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(Topic ID: 80267)
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Jurassic Park
Data East, 1993
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Quick question... what should T-rex do during boot up diagnostics?
How many times should he turn left / right and go down / up?
... Altan
Quoted from Meloyelo51:Just happened to have leftover footage from my last video...
Thanks! My trex behaves exactly the same.
Hey everyone. For better or worse, I started a JP DMD problem thread. If you've run into this, please let me know.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/de-jp-dmd-shakes-wrottendog-power-board
... Altan
1 month later
Thanks! The trex saucer has a little damage. Nice machine I picked up 2 months ago. Needs some work here and there but no basket case!
Edit... BTW, goes to show how pictures can be deceiving. It's a nice game, but looking at that pic... well, it's not that nice!
5 months later
1 week later
Just wanted to share that as part of cleaning / fixing my JP, I recently adjusted the left ramp diverter. Now the ball goes flying down the ramp and diverts across the playfield at full speed. However, it does this so fast that 25% of the time when it hits the end of the habittrail, it ends up bouncing out the open left side and roles down the top of the slingshot plastic. 
So now I need to either (1) adjust the diverter so it's not quite as fast or (2) figure out a way to dampen the ball at the end of the habittrail.
What have others done?
... Altan
Anyone know where the 2nd "smart bomb" light is on the playfield? I'm referring to lamp 64.
The manual says "smart bomb x2", meaning there should be two bulbs. I can only find a single bulb under the smart bomb light just above the flippers. Maybe this is a mistake in the manual? Or there is a second one hiding somewhere...
... Altan
Quoted from altan:Anyone know where the 2nd "smart bomb" light is on the playfield? I'm referring to lamp 64.
The manual says "smart bomb x2", meaning there should be two bulbs. I can only find a single bulb under the smart bomb light just above the flippers. Maybe this is a mistake in the manual? Or there is a second one hiding somewhere...
... Altan
Ha! Figured it out... The 2nd lamp is under the big button on the launcher handle!! I was looking on the playfield...
Quoted from Meloyelo51:I am having this issue and usually goes out the right outlane...VERY ANNOYING! I've thought about getting the rubbers that just barely fit around the wireform. Not sure what size those are called. But one day I'll get around to trying it. Would this be size 0?
As a test, I cut a 1/8" wide piece of the fuzzy side of velcro and stuck it (using the adhesive on the back) to the LEFT side of the habit trail ending. This solved the problem. (Interestingly, putting it on the right, which I did first, made it much worse!)
I'm going to try other solutions, but wanted to share.
Hey Fellow Jurassic Park Friends. I've been slowly getting the gremlins out of my JP and I'm happy to say that it's now playing 100% and is "dialed in". I've also completed 95% of the upper playfield "shop" job... It's looking good! Below are a couple of pics. Also, more details about what I've done to my JP are on my site (http://www.aaarpinball.com/JurassicPark/JP.htm).
Below are a couple of pics...
IMG_0263 (resized).jpg
IMG_0264 (resized).jpg
IMG_0256 (resized).jpg
Tech / Behavior question. There is a spotlight on the back of the "shoot the t-rex box". This is the box that is in front of the T-Rex and has a lamp matrix lamp on the top and a flasher on the back.
There is a spotlight there too... but mine doesn't work. I suspect it is GI? However, the Jurassic Park manual doesn't seem to admit that this light exists. At least on page 36 "Lamp Bulb Park Numbers".
... Altan
1 week later
Quoted from DropTarget:is this the beginning of a mass exodus?
Unless the buyer tossed it off the roof, there are still the same number of owners
Quoted from SirScott:Unless people are doubling up.
Excellent point. Now that I think about it, I think there is evidence someone a 100 Miles offshore from Costa Rica is hoarding them.
2 months later
If someone has a minute, could you tell me how much play the plastic VUK part has?
Occasionally mine will just start firing the solenoid. The switch seems good. I cannot reproduce it on demand. No switch errors.
However, the plastic part has a lot of horizontal wiggle / play (when playfield is down). Wondering if normal...
Quoted from woody24:I know the last time I messed with my VUK, both the one that came with the machine, and the one I replaced it with had quite a bit of wiggle.
I'd just say it's probably your switch just set too sensitive. But can't really give you any details of which direction you need to go and how much.
But I do see that you're missing a third clamp on the VUK. You've got two metal bands on there now. A third probably won't make a difference, just as long as it covers the pin that holds the ball catcher to the shaft.
Thanks @woody24. Good to know the wiggle is normal. I'll proceed to make some small tweaks to the switch.
... Altan
Quoted from GRB1959:Hi @altan,
It looks like you are missing one compression spring on your VUK which likely accounts for some of the slop/play that you are seeing with this mechanism. See the photo below of the VUK on my JP.
Also, I had a very similar issue with a VUK on my TFTC. Review this thread as it appears to be the same type of issue. I ended up purchasing a compression ring kit from Marco and installing it which fixed the issue 100 percent on my TFTC.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/tftc-vuk-issue
Gord
@grb1959 thanks! Great info too. I'm going to start by tweaking the switch. If that doesn't work, I'll buy that Macro replacement kit. Everything "seems" to work great when I'm checking it out... but then something goes wonky occasionally while playing.
There was also a comment about checking how the VUK switch wire makes its way back the the plunger switch and making sure that's a solid connection too... I'll check that out.
Thanks again for the thoughts, guys.
Turns out the simple solution worked. The switch just needed some adjustment. I was able to reproduce the problem AND keep the problem happening while I opened up the playfield last night. I'd not been successful before.
Turns out the switch was just sensitive enough that it could be activated when no balls was on the piston. This didn't happen all that often, but still occurred.
The switch is held by two screws + nuts and there is some adjustment available. I was able to loosen the screws/nuts and adjust the mounting so the switch is less sensitive.
... Altan
Quoted from altan:Thanks woody24. Good to know the wiggle is normal. I'll proceed to make some small tweaks to the switch.
... Altan
Quoted from altan:@grb1959 thanks! Great info too. I'm going to start by tweaking the switch. If that doesn't work, I'll buy that Macro replacement kit. Everything "seems" to work great when I'm checking it out... but then something goes wonky occasionally while playing.
There was also a comment about checking how the VUK switch wire makes its way back the the plunger switch and making sure that's a solid connection too... I'll check that out.
3 months later
Quoted from Davi:Help please. Shoot T-rex lamp doesn't work. The red/green wire under the playfield is going nowhere after the IDC connector.
What is the location of associated diode?
Thanks![quoted image]
Did you get an answer?
If not, let me know and I'll take a look tonight.
2 months later
Quoted from koops:Finally got around to getting rid of those shit data east “lift handles”. Jp has just the right space to fit these in.
[quoted image][quoted image]
Awesome!
I've thought of doing it myself. Any tips?
Do the real slides require drilling new holes?
7 months later
Quoted from Agent_Hero:I see most people asking upper 3's and they don't even have a 3D printed gate or new T-Rex!
My buddies and I agree that the pinside price estimate is quite low.
But we all know it's regional and only works if there is a willing seller and a willing buyer.
3 weeks later
Quoted from Mr_Tantrum:You ask, I deliver. I even almost made it to shut-down mode. Forgot to take the glass off, but shouldn't be too big of a bother. Enjoy.
Just watched. It doesn't work for me. The theatrical JP theme is all about wonder, nature, and beauty. It plays during low action scenes that, back in 1993, filled the viewer with awe. IMHO, this is 100% not the experience the JP pin offers (action, speed, mechanical, loud). So not a good match for me.
I am glad that it exists for people that like it.
... Altan
5 months later
I've gotta say Mr_Tantrum that the closeup of the tongue is gross. But...
It looks great installed!
2 years later
Perhaps this is timely (or perhaps it's too late!). I installed a LED ColorDMD on my Jurassic Park and documented the steps (or at least my first draft of the steps). While many people have ColorDMD already, this might be interesting to someone who just wants to see the process or someone who wants a little more details than what's included in the official instructions.
https://aaarpinball.com/JurassicPark/JP.htm
Dustwel Perhaps you can use this to check how your cables are installed.
... Altan
Quoted from AJGross:With everyone installing a ColorDMD in their pins, it's no wonder they are sold out of them. I was looking at buying one myself.
A little warning about that... IMHO ColorDMD doesn't make this very clear (but I do agree it's not hidden).
If you want a plug-n-play install, you can only get the LED version.
While the LCD version can technically work, it requires modifying your speaker panel and drilling holes in the ColorDMD bracket.
3 weeks later
When I got my JP, I immediately put the unofficial 6.0 ROM in there. I've not played the official code in a LONG time.
One thing that's a little wonky is the behavior if you hit the super missile right before the ball drains. It ends up showing the animations for the next mode and then immediately ending. Just feels off.
For those of you that have the original ROM, does it have this behavior?
Quoted from Preacher:Compare my photos below to one I found on the web:
There's something familiar about that site and picture
Quoted from Preacher:And it also looks like the eos leaf switch is to short (2nd photo):
I'm having a hard time following the progression of your pictures. However, the 2nd picture appears to show 2 wires connected together and nothing connected to the EOS. If so, then yes... that's not right.
[EDIT: I did some more research and I'm adjusting my text. Old text removed!]
Looking at some info from the classic Clay's guide, it talks about the EOS switch on JP. It exists for a single purpose... If the pin wants the flipper to be up and something causes the flipper to go back down (such as a fast ball from the raptor pit) during this time, the game knows because the switch transitions to closed. It then enables the high voltage to flip back up.
So this hack remove the capability.
3 weeks later
Quoted from SDX10:Hey Everyone, my first post on pinside, and soon to be my first pinball machine! I should be picking up my Jurassic Park on Wednesday or Thursday of this week, super excited! I've tried to read some of the pages in this thread, but obviously not all of them. Any tips or tricks for a new pinball owner and a Jurassic Park?
There are two questionable things about this machine that I noticed during my plays at the seller's home. Nothing bad enough that I wouldn't purchase it, of course. First, it has a pretty loud hum that changes in volume and intensity depending on what's on the DMD. I know this is pretty common for Data East machines, but I'll be looking at ways to make this a little quieter. Definitely not as noticable during play with all the other sounds, but fairly noticeable when it's sitting in attract mode between games. I saw this thread has some ideas, including a little device that supposedly helps with the hum/noise (all sold out now I believe, but more to come) https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/data-east-speaker-noise-ideas-for-a-cure/page/18#post-6860635
Other fixes for the hum I've read about can be grounding issues, rebuilding/servicing power supplies, and/or adding a separate power supply for the audio board. I'll do more investigating when I have the machine.
The other issue was the ball seemed to want to jump off the wireform ramp (habitrail?) after you hit the gate ramp. It jumped off into the middle of the playfield, and twice at the end. Once it bounced in play across the slingshot, the other time (and far more irritating), it bounced right into the outlane. Anyone have this happen, and any easy fixes? This could be cleared up with leveling and such, so I won't really know for sure until I have the machine at my house. Thanks!
Welcome (almost)!
As you said, the hum is VERY common. It seems you've looked at the thread, so you probably know there are multiple causes... and in some cases, people really improve it and in others it never gets better. You'll need to see what works for your specific pin.
For me, I improved it a lot by adding an external power supply (you can seem my web site for info ... I also posted about it in the "noise ideas" thread) for the sound board. HOWEVER, the hum got worse when I recently added a ColorDMD 
. I haven't spent any time investigating that yet.
The ball jumping off the wireform isn't uncommon either. IMHO, it is more apt to happen if the game isn't leveled properly or if the playfield has recently been waxed. It could also be occurring because someone put a flipper coil in there that's too powerful, but I don't think I've seen that for anything but WMS games.
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