Can you Change setting to disable stealing gems and make easier?

Hi y’all,
I’m having an issue in which the start button will not register presses. Sometimes it will only register less than 25%. I’ve checked the button and it looks good and is making good contact with the tab on the receiver, and depressing it fully. Is there a good test to determine where the problem is? Thanks in advance.

Check the spade connectors on the switch. If they are loose, you may be getting an intermittent connection. If any of them pull off easy, take pliers and squeeze the spade connector (while it’s off the switch) until it takes a bit of pressure to push the spade back on.

Added this today… It’s the little things, Right?

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Could someone take a photo of what it looks like with the black panther plastic off on their AIQ pro? Was talking to stern about my plastic rubbing and they said it looks like a post has been added and this rubber shouldn’t be there.. I never added a post and would like to see what another pro looks like to compare.

Thanks in advance

Message from stern support

“ I did look up the plastic you send a picture of. There should be a post and a screw holding that post down where you circled in red on the first picture you sent. The post part number is 550-5059-01 and the screw part number is 237-5511-00. From looking at your picture, it seems like this area was modified with a metal post so that a blue rubber could be added. ”

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Looks same as mine. NIB built August 13, 2021. And manual shows a 3/4" rubber close to there.

And thanks for pointing out the rubbing on the plastic. Now insulated.

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Thanks so much. I had a feeling the post had to be there from Factory or the ball would get stuck. Stern support for the win

New Trophy Mania record for me... 857 Million!

Part of my 6.0 Billion game, my fourth game over 6 Billion!

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Very nice! When you get into Trophy Mania, do you have a high scoring strategy or are you "staying alive" that long?

Thanks! Certainly a lot of it is staying alive, but I do try to make shots with higher level Avengers and also as many Captain Marvel ramps when they are lit since I generally have CM boosted pretty high by the time I get to Trophy Mania. Also - once/if Ant Man scoop is lit, I try to get it for Super Jackpot and start building another 'trophy case'.

Okay, I finally have to ask how you manage to stay alive from shots off the disc. I try to be careful to hit the disc from the safest angles depending on where the post is (left flipper when the post is between 8 o'clock and 4 o'clock and right flipper for the other shots). But I still end up with at least one ( and usually more) drain per game that's a result of an un-savable bounce after spinning the disc. Those are amazing scores that you put up.

Anyone put hallmark ornament figures in their game? Pics?

Thank you! Something about AIQ seems to go well with my style of play. I think I'm a 'decent' player, but seem to be able to have big games on AIQ more consistently than most other pins.

I seem to only get occasional drains from spinning the disc. For whatever reason it doesn't seem to be a big enough issue for me that I strategize around hitting it. Usually hit it using bottom right flipper or upper left flipper. I am using @1956pinhead's aluminum disc, but that didn't change my approach to shooting it. I do sometimes still get a "thud" when hitting the disc post straight on.

I'll have to pay more attention and see if I'm doing something related to shooting the disc or recovering from shooting the disc that I'm not really thinking about.

You must have some kind of major nudging strategy to get those kind of scores?

I do nudge quite a bit! (have tilt fairly sensitive with 2 warnings) I play so much that I generally wear padded gloves as well because I'll hurt my thumb and hands/wrists...

Here's my highest score on AIQ that I was videoing...

I feel like the game is more controllable due to several safe options which return the ball directly to the flippers. If I want it on the left I shoot black widow. If I want it on the right there are numerous options depending on where you are on the playfield. Definitely fits my style of play

If you are able, it would be great to see exactly how you nudge the machine. Meaning being able to see your hands at the apron and part of the PF, while playing the game. This would greatly help us all imo. I’m still not sure the best way to nudge, even though I’ve seen videos on the subject, actual game play would be better. Would love a post of being able to see your hand nudging technique.

Let me see what I can do... I don't have a streamer type setup. Mostly just started recording some gameplay so I would have some proof, because some would be 'put the glass back on' when I would post scores...

Just got my October 2021 build date premium and installed a shaker motor. The motor tests ok but it seems to almost never activate during gameplay. Has it not been coded much yet?

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Like its weak? or in very few moments? mine seems to go off in several subtle areas. I have it leant out atm so cant verify, but believe I felt it in gem mode starts, and especially noticeable in soul gem mode.

It just never seems to get really rowdy like my Iron Maiden does, even though I have it set for maximum. I have felt it go off a couple times but it’s very subtle

How about the big moment like soul gem? That one makes the whole thing take off. If that moment isnt prounounced, i'd take a look at the hardware.

This is exactly what I would recommend. My shaker is pretty pronounced, but beginning of Soul gem is a good way to check it.

You can usually adjust the weights to get more or less shake as well.

I was today years old when I learned this…. How?

There's a weight on each end of the motor shaft. If the weights are aligned together you get maximum shake. You can rotate them in 90° increments. With the weights opposite each other or 180° out, the shake will be minimum.

Lots of rumbling in the code. Really notice it during Thor multiball if you make any shot. Seems stronger if get 2 portal lock, start a mission, activate Thor multiball, hit a shot, my table rumbles like crazy! Rattles the keys every game.

I’ve been having my AIQ Premium for about a year now. My son just got the high score on super disc. It only let him put his initials, not his full name like before. I don’t have insider connected yet. Is that something new with the latest code?

It's an option in settings. Installing the latest code probably reset to the default. You can just change the setting back.

Anyone have any suggestions on powder coating for an AIQ premium. I'm thinking something like a deep purple with some large silver flake in it. Pictures would be awesome of any powder coating you've done to your own premium.

I did my Premium in captain America blue with a silver flake. My shadow already had a purple so I wanted something different. I’m really happy with how it turned out. Looks way better than the banana yellow on the LE.

Added the lit flipper buttons in RGB fade to match the shooter rod.

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Anyone have thoughts on upgrading a AIQ Premium speakers?

Looking at these from Flipper Fidelity. Just wanting to move to 5” and want better speaker/ base quality. Not sure best path.

https://flipperfidelity.com/stern-speaker-system-with-10-high-output-woofer-for-iron-maiden-le/

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They’re just barely okay, as I’ve had them, but only almost average. Find much better options in this thread: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/improving-sound-quality-the-diy-route

Just installed the official Stern shooter rod, which looks really cool. However now a manual plunge will not make it over the ramp in the back. I tried to switch out the inner spring with the one from the factory shooter (as I've read others have done), but I can't tell that made much difference. It seems like the plunger tip on the new shooter actually sits at least 1/2" further back from the ball than the factory rod did.

The picture’s hard to see but it doesn’t seem like the plunger tip should sit so far back…

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Heard some people put something inside shooter tip to extend it a bit. Try that. Lmk because I need to add mine.

Well I am a dummy… put the old rod back in and it sits exactly the same way… guess I never tried a full plunge on the factory Rod because it behaves the same. Maybe I need a purple or red spring instead of orange?

Yeah try red. Most of mine are red

Been trying for a year to get my wife's GC on AIQ. Yesterday's game was absolutely soul crushing in a way that I don't think I could ever bring myself to try again

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So, so close!

Red will definitely work and that's what I use and recommend.

You need strongest orange/red spring and to change the outer spring to the stock spring which is slightly shorter (take off of original plunger between the front plate and shooter knob), but makes enough difference to allow AIQ shooter rod to actually work.

Thanks I’ll try this. I still have 50/50 full plunge with stern shooter and red spring

It will work. Don’t know why Stern uses a slightly longer outer spring on accessory shooter rods, which causes the outer part of the rod to stop short and not allow a full plunge like the stock rod does, even with a more powerful inner spring. That’s why some people have put in the tip the smallest o ring silicon found on the outlane posts to extend the shooter tip, which is the same results replacing new outer spring with original. To top it all off, the new accessory knob itself is always much heavier too. So I always ask my distributor to just include a red/orange spring on newly ordered accessory rod from the beginning.

I should probably be posting this in the unpopular opinion thread, but having tried many aftermarket speaker options, I believe the best sound improvement comes from an external polk sub.

Not just cheaper. Actually better.

I like to upgrade the speakers in my pins as well, but as you mentioned, I agree that an external sub is probably the single best sound mod, especially bang for buck.

I've had good success with Monoprice 8" or 12" subs as well, but there are many brand options and price points available depending on what someone is looking for.

Picked up my AIQ Premium and there is quite a bit info out there, but can someone give me the Cliff notes version on how the Subway portal locks should be working ?

I notice some times it's locking, other times it's just feeding balls down to the VUK and I'm ending up with multiball which appears to be way too often. Before I start just randomly troubleshooting, it appears that there is a quick answer what I need to be looking for. Thanks in advance !

Shoot combos to open the portal to lock a ball.
Spin the disc to open the portal for modes.
Any balls locked before a mode make that mode a multiball.

If the game is feeding the ball all the way to the end, and another ball is launched out of the shooter lane, you likely have a subway opto that needs adjusting.

If the hole is lit for both starting a gem quest and for a portal lock at the same time, and you don’t already have a ball locked, then the ball will pass through to start the gem quest and a ball will launch for the portal lock MB on the quest. So it depends a lot on what’s going on at the time.

Also - there are some well documented issues with the subway "fingers", specifically the closest one to the Ant Man scoop where there is a little too much play side to side and it falls down too far. You can look in the subway and see if it stands as straight and tall as the other two fingers. If not, that's a problem. If your AIQ is new, it may have a factory fix installed, but there are some DIY fixes as well.