Connecting any electrical device to a computer?!?!

[joeyhaveafew]

Was hoping someone could point me in the right direction for researching this topic... I would like to somehow connect a vending machine dispenser to my computer, from where I would control it's operation. Any help would be appreciated... Thank you!!!

 

[AND_YOU_ARE]

I would think you would have to write some sort of program to interface with the vending machine through a serial port or usb port. Have you worked with writing software to function with hardware? A few friends of mine at college are working on this, but not with a vending machine.

One last question, why?

 

[DJ-CHRIS]

Use a program for the serial or paralell port (their's some out their) to control relay's hooked up to the vending machinne

 

[Echo_]

im guessing you would need a specially made vending machine
unless your really smart and can figure it out

 

[killians45]

use a plc to control logical output to either it, relays, switches, push buttons or whatever.

 

[Pilotwings119]

WOW! thats quite a project.. please keep us updated and post some pictures of this! thats really awesome..

 

[joeyhaveafew]

Thanks!

Thanks or the help everybody! It might take me awhile, but I'll let you know how it turns out. Thanks again!

 

[CntdwnToExtn]

*hacks vending machine computer* oh ya!!! free food!!! hahah

tha's gonna be quite the task there....

 

[ShoobieRat]

I seriously doubt he's doing this to make a device to hack vending machines for free food. And if he is, good luck, 'cause it ain't gonna be as simple as stuffing a serial cable into it and having fun.

Anyway, I'd be willing to bet that if you have a market-available vending machine, that you could just call up the company that made it (or go to their website) and get some executables and stuff for operating the link. That's how these things are updated and altered, and if you bought the machine, chances are they have software for you to use to talk to it already.

 

[CntdwnToExtn]

I seriously doubt he's doing this to make a device to hack vending machines for free food. And if he is, good luck, 'cause it ain't gonna be as simple as stuffing a serial cable into it and having fun.

haha, i was just messin' around....