(Topic ID: 161460)

Led's in an EM? Blasphemy

By poppapin

7 years ago


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  • 40 posts
  • 29 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 7 years ago by OLDPINGUY
  • Topic is favorited by 2 Pinsiders

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    #1 7 years ago

    I know this is a no no with the EM crowd but was recently at Silverball museum and noticed all the em's had retro soft white bulbs in them & really looked good.
    My question do any of you put them in your em & what kind?

    #2 7 years ago

    I put them behind a BGresto backglass because regular bulbs just wouldn't shine thru and it looks as good as I can get it now. But I usually stick with regular incandescent bulbs.

    #3 7 years ago

    Noooooooo! Haha

    Some do, but most don't because they think it won't look 'stock', or really improve anything. Some really like them though. Whatever floats your boat.

    #4 7 years ago

    Silverball Museum has an exception from the EM crowd. Their machines are on all day, just like a real arcade should be. So power consumption is reduced, as is the damage caused by the heat of the bulbs. I don't like them, but if my games were on that long I'd do the exact same thing. However at home, real bulbs! The 6 hours of the occasional party is nothing.

    #5 7 years ago

    I think I have a solid reputation around here as a box-stock purist, but I'm not averse to modifications that are easily reversible and won't cause damage. That being said, I've seen very tastefully done LED treatments on EM games, and I think they really can enhance the look of the game. I've also seen LEDs used to enhance the colors on an EM backglass, and they really make the playfield inserts pop when the correct color is used. So yeah, if they are applied correctly and tastefully, LEDs are great for EMs as well as for more modern games.

    #6 7 years ago

    It's blashemy, haven't seen one yet that looks good. Prefer the machines to look original.

    #7 7 years ago

    I like LEDs for the inserts and backbox but all GI should be original.

    #8 7 years ago
    Quoted from Electrocute:

    It's blashemy, haven't seen one yet that looks good. Prefer the machines to look original.

    I like mine as original as possible too. But in some cases an original backglass in decent shape is almost impossible to come by. And they don't make repros for every game.

    #9 7 years ago

    I've used them in inserts and behind a backglass, although I don't really like the look behind a glass. Other than that, incandescents only.

    #10 7 years ago

    Some Games Yes, Some games no.....thats my personal opinion. No Argument either way! Easy!

    #11 7 years ago

    What's a LED?

    #12 7 years ago
    Quoted from poppapin:

    I know this is a no no with the EM crowd but was recently at Silverball museum and noticed all the em's had retro soft white bulbs in them & really looked good.
    My question do any of you put them in your em & what kind?

    I notice them too much, though, but they are nicer than other variety. However, they have them custom manufactured for them. They used to sell them (for probably much more than they pay for them), not sure if they do anymore.

    #13 7 years ago

    I was hoping this topic would come back!
    https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/led-lights-on-a-em

    Group hug!

    #14 7 years ago

    I understand though why the PHOF and other places like it would go to them. Just don't want to do them on my own games, except for inserts, and even then, I've only done them on one game.

    #15 7 years ago

    I have "updated" all of my EMs to use soft white bulbs. I can't tell a difference in terms of looks, and they produce no heat.

    #16 7 years ago
    Quoted from drsfmd:

    I have "updated" all of my EMs to use soft white bulbs. I can't tell a difference in terms of looks, and they produce no heat.

    Who's soft white are you using?

    #17 7 years ago

    Burnt out bulbs are worse than tasteful LED's. That's my take.

    #18 7 years ago

    They look uniformly stupid in EMs in a home environment. They also often have ghosting issues which while tolerable on a 90s game are absolutely ridiculous on an EM.

    That being said, I don't think it's a crime to put them behind the backglass, though the effects of heat on a home use EM backglass are incredibly overstated. I rank the risk of home use 44s or 47s damaging your backglass as somewhere between getting hit by a meteor fragment on your way to work, or crossing paths with Donald Trump on a visit to WaWa.

    On location/museum where a game is going to be on all the time, I see no problem with it of course. It's all about saving time replacing bulbs, saving energy, etc. etc. at that point.

    #19 7 years ago

    I don't like them or use them, but really....who cares?

    If they are not for you, just take them out and put the 44's back in.

    No damage done.

    E

    #20 7 years ago

    The only EM I put LEDs in, with good effect, was Op Pop Pop. This has a Pop Art 60s theme with crazy Christian Marche artwork. I put in wild colours and colour changers and it really fitted the look (IMHO). As everyone else says ...a matter of taste.

    #21 7 years ago

    Having a handful of EMs out on route, I will always put LEDs in those to keep the heat down. The general public (non-collectors) seem to like the look of LEDs and it brightens up the games nicely to draw them in, so I'm good with it! I usually just use 2SMD frosted bulbs to keep things simple. Like others have said - easy to just put 44's back in if you don't like the way they look.

    #22 7 years ago
    Quoted from Otaku:

    They used to sell them (for probably much more than they pay for them), not sure if they do anymore.

    They're still showing on their website for sale, think they were a buck a pop.

    #23 7 years ago

    I experimented once with them, in one machine. It had the major flickering, but also made the 'one' game stand out from the others. Figured I have to do them all if I ever went 'all in'. For the record: I didn't shop around to see if other bulbs would react differently.

    #24 7 years ago

    At home:NEVER!!!!

    I understand why ops and arcades use them.They use those superbands too.

    #25 7 years ago

    I put some retro LEDs in one of my EMs and thought it looked horrible, but then realized I bought natural white instead of warm white. So I got some warm white retro LEDs and it of course still looked horrible. I then asked a priest for forgiveness for my mistakes and haven't done anything so bad to a pinball machine again.

    #26 7 years ago

    Please Note the word "retro" has referred to 3 different products, depending on vendor....much confusion over this for many.......

    #27 7 years ago

    If I could find some incandescent bulbs brighter than the standard 44s that would illuminate and spread lite behind my BGresto glass that would not melt the plastic film on the back of it I would use them.

    #28 7 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    If I could find some incandescent bulbs brighter than the standard 44s that would illuminate and spread lite behind my BGresto glass that would not melt the plastic film on the back of it I would use them.

    I have pulled #55 (round bulbs) from backglass which are way hotter and brighter than #44's but not sure that would be a good idea with bgresto backglasses, I know I would not do it as I have seen them cook off the ink in the spots they were located.

    #29 7 years ago

    I loaded it up with 44s right off the bat and it just didn't look good. From what I can tell a BGresto glass has a layer of inkjet paper that the artwork is printed on and it's hard to get light thru it. I started experimenting with some warm white frosted Cointaker bulbs I had laying around and it turned out much better. Blasphemy maybe, but I like to see my backglasses lit up.

    #30 7 years ago

    I know im new to the scene but can't ever figure out all the hate for leds. They are superior, look better and cause less problems. That's like buying a beautiful old home and being stubborn about updating the lighting. Not all leds are superbright Blues. It can be done tastefully.

    #31 7 years ago

    I actually like the look of LEDs in an EM, but the damn flickering bothers me so badly that I just can't do it. Does anyone know how to prevent the flickering? I'm not talking about ghosting. I'm talking about the refreshing of the bulb - when the ball passes by it looks like there are 12 balls right behind one another.

    #32 7 years ago

    I'm not a fan of LEDs in an EM. With that being said, I just LEDed a Target Alpha that is going out on location. LEDs in an EM don't look right but they run soooo much cooler. For a game that is going to be powered up 12 to 16 hours a day it's a no brainer. I've had games that flicker so bad I couldn't leave the LEDs. This TA isn't flickering so it's going back out with LEDs.

    #33 7 years ago
    Quoted from Pahuffman:

    I actually like the look of LEDs in an EM, but the damn flickering bothers me so badly that I just can't do it. Does anyone know how to prevent the flickering? I'm not talking about ghosting. I'm talking about the refreshing of the bulb - when the ball passes by it looks like there are 12 balls right behind one another.

    I haven't experienced that with them used only under inserts. Perhaps the lense dissipates the effect? I have seen it on modern games that have them in the GI on top. I never use them there, or behind the back glass-just under inserts and then only warm white/non-ghosting/retro style bulbs.

    #34 7 years ago

    How can a LED ghost in a EM?
    I'm not sure how that could ever happen.
    Anyway.... I like LEDs in my EMs. They last forever! I only use white, absolutly NO color.
    I use cointaker. Totaly sold on them.

    #35 7 years ago
    Quoted from ryan1234:

    I'm not sure how that could ever happen.

    Stray voltage all the time in the feature circuits........

    #36 7 years ago
    Quoted from poppapin:

    My question do any of you put them in your em & what kind?

    None of mine. They are never on more than 30 minutes at a time.

    It is your game do what you want. LED is easily reversible, no worries.

    #37 7 years ago
    Quoted from ryan1234:

    How can a LED ghost in a EM?
    I'm not sure how that could ever happen.
    Anyway.... I like LEDs in my EMs. They last forever! I only use white, absolutly NO color.
    I use cointaker. Totaly sold on them.

    AC is used for lighting in an EM. I don't think they would strobe or ghost with filtered DC.

    #38 7 years ago
    Quoted from stashyboy:

    I haven't experienced that with them used only under inserts. Perhaps the lense dissipates the effect? I have seen it on modern games that have them in the GI on top. I never use them there, or behind the back glass-just under inserts and then only warm white/non-ghosting/retro style bulbs.

    Try using same colored LEDs under the playfield inserts. That really makes the colors pop.

    #39 7 years ago

    LED bulbs for EM machines will be accepted wholesale, one day in the near future.They are cooler in temperature,draw less amperage,and readily available as well as affordable.They will never look like the real thing from the Era the machine was made.Part of the enjoyment from LED-laced EM machines is thinking outside the box,trying to appreciate a new approach.Experimenting!

    #40 7 years ago

    Finally had time for a pic sent in of our recently redesigned 6mm Retro 1 LED!

    For many, their is joy in using this bulb I have been tweaking for several years for EMs.

    The new version has straighter sides, a sharper curve by a few degrees, a Higher grade of virgin resin,
    a different diode factory, and about a 20% increase in brightness!

    The picture is warm white clear.

    If you want a bit brighter, stay clear.
    Hate the thought of LEDs an an EM, Try frosted.

    Not sure, tried others???? Try these in Clear and frosted as well as a 2 LED frosted.

    Why? No one else has these, so youve never seen them...why not try them out and see!

    http://www.cometpinball.com/product-p/1retroled.htm

    http://www.cometpinball.com/Comet-Pinball-2-LEDs-p/2led.htm

    6mm_retro_(resized).jpg6mm_retro_(resized).jpg

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