Got a few things pending but want to finish up some boards before spending some time posting. I have also been busy helping/fixing a local collector's Funhouse. Went to his place twice and met up an additional third time.

I wanted to provide the information below on a more immediate time frame.

Don't forget the fuses as well!

One small but subtle thing that may give you some grief. You need to remove the key pins of the headers. I have a reference document that provides a tip but it is, of course, buried in wads and wads of text.

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This is part of the revised digital logic regulator circuit. As you know the OEM board uses the LM323K linear regulator that can be replaced with the EZSBC switching regulator. I did not want to be dependent on EZSBC so I changed the regulator circuit to use LM2678 (fixed or adjustable) and that requires the use of an inductor. Generates / dissipates a LOT less heat than a linear regulator. It also possible to use alternate regulators with a daughter board. I have used the LM350 (really bad idea), LM2576 (works just fine) and MC34167 (works great but is expensive).

Still in the middle of trying to finish my current board build batch.

However ... when the board package arrives it's like Christmas. I would normally consider taking the interrupt and start assessing these boards but I have so many boards that have yet to have an initial build and test or revisions that need an initial build and test that I have to finish the current batch first before I get lost in these. This is just a teaser. I will probably elaborate more as I work through them. A lot of opto stuff in this group. I will probably get stuck into these sooner rather than later because small boards are easier to finish and declare ready.

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And there's also:

• the Northwest Pinball Collective that have asked me to give a talk (next weekend).
• the upcoming Northwest Pinball and Arcade Show that is asking for machines (early June).

I have to get my "to do" list down to a size that can be more easily managed. I guess it would help by not constantly adding to it.

It's a general talk about diagnostics, troubleshooting and bench testing. It may also include board building (I understand a potential attendee wants some information on this). Ultimately it will likely be whatever the attendees want. It's not a fixed agenda.

It has been requested. There's no presentation equipment so it will just be a talking head which probably won't be too interesting. I'm not sure if the camera will be static or will be capturing any potential tabletop demonstrations.

I have never been to the collective and I don't know what their facilities are like but I suspect it might be a raised platform (if that) and a bunch of people in chairs. To demonstrate anything it might be gathering around a table. I don't know. I know the available space is limited so that works in favor of a small crowd gathering around to better see things.

I hope you don't feel like Eric Cartman.

The board is an experiment. There seems to be a few people who have issues with opto transmitter and receiver pairs and the ability to differentiate between them. The opto boards I have allow differentiation between the opto pair and the switch matrix circuitry but it has no way to differentiate the transmitter and receiver. The transmitter returns are all tied to ground. This system allows building a dedicated transmitter probe and receiver probe to help separate the two components of the pair. This is the full resolution of the image above. I will try to get some good images demonstrating its use.

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I do want to get the opto boards tested - both the Doctor Who MPF opto boards and this test system. They should be quick and easy to verify.

I completed the big boards that I wanted to complete (they need population and verification) but I will turn my attention to some of the boards above (including the verification board for you). I still have outstanding boards (that weren't promised until June so I have some time to keep my sanity) and I still want to work on the revision of the System 3-7 board that arrived a few weeks ago but has been put on the back-burner due to promised board time frames.

I did a quick test fit of the Doctor Who MPF boards and they look good. I forgot about the fish paper and if you want to use the fish paper it will need to be cut the slide the header through. Of course, the original direct soldered wires is always the fall back but the header looks like it will work and because a housing is used the fish paper probably isn't necessary because its purpose is to prevent accidental contact of the bare soldered wires. I will cross post this to the Doctor Who thread for those that don't read this thread.

Clearance in one axis.

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Clearance in another axis.

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Having never seen another MPF this is my only experience. I think the warped nature of the opto carrier will probably work fine given the tolerance in the viewing and reception angle. The final test is putting in a machine and seeing what happens.

LEDs are directional but the light can be diffused. It depends on the dome (if one is present) as to how the light is diffused. They are not pinpoint like a laser.

You're correct. When I see fish paper I usually think electrical shorts from exposed wires accidentally touching exposed metal surfaces but in this case it is probably both. The original mold used for the carrier could have had the sides to stop stray light and it's weird why it doesn't but then again the mold was probably made and they said "good enough - we'll fix it with fish paper". I will run as many tests as I can before releasing to you to run your tests and we'll see how it goes. I have to build one first though.

Did some verification and testing. Results are below.

Last night I tested the Twilight Zone custom 10-opto board on the bench. Everything registers correctly. The board has builtin support for the 3rd magnet. If your original board works then you really don't need this board unless you want to upgrade as it has diagnostic LEDs. Otherwise the piggyback 3rd magnet board is cheaper and works just as well. This new board does dissipate less heat (everything is reduced to +5V) and the 3rd magnet support connector is identical to the piggyback board for compatibility. It took me a while to get to this as I had to build the wiring cables to do the verification.

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Tonight I did some machine testing. The Doctor Who MPF opto boards work. Unfortunately one of the wires to the motor fell off so I couldn't run the MPF test but I connected the opto connector in the bottom of the cabinet and ran the switch test. It all works correctly - i.e. the switches register correctly. The warped carrier did pose a problem in that the clip holding the mushroom button was blocked by the receiver opto. I had to shim the board to generate clearance but it does work - even in the warped carrier. Unfortunately no images because ... well ... it's switch test and it's not that interesting.

Then I used the Doctor Who to test (and demonstrate) the opto probe and control board. I didn't have power cabling so I just used alligator clips to get power. The control board shows status. The transmitter LED is on indicating that there is a path to ground for the transmitter and it should be transmitting IR light. The receiver LED on the control board illuminates when IR light falls onto the receiver.

What the boards do (to aid in diagnostics) and how to use them.

• I blocked the receiver and the switch test shows the opto pair is open (either transmitter or receiver is not working).boards_237.jpg
• Point the transmitter (probe) at the receiver and the switch registers as closed (i.e. the receiver is working).boards_238.jpg
• I blocked the transmitter. The switch test results are irrelevant.boards_239.jpg
• Point the receiver (probe) at the transmitter and the receiver LED on the control board illuminates showing that the transmitter is working.boards_240.jpg

Then I tested my System 11 power supply and System 11 Sound Overlay boards. The sound overlay board works and the small power supply was a verification. I tested the big power supply board. Got some weird results. In Rollergames (where I had tested it previously) it produced hum. I was hesitant to try it in the Whirlwind - expecting it to produce the same hum. There was NO hum. I am at a loss but I can only conclude that it is somehow machine dependent. I have a Police Force so I guess I'll try the different boards in that machine and see if I can see some pattern. I might also try isolating the ground connections of the sound board in the Rollergames and see if the ground loop originates on the sound board rather than the power supply board. That's for another day.

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Got my answers to some of these recently arrived boards so it's back to buidling, verifying and packing.

This should help. If it is still unclear let me know.

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Hmmm. Let me take a look at a machine and see. It does look like you're correct. The DCS board is bigger ("wider") than the pre-DCS board so this is going to be a physical (fit) issue rather than an electrical (design) issue. Please give me some time (I have a few things going on at the moment) and I will get back to you.

It does indeed not fit. I will have to revise the board and shift the power connector to make it fit. Apologies for this. I will follow up with you (offline = PM) to get this resolved.