What should I use? Pulse or MDB?
Both Pulse and MDB can be used to add payments to your photo booth, but they offer different levels of control and flexibility.
Pulse
Pulse systems are simple and cost-effective. They send a basic signal when payment is made, which can be converted (e.g. via an I-PAC2) into a keyboard shortcut in Breeze to trigger actions such as starting a session (any supported Breeze shortcut can be used). They are best suited to single price setups. However, they are limited in functionality, as the booth cannot request specific amounts, confirm authorisation, or respond to different payment outcomes.
MDB
MDB systems are more advanced and provide two-way communication, allowing the booth to request exact payment amounts, confirm successful transactions, handle failures, and support more flexible workflows such as charging for reprints, offering extra copies, or selecting different print layouts at different prices. This makes MDB more powerful and reliable, but also slightly more complex and higher cost to set up.
Can I upgrade from Pulse to MDB?
Many payment terminals support both Pulse and MDB, meaning you can start with a simple Pulse setup and upgrade later. By adding the appropriate hardware (such as an MDB cable and a QIBIXX interface), you can switch to MDB without needing to replace your payment terminal.