Heighway Pinball support (Full Throttle and Alien)

Some owners have recommended replacing the USB cables with better quality ones. I've bought Anker brand from Amazon in the past and was happy with their quality.

I'm aware of this. The solution is just to power-cycle the game.

I suspect both of these issues are due to poor quality USB cables. If a USB cable wiggles enough to interrupt its connection, a full USB reset of the associated IOBoard needs to take place, which takes a few seconds... while that happens, all elements (switches, lamps, coils) on that IOBoard will be unresponsive.

I have also heard customer comments that this problem can be caused by a poor power supply connection to the IOBoard... I don't have personal experience with that. I'd at least give a shot to swapping USB cables if you're having this problem on a chronic basis.

(If you do replace the USB cable, I need to give my standard disclaimer: be VERY CAREFUL when handling the USB cable going to the IOBoards. The mini-USB port on the IOBoard is only held on with a couple solder points, so it's relatively easy to rip the USB port off the IOBoard... obviously, that would pretty much kill the IOBoard.)

Good luck!

Afaik this is a known issue. No known fix, but the work around is easy enough.
Your other two problems sound like you need to replace the USB cables with something of better quality. The ugreen ones the game comes with look ok; they're junk.

Ok so I think I finally got my sound/music optimized to the best i can. That vibration noise is mostly gone.. only really happens when I hit the airlock scoop and that exclamation comes up. If it comes back worse I may try replacing the amplifier as per other users. Now to work on the launcher. Two things happen either it launches finally then goes back into the launcher because it bounces back from from the wireform thingy, or the ball gets hung up from the apron area. I will try to find that pinball deadening foam that people talked about for the wireform, but the links are dead. Anyone know where I can get that?
Thanks!

Do these three things first:

1) Make sure you are running the latest game software and IO board software.

2) gently unplug the mini usb cable from the top-most IO board and plug it back in.

3) move the upper flipper by hand. Does it move freely and quickly snap back to original position when you extend and let go? If not, it doesn’t have enough gap. Increase the gap and you are good to go.

Have any Full Throttle owners found either of the Easter eggs hidden in the plastics art?

Does anyone have the dimensions of Alien? Specifically, the length and width of the glass-frame.

Outer dimensions are 48 1/4" by 25 3/4" .

Excellent. Thank you!

Does anybody know where the infamous actual "screw" is located?

"For me it was the screw. would not even calibrate correctly.
then turned the screw with a jewelers screwdriver and then it would extend but wouldn't retract (magnet too strong on field).
then turned the screw with a jewelers screwdriver and then it would retract, but wouldn't drop the ball.
Turned the screw clockwise more and now it drops the ball."

Is it safe to buy an Alien (showroommodel) so maybe it is one from the first runs...

I guess it depends on if it all works and plays, most early ones needed sub cables replaced and had old xeno mech

A friend of mine has a early game. It took some work but this machine is working fine right now.
If you buy the machine from RS in Austria, they take care on theit customers !
If you buy the machine in Germany .. compare prices

Hey guys when I activate the right flipper the scream again lights flash... some sort of interference noise ? Anyone have a fix?

the noise there is no fix for

the lights flashing not sure about

Is the building date mentioned on the box?
Thanks

That did the trick. Thanks to folks that pointed out location of the screw.

Its so tiny it doesn't even look like a screw. I used a tiny phillips and it was hard to tell if i was even turning but Xeno head is fully functional for now and quite awesome!

My game had a similar issue, and was fixed when I replaced a neighboring bad light board. (It was not the scream again light that was replaced - I think it was the right revive insert.)

Try checking to see if some connections are loose on that board. Go through the lamp test to see if any led's are bad. Swap or bypass boards to check.

My symptom also included a few other inserts that were out when the one board was replaced, so it may not be the same thing.

My Xenomoprh tongue keeps getting stuck, switch error and won't calibrate. Although when I test the switch it works. Anyone familiar with this issue and any fixes? Thanks in advance. Also having trouble with the Jaw, it's very intermittent.

Install the 14.09 firmware update on each of the playfield IO boards. The flippers are controlled by IO board #3, so start with that one first. You don't need to update the cabinet board to 14.09 although it doesn't hurt.

14.09 changes the way that coils are pulsed to minimize noise which gets into the LED wiring. You may get an occasional flicker still but it should be much, much better.

There are other posts around here which explain how to do the firmware update.

Hey thanks for the reply, do you know where I can get download this update?
Thanks
MM

The 14.09 firmware was shipped as part of the last software release, 1.2. So it's already on the SSD and just needs to be manually installed on the IO boards.

Oh I did that part already.. I went through every board and updated it.. still does this scream again flashing thing when I hit the right flipper.. Thanks

Make sure the jaw isn't hitting the top of the targets.

Thanks for the reply. It doesn't appear to be.

I am looking for some instruction for cloning the OS and game files from the SSD, or...purchasing SSDs and mobos used in Alien since Heighway is no more and no longer offers support. What is the best resource?

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/weyland-yutani-dedicated-to-keeping-3-alien-specimens-alive/page/4#post-4417562

Looks like those don't work anymore. The instructions are valid though

Try this

http://www.rs-pinball.at/alien/

I cloned my spare pc (source in the other thread)with this instruction http://weirpinball.com/alien/alien.html
and it worked perfectly ....

Finally fixed my ball launch problem. Had to put a piece of electrical tape to block an area that the ball kept hanging in. It works, not very visible. Ball launches have improved about 80-90%

IMG_0949 (resized).jpg

Well it worked great for about 3-4 days then the ball started to get stuck again in that groove.. must be the tape didn't keep the tension. Anyone else have a simple solution? Should I put a small piece of wood in that gap? Its like right between the apron and the metal part of the ball launcher I hope its clear in the photo above

On my game, it's not the gap so much as that goofy screw head sticking up. But it only happens 10% of the time for me, so I haven't tried to address it.

You are perfectly level and have a nice aggressive 8ish percent incline, right? Just doing those things really helped mine initially.

I will evaluate that, yes perhaps my incline is not set right. Thanks for the tip

I was thinking about trying to put one of these passive ball stops in. Looks like I'd have to cut the apron tho.
https://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=1168

my guess is the switch wire is bent up to high, try bending it down a bit

I shoved a couple of empty toilet paper tubes in mine and that has held up.

How can you update the io boards from 1.3 06 to 1.4 06.
I have the latest version 141 software and 1,4b io boards.
But my FT has not the option to upgrade de io to1.4 only downgrade.
I need to upgrade board1. board 2,3 and 4 have 1.4 06.

I have the instructions on my website -
http://weirpinball.com/full%20throttle/Service%20Bulletin%20004b%20-%20Software%20Update%201.41.pdf
http://weirpinball.com/full%20throttle/fullthrottle.html

I'd check the gears, as they can wear down. Take the Xeno head off (screw on each side) and check to see if the gears that move the tongue have worn down. If they are worn, I know there are people on this board who have 3D printed new gears and can probably hook you up with them.

What's strange is that this issue was happening out of the box before I even played the game.

Gotcha. Mine sometimes gets stuck when the ball is on the tongue. The tongue goes back into the mouth, but doesn't pull the ball all the way back, so the ball/tongue is stuck in the mouth. To fix it, I just manually push the tongue all the way back into the mouth. Sometimes takes a couple tries. This usually lets me play about 20 or more games before I have to push the tongue back in again. If this is the issue you're having, I'd like a more permanent fix for it as well.

Go to the two Xeno boards on the back board of the PF

"I took off the one on the left as you are looking back to the front of the pin.

It was easier to get at the silver tiny screw that way.

I used a tiny Phillips head to turn the screw a couple of what felt like quarter clockwise turns

Works great now

Also look at the switch on that board that stays depressed against the back board to make sure it’s situated properly."

Would you be willing to take a picture of the screw and the depressed switch?

I ordered a new amplifier as per other users, my current one, once I turn that black dial up to get more bass.. starts rattling the whole cabinet like crazy and making weird noises. Not sure if its the amplifier or something else, anyone else had this problem?
Thanks

Reed first before you give a answer.
Look at the picture i have 141 but there is no 104 6 io option.
So wat to do to get this.
So how can i reset every thing so the computer acept 1.41 as a new software.

FJIMG_20180812_183750 (resized).jpg

FJIMG_20180812_183812 (resized).jpg

I don't have a full throttle, but did you read the instructions? It mentions updating each board individually - so it looks like you have to update your 101 board. As far as the software update, I would try installing again and see if it takes.

Hi there,
I will be a new Alien pin owner at the end of month.
This game has some issues and I guess I will have them too.
Is there a way to have a post that resumes all issues and fixes known currently?
I know it is some work but it would prevent to ask several time for the same issue.
Thanks a lot.

Got my backup rig tested!

1534192062984443954998 (resized).jpg

Thanks for the io board, its working perfectly.
My amber flashing board is reloaded so it works also now.
So i have a spare one now.
Thanks.