Lord of the Rings
Stern, 2003Hey there - I can't for the life of me find out how I'm supposed to update the code in my LOTR.... I can't find anything in the manual or online about how to update white star era games... it is currently running the attached version. How do I update to latest?
IMG_7092 (resized).jpegYou need a ROM update. And check, you might need to update the display ROM too.
Ray can help - https://www.actionpinball.com/roms.php
If you get them. Don't go by labels on the ROM. Go by the mark on the ROM and on the board. See example in this picture.
LTG : )
closeup-ic-polarity (resized).jpgQuoted from kinggroucho:Hey there - I can't for the life of me find out how I'm supposed to update the code in my LOTR.... I can't find anything in the manual or online about how to update white star era games... it is currently running the attached version. How do I update to latest?
[quoted image]
Maybe check out:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/help-burning-a-stern-rom
There are a number of ROM programming services tho, and I'm sure those folks can help you as well.
Quoted from LTG:You need a ROM update. And check, you might need to update the display ROM too.
Ray can help - https://www.actionpinball.com/roms.php
If you get them. Don't go by labels on the ROM. Go by the mark on the ROM and on the board. See example in this picture.
LTG : )
[quoted image]
Quoted from koji:Maybe check out:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/help-burning-a-stern-rom
There are a number of ROM programming services tho, and I'm sure those folks can help you as well.
WOW. I did not even consider I'd need to BUY an update (or buy a whole lot of equipment to erase and burn new roms).
So the zip file I downloaded from Stern's website - that is useless without erasing and burning the existing chips I have? Given that I don't have the equipment or know-how to do that, I suspect I'll be throwing some money at Ray.
Quoted from kinggroucho:WOW. I did not even consider I'd need to BUY an update (or buy a whole lot of equipment to erase and burn new roms).
So the zip file I downloaded from Stern's website - that is useless without erasing and burning the existing chips I have? Given that I don't have the equipment or know-how to do that, I suspect I'll be throwing some money at Ray.
Usually if you have a local pinball community, there will be some people with the expertise and equipment to help you out... it's not a big deal.
Quoted from koji:Usually if you have a local pinball community, there will be some people with the expertise and equipment to help you out... it's not a big deal.
Thanks, I'll ask around. It's a bigger deal than the USB stick I was expecting LOL. There was definitely USB in 2003!!!
Matt's Basement arcade helped me update my LOTR. I didn't know what the hell I was supposed to do and he got me through it no problem. He will send you the ROMs and you put them in. You will need to update the Version and Display. You can update all the way to the LE whether you have an LE or not (your choice).
https://mattsbasementarcade.com/product/lord-of-the-rings-lotr-pinball-stern-rom-upgrade-chip-set/
Quoted from koji:Crazy thing to think about tho.. Whitestar predates USB mainstream usage...
I had a NIB LOTR for a few years and even I was sitting here thinking "so you just stick a USB in it, right?" 
I guess I had in mind the WPT I bought later on. Can't believe both games were 15-20 years ago already.
Quoted from frenchmarky:I had a NIB LOTR for a few years and even I was sitting here thinking "so you just stick a USB in it, right?" I guess I had in mind the WPT I bought later on. Can't believe both games were 15-20 years ago already.
Yes it’s quite crazy to me! I definitely assumed with a modern game like LOTR there would be an easy way to update it. Did every operator in 2003/4 have to erase and burn roms themselves???
In any case rather than buy a fish from Matt or Ray I bought a fishing pole from eBay. In this extended metaphor the fishing pole is an eprom eraser and burner. I am feeling quite dangerous. What else can I burn???
Quoted from kinggroucho:Yes it’s quite crazy to me! I definitely assumed with a modern game like LOTR there would be an easy way to update it. Did every operator in 2003/4 have to erase and burn roms themselves???
In any case rather than buy a fish from Matt or Ray I bought a fishing pole from eBay. In this extended metaphor the fishing pole is an eprom eraser and burner. I am feeling quite dangerous. What else can I burn???
That's great. Quite a few rom updates for many classic pinballs are available.
Hopefully you checked out some of the pinside threads for best programmer to use.. def want to ensure it can program a variety of roms etc. also a good place to get help with them...
Quoted from koji:That's great. Quite a few rom updates for many classic pinballs are available.
Hopefully you checked out some of the pinside threads for best programmer to use.. def want to ensure it can program a variety of roms etc. also a good place to get help with them...
I snagged the one that people seemed to mention the most, the GQ 4x4.
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