It again uses two U-shaped optos and a 74HC14 chip, but it's much smaller and easier to mount than the Happ trackball opto board. In either case be it Happ or Imperial, the original Safe LED board and Happ trackball board are not pin compatible. Hence some work is needed to adapt the wiring - it's only four wires so it is not difficult. The original MCI opto board uses a four pin .093 round pin connector. The Happ and Imperial use a .156 straight four pin connector. I made a small adaptor board that plugs into the original MCI harness with a four pin .093" male connector pins going to a four pin .156 Molex connector. Here's the pinout:
Note the trackball opto interrupter plastic (or metal) must be used with the new opto board. The original MCI opto plastic is easily removed with the stock 10-32 screw. Then the new opto interrupter can be mounted in its place.
MCI Safe Manual (PDF) If you have an MCI The Safe for sale, please contact cfh@provide.net
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Yellow version of the MCI The Safe arcade game.
Modified safe opto system for the dial using Happ A052-1010-00 trackball optic board.
This modification proves to be very reliable, but requires the opto board to mount flat, and the U-optic to mount at a right angle.
This modification uses the Betson Imperial trackball optic board.
A 3d printed mount plate allows the board to be cleanly mounted to the game. But since the board stands upright,
a modification to the door mount plate much be done.
To mount the Betson Imperial trackball opto board, the interior safe door had to be cut.
To cover this, a 3d printed box is used to hide the new opto board setup.
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