Azkoyen Palma H / Palma Hz70
MDB Cashless Integration Guide
Complete programming function reference and cashless setup checklist for the Azkoyen Palma H and Palma Hz70 spiral snack vending machines. Vendilator uses a Raspberry Pi + qibixx MDB Hat running as an MDB Level 1 cashless slave — fully compatible with the Palma H's MDB VMC.
Cashless Setup — Critical Machine Settings
These settings must be configured in the Palma H service menu for MDB cashless payments to work. Access the service menu by pressing key C on the programming box, then hold C for 3 seconds to enter a function number directly.
Palma H technical §4.10 + §3.12.8: the 6-way connector is the MDB coin bus. The VMC polls coin address 0x08. With coin mech removed and only the Pi hat on that port, logs show d,STATUS,INIT,0 and A-01-style bus faults. Daisy-chain: machine MDB out → coin changer (or MDB pass-through) → qibixx Peripheral. Hat Master port empty.
Enables the MDB cashless device slot. Without YES the VMC never polls address 0x10 — the Pi hat never receives READER ENABLE or VEND REQUEST.
NO = Multiple Sale — cashless receives VEND REQUEST on product selection. YES = Simple Sale (coin-change behaviour only) — no VEND REQUEST to card reader.
Maximum credit from the cashless device. If 0, card payments are blocked regardless of F454. Must be ≥ highest product price (F201).
When YES, customer must complete a purchase to recover credit. Set NO for normal card-only operation.
Two-step menu on Palma Hz70 firmware: first MASTER on/off, then (if MASTER is on) SLAVE on/off. For a standalone machine with Pi + qibixx cashless only: MASTER=ON (Palma is the MDB bus master), SLAVE=OFF (no satellite/snack+coffee module linked). Cashless is enabled via F454, not F459. 10103 ES Argenta module calls this slot «MDB SATELITE» (Italy NGS/NGT only); 81036830 omits F459 entirely.
Banknote reader on/off. Set NO if no bill validator fitted — avoids VMC waiting for a missing device.
COM gateway for MDB inline change-giver. Set NO unless your coin mechanism uses gateway mode on the bus.
Price for each two-letter selection (e.g. AB). 9999 = deprogrammed / out of service. Must be ≤ F223 MAX.CREDIT.
Power cycle required after changes. After setting F454, F459, and F221, power off the Palma H for 10 seconds, then power the Raspberry Pi first and wait ~15s before powering the vending machine back on. The Palma H re-scans the MDB bus on power-up — the Pi must be ready and advertising on the bus at that moment.
Function 459 — M/S MDB
On your Palma Hz70 (field-verified)
- Enter F459 → screen shows MASTER on/off
- Set MASTER = ON (Palma is the MDB bus master / VMC)
- A second prompt appears: SLAVE on/off
- Set SLAVE = OFF unless you have a second Azkoyen module slaved to this machine (snack + coffee combo)
The Pi + qibixx hat is the MDB cashless device — enable it with F454 CARDREADER = YES, not F459.
What the PDFs say (naming differs)
- 81036830 — skips F459 (458 → 467)
- 10103 ES (Teide Blue / Argenta) — F459 «MDB SATELITE» NO/SI, Italy NGS/NGT only
- 10187 UK — F459 «M/S MDB» marked not operative
Downloadable Manuals
All Palma-related PDFs hosted on this site. The 81036830 operators manual is the primary reference for your Hz70 hand programmer.
Primary Palma Hz70 hand-programmer reference: 454 CARDREADER, 455 BILLREADER, 221/222/223, 229 CARD TEST, 407/408, 412–419, 458 IDETECT, 485 COM GATEWAY, 537 ACCESS CONTROL. Does not list F459.
Install, coin mechanism (MDB/ICP §4.10), Control Card §3.12.7–3.12.9, errors, test mode, two-letter keypad §1.9.
Older firmware menu 010–536 — no F454/F485. Useful for accounting and clock functions.
Shared Azkoyen module (Argenta, Step, Slim, Teide Blue…). 113 functions. F459 «MDB SATELITE» — Italy NGS/NGT only. Closest PDF to MASTER/SLAVE slot.
Cross-machine Azkoyen programming module. Function table names F459 «M/S MDB» but marks it «Not available»; detail page says «Not operative».
Same Azkoyen programming family — F459 «M/S MDB» documented as «Not operative».
Web mirror of the hosted operators PDF above.
Official line specs: EXE/MDB protocols, EVA-DTS.
How the MDB Integration Works
The Palma H communicates over the MDB/ICP (Multi-Drop Bus) protocol — the same bus used by the coin acceptor. Vendilator installs a Raspberry Pi with a qibixx MDB Hat that sits on the same bus as a cashless slave device.
The Pi must be running before the Palma powers up so the hat is visible during the bus scan.
After power-up the VMC polls address 0x10. F454=YES tells the machine to expect a device there.
The Palma sends READER ENABLE. The Hat responds — customer is ready to pay by card.
Customer presses product keys. Palma sends VEND REQUEST with price. Vendilator charges the card via SumUp and approves.
Complete Programming Function Reference
All 118 service-menu functions for the Azkoyen Palma H / Palma Hz70. Sources: 81036830 (03-2015), 10048 UK (02-2004), 10187 UK supplement (F459 naming only).
Manual unloading of MDB coin returner tubes.
Manual re-loading of MDB coin returner tubes.
Manual unload of a single hopper tube (10103 module).
Manual fill of a single hopper tube (10103 module).
Extract a fixed number of coins from a hopper.
Send accounting / incident log to RS-232C printer or PC (9600 8N1).
Send accounting data via GSM modem.
Turn programming panel display on or off.
Test motors, gate, temperature, iDetect, mixers, and other machine elements.
81036830: GSM modem signal quality (0–31). 10103 ES uses F050 as RESET CARD — numbering varies by firmware.
View printed ticket log.
View alternate-selection log (sold-out fallback presses).
Print machine configuration to RS-232 printer. Italy NGS/NGT models only.
Print incident log to RS-232 printer.
Scroll incident log on display.
Display machine control software / EPROM version.
Complete erasure of machine configuration (factory reset).
Amount sold per selection.
Units sold per selection.
Units sold in free-vend mode.
Total amount sold.
Total quantity of units sold.
Total money from free-vend sales.
Cash in box or safe.
Cash in coin returner tubes.
Coin count per change tube (MDB).
Amount manually returned from coin returners.
Total change not given through coin returners.
Amount from prepaid card sales.
Amount from prepaid card recharges.
Cash in banknote reader.
Products not sold by selection (iDetect machines only).
Sales total per work shift.
Takings via MDB tokens.
Erase all accountings (except coin returner).
Erase coin returner accounting.
Protect accounting from accidental erase.
Perpetual (non-erasable) total sales since RAM erase.
Perpetual sales total per shift.
Non-erasable amount in cash box.
Non-erasable amount sent to coin returner.
Non-erasable amount from prepaid cards.
Non-erasable amount from card recharges.
Non-erasable amount from banknote reader.
Non-erasable token sales total.
Per-selection perpetual sales totals.
Perpetual free-vend token total.
Price per selection (two-letter codes AA…GH). 9999 = out of service.
Assign one price to multiple selections.
Assign a single price to all selections.
Program prices on prepaid cards.
Selections enabled via minor access-control token. 10103 ES: ADULT SELECTIONS (age-gate free selections).
Roll-your-own tobacco channel config (Italy).
Motor pulses per selection (1=half turn, 2=full, 9=deactivate).
Days a product may be sold after loading (expiry).
Clear all programmed expiry dates.
Free-vend mode — all products at zero price.
Simple vs Multiple Sale (MDB). Must be NO for cashless.
When YES, credit cannot be returned without a purchase (MDB).
Maximum credit from MDB cashless device. Must be > 0.
Minor token age-gate before sale.
Test card reader sales (not recorded in accounting).
Family and product codes per selection (0–99, accounting).
Group selections (up to 5 groups × 10 selections) for alternate extraction.
Free product from other coils when a selection is sold (max 2).
Remove all selection group associations.
Motors that run together (baguettes, sandwiches, etc.).
4-digit client configuration preset (CMQ).
Seconds remaining change is shown after purchase (MDB).
Seconds credit is shown before erase (MDB).
Coins accepted when machine is NOT out of change.
Max coins per type before service call (MDB).
Coins accepted when OUT of change.
Min coins per tube before OUT OF CHANGE (MDB).
Standby advertising message (max ~105 chars).
Flashing publicity message on display (max 16 chars).
Custom out-of-order message (max 16 chars).
Show/hide product temperature message.
Display language (ES/FR/EN/IT/PT/DE, etc.).
Currency label on display (max 3 chars, e.g. EUR).
Decimal places for currency. 0 = no decimal separator.
Add/remove functions in the personal quick menu (max 32).
Selection keyboard: proximity (YES) or membrane (NO). Anti-vandal letter-only keypad per technical manual §1.9.
Enable or disable the buzzer.
MDB cashless / card reader operative YES/NO.
Banknote reader operative YES/NO.
Product exit detector (iDetect) YES/NO.
Palma Hz70 field UI (verified): enter F459 → MASTER on/off; with MASTER on, SLAVE on/off appears. Recommended standalone + Pi cashless: MASTER=ON, SLAVE=OFF. MASTER=ON makes the Palma the MDB bus master (VMC). SLAVE=OFF = no linked satellite module (Azkoyen snack+coffee slaving). MDB cashless is F454, not this menu. PDFs disagree on naming: 10103 ES (Argenta/Teide) calls it «MDB SATELITE» NO/SI (Italy NGS/NGT); 10187 UK marks «M/S MDB» not operative; 81036830 skips F459 (458→467). Not F489 GESTOR INCID.
Water boiler temperature for hot-drink module (40–95°C).
Auto mixer cleaning interval (15m–12h) and water volume.
Autonomous water supply kit fitted YES/NO.
Include spoon/stirrer with each hot drink YES/NO.
One or two temperature zones.
Refrigeration temperature (°C). 50°C = cold group off.
Sanitary temperature limit — shelves out of service if exceeded.
Machine identification number (6 digits).
Communications board ID (requires comms kit).
Operator code (4 digits).
Operator code for COM board (6 digits).
Infrared accounting transmission settings.
GSM modem / remote communications.
Bluetooth access PIN.
COM gateway for MDB change-giver inline.
SMS alert telephone number (requires comms kit).
Machine name for remote monitoring.
Incident polling interval in seconds.
Incident manager bitmask — which faults trigger SMS (not MDB master/slave).
Hot-drink hopper names (requires comms kit).
Product name shown on display before payment.
Set machine date and time.
24h/AM-PM display; automatic summer time.
Daily coin-acceptance time window.
Weekly coin-acceptance schedule.
Daily lighting on/off schedule.
Weekly lighting schedule.
Daily refrigeration on/off schedule.
Weekly refrigeration schedule.
Active hours for F228 AGE TOKEN.
SOURCES
See Downloadable Manuals above for all PDFs including 10187 UK (F459 «M/S MDB» naming). MDB/ICP Protocol — NAMA official specification.
Ready to add cashless payments to your Palma H?
Vendilator is fully compatible with the Azkoyen Palma H. Set up takes under 30 minutes.
See the Hardware Setup Guide →