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Fruit Machines can be a fun way of passing the time, but can also be very expensive.

I tend to only play then very occasionally, as you can get hooked very easily.

However if you want to play them, and do not have the first idea of how to play them, or what sort of the buttons mean, then this ebook is for you.

A lot of the information will be out of date by now, but the basics are still as relevant today as they were when this was published.

Download the Fruit Machine - Bandit Bible Ebook (1.35MB).

This file has been virus checked, but please check it with your own anti-virus software.

I have found I kept getting an error when I modified some of the example code.

The error message was:

After trying a few of the suggested fixes I was starting to give up hope.

Luckly I found a post suggesting  to change the configuration from debug to retail and recompiling.

It worked!

OpenCV stands for Open Computer Vision Library.

OpenCV is an open source library for computer vision development.  There are some very interesting sample applications included with this library.

This sounds like the perfect start for Sir Bones.

Before we can start we need to be able to build the library.

Requirements

• OpenCV Library
• Visual Studio 2005 Express C++
• Windows Platform SDK

Optional

• Visual Studio 2005 Express C++ SP1

We are going to be using Microsoft Visual Studio for this install.
The reasons for this include Support from OpenCV, Lots of Internet Articles for creating software, MSDN, Offical Software and its FREE.

Step 1 - Installing Visual C++ and Platform SDK

Visit http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/visualc/usingpsdk/ and follow Microsofts Guide to setup Visual C++ and the Platform SDK.

When you get to Step 3, add this line to "Include Files" (assume default install location)
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Platform SDK for Windows Server 2003 R2\Include\mfc

This is because OpenCV requires some files that are inside that folder.

Step 2 - Update Visual C++ with Service Pack 1 (Optional)

Service Packs for the each of the Visual Studio products are available on one page from Microsoft.

Visual Studio 2005 Express SP1

The specific update that you will require is called "C++ 2005 Express Edition SP1 - VS80sp1-KB926748-X86-INTL.exe"

Step 3 - Install OpenCV

Go get OpenCV Library and download OpenCV 1.0 for Windows

Installation is straight forward.

Step 4 - Customising Visual C++ for use with OpenCV

We need to setup the directories for Open Visual C++

• Open Visual C++
• Choose menu "Tools" and select "Options"
• In "Projects and Solutions"  and go to "VC++ Directories"
• Show directories for "Library Files"
• Add "C:\Program Files\OpenCV\lib" to the list of directories

Step 5 - Open "OpenCV Workspace .NET 2005"

In the start menu a folder called "Open CV" was created when you installed OpenCV.

Inside the folder "OpenCV" there is a shortcut called "OpenCV Workspace .NET 2005"

Open "OpenCV Workspace .NET 2005"

This will load OpenCV solution within Visual C++

There is one last thing you need to do, to be able to compile OpenCV.

• Choose menu "Build" and Select "Configuration Manager"
• Change "Active solution configuration" to either "Debug" or "Release"

Step 6 - Build

Now that everything is installed and setup; building OpenCV should be a breeze.

• Choose menu "Build" and Select "Build Solution"

Building OpenCV can take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour.
When I built OpenCV it took about 10 minutes.< /p>

Congratulations OpenCV is now installed and built.

Update: Problem compiling OpenCV with Visual C++

Have you ever wanted to record information in notepad and automatically have the date and time inserted?

Well now you can.

Open notepad and insert the following:

.LOG

Now save the document as <filename>.log

Also change the "Save as type" to "All Files", this is to prevent notepad saving the document as <filename>.log.txt

(Remember to replace <filename> with the actual name of the document you want to save as)

Now every time you open this document, the current date and time will be entered in for you.

Easy huh?

View Video of this useful trick for notepad in action

I have been looking everywhere for some realistic ears for Sir Bones.   The idea of the ears is to channel forward sound in to the microphone; just like in the human body.

Trying to find realist ears is actually quite hard.  Most of the ears available are novelty ears, over-sized and not very realistic.
I even went into a fancy dress shop to ask if they knew where I could get some, with no luck.

Recently I was shopping in Tesco's and I noticed this scary Halloween mask. The ears were almost perfect size for Sir Bones, so I could not resist buying this face mask.

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Sir Bones has had a quiet life, constantly listening and not being able to say a word.

Today will change all that. 

Sir Bones gets a voice (module).

All that is really needed is a speaker attached to a 3.5mm jack, but I prefer to have Sir Bones portable, so we'll be using a USB Sound card aka USB Voip Handset. 

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With the ability to hear and to see, Sir Bones is progressing very well.

 Sir Bones needs to be able to communicate with the world around him.

What Sir Bones needs is a voice.

I have a voip handset, which is basically a USB sound card, which has a standard 3.5mm audio jack.

What I need now is to find a good enough speaker to fit inside Sir Bones, which is also loud enough to be heard.

We don't want him sounding weak now

When using cutting tools is essential to use eye protection.

During the cutting of the base weight for Sir Bones, one of the cutting disc broke and a large piece flew into my glasses.

Best to be safe not sorry. 

After all the modification to Sir Bones's skull, he is starting to be a little too top heavy for the base.

What was needed would be some extra weight.

The Logitech microphones came with quite a heavy base and they will save having throw them out.

There should be enough combined weight to keep Sir Bones upright.

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Requirements:

• 2 Microphones
• some wire ( Used cat5 cable )
• drill
• glue gun

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