I love this. How compatible is the firmware across games? Is writing something for a different game like mapping switch to sound files only, or more challenging?
Great video on a game I'm also fixing. Mine has a bonus counting issue too. How did you set the machine up for testing the bonus unit for manual activation shown at 16:48. After setting up a few bonuses do you clip any switches closed then activate the lever? And if you don't mind answering, what glue did you use for securing the inserts?
Very well explained! Thanks so much! On top of the valuable lesson, I now know what that unlabeled mystery Jones plug purpose is! LOL (Score Motor power)
Is the score reel advancing when the switch is activated? If not, then clean the score/adjust the corresponding relay. Look at the L relay if it's the 1,000. I just had this problem this weekend on a different Sure Shot.
TROLEX REPAIRS, why do some games don't save the highscore data to the CMOS chips when replacing the linear power supplies with a switching power supply it won't save the highscore data to the CMOS chips when using a switching power supply, not sure why.
What does the Arduino kit boards do to the pinball game? also what does the JUMPERS do to the pinball game? each jumper should do something I'm guessing to the address buss
looks like he's rewritten the game firmware on an arduino, this board interfaces it to the original hardware... If you're already custom-making boards, why not throw the microcontroller right on there for an all-in-one solution? Could still leave exposed a serial port (or even USB with another chip) for re-flashing. I did this for a few other (non-pinball) arcade machines whose manufacturer discontinued the original boards...
How do "memory coils" drop off targets work? Because the ROM chips game code would have to store in NV RAM the drop targets coils state up or down state for player#1 and player#2. I think it stores the drop targets coils states in NV RAM or static RAM
Can you make a video lesson talking about the dual collect bonus unit how it's working well the theory behind it because it's a very interesting unit that I don't think most other em pinball games would have. Explaining the theory of operations would be nice but also another question I have I think a lot of the games were meant to be played with 110 volts of from the wall outlet and if the wall outlet is at 120 and higher at 125 cuz a lot of times it depends on the load the the flippers are going to be stronger and batting the ball so you're practically cheating the game and and the the game is not meant for that it's it was meant for $110 it says it on the schematic and as well as on the back plate of the pinball machine it should say 110 vac not 120vac something to check out look into the em games to see if that's true or not and get back to me in the comments thanks. If the em games were meant for $110 the insulation on the power transformer and the game is going to break down the insulation of the wire that's around the transformers going to break down faster as well as the coils The flipper coils and all the coils are going to be the lifespan is going to be less it's probably going to be 10 or 20% less because it's being worn out
I had the SS version of Sinbad once upon a time. My godfather and I love playing around with electronics when I was growing up, and it evolved into repairing pinball machines! Sinbad was the one I miss the most due to it's deceptive simplicity, lol
I have another video (Gottlieb Sure Shot) that had a timing issue that was counting the bonus incorrectly. In essence, the pulse wasn't long enough to register one of the bonus points. Usually if it's a timing issue, it's probably going to be something with the score motor. Either a switch is letting go too early or staying on too long. This can cause problems with relays staying engaged or not engaged.
@@troxelrepair EM games that have Timing Issues, I have been told its the relays turning off/on that are Off Sync and not IN SYNC with the score motors CAM impulse switches/CAM Divots. I'm not sure what are the differences between CAM impulses compared to CAM Divots or they are the same thing just different names impulses/divots. But when an EM game has timing issues the CAM impulses/CAM divots are OFF SYNC with the turning off/off the voltage to the relays. I'm not sure what is causing the OFF Sync issues because the relays voltage will stay on for a millisecond or more even after the CAM divots/impulses have passed the rotation over the relay leafs blades. The store motor is turning in circles which the stores motors CAMs have divots which have nodes that will OPEN the relays leaf blades but the relays also have to turn off/on the voltages to the relays. So the relays voltages turning on/off the relays will have to be "in sync" with the store motors cams impulses/cam divots?
Nice analytical diagnostics. And good camera work too - it's not easy filming in those tight spaces with enough light. Previous owner obviously wanted to throw you a curve ball with the dog in the 's' position (and you can see the mark on the fork that it really belongs in the 'l' position). I passed up the opportunity to buy a 9/10 Sure Shot for a bargain price a few years ago and still regret it - I think it's the only wedge head that has a bonus feature.
Thanks for the comment. It took me a minute to figure out why it wasn't working. I tried adjusting the switch to start, but then realized what was wrong.
Been watching a couple videos this morning on based on DickHamill's project. Thanks for documenting this.... I plan to have a go at tackling this for my Meteor & Trident (can I call it a Mermaid edition??) but your video was helpful.
60's EM games used AC voltages for the relays, solenoids, coils and in the 70's they switched to DC. I'm not sure why when using AC voltages that the solenoids and coils are less strength and weaker compared to using DC voltage the solenoids and coils are stronger. For some reason which doesn't make sense is that 1 amp of AC current is weaker compared to 1 amp of DC current, any reasons why? this is why pinball games use DC voltages instead of AC voltages because designers are saying that AC voltages AC current is weak, not sure why.
That's a good question. I have always read that DC is more snappy or peppy than AC. My initial guess is DC is also used to power the PCBs on newer machines and easier to maintain the exact voltage.
@@troxelrepair but EM games don't use PCBs they there is AC EM games and DC EM games. The DC voltage was higher is voltage also to +48DCvolts and AC voltage used was +24 vac for the solenoids and coils I think. I'm not sure why they used different voltages for AC and DC for the solenoids and coils in EM games, do you know why?
@@waynegram8907 Good question. I don't know why the switch from one to the other. I wondering if more electronic parts were available and cheaper as solid states games were getting closer manufacture to the end of EMs. How long did companies know that they were going to be switching over to SS? However, I know some earlier games used DC, too.
@@troxelrepair yes there is EM games that use DC before SS. I'm not sure why there is EM games that use AC and then the designed started using DC voltages on EM games. AC voltages used on solenoids coils are suppose to be stronger but the designers switch to using DC voltages which the solenoids coils are stronger and have more power. I'm not sure why the designers switched from using AC voltages to using DC voltages but it has something to do with the solenoids coils strength and power
Thanks for the make the video. Can you make one on how the lamp matrix and switch matrix circuits work in 70's and 80's pinball games because they use Diodes to reduce wiring harness but don't know how the row and columns works using a strobe signal with diodes.
@@troxelrepair EM games have a Lock relay that is connected to the coin door relay for some reason they both have to been on for the EM game to work. All EM pinball games Reset circuit and Reset coils are wired differently to reset the score motors and other stepper motor switches, Can you make a video about the EM reset circuits and Reset coils how they work with the resetting of the stepping motors and resetting the score motors?
@@troxelrepair yes each EM pinball game has a different start up sequence which I don't know which order of events and sequence happens during start up.
@@troxelrepair The Reset Relay has to Reset the ball count unit, player unit, bonus unit, coin door unit. The ball count unit is connected to all index relays which I have no idea why they call them "index" but there are a bunch of index coils in EM games. The outhole relay is NOT connected to the ball count unit so not sure what is counting how much balls went in the outhole.
I don't do anything. If the contacts are really pitted or causing some sort of problem, I either replace the contact or the whole switch. I haven't worried about the arcing.
@@troxelrepair I think the newer pinball games put a capacitor across the switch contacts to prevent the arcing sparks. I don't know why a capacitor in parallel with the switch contacts will prevent the arcing sparks. Have you seen this and know how this capacitor will reduce the arcing sparks?
