Quoted from PersonX99:

I plan on ordering the upgrade power supply, but I have been working on another issue I am hoping some folks can chime in on:
Direct shots to the stage usually bounce out. Some ricochet shots from the pops to the stage bounce out (not often, but sometimes).
I have adjusted the flipper strength down to where it feels good and can make all the shots. Same result for stage shots.
I go under the assumption that most direct shots to the stage should NOT bounce out.
I was going to try some deadening foam strips on the sides and back of the stage. My thought was that it will absorb some of the energy of the ball, perhaps enough to keep it in the stage.
Any thoughts on how I can make this shot more reliable?
Thanks.

Quoted from PersonX99:

I plan on ordering the upgrade power supply, but I have been working on another issue I am hoping some folks can chime in on:
Direct shots to the stage usually bounce out. Some ricochet shots from the pops to the stage bounce out (not often, but sometimes).
I have adjusted the flipper strength down to where it feels good and can make all the shots. Same result for stage shots.
I go under the assumption that most direct shots to the stage should NOT bounce out.
I was going to try some deadening foam strips on the sides and back of the stage. My thought was that it will absorb some of the energy of the ball, perhaps enough to keep it in the stage.
Any thoughts on how I can make this shot more reliable?
Thanks.

Quoted from pinballinreno:

Lower the pitch, lower the flipper power.
Or, raise the pitch and leave the flipper power where it is.
Pitch at 6.2 or 6.3 and flippers at 25 to 27 seems to work well enough..

Quoted from PersonX99:

I plan on ordering the upgrade power supply, but I have been working on another issue I am hoping some folks can chime in on:
Direct shots to the stage usually bounce out. Some ricochet shots from the pops to the stage bounce out (not often, but sometimes).
I have adjusted the flipper strength down to where it feels good and can make all the shots. Same result for stage shots.
I go under the assumption that most direct shots to the stage should NOT bounce out.
I was going to try some deadening foam strips on the sides and back of the stage. My thought was that it will absorb some of the energy of the ball, perhaps enough to keep it in the stage.
Any thoughts on how I can make this shot more reliable?
Thanks.

Quoted from PinMonk:

27 is a LOT. I think ours are at 23.

Quoted from pinballinreno:

I had my pitch up a bit at 6.5
Recently lowered it to 6.2.
Flippers now at 25-26. I might lower them 1 more notch due to some air balls.
Factory pitch at 5.9-6.0 seemed too floaty to me.
I'm dialing it in for the new power supply. It plays differently, way better in a lot of areas.
I'm trying to find a happy medium between ramp rejects and bounce outs.
I really want the ramp shots to be strong. I can deal with a few bounce outs.
I hate weak ramp shots.

Quoted from PersonX99:

I plan on ordering the upgrade power supply, but I have been working on another issue I am hoping some folks can chime in on:
Direct shots to the stage usually bounce out. Some ricochet shots from the pops to the stage bounce out (not often, but sometimes).
I have adjusted the flipper strength down to where it feels good and can make all the shots. Same result for stage shots.
I go under the assumption that most direct shots to the stage should NOT bounce out.
I was going to try some deadening foam strips on the sides and back of the stage. My thought was that it will absorb some of the energy of the ball, perhaps enough to keep it in the stage.
Any thoughts on how I can make this shot more reliable?
Thanks.

Quoted from Hogey:

Just installed the new power supply. Went in easily even with these strange looking “wood” screws. No biggie, just surprised when I opened the small envelope.
[quoted image]

Quoted from Rdoyle1978:

Holy crap, 26! Mine are at 22, and I dialed them WAY down when pitch was at 6.0 so I could get those delicate shots.
Changed out my flipper rubbers to traditional red rubber. Huge move; I couldn’t get control of the ball before, now it’s pretty easy

Quoted from pinballinreno:

Still making adjustments with the new power supply installed.
Catapult is rock solid and NEVER misses.
I lowered my pitch to 6.15 tonight and lowered my flipper power to 25L and 24R less air balls.
Stage alley shot is solid, no bounce outs.
It does not seem floaty at this pitch.
Ramp shots were doable but not as thrilling.
Orbits still fast and very repeatable.
I think something should be added in the code if you make consecutive orbits or ramps etc. Like a callout or something.
I increased the pops up 1 each.
Scoop is at +1, was getting a few retries at default but no SDTM's.
Scoop shot is pretty erratic. I'll see if I can tighten it up a bit.
Increased slings +1
Milk can much easier at lower flipper power and 2mn drop in the flipper angle.
Everything plays really well, still dialing it in with the new power supply.
I'm still adjusting to the new feel of the game. It definitely plays differently.
All in all I think it's a lot better and more powerful.
I'm getting used to it pretty quickly.
I have to put a few dozen games on it now and wax it with P21S.
The game is amazing!

Quoted from PhantomO:

Location Houdini at Marvin's in farmington MI has a few wear and tear issues that we may expect on home machines eventually. Both flipper toppers are broken. Blue lens missing from one spotlight lamp, and planchette is twisted around. Trunk shot is aligned but misses short. There are red rubbers on the flippers instead of the purple silicones, which seems to make backhands easier. Software seems to be two versions old. Ball save is generous but other settings are standard hard. I also enjoyed Iron Maiden premium...great animations, callouts and tricky shots. JJP Pirates was stuck in perpetual ball search, sadly. Deadpool premium was interesting and funny.
[quoted image]

Quoted from tatapolus:

I really like the "Most efficient" Highscore. It's a new way to play a pinball machine. You have to get as many point as possible in a very short time as your points per second are counting here. It's like a Speedrun. Here's my best example with just one mode startet and combined with the multiballs and multipliers. Wish other machines would have that as well.[quoted image]

Quoted from mbwalker:

Mine had the same 'wood' screws. Anyone know the correct size of wood screw that should be in there?

Quoted from Rdoyle1978:

Can you take a photo of the way you have your flippers set? I tried dropping them and the game just performed horribly - lots of drains SDTM. I'm wondering if I did too much.

Quoted from Rdoyle1978:

Yes I can backhand the inner loop on my game and backhand the ramp from the right flipper

Quoted from colonel_caverne:

Really? Who else can do this on his game?
Did you adjust the flippers or not?
Thanks

Quoted from colonel_caverne:

Really? Who else can do this on his game?
Did you adjust the flippers or not?
Thanks

Quoted from pinballinreno:

I posted a photo way earlier in this thread.
Basically I dropped the flipper angle about 1/8" using the hole near the tip of the flipper as a reference. About the thickness of the flipper rubber.
I'm not seeing any difference as far as SDTM's, the gap between the flipper tip and center post is the same, maybe a little tighter than default.
Too much drop and you can hit the slings though.
It's much easier to make the magic targets and milkcan shot now.
You will have to adjust your game play if you are used to the default.
It's a very minor change but has big impact as far as the tight edge shots.

Quoted from colonel_caverne:

Really? Who else can do this on his game?
Did you adjust the flippers or not?
Thanks

Quoted from Rdoyle1978:

Sounds like I dropped mine way too much. I’ll try that again some time. Will have to look for that photo

Quoted from Wmsfan-GAP:

Page 118 post 5889 in regards to the flipper adjustment pics

Quoted from PhantomO:

Anyone wo has installed the power supply upgrade...do the brown and black wires go into the wall nuts through one of the black circular holes or do they go through an opening on the clear plastic side? I haven't worked with this kind of connector before. Thanks. Off to dig up some wood screws now...

Quoted from Wmsfan-GAP:

They go into the back of the connector that already has one brown or black wire going in. I want to say there are 6 openings on the correct side, with one colored wire already going in. They can go into any of the empty spots.
Just make sure to keep the black with black, and brown with brown.

Quoted from PhantomO:

It seems like the existing ends of the disconnected wires can fit into the wall nut withouwt having to be cut off and stripping the wire. I will try it that way.

Quoted from PhantomO:

It seems like the existing ends of the disconnected wires can fit into the wall nut without having to be cut off and stripping the wire. I will try it that way.

Quoted from Rdoyle1978:

Mine are currently set as one would set up a B/W game (or I guess all games) using a toothpick in the little hole and the flipper bat resting against it.

Quoted from pinballinreno:

Since lowering my playfield pitch the ball lock is dragging when there is only a single ball.
Sometimes I have to shake the game while its pulsing to get it free.

Quoted from PhantomO:

Found this loose nut in the back of the cabinet. It matches the 4 that hold the coin door to the cabinet, but thay are all in place. Couldnt find a bolt that is missing this. I think it is for the cabinet rather than playfield because it is so large.

Quoted from rosh:

You may want to try to adjust the coil 'strength' in coil settings to have it hold the plunger down slightly longer. For the lock release, it does not change strength but the duration of the pull.

Quoted from BarryJ:

Only can go by what I am told.....

Quoted from rosh:

According to Joe, the flipper bat should point to the hole, not sit above it.

Not following, are you talking about the left ball release? Are you saying when a ball enters the lock it does not go all thew ay to the first switch, or after a release when there are two balls it does not move down?
I strongly recommend against changing the switches, those are the correct ones to use. Also be very careful if you adjust them, very easy to make matters worse. You may want to try to adjust the coil 'strength' in coil settings to have it hold the plunger down slightly longer. For the lock release, it does not change strength but the duration of the pull.

Not sure, but check the lock down bar, the bolt in the middle goes through the coin door, but there might be one towards each end, don't recall if the cabinet is designed that way or not, but I know I have had that with other cabinets.

Quoted from beatmaster:

my flipper is at 23 and i can make it almost every time.

Quoted from colonel_caverne:

This is the coil power.
But did you keep the factory position of the flipper?
Thanks

Quoted from pinballinreno:

They sent out regular #8 by 1/2" playfield hex screws with mine.

Quoted from mbwalker:

So did you need wood screws?

Quoted from Rdoyle1978:

playfield screws are wood screws - but I think with some of the packs they sent out self-drilling screws (mine were)

Quoted from PinMonk:

Just got the notice from AP. New power supplies are available from them for people having issues with coil fade. $150 out of pocket, but they'll let existing customers have a $150 credit for their store to offset this:
September 26, 2018
Our goal at American Pinball is to provide quality games at affordable prices.
As many of you know, some Houdini owners are experiencing weak coils when the incoming AC voltage drops because of external loads placed on the service line. We have incorporated a new 48 Volt Power Supply to offset the effect of low incoming AC voltage on the coils.
We are selling the new Low Voltage Offset Power Supply for $150.00 which includes a switch mode 750-48 power supply, retrofit wire harness, hardware and shipping.
We greatly appreciate our customers and to show this, American Pinball will provide a $150.00 credit* with the purchase of the “Low Voltage Offset Power Supply” to be used either at our online store or towards the purchase of an Oktoberfest “Pinball On Tap” machine.
Purchase the power supply online at
https://store.american-pinball.com/products/houdini-power-supply-upgrade
Your Houdini machine needs to be registered prior to the power supply shipping, register your game at
https://www.american-pinball.com/support/register/
Regards,
American Pinball Inc.
Phone: 847 893 6800
American-Pinball.com
Facebook.com/americanpinball

Quoted from pinden007:

Does this fix the weak flippers during multi ball?

Quoted from pinden007:

Does this fix the weak flippers during multi ball?

Quoted from colonel_caverne:

The combo shots modes are really tough to do!
I would have liked to count other combos you succeed whatever the order. Maybe an EB to win or points for a number of combo or complete the level of secret mode you are playing.

Quoted from Rdoyle1978:

they are definitely hard to do if you try to flow them directly from one to the other; I can nail the first one from ramp-to-scoop very quickly. the others require some more stop-and-go handling

Quoted from colonel_caverne:

I succeed the first one quite easily...but the second is way harder for me. Never succeeded it yet! I think I get an issue with the right orbit. When I do this shot perfectly, the ball gets maximum speed and then at the end of the wireform guide (so left side) the ball path is like slightly deviated and goes SDTM. I really get the feeling that at the end of the wireform there is something wrong. However, my game is well leveled from side to side. I think I have 6,3-6,4° pitch
Otherwise the time between first and second shot is very very short. So no control on the left flipper and short ball time to succeed the second shot make this combo impossible to do right now for me.
I don’t know if you get this issue when the ball gets lot of speed in the right orbit?