American Pinball Machine Question

[drcrippen324]

so mark why have we not got pics and or vids of your new toy yet

[mark1120]

so mark why have we not got pics and or vids of your new toy yet

If everything goes as planned, I'll post some pictures this weekend I've rented a cargo van from Enterprise and have made plans to pick it up on Saturday. I just hope its in decent shape because I think the seller acquired it as part of a container purchase. At some point, I'll have a pinball repairman come out and give it a once over to make sure everything is working properly. Just 5 more days!!

[new in town]

The first thing I did when I got mine was take it completly apart an do a full shop job on it. Made a big difference in how fast the machine plays.

Have fun and you thought Pachis are adictive just wait.

I like the cleaning and repair of them, kind of calming for me in a strange way.

You Too. Same here. Burnt out a two drum rock tumbler polishing all the "Bits" on my 1993 Indiana Jones Machine.

[fast toys]

You Too. Same here. Burnt out a two drum rock tumbler polishing all the "Bits" on my 1993 Indiana Jones Machine.

I don't know if you noticed about 3 weeks ago a bunch NOS plasitics showed up. I got a set for $160. Yep the were originals and in perfect condition, got lucky as they seem to be all gone...

I also have the "Silly ROMs" in mine, makes for some funny looks from people that have not played my machine before.
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I also have the "Silly ROMs" in mine, makes for some funny looks from people that have not played my machine before.

Here are some of the quotes fom the game:

1. Dr. Crusher: "Do you have medical insurance?"
2. Dr. Crusher: "Do you realize most of my patients die?"
3. Dr. Crusher: "Hello mama, my name is Jack."
4. Dr. Crusher: "James Cleveland, James Cleveland."
5. Dr. Crusher: "Hello Mama, my name is Jack" w/ piano.
6. Dr. Crusher: "James Cleveland, James Cleveland" w/piano.
7. Generic computer voice: "Initiate Stimulation."
8. Geordi: "Sweetie, that'll be enough of this."
9. Geordi: "It's great to be a black man in the 24th century."
10. Picard: "Space the final frontier." (Elmer Fudd type voice)
11. Picard: "Space the final frontier." (different voice)
12. Picard: "Where would you like to put in now Q?"
13. Picard: "Brilliant Patrick."
14. Picard: "Beyond belief Patrick."
15. Picard: "Fantastic Patrick."
16. Picard: "Well Done Patrick."
17. Picard: "We will never surrender unless you pay us enough."
18. Q: "Owen, you are nothing but a big fat bum."
19. Q: "Ok Keegan, you butthead, let's see you really play this game."
20. Q: "Ryan, I'm gonna come out and squeeze your neck."
21. Q: "If you aren't good boys I'll come out and freeze you."
22. Q: "Ok kids its time to do your homework."
23. Riker: "Let me ask you one quick question...is this the edge of reality?"
24. Riker: "Beanie & Cecil are one."
25. Troi: "Honey, surfs up dude."
26. Picard: "Hello Patrick, it's so good to see you again...I'm glad the two of us are together...you mean so much to me...I hope you have fun...good luck."
27. Worf: "Hello Mr. Dorn."
28. Worf: "You are very handsome, Michael Dorn."

[mark1120]

so mark why have we not got pics and or vids of your new toy yet

I finally picked up the Star Trek Next Generation pinball machine yesterday.

Overall, I'm quite pleased with the external condition of the machine and I'm amazed at how many features, games within games, etc. this machine has to offer.

As I've begun to play it, I think I've come across a few mechanical problems though. For instance, the cannon on the left side of the machine hasn't moved yet and its not lined up with a chute like the one on the right. Also, there's a feature that has you launch a probe...or maybe that's one of the game choices...in any event, the machine seems to go through a lot of loud system checks whenever that game is selected. I need to get my hands on a manual and maybe take it to a pinball shop for a once over.

[Chris]

Yes - The gun on the left should be lined up with shute, like the right hand gun.

When you turn the machine on does the right hand one move when setting up, but not the left hand one?

[luckydog]

free pinball manuals here

Manualer


star trek here

http://files.flipperspill.no/Support...TNG_Manual.pdf

[mark1120]

Yes - The gun on the left should be lined up with shute, like the right hand gun.

When you turn the machine on does the right hand one move when setting up, but not the left hand one?

Yes, the one on the right moves during set up. I won the machine on ebay about a week ago. The ebay listing included the following in the description:

"Excellent working condition All glass intact, all buttons and trigger working. Lighting all working." The seller had a 99.2% feedback rating on more than a thousand transactions.

When I picked it up, the seller started it up and shot a ball into play and I guess it looked normal to me considering I had never played it before, so I took the description at its face value. As I've started playing it and have been given mission options, etc., I'm finding that it might not be working as intended. It seems to go through too many loud system checks during game play as its trying to find balls or something like that. I've figured out how to run a test report and it listed the following:

1. Check switch 17. Right Return Lane.
2. Check switch 27. Center 45 Target
3. Check switch 31. Borg Lock
4. Check switch 32. Under LGun SW.2
5. Check switch 37. Under RGun Sw.1
6. LT Launchder Can't Find Home Error
7. Pinball Missing.

I see that there are STNG manuals for sale on ebay for about $9 plus shipping, so that seems like a good investment.

[Chris]

Well it is unfortunate that the seller claimed it was all OK if it wasn't.

Although the list of errors above sounds a lot, most should be easily fixed. I had a STNG and loved it, but unfortunately it had to go when we started a family.

I think the error LT launcher can't find home might be the one that relates to your left hand gun.

Unfortunately I don't know enough about the machine though to help you fix it

The attached link talks about some of the common problems that STNG often suffer from, which includes about the launchers.
http://www.pinballheaven.co.uk/shop/...php?info_id=20

[mark1120]

free pinball manuals here

Manualer


star trek here

http://files.flipperspill.no/Support...TNG_Manual.pdf

Luckydog, thank you very much for the link to this manual...and thanks to everyone for their advice and suggestions in this string. Its been very helpful!

[daverob]

star trek here

http://files.flipperspill.no/Support...TNG_Manual.pdf

Wow, I remember scanning that one in about 8 years ago!. Just checked for the 'tell-tales' that I edited onto the original scans and they're still there.
Glad to see it's still doing the rounds and helping out new pinball owners.

Some of the errors you've got should be easy to clear up.

Right return lane, will be an eddy sensor needing adjustment. Look under the playfield at the right return lane and there will be a small PCB with a red LED and a small variable resistor control on it. Adjust the variable resistor until the LED comes on, then back it off until the LED goes off. Then when you run a ball down the return lane you should see the LED flash on when the ball passes the sensor.

Borg lock switch error is normal for STTNG (unless you're a really good player). The shot is very difficult to make and it's quite rare for the shot to be made in a game, so seeing as the machine will flag a switch up as broken if it's not been triggered in 30 games, it's expected that this switch will show as faulty even when it's perfectly OK.

If the left gun is not moving, then you will see switch errors associated with it. It might have been disabled in the menus. There is a test option for the guns in the menus, you can run the tests on the left and right guns and compare the results between the two to see if you can track down the problem. Usual faults for the guns are the wiring harness gets broken, and the opto sensors to detect a ball in the gun are broken dirty.

Pinball missing, could be true, but also could be a dirty or faulty ball sensor in the trough or under the playfield. Use the empty balls option in the menus and count them, there should be 6 balls installed.

There's plenty more repair advice and instruction on Clay's site at...

http://www.pinrepair.com/wpc/index.htm

...but most of all enjoy the machine, it's one of my favourites. Which reminds me, I need to finish putting my one back together, it's been in the corner of the workshop half dismantled for the past couple of years.

[Eddie]

Get the manuals and do the work yourself!

You will not only save money you will learn about your machine.

You can always use the labor money to buy new parts and simply replace them
.
Here is a great site to get you on your way if you haven't seen it before.

PINBALL: Pinball Repair Guides. Collector buys pinball, arcade, coin operated sport games, baseball pitch bat, manikin mannequin games

Where else but Pachitalk can you get this stuff?

[fast toys]

Mark1120,

I just sent you a PM with my phone #.

I have the manual and have taken may STTNG down to the playfield and put it back together so I should be able to help get some of the errors fixed for you.

Fred

[drcrippen324]

sorry i havent been around for a while to reply its been one of those weeks

The left hand gun on those machines is usualy plauged with errors due to a bad designe on teh wireing loom wich regulaly breaks down 9 times out of 10 and errors on it arnt on the mechaniocs or teh sensors its a broken or loose connection eaither in or on the loom they are readily availible and quite cheap though

[fast toys]

Borg lock switch error is normal for STTNG (unless you're a really good player). The shot is very difficult to make and it's quite rare for the shot to be made in a game, so seeing as the machine will flag a switch up as broken if it's not been triggered in 30 games, it's expected that this switch will show as faulty even when it's perfectly OK.

The Borg lock shot is not the hard on my machine. It really depends on how well the flippers are working. When I first got my STTNG that shot was indeed near impossible, after the rebuild not so much.

The really hard shot in the game is the "Picard Maneuver". It is the left loop/spinner then shoot the left ramp as the ball come around the loop. The best I have done is 4 in a row, some guy said he did like 20+ in a tournament.

[new in town]

With the new "Indy" Pinn you never get time to look at the Dot Matrix. There is soooo much action on the playing field your fixed on it. When the ARC dumps the Multi Ball, " 8 Large" Spheres are all over the playing field.

Voices emulate from the machine and tell you what is coming up next.

[malcymal]

Pinball fans might be interested by this guys collection of pinball flyers. If you go to the route of this link, there are flyers for bandits and various other things. Makes some intersting viewing.
http://www.stubbens.se/Flyers.htm

[ocpachinko]

And if you liked those flyers...
http://flyers.cdyn.com/

[mark1120]

I've had my STNG for about a month now and I must say that this machine is very addictive. At the end of each game, I always feel like I could have done better...so its hard to play just one or two games in one sitting. I also had no idea there was so much strategy and finesse involved with pinball. When I was younger, I think my sole objective was to keep the ball in play.

At some point, I may get another pinball machine, but it would need to be on par with or close to STNG so that friends and family will want to play both. I've read good things about Indiana Jones, Addams Family, and Twilight Zone, but those may be too pricey for me, so maybe something like Jurassic Park or Monopoly would be more reasonable. It sure would be nice to play a bunch of machines to see which ones I like rather than buy based mostly on theme.

[Eddie]

I also had no idea there was so much strategy and finesse involved with pinball. When I was younger, I think my sole objective was to keep the ball in play.
.

I thought the same thing!