This is where I bought my ROMs
https://mattsbasementarcade.com/product/hook-data-east-pinball-cpudisplay-rom-upgrade-set/

And then if you want to donate to Chad for his work as he does these for free
https://www.pinballcode.com/

Do I want the ROM only or the CPU/Display combo?

Would you grab one of these sound roms as well?

Appreciate your help very much.

I will definitely make a donation as well. This seems awesome.

Get the 5.01 combo. There are 2 rooms that you need for this.

Yes you want the 5.01 unofficial combo display and cpu roms. You don’t need any sounds roms as chad uses the existing sound roms for his update.

Thank you.

Any recommendations on where to grab the right nvram replacement? That's the other main thing not done on this machine yet. Most videos I'm seeing online are from 2014 and earlier, want to make sure I'm following the latest best practices.

Thanks again!

Just had the welcome discovery that my machine is already on the unofficial 5.0. Seems like whoever had this before the guy about it from knew what was going on. Still bought the upgraded one as I don't know enough to flash it, but cool to already be most of the way there.

I would recommend getting the pinsound board next. Next to Chad's code it changes the whole feel of the game.

These 6264 will be back in stock soon. Easy plug and play on this game.
https://www.pinitech.com/products/6264_nvram.php

Thank you. I kept seeing that link but I'm not being in stock made me think I needed to look elsewhere. Good to know it's just temporary.

Anyone with extra plastics for this game? I'm missing the top tree plastic for the right bumper. Looks like it just broke off at some point. Didn't notice it missing until I looked much closer at that area. Not a huge problem given how hard that area is to see with the ramp anyways.

This is the specific plastic I'm missing. On the right side here. Can anyone point me in the right direction? It's not something I seem to be able to get a good view of online.

20211105_200539 (resized).jpg

Contact this pinsider, he maybe have or make this plastic, he is werry trusty, bought from him a year ago, god plastic and fast delivery

VBOBRUSEV
??????? ????????

Pinsider #38471

The plastic is correct thats how it is

Just recently acquired my first DE Hook, and it's a FILTHY wreck of an example. Luckily, the playfield and most plastics are in pretty good shape AND the previous owner had already replaced the MPU with a Rottendog. I'm considering sanding and repainting the cabinet and using repro decals to make it super sweet. Will need some bondo work on the back/bottom. Already getting the armor all powder coated, upgrading to LED, adding Cliffy's, upgraded ROMs, and lots of others.

I'm sharing my photo album here. Maybe it will help someone out there identify a part location or whatnot in the future:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/PwsyNGMN8majTuE19

I do have a question...those two little springs that attach to the playfield on either side of the bottom pop bumper...what are they for? One of mine is broken, but if I don't have a valid reason to place them back on the PF, I won't bother. I've never encountered anything like this before. Specific to Data East? I've mostly been a Williams guy in the past.

Also, if anyone has spare 2 3/8" post studs (with the longer thread above the support nut), I'd pay for shipping. Several of mine are bent or damaged, and I'd like to replace with newer ones but none of the retailers seem to carry them.

The springs are there so the ball doesn't get stuck. It's a data east thing

Thanks. I figured as such. Seems like an odd solution; I'm leaving them off when I rebuild. If it becomes a problem, I'll add them back.
A post might have been more "attractive".

I'm looking for a Hook, if anyone within a few hour drive from Denver has one they'd part with let me know.

Another question from a first time Hook owner working on a top-down pseudo restoration...

There are a few plastics on my Hook that seem....weird. Like they don't seem realistically applied. I'm really asking for a sanity check.

IMG_7148 (resized).jpeg

Is that plastic intended to be BENT like that? Here's a picture of it while applied in place:

IMG_7142 (resized).jpeg
IMG_7141 (resized).jpeg

See how the right end of it bends up over the yellow flasher dome?

Same concern for this one:

IMG_7174 (resized).jpeg
IMG_7175 (resized).jpeg

Is that "bend" the normal installation?

Thanks!
Kasey

It will become a problem, trust me. You might as well put them on.

Those are warped by heat. I put warped plastics like that in the oven to flatten them out.

Your yellow flasher plastic has a broken tab turn it a bit to the right the arm in the plastic should be behind the flasher lens

1002BB0D-C9B2-449A-8358-7AC3C2FCA2E9 (resized).jpeg

Thanks for clarifying the position. I've already got replacement flasher caps, so I should be able to re-assemble correctly.

I get it. I have plenty of experience using heat to flatten out plastics. I just wanted confirmation on what's expected there.

Thank you both!!

I'd also add.....DAMN your plastics and ramp look so sweet. These are all replacement/repro, I assume? My Hook was never cared for, so it's filthy, with plenty of damage. Trying my best to bring it back to former glory.

Yes I'm working on it right now new ramp and plastic set also new rubbers and cliffy's

My Hook has two issues I'm wondering if anyone else has run into.

1) the left out lane kick back works most of the time, but sometimes fires weakly, or too fast, and doesn't launch the ball back up into the playfield. Usually it launches fine, with plenty of kick, so I'm not sure why it occasionally happens.

2) the solenoid under the skill shot, that launches the ball up works fine during single ball play. But when you get into multi-ball / bangarang it won't fire with one ball in there. When a second ball is there it then kicks, but doesn't get both balls up to the top, so it just keeps kicking them up partially over and over.

Any ideas on what to look for to fix those two issues?

Just joined the owner club! Picked up Hook today.

B3C7ADA3-8B7E-4130-86F5-60B9DCE35D03 (resized).jpeg

Get the new code for it https://www.pinballcode.com/ makes the game so much better

After that get pinsound.

Love your lineup! I wish I had space, Twister just looks so cool!

Going to burn the ROMs tomorrow. Can’t wait.

I’ve read through this whole thread and it sounds like Chad really did a great service to the Hook owners by improving and debugging the code.

Going to be sending him a donation for his efforts and hopefully everyone running the new code has done the same.

He sure did, was a very average game with the stock code and can see why people bag it. With the new code wow so much better.

*edit: No longer needed, got it.

I installed the ChadH new code and I seem to be getting way too much BAMGARANG so I set up the tripod and recorded some game play. Around the 0:55 mark, I cradle the ball on the right flipper and it seems like every flip of the left scores points and says bangarang.

I checked the switch test and no other switch is activating when I press the left flipper button.

Any thoughts?

Looks like a Drop Target switch is getting activated when the vibration of the flippers activating happens.

Probably always happened for you but wasn't as big a deal in the past as the Drop Targets didn't do as much before.

Thanks for the input Chad, I put the 4.04 roms back in and confirmed that it was doing it before and I didn't notice because it was just explosion sounds vs the Bangarang call out. (and I've only had this machine a day)

I'll look at the drop target switches.

Thanks!

I adjusted the switches on the 4 drop targets and all is good.

They were for sure bouncing, I entered switch test with the playfield up and tapped on the drop target housing with the targets down and sure enough it was registering those down target again.

Thanks for the help ChadH sorry if it seemed like I was blaming the new code (which I'm sure you get a lot with all the new codes you do)

Glad you got it fixed! I didn't think you were blaming the new code at all. The only problem is now you will have to hit those drop targets to crank up the ramp bonus... instead of just letting the vibrations do it for you.

Are you sure? I can literally see the broken tab from some plastic that was above the bumper on the right side here.

20220114_231719 (resized).jpg

Is there a limit on how many of the lost boy weapon targets that the VUK will spot? I was making that shot over and over and noticed it wasn't spotting those targets each time.

It will only spot one after you go through the right return lane. There is a light under the mermaid that flashes after you go over that switch and any shot to the clock VUK will spot a weapon target while this light is flashing. The amount of time you get after going through the return lane is longer for the first multiball, it’s pretty easy to spot two weapons even if you miss once. After the first multiball it shuts off much quicker making it possible to get two shots in a row only if you are very quick and don’t miss.
Shots to the VUK when the return lane isn’t flashing do not spot any targets.

Weird. It attract mode it specifically says the VUK spots lost boy weapons, nothing about the inlanes.

And the instruction card says nothing about spotting weapons.

No they don’t, but if you look at the playfield, next to the mermaid it says “return to clock room spots target” and then that light flashes when you go through the inlane. Data East rules seemed to change a lot back then and are often inconsistent with playfield labeling or instructions.
My lethal weapon 3 says on the playfield that hot pursuit spots top lanes yet it doesn’t actually spot the top lanes. There was something on my data East simpsons that was off too, can’t remember what it was off the top of my head

Best score so far.

5FCD66E3-FFEA-4A80-ABEF-3E74A9074B54 (resized).jpeg

What legs do you guys have on your Hook? Mine are 30.5" and it sits taller than my Stargate which is a tall game. I played one on location that sat a lot lower.
I'm tall so I like its height just curious.

28.5" I believe is the correct ones

Anyone have a spare windcoaster ramp that would sell? Can be used and dirty, just needs to function. PM me.

You're missing the tinkerbell Plastic there's one on ebay
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/124519457656?hash=item1cfdf02378:g:j0UAAOSwglJgOD7G

Would anyone trade there hook for my Excalibur and my triple action?

I think I can potentially salvage my windcoaster ramp but still looking for a beat (functional) one. Also looking for the skill shot ramp- if anyone replaced theirs and still has the old one please PM me. Trying to bring a Hook back from the dead!

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/new-hook-rufio-ramps#post-6534263

I've seen a lot of suggestions online saying you definitely want the pinsound with the upgraded sound package for Hook, but I can't find a single video or anything actually showing it in action and what it improves, and I love the stock callouts on this machine. Can this be seen anywhere?

Yep. A lot of the callouts still there, they are just sampled from the movie.