Git hub down?

https://ballysternos.github.io/

Has anyone had a problem with the background music stopping? This seems to happen especially when there is a big spinner rip. Maybe playing the spinner sound effect so quickly or for so long causes the background sound to stop? Is this normal or is there a way to fix it?

This is SOOOOOO cool. I installed the kit from roygbev on sat and after he patiently walked me through the fact that I downloaded the meteor code as opposed the the wav files and I figured out some oddities on the aftermarket MPU's I was testing...it works and it is AWESOME. We normally play one set of 3 games per pin and move on as we have 15 games sets up in the game room. Last night we played 4 sets on meteor and had to drag ourselves away to play start gazer and nine ball. Even better...my gal thinks I am the smart one lol. I'll be installing a cool switch for the old/new code. I had to buy a case of them to get one for a different project years ago. I'll post a pic when its done.

RB

Shoot, I gotta take a trip out to Webster!

Anybody have a recommended switch assembly that could be run outside the backbox or down towards the front of the cabinet so I don't have to remove my backglass and pull the jumper whenever I want to switch code?

Thinking its probably just a simple switch with 2 long wires that terminates in a jumper, correct?

A dozen of these switches cost maybe $6 on Amazon.
The plastic housing I had to poke around in order to find. But it’s an extra; I like a tidy install but there’s no reason it can’t just be sitting inside the cabinet, it doesn’t have to be mounted to the coin door.

You also don’t need to molex anything, just solder and heat shrink is more than fine. Get a spool of black and a spool of red and run the wires along the same path as the wiring from the backbox to the coin door. That’s it.

image (resized).jpg

I don't have a soldering iron handy (blasphemy, I know) so I was hoping to find something that is more plug-and-play if that makes sense.

Correct. This is what I did for mine....mounted a toggle switch (like $2 on Amazon) on the cash box security bracket and put on a label to remind the family which direction is which. I did solder the wires to the toggle switch, but you could conceivably just twist the wire onto the switch posts really tight if you're soldering iron-adverse.

IMG_0962 (resized).jpg

This is a really great place to start - learning how to do a good soldered splice and heat shrink is such a fundamental skill. You'll need to learn to solder sooner or later, better to learn before something breaks and have the skill available when you really need it.

A friend of mine got one of these setup with nice speakers. I was impressed. Good work!

My dad has a Meteor, I might have to get him set up with this (so i can play it ).

I screwed mine into an old light switch and mounted it on the inside of the cab. No soldering.

I understand. I have no issues doing simple soldering and have done plenty of work repairing cable and even put together a simple DIY fuzz circuit.

I just don’t have an iron handy at home currently. This seems like such a simple piece of work that i was hoping to avoid dragging one home from work or buying one at the moment.

Shoot, you could probably just twist the wires together, wrap some electrical tape and stick a wire but on there and be done with it. Not the most elegant solution but it would be fine probably for as long as you needed it to be.

Yeah. I'm thinking of taking a simple 2 wire on/off switch I have at home and just aligator clipping the leads to the jumper pins. Run the switch outside the back of the backbox and, while not the most elegant solution, it will work for what I need. Perhaps I was overthinking and looking right past the most simple solution available.

That is a very cool switch. Can I buy one off you? What did you tie it into for power?

Another option is the micro sized toggle switches. I mounted one in the grill on the bottom of the head. It fit in the grill holes without any modifications and with it there the wires going to the Arduino board aren't that long. It isn't too bad to reach back there and change the setting. Something like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/10PCS-Micro-MINIATURE-TOGGLE-SWITCH/dp/B00DYX44MU

12V test point on sdb. Soldered/heat shrink wrapped the two contact points and +/- on the switch. Did the same on the Arduino adapter switch. For the power supply end I b-connectored two alligator clips I had leftover from comet led strips. Positive on the test point and ground directly to the common braid in the head.

Send me a PM for the switch.

RB

I can no longer toggle as I've switched to a junky Bally MPU with Playboy roms

20230424_194610 (resized).jpg

Hi everyone. Just uploaded the latest software version onto my Rev1 board. Everything runs great but seems like the Test/Audit/Parameters have changed a bit. Does anyone have a comprehensive list? Thanks so much!!!

So...apologize for the long post.

I successfully uploaded this to my RoyGBev Version 1 board with Nano. The result was that the game started playing erratically. Some examples are that the coin door options did not align with the known list of settings and they jumped from (as I recall - -more on this in a bit) from 12 to 17. Additionally, the backbox lamps behaved oddly -- for example, when I scored a "super shot", the Game Over lamp lit momentarily.

OK -- so here's the "more in a bit". I found code from October and was in the process of uploading that when my machine went into cardiac arrest. I am not sure what occurred here but a got that "uh oh" smell coming from (I believe) the solenoid board and noted that the fuse on that board had blown. At this point I get playfield and backlamps during startup but no chime and no scoring lamps. Fuse is on order (I'm hoping that it did its job and gave itself up before frying the board components) and, at that time, I'll be able to post more details on my findings.

I am almost certain that my Anduino setup is good (I removed it and reconnected the cables to the MPU-200 and no change in the situation).

So, while I wait for the fuse, if anyone has any ideas on what/how I can test (I'm a novice but do have a meter) -- please let me know. I can use all of the help I can get. My pinball go-to guy is vacationing in the Philippines so I'm on my own until he gets back!

Thanks in advance,

Brian

Having your machine up and running on the original code is the best first step. Replace your fuse and try it without the Arduino board installed. If that all works, reinstall the Arduino board. Strictly speaking the Arduino takes over for the actual processor, RAM, ROM can all be dead and the Arduino will work. However much of the rest of the MPU board is used by the Arduino so best to have the stock machine running first.

Thank you -- that's what I'll do (as soon as I get the fuse which isn't easy to find). Will update when I have more infor.

Thanks so much for all of this. I did change the hardware version type. Is the code fix intended to address the skipping a bunch of the coin door settings during my test (wasn't sure from your note but hoping that is true). If not it means that something else is going on with my machine. Nonetheless, I've ordered fuses and an Alltek Solenoid board (I'm using LED displays so that's probably a better fit anyway -- but still want to see if the fuse fixes anything/everything). Got it all from Steve at PBR (he's in NY and I'm in PA so I'll get everything on Friday and you KNOW I'll get right on it).

This forum is the BEST! I've actually never played the original Meteor rules so looking forward to doing that!

Thanks everyone!

Hi everyone. Well, neither the fuse (on the original solenoid board) nor the new solenoid board solved the issue. Still just getting GI lights with no system boot. Ugh. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. (I am running off of the original MPU at this time -- Arduino not connected)
Brian

Update: Steve from Alltek was brilliant and pointed me to the rectifier board. I had visually checked the fuses but he suggested a continuity check -- right on! Blown fuse F3. Now I get to hunt that down

Update (because I know that you are all in suspense). I not only blew the solenoid driver board and its fuse but a rectifier fuse (f3). Once those were replaced the game boots in original mode but the Anduino won't boot with the Jumper installed. It does download the code correctly.

Hey -- good news is that I get to play the original Meteor. Bad news is that DickHamill did such a great job that -- well -- I gotta get back to playing that version. Any ideas?

Brian

So your machine is running fine on stock code. What MPU is this, if it is an original have you connected to jumper to R134. Not needed on an Alltek MPU.

It's the original MPU-200. I don't see a jumper at R134 but the board was running prior to my code update attempt so I assume whatever was jumpered is correct? Reasonable?

Thanks so much!!!!!!
Brian

The jumper to R134 is NOT used on MPU-200 boards.

Ok --thank you. Not sure where to go from here....

Was your arduino already assembled and preloaded with the new Meteor 2021 code? If not then definitely need to double check the construction of the board and if you're not sure if the new code was ever loaded on the Arduino then that may need to be done. If you have the Nano version there were a couple different boot loaders to chose when programming it.

I have the new Meteor 2021 code loaded on an Arduino Nano. Running well on an original MPU-200 board. I've used it on an Alltek too but went to an original MPU on my game. You'll eventually get it. The original Meteor is great and the new code is like having a whole second game. You can swicth between the two.

Update: There's definitely something funky with my Rev 1 and/or Nano. I cleared the memory (just uploaded a basic script) and then uploaded a codeset from October of 2022 for Meteor2021. That ran for a bit and I was in the process of updating settings when the ball display just started flashing a "5". From that point on, I couldn't get the board to do anything even after reloading code.

Interesting, when the system is in base code mode, the red LED on the MPU flashes and then goes out. With the new code, it just stays red and the machine doesn't boot. I'm thinking the board has to be fried -- but not sure which board..

Thanks everyone.

Brian

Thanks so much for your note! It was running fine before I attempted to upload new code from the library and then everything went haywire. I did the upload with the board mounted in the machine (I read this was ok) but not a good idea. Took out my Solenoid Driver Board (it was original -- so I bought an Alltek new version). That got me back to operational on the base code but now I can't get the new code to run.

With the Arduino board removed, is your game truly stable and consistently so? Still with the board removed, can you load the basic Arduino blink example code and check that it works. If all that works, I think it is more likely you have a connection issue with your MPU board especially if it is an original board. On my Eight Ball I ran into issues where in the distant past I had reflowed solder on all pins except for the J5 connector. I found some cracked solder joints. Just cleaning the pins might help.

Also, while I was writing the Eight Ball Plus code, I reprogrammed my Arduino with my machine running literally 100's of times, it never caused a problem.

I need to play it more but yes, I think everything is stable when running base code. Right now I have the board installed but the jumper off so running base. Seems to be fine.
Yes, I ran blink test and ran fine. Just to check, I ordered a Nano from Amazon to see if that changes anything. Based on your note - I suspect it won’t. Great advice on examining the MPU. I assumed that since it ran base code fine it had to be the Nano or the adapter board but you are right, could easily be a temperamental solder joint or connector. I’ll check that out as well. Thanks so much!!!

can anyone point me to step by step instructions for the upgrade? most of the links in the thread don't work, and i got a meteor that had the upgrade partially installed, the game stopped working at some point during the process and he gave up, so i have no idea what else needs to be done now that i got it running again, or how to switch it to old code(the arduino is installed on an alltek board) because theres no toggles. but the f3 fuse keeps blowing if i plug in the sound board which i think is what he was working on before he broke the rest of it (also none of the connectors to the soundboard are keyed and theres more pins than terminals)

Will check this out thanks, Im gonna wait on fixing the sound until i get the game working aside from sound, so just trying to figure out if the new codes actually installed etc. Took it from only being GI and completely dead, to half of the feature lamps working, solenoids working and i can do the test menu, but no GI haha (and no fuses blown).

actually one question, if i go to adjustment 13, which i saw somewhere is free play, it says its set to "13" as well, what should it be? I can't start a game and trying to narrow down if its credits or not since the mechs arent adding any

Hi Everyone,

Apologize for the long post but hopefully you will find some of this information useful Also, there is an ask at the bottom as I can't seem to figure out the new coin door switch settings.

First let me share that despite the experience of others. I would NOT upgrade the Arduino software with the board installed in the machine. Doing so (yes, the power was off) ended up sending me down a huge rabbit hole. I absolutely fried my Solenoid board and blew two fuses and also took out my RoyGBev adapter board and Anduino Nano (the board was Rev 1). Yes, many have told me that they've done this many times -- didn't work out so well for me.

Second, the good news is that once I replaced the Solenoid board and the fuses, I realized that I needed a new adapter and Anduino. So, while I waited, I played original Meteor which is also a great game. In doing so, I learned something else. If you only play the new code, the LED lamps behave just fine and you don't need a new lamp driver with the LEDs (no, I have no idea why this is the case but I can confirm it is (at least on my machine). Play the base code and your LEDs flicker terribly (awaiting new Lamp Driver to arrive tomorrow).

Since I was already "all in" -- I also replaced my MPU (Alltek like the Solenoid and the Lamp Driver) -- thank you Dave for getting the stuff out to me so quickly.

As a favor to those on this great forum, I also procured a bunch of 2-pin wired connectors so that I could add a switch and play both the base code and the new code. If anyone needs one, just DM me with your address and I'll drop one in regular mail. Offer good until I run out.

Finally -- the ask. DickHamill - I got the coin door setting above but I'm seeing weird results. I thought I would write down what I'm seeing

Code version is 2021-08-05-01

Ball display 01 -- award 1 (seems right)
Ball display 02 -- award 2 (seems right)
Ball display 03 -- award 3 (seems right)
Ball display 04 -- High score (interesting that it does not scroll on a 5 digit display but not a big deal. Seems right)
Ball display 05 -- 09 (supposed to be credits -- assume it is right)
Ball display 06 -- 04 (supposed to be total plays -- assume it is right)
Ball display 07 -- 00 (supposed to be total replays -- assume it is right)
Ball display 08 -- 00 (supposed to be number of times high score is beat -- assume it is right)
Ball display 09 -- 00 (supposed to be Chute 2 -- didn't test)
Ball display 10 -- 00 (supposed to be chute 1 -- didn't test)
Ball display 11 -- 00 supposed to be chute 3 -- didn't test)
Ball display 12 -- 8007 -- as expected
OK -- so here's where it gets funky
Ball display 13 -- Player 1 "04" Player two "01" Credit button does nothing. Supposed to be Free Play setting
Ball display 14 -- Same as Ball display 13 -- and same behavior -- supposed to be Ball Save timing
Ball display 15 -- Same as Ball display 13 and 14 --= and same behavior -- supposed to be music level
Ball display 16 -- 00 Supposed to be Tournament Scoring
Ball display 17 -- 15 Supposed to be Tilt Warning
Ball display 18 -- 03 Supposed to be Award Scores (balls, specials)
Ball display 19 -- 00 supposed to be balls per game
Ball display 20 -- 02 Supposed to be scrolling scores (and mine do scroll)
Ball display 21 -- 00 -- supposed to be Extra Ball Award for Tournament scoring
Ball display 22 -- 03 -- supposed to be Special Award for Tournament scoring
Ball display 23 -- 01 -- supposed to be Dim Level
Ball display 24 -- 00 -- supposed to be attract mode (for me, attract mode is 2)
Ball display 25 -- 00 -- supposed to be Match feature
Ball display 26 -- 02
Ball display 27 -- 00
Ball display 28 -- 01
Ball display 29 -- Attract

Setting 13, 14 and 15 seem to be wrong as documented. So I believe that 13 (Free Play) is actually 16

I’m running with the board from Troxel as well as the sound clip tied to the old Meteor sound board so all of my audio goes through the original speaker in the cabinet. Everything when running Meteor 2021 runs swimmingly. However, I just installed a toggle so I could flip back and forth between original code and 2021 code and when I go back to original code the speaker emits constant feedback.

I’m curious if there is a way to remedy this in software to disable the audio out on the board if the old code is being triggered to play. Not being an expert in this space, I’m also not sure if that will matter or fix my issue. So, second question, am I stuck having to run regular speakers if I want to be able to toggle back and forth?

I have this same problem. Basically just gave up on running original code because new code builds on it and is more immersive, but it would be fun to be able to show people the difference when they come over to play.

I think Dick used a toggle switch that would not only toggle the Arduino board on/off but would also switch which sound board was connected to the speaker. Basically isolating the WAVtrigger when not in use. Takes care of that issue.

I have both my 2021 install and my original code running through the original speaker using the alligator clip cable offered somewhere in this thread. Well worth the money as it was basically plug and play.

As good as the new code is it’s definitely worth it to have the original code available. It’s truly a masterpiece of early rules.

Just wish it had a spinner counter

http://tsqmadness.com/slochar/ZIP/
It does in the new retro revision