The Penguin!

[doodude]

Has anyone got anything they can share on Taiyo's Penguin?
I recently purchased one & Id like to get some instructions, manuals, schematics or anything that would help me learn more about playing, caring for or repairing the little critter. Even personal experience's would be a help.
Thx... doo

[slotter]

Nice machine, doodude. Congrats! I love the machines with all the mechanical action going on!

[doodude]

Thanks, but Im a little confused by it.
Its got an ALLWIN at the bottom that shuts down the ball shooter if you get 4 lights in a row. I have to reset by pushing the reset button & turning it off.
Also, the ball shooter only shoots 16 balls, stops & then the ALLWIN resets regardless of how many lights (1 thru 16) are lit & you start all over again???
Hmmmm, does that sound right?
doo

[logicprobe]

No... it shouldn't be shutting down and need reset with 4 in a row!!! Something is definitely wrong there.

But it does pause shooting after 16 shots to clear the "Allwins". That much is normal.

Do a search for Penguin for more info about the machine.
Where did you buy it? You might be needing their customer service!

[johntofva]

Reasons for shutting down:

1. Is the light at the top right flashing. If so the balls are not feeding out for the pay out. (you should receive 15 balls for getting four in a row)

2. Because the balls exit by gates at the bottom, you only get 16 chances to get four in a row. The problem with this is that the resellers replace the glass. The new glass thickness allows balls to get stuck somewhere on the screen. The shooter stops after 16 balls have passed through the top gate. The shooter does not reset until 16 balls go through the exit gates. So is there a ball stuck on the board somewhere?

Lets us know if this helps. Maturi Penguin in my favorite machine. I hope you enjoy it.

[doodude]

Thanks for the replies...
Ill call the Cust Serv of the seller today. I wanted to get a little info on what was & what wasnt normal on the game before I talked with them.
I didnt think a complete reset was normal after 4 in a row. The info Ive seen shows you could possibly get 8 to 16 etc. But I doubt with only 16 shots that happens very often!
Yes, there is a lite in the top right corner. Im waiting for some balls ( so my ex was fond of saying ) to play with but I presently have aprx 50 in the payout bin with no payout yet.
Can anyon give me a little info in playing? Is there something I should know that isnt evident?

[johntofva]

You should have received 15 balls when you got 4 in a row. The light at the top right is telling you that the payout bin in empty. This usually means there is something stuck in the chute.

[doodude]

Reasons for shutting down:

1. Is the light at the top right flashing. If so the balls are not feeding out for the pay out. (you should receive 15 balls for getting four in a row)

2. Because the balls exit by gates at the bottom, you only get 16 chances to get four in a row. The problem with this is that the resellers replace the glass. The new glass thickness allows balls to get stuck somewhere on the screen. The shooter stops after 16 balls have passed through the top gate. The shooter does not reset until 16 balls go through the exit gates. So is there a ball stuck on the board somewhere?

Lets us know if this helps. Maturi Penguin in my favorite machine. I hope you enjoy it.

I wrapped my Penguin in plastic wrap & padding with the intention of returning it to TA for a refund. That hasnt happened yet so its been sitting wrapped up for a few weeks. I thought Id unwrap it today & see if I can figure out why its doing as earlier stated.
Does anyone know what else I can look for while Im looking?

[Tony Junior]

(I'm bitting my tongue to keep from getting banned with what I'm thinking, Dude!)

[clau]

I purchased a Penguin from TA a few months ago and have the same problems you have. I have been opening the door and manually putting one or two balls in when it gets stuck. This allows the game to continue without doing a reset.

I am planning to convert both these machines to cyclic. So far I have the used balls coming into the front tray and next I plan to eliminate the payout. I have decided this is the best course of action for both of these machines because they get stuck so often (The Penguin gets stuck far more often than Apollo).

I enjoy both these games because of the animation and it's a nice change from the LCD models. As for the play on the Penguin, I have never been able to enter the one mode, as described by Curt, where you are supposed to be able to keep shooting balls into the fish. Admittedly, I have been a bit busy and have not played this game very much, but I also don't put too much weight on the play being as exactly as described in the TA ads.

[doodude]

(I'm bitting my tongue to keep from getting banned with what I'm thinking, Dude!)

What choo talkin 'bout Willis!?

[doodude]

So if Im understanding this right, The Penguin beleives it has shot 16 balls but only 15 (or less) have come back thru the system. Is this right?

I can see where it may cause the light in the top right to come on & stop the payout because it hasnt received back all the balls it shot. It dosent payout but it continues to play.

So why does it freeze up when getting 4 All Wins in a row, ( ie: 7,8,9,10 ) & require a hard reset to get it to function again?

[johntofva]

So why does it freeze up when getting 4 All Wins in a row, ( ie: 7,8,9,10 ) & require a hard reset to get it to function again?

Do you receive any balls when this happens? You should receive 15 balls for this action. If not this is where you problems lies. Does it happen with any other 4 in a row or just these four?

[doodude]

Do you receive any balls when this happens? You should receive 15 balls for this action. If not this is where you problems lies. Does it happen with any other 4 in a row or just these four?

Ive never received any payout at all at any time & it dosent matter which 4 #s are in a row. Just as long as any 4 #s in a row lite up the machine will freeze.

When I first started playing with it I didnt add any balls to the payout hopper. Then when I started having problems I went thru & did a hard reset, cleared the lanes & filled the hopper. I still have the same problem.

[johntofva]

Okay, I think the most obvious problem would be one of three things:

1. There is debris in the ball chute.
A. Try this:

1. Fill the hopper with balls.
2. Flip the release lever.
3. Pay attention to how and where the balls fall.

B. If the balls flow all the way to the bottom without problem, then the
proximal and distal chute is clear.

2. There is debris in the chamber behind the shooting board.
A. Try this.

1. Open the front door so you have access to the playing field.
2. Drop balls through the gates at the bottom (Put 10 in each one)

a. If the balls fall through without backing up, then the chamber and
distal chute is clear.
b. If the balls back up into the gate, then there is debris in the chamber or
distal chute.

- First make sure the distal chute is clear. If not, remove debris.
- Second, if the chute is clear but the balls back up then it is debris in
the chamber. There is a series of metal and white plastic latches which
must be open to gain access. This takes time an patients, but necessary
to remove the debris.

3. If balls flow freely through all gates and chutes, then the problem maybe a sensor.


As always I am willing help in anyway I can.

John

[doodude]

Thanks for the directions. Ill unwrap it today, if I can find the time & try all those things. Hopefully its not a sensor.
Ive filled the payout hopper & let it run thru 1 X before & didnt see any problem there. But I will do it again to be sure.
I havent gone thru the front & dropped balls into each Allwin Gates so I will try that & see the results.
Any idea which sensor ( if thats the problem ) it would be? Is it something I could get to?
Again, I appreciate the guidence. I do like this machine but am so frustrated by its lack of cooperation.

[arbycoffee]

It might be the motor in the counter, Not having one or played one, If the motor is acting up that would cause it to not payout.
BUt not shooting, all connections good. Sorry not any help here.

With all the people who have had problems with this machine. Ship it back and get something else.
JamesM had problems, but don't know what he did.
Probably sent it back and Curt sent it to you.
Just Joking.
If it were not returnable, I would tear down and take pictures as I go. Re clean everything, check all ball paths. reassemble, Making sure all went in correctly.

Some time it is the angle that the machine is as you are playing it that can cause it to error (the paths are open, but gravity is not working), try increasing the angle back, a full bubble off.

It might be angle sensitive, I knew a woman who was too.

arby without enough coffee yet

[luckydog]

Arby

as usual your right on top of things!!!!

[arbycoffee]

Tulsa is going to take the mods on a cruse, a working cruse.

[doodude]

====================================
"JamesM had problems, but don't know what he did.
Probably sent it back and Curt sent it to you."
====================================

I wouldnt be surprized to find thats just what happened!!!