I vote you probably need to adjust the switch with a leaf adjust tool.

Have any Hobbit owners experimented with replacing sounds in the delta loads? I was just interested to customize some parts of the mix.

It seems you can import the wavs into an audio editor but the first second is garbled. That wouldn't be a problem except when you try and load another file in its place it fails on the update, maybe due to some sort of checksum?

Cheers.

Due to something.

They didn't want people messing around in there.

LTG : )

Thanks LTG, I love playing around with sounds, was just interested to have a go on this machine.

Hi All,

Having trouble with my barrel pop bumpers - they fire in rapid succession a lot, when the ball is nowhere near them, sometime repeatedly. Always in a 1-2-3 pattern. See video here:

Anyone experienced this? Thanks for any tips on fixing this.

Pop Bumper Area Rubber 71 is stuck in active mode. I'm assuming this might be related.

Had a weird boot up scenario tonight. Turned game on, and a screen full if commands popped up with a timer count down going. After about 20 seconds, it auto selected an option to boot, then went to another screen that said unibootin or something. Finally booted afterwards. Wish I had a picture

You get this (grub screen) when something was not closed good when turning off the machine. You can get it again if you start up the machine and turn it off before it is started up fully. Normally it should not be a problem.

Yes. Adjust it, end of problem.

LTG : )

Thanks. Good to know it's not a big deal. Thanks for the input.

Awesome - can you be more specific? Is there a way to adjust the switch to back off the active state? Thanks for any help here!

Update 2.01 is available for the JJP google support group. Among others it brings back the default atrack light mode.

The manual listed this switch as a "Stand-up Leaf"... a quick search online found this video and now it's fixed. A simple tweak with needle nose pliers on the base of the back leaf and we're back in business.

Just so there's no confusion, the 2.01 release will be posted to the jjp site today for everyone.

2.01 is up on the site now:

==============================================================================
== Version 2.01 December 15, 2017 ==
==============================================================================

=== Game Code

* Fixed pop-up beast arrow and GI lamp logic
* Don't show Today's High Scores page if there are none to show
+ Added adjustment to control "old school" attract mode light show
* The Bait: beast stays down longer now when "distracted"
+ Added Critic's Cut preset

=== Core Code

* Fixed audio mixing issue that resulted in distorted sounds
* Fixed ball tracking error caused by losing ball from lockup during ballsaver
+ Added CUSTOMIZATION sub-menu under UTILITIES in Diagnostics
* Fixed a drain/tilt condition that could cause a game to hang
* Suppress knocker when Match is skipped via start button (on free play only)
+ Added check for switches stuck closed/open at power up
+ Added check for any opto switch working at power up; multiball devices will
not kick if no opto switch working
+ Added display message at power up if Test Report error detected
* Trough will abandon kicking after a while
+ Added check for all trough switches closed (including jam); trough will not
kick when this condition detected (likely a failure of the trough board);
game will not start during this condition, and a Trough Error message is
displayed
* Multiball devices will abandon kicking with coin door open now; abandoned
devices will kick when door is closed
+ Added Knocker Strength adjustment
* Turned on Test Report "dot" Paid Play preset
* Turned off Today's High Scores for Paid Play preset
* Fixed "Last Game Scores" displaying after Factory Reset
* Removed erroneous "Coin Door Open at Init" logger event when exiting Diag
* Hide Pindemption presets when not enabled via dongle
+ Added Status Report Start Time adjustment

Loving it - updated WOZ the other day, and right of the bat the switch check found an error on my machine that I had not noticed - glad to see they ported this to the Hobbit as well, also so interesting to see a user mention an issue with Audio and boom a fix - this level of support just makes me go wow.

I've seen a few posts from a while back where people mention the start button was loose. Tonight I noticed my start button switch is no longer actually connected to the start button. I briefly mentioned this is a follow up post in my thread about my pop up mech issue.

Is there a photo or video somewhere that would help me understand how to reconnect the switch. I'm sure this is an easy fix I just haven't dealt with before.

Google - pinball start button switch assembly

LTG : )

startbuttonswitchassy (resized).jpg

I am just getting around to checking this, but I can't locate where these switches are? Are they under the whole Smaug assembly? I have taken off Smaug's plastics before, but I haven't taken off the turntable that he sits on.

Manual has a drawing with switch locations.

LTG : )

Yes I have looked at the manual, I expected to be able to inspect the switches from the top of the play field. Am I missing something obvious, or do I have to take Smaug apart to find the switches underneath?

Go into Diagnostics and get to the Dragon Head test.
Diagnostics->Full Menu->Tests->Device Tests->Dragon Head

Use the +/- buttons to move the head left and right. It is OK to gently move the head by hand. (Warning: Don't try to move the mouth by hand.) The limit switches should activate at either end of travel. If they are not activating, then check all the cable connections. It's much more likely that there is a connection problem than there is for the switches to be dirty.

Make sure the head is traveling smoothly side to side. If it is not moving smoothly, then you'll have to check behind and underneath the dragon mech to make sure the cable bundle isn't binding.

--Ted

The head is moving fine, the limit switches aren't activating and I can't see any obvious loose connection.

Since both switches are out, that points to some sort of connection issue. Check the plug on J100. It's a 6-pin header. Follow it to make sure there isn't a broken wire.

You can also try wiggling the wire/plug while in Switch Test to see if either of the limit switches trigger. This would indicate a loose connection or broken wire.

--Ted

what do the switches look like for the end points, i can't even locate them. (yes i looked in the manual, no help to me, i need color pictures).

I will check the plug at j100.

Yeah, it's too bad there aren't some better pictures of the dragon mech in the manual. The switches are on a circuit board underneath the head. There's a drawing of the board on page D-74 in the manual. It's labeled part #8 in the lower-left wire drawing on page C-46.

--Ted

Not much time today, but I will see what I can do.

OK. Now that I'm in the office, I can provide a photo. The red arrow points to J100. Also check the connectors at the other end of that short cable assembly. There is a power connector and a switch matrix connector. I've circled the switch matrix connector in the photo, but be sure to check both.

--Ted

dragon (resized).png

I unplugged and reseated those connectors and nothing changed. Is Smaug's head supposed to stop immediately upon reaching his end points?

My Spider head switch had apparently gotten out of adjustment. Just the motion of popping up makes it register a hit. Which way do I bend the switch? I'm a complete noob at pinball repair.

Bend the rear blade back a little.

LTG : )

Worked perfectly. Thanks LTG!

There are mechanical stops at each end, so the head will stop rotating. If the switches aren't working, the motor will continue to run for a while after hitting a stop, since there is no feedback to tell the game that the head is at a limit.

Broke 3 million last night in an epic game. Started all 3 mini wizards and killed Smaug! Woohoo!

I've been playing the critics cut and kind of like it, somethings more than others.
How do I go back to the "original cut"?
Is that a factory reset or....? And is there a way to go back to keep high scores and custom settings?

Getting ready for my party tomorrow night. These games never cease to amaze me.

IMG_0848 (resized).JPG

IMG_0849 (resized).JPG

What is "critics cut"? And how did you get that awesome scroll message?

Not sure what critics cut is either!

The scroll message is just simply the custom message under utilities.

You can also download one personal picture to your game. I have my dog in there. His picture pops up during the attract mode. Doesn't really go with the game but still funny.

IMG_0853 (resized).JPG

This is one paragraph from Ted explaining the critics cut:

For those of you who have expressed frustration with the overlapping multiballs, try out the "Critic's Cut" preset. This may help spread things out a bit.

Now, does anyone know how to undue it?

Seems to undo it, you would either choose another preset or just go to gsme settings and change the individual adjustments the way you want.

What version of code is critics cut on?

2.01

this is my attract mode picture for the hobbit

anstalt-03 (resized).jpg

Ok, mine is continuing to run for a while after hitting the stops. I think I will have to pull the whole Smaug unit to get at these switches, and I am not in a rush to do this.

Ok, so I pulled Smaug and immediately noticed the problem. There is a small metal tab that fits between the optical switches and mine was bent enough so it wouldn't fit. I used needle nose pliers to gently bend it back. Even after some careful adjustments the tab was still too long, so I took a dremel and ground off a small amount of the tab.

After that I noticed that the chip that is socketed on the board underneath Smaug was damaged as well. One of the screws that holds the servo/jaw bracket in place sticks out the bottom near the chip. When I was testing to see if the metal tab would fit between the optos I turned Smaug too far and damaged the chip and the socket by hitting the screw. Anyway, put it all back together and still doesn't register end points. Probably damaged the chip or the socket.

I don't think my Smaug ever worked straight from the factory. The metal tab is so strong that there is no way the motor on Smaug could have bent it.

Question about into the fire? A few days ago I caught lightning in the bottle and progressed through many levels until I had to make the shot up right ramp which was lit.

I drained but if I made the shot would I have beaten the mode? Or still had more to go ?
I'm sure someone here knows the answer.
Cheers

I just installed a Chrome Candy shooter rod, as it matches the LE almost perfectly. It looks great, BUT now it barely taps the ball at all. Seems the outer spring on the shooter rod is too big. The knob on the original shooter rod allows the spring to go into it a bit, allowing the shooter to actually hit the ball. Any idea if a smaller outer spring is available anywhere? If not the nice new shooter rod will need to go back .

Yes the spring is to long. Candy shooters offers a spring to go with your shooter so it works correctly. I had the same issue. Only a firm punch got the ball to move. Lol