TX-Sector
Gottlieb, 1988Finally started on my TX Sector. If you saw my Dr. Who restore (https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/dr-who-pinball-mods-super-dalek) then you know what's ahead for this machine. 12 inch sub-woofer, amps, clearcoats, custom cabinet, electronic mods... I have yet to post pictures of my "Genesis" restore due to waiting on ramp manufacture. Hopefully I can debut both of these Gottlieb titles together in a few months. Stay Tuned!
20150129_174315.jpgQuoted from Hi-Fi:You should look at TNT's youtube video for TX Sector. If you are not a purist, they added a few additional lights not on the original play field.
Can't wait to watch this thread, I love TX Sector.
I saw tnt's mods and I liked the clear drop target with the led under it. Definitely will be doing that one!
Quoted from Whysnow:looking good!
please clarify what you did with the black laminate???
I applied the laminate to the original cabinet and routed the edges leaving a perfectly smooth finish . My plans are to either have the original art work redone in a label application or go all custom. Because the original art work was in less than good condition I decided to go this route. I have applied laminate to 2 other machines in my collection with super clean results!!
very nice! looks like a great starting point for art.
Please keep me posted on art/stencil. If you go original in design I would like to purchase and can commit now. Stencils so I can spray for original would be amazing, but I have no idea how to make the templates. Mine has pretty decent art if you need photos.
Quoted from PinBiohazard:that looks beautiful! are you gonna upgrade the speakers and LED it out?
This is a bad pic but yes sound upgrade is already in process .
Quoted from OpFlash:hows this project going??
Havent been able to dive into this project recently like I really want to! full time job and home business Keeping me busy. I will post some updated pictures tonight!
Recently received all mother boards back from Clive at "Coin Op Caldron". Clive does excellent work. As well as thoroughly check each board for physical and internal errors he also play test and give you a print out of all found errors and repairs done. He removed the remote battery pack someone installed on my board and upgraded it to a mounted lithium ion battery. He also Labeled all blank game specific program chips and replaced those that are of old or problematic design or found with errors. Also upgraded those problematic blue dip switch cluster to the new more durable red ones. Clive does awesome work!! http://webpages.charter.net/coinopcauldron/brepairs.html 20150430_083616_resized.jpg
I Removed that fake adhesive semi-metalic laminate covering from the large pc board panel Gottlieb used on some of their later model games, painted it white and mounted all boards in place with ground mod wires attached and ready:20150430_081453_resized.jpg
Repinned the MPU connector cable. I have doubled the ground and power wires as recommended. You can see the burn marks on original cable from years of the florescent bulb transformer heating up. These wires were very brittle and broke easily. In the before pic below I have already replaced and doubled the ground wires (black)
Before:
20150413_174717.jpg
Shaker motor installed and all Gottlieb solid flat ground strip changed to standard braid cable:
20150430_081646_resized.jpg
More to come!
Playfield stripped! Not shown in this picture but Mylar removed via freeze spray method and then heat gun after I ran out of freeze spray. Not sure if I will attempt touch-ups or send it off.
20150502_180541.jpg
Kinda of neat the way Gottlieb did some layout guides on the underside of the playfield. Im sure it helped the assemblers very much back in the day!
20150502_181206.jpg
Will also start on cleaning wire looms, replacing all switches, solenoids, and tumbling metal parts.
20150503_013639.jpg
looks great. Could you post some details about your sound upgrade. Just got my Genesis playing last night and some better sound quality would make it amazing.
Quoted from Tokkentakker:looks great. Could you post some details about your sound upgrade. Just got my Genesis playing last night and some better sound quality would make it amazing.
For my Genesis I removed the single backbox speaker and cut a second hole in the speaker panel and installed these: http://www.amazon.com/Pyle-PL53BL-5-25-Inch-200-Watt-Three-Way/dp/B00022OBO2/ref=pd_sim_sbs_421_1
for the price they are great! I have used them in all my machines. For the bass speaker in my Genesis I installed two 8 inch woofers but in my Dr. Who and the TX Sector I am using a 12 inch sub-woofer. This is a great power amp for the sub woofer http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-sa70-70w-subwoofer-plate-amplifier--300-784 This will be the 3rd machine I have used it on with great results. Here is thread with a few pics from my Genesis and Dr. Who regarding sound upgrade. I can post some pics of the speaker panel later tonight. The Gotliebs have good power amplifiers and will run the back box speakers fine but for that extra bass kick you need an extra amp. Some people like to add a home theater powered sub-woofer and it is a simple way to add bass as well. Here is a thread that discuss that extensively https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/adding-a-powered-sub-the-right-way I personally like to install my sound systems completely in the machines but hey thats me. I would be happy to help with any questions you may have if the other links dont cover them 
Thanks rgb. Probably going to order the amp and speakers. Really helps to know they worked so well for you. Can't wait to really get this machine the way I want it.
I sent pics to the major players and HSA said send it on up!! It doesn't look that bad to me. Very minor lifting around inserts during mylar removal which I could have fixed myself but the area where the ball drops after plunging was worn to the wood and I am by no means an artist at all! A MAN HAS TO KNOW HIS LIMITATIONS!
Quoted from rgb635:A MAN HAS TO KNOW HIS LIMITATIONS!
Nonsense - You need to destroy more stuff and learn! Kidding. Good idea if you have never done it and want great results. It's not easy to do well. I enjoy it, but it is very time-consuming and takes a lot of practice.
Nice project and TX sector is very fun to play. Regarding your ground mod......please remove the Ground connection to the heatsink from the +5V power supply. You are introducing a potential problem here...... Why? The LM338K regulator which is mounted on the heatsink has +12V at its case and is isolated from the heatsink by a very thin piece of material. When damaged there will be +12V at the heatsink and when connected to Ground there will be a blown fuse (and no +5V). The Ground wire you connected to the right lower pins at the power supply will do the job. No need to connect the heatsink as well. The above problem counts for other system 80 ground mod's as well. Most people use the +5V power supply as a central GND. It is fundamental wrong..... Use a hinge of from the lampboard or a screw left below in the backbox for later system80A games. I repair many Gottlieb games and I encountered this problem a few times already.
Marco
Quoted from crlush:How is the shaker motor programed to work?
I would guess its triggered by either a saucer or the pops....or maybe hes getting complicated with it?
Hope I get to play this at a show some time.....expo maybe??? 
Quoted from MarAlb:Nice project and TX sector is very fun to play. Regarding your ground mod......please remove the Ground connection to the heatsink from the +5V power supply. You are introducing a potential problem here...... Why? The LM338K regulator which is mounted on the heatsink has +12V at its case and is isolated from the heatsink by a very thin piece of material. When damaged there will be +12V at the heatsink and when connected to Ground there will be a blown fuse (and no +5V). The Ground wire you connected to the right lower pins at the power supply will do the job. No need to connect the heatsink as well. The above problem counts for other system 80 ground mod's as well. Most people use the +5V power supply as a central GND. It is fundamental wrong..... Use a hinge of from the lampboard or a screw left below in the backbox for later system80A games. I repair many Gottlieb games and I encountered this problem a few times already.
Marco
Makes good sense..I always thought the 5v power supply design was a bit challenged when viewed up close. Seems there could have been a better build design even during that era of game electronics. I will correct this this evening. Thanks Marco!!
Quoted from crlush:How is the shaker motor programed to work?
Quoted from Chitownpinball:I would guess its triggered by either a saucer or the pops....or maybe hes getting complicated with it?
Hope I get to play this at a show some time.....expo maybe???
I plan to incorporate the shaker during the ball teleportation stage. There will also be a backbox feature during this stage but they will work somewhat independent of each other. The shaker will trigger from the flashers at each teleporter entrance and will have limited tremor only shake effects. These lights flash periodically at other times during the game so using a "Pig" adapter and/or ELK programmable delay timer relay switches I will limit the shaker interaction. However....the teleport flasher lamp lights fully only during an actual teleport and I will use this to activate the back box feature and full 100% shaker activation during teleport. Its going to be an awesome effect very similar to my Dr. Who shaker linked to the time expander!
Quoted from rgb635:I plan to incorporate the shaker during the ball teleportation stage. There will also be a backbox feature during this stage but they will work somewhat independent of each other. The shaker will trigger from the flashers at each teleporter entrance and will have limited tremor only shake effects. These lights flash periodically at other times during the game so using a "Pig" adapter and/or ELK programmable delay timer relay switches I will limit the shaker interaction. However....the teleport flasher lamp lights fully only during an actual teleport and I will use this to activate the back box feature and full 100% shaker activation during teleport. Its going to be an awesome effect very similar to my Dr. Who shaker linked to the time expander!
OK, please tell me this will be at expo. 
Quoted from Chitownpinball:OK, please tell me this will be at expo.
I have never attended any shows but now that 3 of my 4 machines are about finished I will have to look into attending!!
Received my Playfield back from HSA and all I can say is awesome job!!! Brian did some amazing work including a bad area where the ball drops from launch onto the left side of the playfield that was worn down to the bare wood! The playfield looks like glass. I highly recommend HSA pinball for playfield restorations no doubt. Here are the before and after pictures taken by brian.
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Atlanta, GA
Salisbury
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Mount Ommaney