Quoted from whthrs166:Is the electronic future of Pinball headed for (SME) Surface Mounted Electronics?
Yes. It's been there for years, it's just as far as people doing aftermarket boards, the replacement boards are still sometimes done as through-hole if the components are still available and/or if the person is doing hand assembly.
Quoted from whthrs166:Went to GLM'S website and found that the board is out of stock and has been for sometime. They also don't offer any repair service to repair the board. (although Tony might do it if I contacted him. Haven't done that yet.) So should I just pitch this GLM board?
I wouldn't pitch it. Offer it up here. Someone should be able to fix it and you should be able to get something for it or at least have someone willing to pay shipping and keep it from hitting the landfill. Could always save it until you have some other boards to "toss" them up as a lot too.
Quoted from whthrs166:Do you guys think the hobby is headed for SME Technology? Should we be worried about the old boards not being made anymore in the future? What about the New Games using SME Tech, do you consider it being a drawback for buying NIB?
GLM not having availability or actively selling boards, doesn't mean they won't get picked up by someone else. Pinside gets tons of traffic and there's plenty of people looking for something to create or recreate. If there's a heavy need, it's a niche for someone to fill.
Quoted from whthrs166:What about the New Games using SME Tech, do you consider it being a drawback for buying NIB?
It's a drawback for some, but not a deal-killer for people that want the latest and greatest and have deeper wallets.
I had a newer game for a bit, but the thought of all the boards with surface mount components & then the node board issue didn't really sit well. I'd rather games using through-hole boards and I kind of prefer WPC era on back anyway so it fits.
Probably not likely to happen, but hey who knows!
