I would buy any part that is or becomes available as a spare if you intend to keep that amazing pin.

Does anyone know how many took it in the shorts after final count?

You can also go for the MG90D...Metal gears and main housing...Kind of overkill, but definitely no worries after install. Worth noting that the supplied arms on either model aren't spaced exactly as original...No biggie, as you just have to position it correctly.

Took my xeno completely out to adjust " in action" to get the jaw right. Pita at first...Could do it in my sleep now ( sadly, as I'll probably never need to touch it again).

Is that this one?

https://www.amazon.com/TowerPro-MG90D-Metal-Digital-Models/dp/B01M08TWN0

I just want to get the most bullet proof one period. As for being so easy you can do it in your sleep....you might have to teach me just incase (or come to Pittsburgh)

That's the one...My case is anodized blue, probably just a different run).

I was sweating the first time for sure, but after doing it a few times it's really not too bad... Definitely take a couple pics a and mark the wires or the thing will get way out of adjustment ( ask me how I know).

Reason I took it apart several times...Replaced that damn servo twice, first w a new plastic geared one...Worked fine, but couldn't rest knowing I should have put the metal one in..Next couple of times have been for tweaking of the jaw, and prepping to add a strobe effect when the tongue comes out ( been to lazy to deploy...All works)

I don't know how these work yet but just curious - what's the difference b/w the one you linked and mine below?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M8SR0ZK/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title

I can easily return mine if yours is better....

IMG_20190405_214943153 (resized).jpg

Think either is an improvement over the plastic...Only moves the jaw w a guide wire so no big force, but provides consistent operation.

Someone had posted this version back in the thread, citing the enhanced strength, but again, probably overkill

On the pic below, the board on the left, I bought an extra on of these but there is no chip attached in the black pins. Is that chip imperative to have?

The second pic shows the one I bought - no chip thought from pinball life:

27610513bb8952642414fd2914cf6199e04ca5dc (resized).jpeg

PB-STEP Stepper PCB HPE-FT-SBV-V2 (2) (resized).jpg

Biggest things to address in order ( only my opinion, as mine is very reliable and a consistent blast to play:

A) PETG plastic replacement...All of them.
B) Quality USB cables, laced properly for strain relief. This must be done, or game will consistently crap out.
C) Parallel cap add to 70v switching PS. Insures no sag during multiball.
D) Upgrading the wimpy 12v switching PS. Game would reset during most of the best multiball action. With additional amperage, I've had zero resets over hundreds of games since....
E) Spare I/O boards...I believe they're actually overbuilt for application ( except damn connectivity), but could become unobtanium.

Just my take...Good luck...The game is way worth it..

Have all except B and C - can you explain how/where/what?

B) supplied USB ( A to mini) are crap w no strain relief ( wish they would have pursued legit CAT6 cabling w locking RJ45 connectors..Oh well). This is where the majority of gameplay problems lie, period. Throw originals in the trash, purchase a quality version ( I went audio quest forest green replacements) overkill, but check that box. Use standard wire harness lacing bars , shown a few pages back, to secure the connection...Check
C) The " cap fix" came from @kneissl...He's got a link in here somewhere...Do it..100% works...Multi ball doesn't stall at auto launch, and gameplay is dramatically improved

Thanks! Sorry meant I didn't have D. Any info on that one?

Ahh...I posted model # awhile back...Will pull it back up. Not many paid attention, but in truth, many simply don't have the game...It is work to get the game solid ( PETG was worst time suck for me)...but final run of this game is really awesome...

Are you guys cousins or something? Just looking at your avatar

Thanks for all those infos. I need to catch up

Cap info here:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/heighway-pinball-support-full-throttle-and-alien/page/15#post-4593866

Nah...Delt was kind of a newbie w a GB avatar, but was one of the first to get a "cobbled" Alien ( I was still in the preorder line for years at that point).

He eventually sold it, as those were nearly impossible to make playable, but posted often back then about the game. I had said " it's cool you got one, but your avatars got to go if you want us to take you seriously" lots of guys had Alien avatars back then. All in fun.

I sent him some JPEG examples, and one of them stuck. He's since moved on to buying/selling many games and a mainstay on the threads, but always wanted an Alien back...Glad he got the chance.

Me? I'm extremely stubborn ( or stupid) and have had an Alien avatar for years ( week one adopter)..Changed briefly when company tanked, figuring I'd lost my $$$ and would never be in the club, but fate connected me w one several months later.

A special game for me, so doubt I'll change..

Thanks for the story. It appears to me the Alien community the most motivated and fan of its pin by far! I m really impressed and want to be part of it now. This is really odd knowing this pin history. For the info I always wanted this pin but wanted to wait and see.. and I think I wasn’t t wrong. (Sold my CCC for this with no regret!) I cross my finger but for now the game seems pretty solid and ... what a game.

I’ m also a CV fan and I m currently recoding the TOTAN so I might split my avatar for those 3

here we go...

Did anyone have a fix for the beeping noise that happens when the left flipper is held ?

The chip plugs into the board you have there Delt.

I checked my board voltage and it seems to work.
For infos the red wire voltage is around 4.8V and the yellow is for the signal.
I’m waiting for my servo now to check and calibrate and hopefully it would make it.

Its not a buzzing, it sounds like a computer beeping. The left flipper.

That's a pretty accurate summary except I found my current Avatar although you did supply some good ones. My previous one was stay puff Marshmello man but then gb broke my heart

My original one did this too. Not sure I ever heard of a fix

Is there a manual somewhere for the 1.2? To explain how to launch « all out war » for instance
Tks

Sadly no, no manual for this pin at all.

I’ve found this manual:

https://pinballsupernova.wordpress.com/2017/01/01/rules-early-rule-set-posted-by-rs-pinball-version-0-8/

It doesn’t explain how to launch «  all out war ». Is anyone know?
I wonder if there are differences with 1.2 but seems mostly the same.

All Out War is qualified by playing all the movie scenes from both Alien and Aliens, and also playing all 4 multiballs.

The rules for All Out War have been the same since 1.0. You must play all modes (ALIEN and ALIENS), a total of 10 modes, AND you must play all 4 other multiballs. You can do this in any order. Once you've played everything else, All Out War will light at the center shot. It is an exclusive mode, so you can't start it until the last of the other modes or multiballs is done.

Note that the multiball inserts will clear once all of them have been played, but the game knows that you played them all. Likewise, once you play all of the modes, those inserts also reset.

It is also possible to start it more than once per game, although this would be pretty hard to do.

Thanks, so it’s the final mode then.

Right, All Out War is the final wizard mode.

bought this SERVO, swaped the brown and red wire, plugged it: worked in test mode and then unplugged and plugged it back: ,never worked again.
The motor seems locked. I checked the board tension which seems OK...

https://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B07MY2SWMN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00

edit: actually I understand what's wrong. The Servo has to be plugged before the pin! otherwise it doesn't work. I ll make some new test and hopefully it would last. It seems the connector like it CANNOT be unplugged once the game is on.

I've put the MG90S without issue in several games, could be a bad servo.. that does happen from time to time. Likely though there is some other issue. The xeno wiring harnesses use very small connectors and are very fragile. This is why I suggest checking the harness for continuity to make sure you dont have a break somewhere. Intermittent or poor connection can cause the issues you describe.

thanks. it seems to be a software issue: the board needs everything plugged when turning on the pin to work.

I might be wrong be seems to be my problem. Thanks for the advice and I continue my tests. The thing is I don't want to install this to realize it will not last...

I checked the wire, everything seems OK. The servo no longer work so I'm out of idea.
I need to test with another one and hopefully it was a bad servo.

For the servo board for the Jaw:
Does anyone knows the tension from red wire pin and yellow on the board? I have 4,5v
And brown with yellow -0,28

When I run the breath jaw test I have tension brown/yellow pin : -0.35 V

I don’t know if those are correct. I wonder if the servo doesn’t get enough power...

My guess, as well. Also put a dab of hot melt once everything was seated, as it managed to wiggle off the board once.....connectivity issues= biggest challenge in consistent performance on this game. Once you go through it thoroughly, thing plays pretty solid...

Just to be clear there are two wiring harnesses, they run from the “Top PCB” to the jaw controller board and to the tongue motor controller board.

The jaw controller board is connected via a 4 wire connector w/ 3 wires (usually blue) connected to a port on the middle right hand side labeled “modes” if you have a letter rev top PCB. Also a 15v 2 pin power connector (yellow and black) on the bottom left. I suspect this could be the source of your issue.

There is also a 6wire (rainbow) connector that goes to the tongue board, and do the tongue switch on top of the Xeno head. But it sounds like your tongue works fine.

Mk6 brings up a good point about the hot glue. The board manufacturer actually installs a smaller connector where the servo motor connects. This wasn’t pryed off at Heighway, the servo wires reversed, then hot glued onto the jaw board. (High quality)

In my game the playfield monitor has twice started to show garbled images and the picture has turned greenish. Reboot solved the problem. However, has anyone else experienced this and is there a fix to this?

Also, if one removes the playfield monitor from beneath the playfield, is the playfield hole covered with glass, or is there just a hole in the playfield, when the playfield screen is removed?

Thanks for any info!

The sheer amount of posts in this thread, many of which seem to be about issues with the game, have me worried if I ever am lucky enough to have Alien in my collection. That said, I hope that dream comes true and I am really freaking jealous of those of you who have one. I missed out on getting one this past week and I'm kicking myself so badly for it. I have some truly killer Aliens stuff to eventually display in my future mancave, and this pin would be utterly amazing to have there with it all.

Thanks. Yes the tongue works fine and the whole game play pretty solid since i have it.
I ve checked and I have those 2 wires to control the jaw on the side (yellow and black) my board has the last rev. I tried to test it and maintening it by hand with the plyfield on top on test and it was still not working.
My board used to have glue on the jaw connector which I removed (no choice) to test new servo. Anyway that s a good idea to secure those connections with that.

Those two wires are just the power, the signal comes from the three blue wires labeled “modes” on the right side. You should check continuity through that harness to the jaw board.

Oh ok got it tks. I ve noticed those are really tigh.

The issues with Alien aren't any more common than any other pinball machine, I think what you see here is a result of Heighway not being around to support their games and the current and former alien owners of the pinball community coming together to help each other out with the collective knowledge we've garnered working on them. As MK6PIN said, once you address known issues (which are minor, mostly connectivity or "cheap" part choice related like the servo and the USB cables), then the game is rock solid.

What you're describing sounds like a loose cable between the computer, video board and/or the LCD screen. With the game off, remove balls, lift playfield, and check the video cable going to that monitor, ensure it's plugged in well on both ends at the computer and the monitor sides. If that doesn't resolve, then access the playfield LCD components inside the metal box it's in. There's a small board the video and power input cables go into, and a couple small internal cables that connect the LCD to the video board. Make sure those cables haven't worked loose, and reseat them. I believe you could remove the monitor and leave the plastic cover but...why.

Thanks! There is a small amount of debris on the edges of the playfield screen and I would like to wipe it off, but I have a playfield protector on, so I am thinking about cleaning it from beneath the playfield It would be good if I could remove the playfield monitor and any glass/plastic cover from underneath the playfield, so I could do the cleaning via the playfield screen hole.

For me .. obtaining one was nothing but stress for months. I put deposits down had to spend even more to get one , it’s been a very crazy ride. It was the best pinball delivery I ever had , came in a huge crate from Australia. Uncrating it was like opening the ark. Plus even tho I have an le and A later manufactured one I still put a lot of time into maintaining it . It’s a great game but if u do end up getting one be ready to read this thread... like a lot .. oh and don’t move it by yourself !

After almost not making it through the Canadian border, Alien is due to arrive on Thursday!