1. Yes, all ramps get the bet tips from use.

2. Don't know.

3. In adjustments (SPI), you have the option for fast or slow boot. If you choose the slow boot, the rom version will be shown on the display.

Steve (in Escalon, CA)

1. No, if your game is leveled correctly and your spinner rests straight up and down when not in use, shots should be smooth, even during long games. I have original coils. Mine is from the 5th run and ring shots are no problem even during league nights or 45-50 min games.

2. Are you running 10.0 roms?

3. Right when you boot up, should say the rom revision or go into adjustments like Steve says. Or open up the head and look at the stickers on your rom chips. That will tell you in a hurry. If your running a really old rom set. You are going to need to update the firmware chip as well for the 10.0 roms.

It takes a lot of plays for the ramp tips to get damaged (heavily routed).

I've used both Flipper Fidelity and Pinball Pro speakers on LOTR and have had equally good result with both. I don't think anything will make the sound clear and perfect...

Steve (in Escalon, CA)

distored sound is from 2 different sources. one is non updated firmware. Other is from degrading sound files on your sound chips from the florescent tube having UV light work it's way through paper stickers. Block the back of the tube or put electrical tape over the roms to stop that from happening.

need to burn the roms to chips you can download them from Stern.

1. Do you have the post upgrade kit installed?

2. Check custom messages. Clear them?

3. yep, power up, read, go into service menu, read the first screen

4. turn down your volume. also, check if your speakers are cracked. yes, there is some level of distoration in the sound clips.

This was posted a yr ago:

Effect 69 occurs when you have an updated CPU rom but an older DISPLAY rom.

The CPU rom calls for a picture from the display rom and it's not there so that's the placeholder.

In this case "effect 69" refers to the Destroy The Ring Time (That can't display because the display rom needs to be updated)

Hobby Roms can do them for you. Pretty inexpensive and Stephen is a good guy.
http://www.hobbyroms.com/

http://www.thatpinballplace.com/eproms/index.htm

I'll second JWJ. I received my updated LOTR roms earlier this week.

Nice guy with great service.

Steve (in Escalon, CA)

Hey Steve, thanks for the info you posted about how to tell which version of software my LOTR was running. I couldn't figure it out. I'm running 8.0 so I guess I need to update as well.
Question: I was on the Stern website and under the LOTR updates, it said there were 7 roms I needed. I called Marco Specialties and they gave me the 7 rom numbers and said I needed all 7. 4 were $15 each and the other 3 were $10 each for a total of $90. When I went to the link above (thatpinballplace.com) there is only the 2. What am I missing here?
Chris

You should just need display and cpu

Ok, so the other ones are just sound roms?

yes

$15 and $10 each? WTF. John Wart used to only charge $4 each.