---
title: "NoteAcceptor"
url: "https://maker.wiznet.io/minsu/projects/NoteAcceptor/"
markdown_url: "https://maker.wiznet.io/minsu/projects/NoteAcceptor/md"
type: "UCC: User Created Content"
author: "minsu"
author_url: "https://maker.wiznet.io/minsu/"
original_author: "minsu"
original_url: "https://wiki.nottinghack.org.uk/wiki/NoteAcceptor"
published: "2019-04-02"
language: "en"
hardware: ["w5100 Arduino Ethernet Shield"]
likes: 0
views: 549
comments: 0
source: "WIZnet Makers (https://maker.wiznet.io/)"
---

# NoteAcceptor

> NoteAcceptor

Original author: minsu (source: https://wiki.nottinghack.org.uk/wiki/NoteAcceptor)

## Components

- **w5100 Arduino Ethernet Shield** x 1
- Software: **daniel1111**

## Article

The idea of the note acceptor is to make paying off [Vending Machine](https://wiki.nottinghack.org.uk/wiki/Vending_Machine) / [snackspace](https://wiki.nottinghack.org.uk/wiki/Snackspace) / [Laser cutter](https://wiki.nottinghack.org.uk/wiki/Laser_cutter) bills much quicker and easier; it can also be used to find out your current balance.

### Main components

The main components of the note acceptor are:

- Innovative Technology NV4 note acceptor

- MFRC-522 RFID reader (Ebay)

- 20x4 I2C LCD display (HCARDU0023)

- Arduino Uno

- Wiznet based Ethernet shield

### NV4 note acceptor

The NV4 note acceptor is configured to use serial @ 300bps to communicate with the Arduino - fortunately there was a detailed [operations manual](http://comestero.pagesperso-orange.fr/pdf/lecteur_de_billets/manuel_nv4_nv5.pdf) online that included the protocol used by the note acceptor. This along with a TTL serial interface made the NV4 note acceptor very straightforward to use with an Arduino. ![](https://maker.wiznet.io/uploads/2019/04/note2-300x237.png)

### RFID Reader

The RFID is an MFRC-522 based board as avaialble very cheaply on Ebay, and is using an RFID library by [miguelbalboa](https://github.com/miguelbalboa/rfid).

### Protoshield

There are 3x IDC 10 way connectors (for the RFID reader, LCD and note acceptor) and a connecter for a cancel button with LED on a [protoshield](http://shop.ciseco.co.uk/protox-standard-worlds-best-prototype-shield-for-xino-and-all-arduino-type-boards/) along with voltage regulator and terminals for power. The note acceptor requires 12v, so the voltage regulator is to provide 5v for the Arduino & LCD. The Arduino pin assignments are at the top of [Config.h](https://github.com/NottingHack/NoteAcceptor/blob/master/Config.h). ![](https://maker.wiznet.io/uploads/2019/04/note3-300x233.png)

### Network Connection

The Arduino is connected to holly over Ethernet using MQTT (specifically using the [pubsubclient](https://github.com/knolleary/pubsubclient) library), and the server side is effectively implemented as a second [vending machine](https://wiki.nottinghack.org.uk/wiki/Vending_Machine). As such, the messages sent to and from [holly](https://wiki.nottinghack.org.uk/wiki/Holly) are the same as the vending machines [cashless device](https://wiki.nottinghack.org.uk/wiki/Vending_Machine/Cashless_Device_Implementation), except they are sent over an MQTT connection, instead of UDP/IP. This flowchart shows the messaging between the Arduino and Holly (a more detailed description of the messages is on the [vending machine page](https://wiki.nottinghack.org.uk/wiki/Vending_Machine/Cashless_Device_Implementation): ![](https://maker.wiznet.io/uploads/2019/04/not4-212x300.png) As the server side code controls the vending machine as well as the note acceptor (and the vending machine came first), the messages are little vending-machine oriented.

---

Source: https://maker.wiznet.io/minsu/projects/NoteAcceptor/