Announcing the anyPin NVRAM adapter, a single part that will replace
all the RAM chips in all your pinball machines and keep their settings
WITH NO BATTERIES!

It's a simple idea -- collectors need to get their batteries off of
their pinball machine's CPU boards.  All batteries leak eventually,
sometimes causing hundreds of dollars of damage.  Getting these
batteries off of the CPU board is why I introduced the No-Solder
Remote Battery Holder several years ago.

But now there is a better way, which is to eliminate those batteries
entirely.  I'm very excited to announce my new pinball RAM
replacement, the anyPin NVRAM adapter.  A universal part that can
replace the RAM chip in any modern pinball machine and eliminate the
need for batteries completely!

No more batteries means no more battery damaged boards!  A universal
part eliminates the need to stock separate products for different CPU
systems. The universal anyPin NVRAM covers *every* version of RAM used
in pinball; identical parts can be used to replace a 5101, 6116, and
6264, so one adapter will work in every game!

Early Bally and Stern solid state games, Williams System 3-7, System
9, System 11, WPC, WPC-S, WPC-95, Data East, Sega, Stern, and Gottlieb
System 80 have all been fully tested and work great with the anyPin
NVRAM adapter. A complete game list can be found on the anyPin NVRAM
section of my site http://LockWhenLit.com

Introductory price is $35.99 for the universal 5101/6116/6264 version
that works in every pin.

If you're on a budget, a 5101-only version will be available for
$29.99, along with a second 6116/6264-only version for $29.99.  If
you're capable of soldering surface mount devices, these personality-
specific versions can be field upgraded to the full 5101/6116/6264
version that will work in all RAM configurations.

Don't know what version you'll need?  Get the complete version and use
it in ANY game you want just by changing a few switches!

This project has been a very long time in the works and I'm finally
going into full production with adapters expected to ship in the next
few weeks.  Huge thanks go out to everyone that helped with this
project.  From concept, to design, engineering, testing, promotion,
and production, I could not have done it without the help of my good
friends.  I'll leave names out for now to protect the innocent, but you
know who you are.

Please visit http://LockWhenLit.com/anyPin.htm for complete
compatibility information, availability, and ordering.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

Unfortunately they're not available for purchase just yet. I'll probably set up a pre-order if there's enough interest.

The site will be updated as I can with photos, instructions, and even video, but everything is a process and I wanted to do the announcement now, so folks interested can check out the prototypes at a local show I'll be at, if interested.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

I hope to have them by then, but I'll definitely have samples that people can check out and try.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

Wow, there's nothing like *completely* missing the point, is there?

anyPin is universal and will work in any RAM configuration for pins. PinForge's is one device for 5101, one device for 6116, and one device for 6264. Hans does great stuff, and Todd from BigDaddy is the best there is, but different products.

NVRAM has been available for years for pins, Tom Callahan has been doing NVRAM for longer than I can remember as I've been using them very successfully since I discovered them many years ago. My solution was to eliminate the need for multiple devices and the confusion of not knowing which to get for your game. With mine, just get it, it will work.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

I'd love to show you how they work at the show. They're literally as simple as setting the DIP switches and installing it. Though they do look and seem a little daunting.

Heck, if you're bringing a game, you're welcome to put one in it for the show to give it a workout.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

Unfortunately for Capcom games, that is true, they will die some day, and I suspect their end of life is very close. Capcom went with a battery that was on the RAM itself so it will die and then settings will no longer be saved. Mine should work just fine in Capcom, but testing has not yet been completed on them.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

LOL! You volunteering?

I'll hopefully be set up already Friday and will have everything I need, so no worries on bringing anything except the game.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

Very good point.

Most Williams games have their RAM soldered to the board at the factory, so unless a socket has been added in its life, a socket will need to be installed. I'm happy to do this at shows or by mail.

Early Bally and Stern, Data East, Sega, and Stern WhiteStar all have their RAM socketed, so no worries there.

All adapters will come complete with machine pin SIP sockets, so no parts will be needed.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

Actually still working on Gottlieb S3 compatibility. The circuitry is on the production boards to get things right, I just need to do a bunch of testing still. Getting past that DS1210 controller is obviously unique to S3, and with S3 using the button cell battery, I don't see much demand for using the anyPin NVRAM on it. I do still plan on making anyPin compatible with Gottlieb System 3 though.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

Definitely no credit dot because the time can be set and remembered by the NVRAM like normal. It just can't advance with the power off.

There are no battery-less solutions for the Real Time Clock in WPC games, it simply needs power to keep time. Williams never did anything with the RTC though, except for very few games like Twilight Zone with an actual clock on the playfield, or Midnight Madness in some games. The TZ clock and Midnight Madness will still work fine, just may not display the correct time, or not actually at midnight unless you update to the actual time on power up.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

Instructions and even video are coming. Will be up well before the product will ship I'm sure.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

Yep, come by and check out the prototypes.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

Pre-order button now live on the site. They will ship first orders in first out.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

You know the RAM needs to be desoldered from the board right? I'm happy to do it at the show if you want to bring the board.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

No sir, we'll talk at the show.

Look at the smaller chip to the right of the large socketed chip and the ROM, that's the RAM on WPC-95, is it socketed? If not, yes soldering/desoldering is required.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

LOL!!

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

Production boards are here! I expect to ship all pre-orders by early next week. The site will be updated to remove the pre-order info as soon as all pre-orders are on their way.

Check out the demo video, thanks to Mr. Doctor Vinnie Boom-Bots TheKorn...

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

Ooo! It's on freeplay...let's play a game!

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

Whoops!! Uploaded the wrong dang version! Link updated...

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

Thanks for the info Ingo. I think though that's too much for the average user to want to do. I'm working on a more simple solution.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

Thanks again Ingo for the input and well wishes.

The anyPin NVRAM name perfectly exemplifies the product and what my goal is with its release.

I realize there are cheaper and less complicated ways to accomplish making a NVRAM product available to the pinball public. The things I develop though, come mainly from one thing, my need. As a tech that works on boards and games everyday, having one part I can keep in my tool box for any game was the goal. I don't want to have to stock, order, re-stock, find, and keep track of the suppliers for the individual part, that will work in the game I'm working on at the moment. I want to grab one part, put it in, and change a switch to set it to the board it's going into. The fact that the device will never leave the board again, is really pretty irrelevant to me. It's served its purpose already and the fact that it *can* be taken out and used in any other game is just a bonus, and not the main intention.

So I appreciate and respect your input, I feel my goal of the anyPin NVRAM's release was missed. I hope my explanation makes sense.

An example to show that I think I've hit the nail on the head for the product and its marketing and end user acceptance/usage. Out of the dozens and dozens of these I've already sold, a grand total of three have been the less expensive, chip specific version, all others were the universal version.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

Yes, machine pin SIP sockets are included with every anyPin NVRAM. The machine pin SIP sockets are recommended for installation, but of course aren't necessary if the RAM is already socketed as in Data East, Sega and Stern games.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

Just realized I never updated this thread to announce the anyPin NVRAM is now shipping. I created a new post instead (forum faux pas?).

So...

anyPin NVRAM is now in stock and ready to ship!!!

HUGE thanks to my good buddy Doctor Vinny Boom-Bots, AKA TheKorn for the great photos for the instructions and web site, the demo videos, testing, and just being a heck of a great guy!

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

Agreed, that's a pretty cool use of the RTC I've not heard about before. With that said though, I doubt anyone would ever notice such a thing. I've been doing this most of my life and only heard about this feature recently, and never actually experienced it myself.

So, it looks like these game would be affected by the Real Time Clock not advancing time when the power is off on WPC games...

TZ- clock on playfield wouldn't display correct time.
Midnight Madness games- wouldn't necessarily start MM at the actual midnight.
CftBL- won't play different music based on day of week unless clock is manually updated or left on.

Feel free to add to this if you know of any use of the RTC that's not listed.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

Excellent Ingo, thanks for the list.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

Interesting, thanks for the info Dr!!

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

RudeDogg1-that picture doesn't show your RAM. Get a photo of the ICs on the top half of the board.

Crash-there are no Williams games that had RAM socketed from the factory.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

No. I come across a lot of boards with socketed RAM though. In 30+ years for some, there's a lot of time for board work to have been done. A quick peak in the backboard will let you know of it's socketed or not. U25 on S11 games.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

Really, really tough to tell from that photo, but since the RAM has the factory sticker on it, I'm going to say it's not socketed.

I've already mentioned that anyone who wants bring their board to a show, I'll remove the original RAM, and install a socket for just $10. What I'll also do, if you bring a game to a show for folks to enjoy, I'll install a socket for free.

So any show I'm at offering board and game repair, if you brought a game for the show, I'll install a socket for the RAM in the game for free, so you can easily install the anyPin NVRAM.
-
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

New demo video up on the YouTubes with the purple production boards and DIP switch settings...

Once again, huge thanks to the Doctor, TheKorn for the great work on the video.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

I'm pretty sure my anyPin NVRAM is the only one that will work in Gottlieb games. Just set the DIP switches and put it in. Assuming the RAM is socketed of course. If not, install a socket, remove the battery, install anyPin. No more battery worries.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

Yes, assuming I don't sell out before then. I'm getting very close to selling through my first production run.

See me at my booth with the blue Williams test fixture, next to Great Lakes Modular and Pinball Lifter.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
314-766-4587

I'll be working with Jim, to hopefully make things compatible. This is a specific issue to ONLY the Rottendog WPC-95 CPU. Original Williams/Bally WPC-95 CPUs are fully compatible with anyPin NVRAM. Rottendog's WPC-89 CPU works fine with the anyPin NVRAM.

Additional info; Rottendog's WPC-89 WPC CPU is confirmed working with the anyPin NVRAM, set as 6264. Although the original Rottendog RAM is a 62256, no modifications to anything are needed. Simply set the anyPin NVRAM to 6264 and install.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
borygard at gmail dot com

I've been meaning to post that I've gotten several confirmations from folks successfully using the anyPin NVRAM in Williams arcade games that used the 5101 RAM. Games like Robotron, Joust, Defender, Stargate, Sinistar, Bubbles, Mystic Marathon (yes he said Mystic Marathon ) are all examples.

So, get those batteries off those Williams video game CPUs too!

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
borygard at gmail dot com

An update to the Rottendog MPU095 issue with anyPin.

Jim and I have discovered the issue. All future revisions of the Rottendog MPU095 will work with anyPin NVRAM. A simple update to the current MPU095 boards will allow them to work with anyPin as well.

If you've got a Rottendog MPU095 that isn't working with anyPin, please contact Jim or myself and we'll ensure it's made compatible.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
borygard at gmail dot com

Glad you're liking it shimoda. Thanks for giving them a try, and saving another CPU.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
borygard at gmail dot com

I know for a lot of folks, the drawback to upgrading games to anyPin is initial cost. Long term though, anyPin will be less expensive in all instances. It may take years to get there, but anyPin will be cheaper in the long run.

The common practice is to replace batteries every year at a specific date so you always know they're fresh and hopefully won't leak. On average for decent name brand batteries, that's about $3 a year. Sure it's going to take 10+ years for batteries to meet the cost of anyPin, but in those 10+ years with anyPin, you've never once had to get into the backbox to replace a single battery. You've never discovered a prematurely leaking battery and had to worry about and deal with clean up.

So in my mind, anyPin's initial cost is well worth it to never need to worry about, buy, change, remember, or deal with batteries ever again.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
borygard at gmail dot com

Through distributors or directly through me, either way is great, thank you.

Stern MPU-200 will require two anyPin boards to replace the two 5101s used. I've not done enough testing to add them to my list of compatible games. Other options are in the works, but this is where we are at the moment.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
borygard at gmail dot com

Awesome! Really love to hear this!

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
borygard at gmail dot com

Awesome Ingo, thank you!

Although I feel anyPin NVRAM is one of the best things you can do to your pins, installing a socket on a CPU is not something I recommend to anyone who's not 100% confident in their ability. This video can definitely help folks get there.

Remember also, that I'm more than happy to install sockets and anyPin for anyone that want to send me their boards. I'll also install them at shows I do, just bring me the board.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
borygard at gmail dot com

Awesome Ingo, thank you again! I'm working on some cool stuff for anyPin, and this certainly will help.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
borygard at gmail dot com

Great question. I don't even have an Alvin G schematic right now to check for compatibility.

I'd be very curious if anyone has tried anyPin in an Alvin G game.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
borygard at gmail dot com

Send it to me, I'll install it, no problem.

I've replied to your PM.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
borygard at gmail dot com

Awesome Ingo, thank you!!

Can't wait to try it out.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
borygard at gmail dot com

Just pack it up and send it to me. Address is on the website for USPS.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
borygard at gmail dot com