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Ball Save Module for SS single ball pinballs


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Hi All

 

I have been toying with this idea for years. A ball save module to fit a SS pinball, it must be a single ball machine. So, fit this module, once you shoot the ball and lose it in like 10 seconds or less. The module would not let the MPU see the ball trough switch. So as far as the machine is concerned, the ball is still in play. The module would then fire the ball kicker, so you can shoot the ball again. Then after the 10 seconds if you lose the ball, the MPU would see the ball trough switch and do all the normal stuff !

Just wondering if its a mod people would want to buy? All these things take me time and money to prototype and create. Thoughts?

 

 

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Good on you Grant. That would be a very clever idea. Unfortunately all my Ballys are multiball with the exception of Captain Fantastic which is an EM. I know the wiring would have to be different of course but if you entertained making an EM version I'm all for it.
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Good on you Grant. That would be a very clever idea. Unfortunately all my Ballys are multiball with the exception of Captain Fantastic which is an EM. I know the wiring would have to be different of course but if you entertained making an EM version I'm all for it.

 

cant see why it would not work on a EM as well. Unfortunately if i do make them, you cant have one cos NSW wont take anything from Sictoria :)

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I think most ss games had a pseudo ball save in that if you drain without scoring a point a new ball would eject.

 

Yeah, on my early Stern SS if you launch the ball and don't hit a single switch, you get your ball back.

 

You also get laughed at by everyone in the room and publicly shamed :lol

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If it is desired :)

 

Cool, I think it's worth a go. Very, very easy to get the ball on BP from the top to between the flippers in under 3 seconds but score one bumper hit......Grrrrrrr.

 

Wondering how each machine will detect the ball has actually entered the playfield area before the timer starts. The firing the outhole kicker I don't see as a problem however you will need a timer in that circuit so the ball actually settles before the outhole kicker kicks.

Having the outhole kick immediately when the switch is made simply won't work. There is more chance the ball will come back up between the flippers than fire over the "hump" unless you allow the ball to settle first.

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Could you wire a light (maybe same player shoots again when lit) to flash for how ever many seconds to indicate if it will work?

 

Yep, sure can, you could put it under the credit up light on the apron and flash or whatever. it will have a little programable chip on it, so i could do all sorts of spiffy stuff. Its feedback like this I want, I had not even thought of this. Thank you from Sictoria.....

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If you controlled both the outhole and trough kickout coils, you could potentially still do multiball machines? I assume you're starting a timer off the shooter lane switch?

 

Ball drains before timer expires

kick outhole coil

kick trough coil

 

If you monitored the ball1 trough switch too you could be a bit more intelligent

 

Ball drains before timer and there's a ball in trough 1: kick trough, kick outhole

ball drains before timer and there's no ball in trough 1, kick outhol, kick trough

 

?

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If you controlled both the outhole and trough kickout coils, you could potentially still do multiball machines? I assume you're starting a timer off the shooter lane switch?

 

Ball drains before timer expires

kick outhole coil

kick trough coil

 

If you monitored the ball1 trough switch too you could be a bit more intelligent

 

Ball drains before timer and there's a ball in trough 1: kick trough, kick outhole

ball drains before timer and there's no ball in trough 1, kick outhol, kick trough

 

?

 

Yeah things start to get horribly complex when i have to trick a multiball machine and all its optos. I basically have to cut into them, then mimic there outputs to the CPU. Gets very complex for a mod for someone to wire in to their machine. The single ball is way simpler, just connect the ball trough switch into my board and mimic it to the CPU . Then I take over the ball trough shooter solenoid. but thanks for the suggestions as this is the feedback i want.

 

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I should mention the Gottlieb EM's will give the ball back if you didn't score on your first ball. After that your on your own. :o

 

Only multiplayer machines and only for player 1. Because the reels are all 0000 still, it can't tell if it's the start or end of the first ball. Once player 1 ahs scored though, it knows the machine has reset correctly, so player 2 gets no such advantage.

 

Wedgeheads use a separate ball count unit adn know when ball 1 ends regardless of score.

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Yeah things start to get horribly complex when i have to trick a multiball machine and all its optos. I basically have to cut into them, then mimic there outputs to the CPU. Gets very complex for a mod for someone to wire in to their machine. The single ball is way simpler, just connect the ball trough switch into my board and mimic it to the CPU . Then I take over the ball trough shooter solenoid. but thanks for the suggestions as this is the feedback i want.

 

I was thinking SS machines, before DMDs and optos and such. System 11 etc still used microswiches in the trough.

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I don't know that many machines that have one. Where it's present, yes.

 

Simple enough to fit one and unless you start the timer from that point, the timer could expire if the ball isn't shot up immediately defeating the whole purpose of this useful add on.

 

As for the SS multball machines, Williams, treating the 3rd trough position as the outhole switch may be required as they use the outhole switch solely to allow the ball to settle before kicking the ball to the 3rd trough position and then the ball is acknowledged as lost, ( through memory);)

Maybe firing the 1st trough kicker when the outhole kicker is fired when there is still time left may fool the system. Because there is no ball in the 3rd position for long enough, it may do what you require.

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