I've created two sets of cards for Cosmic Princess.
One with black cards like this one:
http://www.pinballrebel.com/pinball/cards/cards/Unused_cards/Stern_Cosmic_Princess_12B-2-128-22.jpg
But the card number much be incorrect.
This is the card number for Flight-2000.
http://www.pinballrebel.com/pinball/cards/cards/Used_cards/Stern_Flight_2000_12B-2-128-22.jpg
I adjusted this to 12B-2-111-22 which reflects the game number like it should.
Together with these cards you can use the black score cards.
http://www.pinballrebel.com/pinball/cards/Stern/Stern_score_cards_12D-3_Black.zip

The second set of cards is based on the Magic card set.
I deleted some parts about "magic", but kept the rest in place.
Cosmic Princess uses the same rom as Magic.
You can use the white score cards for this version.
http://www.pinballrebel.com/pinball/cards/Stern/Stern_score_cards_12D-2_White.zip

Please send me a PM or email to receive the pdf files.
I do not want to post the files here in case I need to change some things.
Posted here will always stay here.
On my website I can update the file when needed without keeping track of where I posted the file(s).

Am I overthinking this? I think I am.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/my-2nd-restoration-quicksilver-scratch-build/page/4#post-6148387

EDIT: Found the solution. If you want to use the correct 1-1/4 inch posts, then countersink the t-nuts slightly by using a 1/2inch forstner bit. The standard post screws will thread more deeply into the t-nut, making the post more durable.

I went back and found the post discussion.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/price-check-1980-sterns-quicksilver-stargazer-seawitch/page/66#post-5662901

Hello club, first time poster, long time listener

I have been graced with an Ali recently, and well.. aside from being the greatest, now that I have it playing decently, I have a nagging feeling that I need to have a better 'bell' sound to start and end the round.

My initial idea was using the lisy project to re-work the sound, but it seems that might take a bit of time to work out some software issues with early Stern (Mostly working, and I love the quality and price of this project).. SOOO.. To at least get the Bell in there, I have been thinking about just piggybacking a arduino to the outhole and maybe add a switch on the ball eject trough or kickout.

I can then code some logic to this to actuate a relay on a bell mod.. but then it occurred to me that it might work to just align the bell with the knocker mech and re-use that circuit.

To that end, I was wondering if it would work to just have the arduino feed 5v to the driver for this coil? Q3 is it? So basically, it would artificially pulse that 3 times when the outhole switch is closed. and then pulse it once on kickout?

Hack I know.. but just think that would be really cool.

If anyone else has a cleaner mod idea, I'm all ears.. I have a spare bell and parts kicking around

Mod the original software to ring the bell on a spare solenoid output.

Posted our really nice Seawitch in Marketplace. Would be interested in trading for similar condition Big Game, Nine Ball, Meteor, StarGazer, Quicksilver, others? + or - cash as needed.

SOLD!

Machine - For Sale

Seawitch Archived

Partially restored (almost original) - “Changing our collection up a bit so posting our really nice Stern Seawitch for sale. It's a very clean example and has been gone through. Has new Alltek MPU and power supply has be...”

2021-02-25

Greenville, NC

Tokkentakker

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Archived after: 18 days

Viewed: 730 times

Status: Sold (amount private)

Contributed to Pinside

Got positive feedback

Interesting you brought that up. I forgot I put that up.

I just got finished with setting up the 3 spinners on my Star Gazer build yesterday. I followed the lead of what some others have said and went the machine screw and T-nut route. It takes a little more work than just using a manufactured post stud, but the cost advantage make this an easy decision for me.

Screw............... = 15 cents*

T-nuts............... = 20 cents*

Star lock washer = 4 cents*

* This is buying onsey-twosie. Buying a box of 100 will be cheaper.

Benefit: You do not need to use a Forstner bit to undercut your play field.

1) The hole in the play field needs to be drilled large enough that the diameter of the T-nut will fit into the hole. Using some masking tape as drill stop so you don't drill through your play field, drill only deep enough to allow the T-nut to sink fully into the play field.

IMG_5760 (resized).JPG

I was having problems with pulling the t-nut down to the play field as the 3 barbs would keep twisting and not lock into the play field.

So, I did this:

2) Using a small ball peen hammer, I lightly tapped the T-nut into the play field a little bit. And then removed it. The barbs made 3 small marks in the play field.

IMG_5755 (resized).JPG

IMG_5756 (resized).JPG

3) Using some masking tap as a drill stop I opened up the 3 barb holes with a 1/16" drill bit.

IMG_5757 (resized).JPG

Once you have the holes opened to accept the barbs, you can proceed to install the T-nut.

4) Prepare your screw with a star lock washer.

5) You will need a small block of wood to help pull the T-nut through the hole and get it seated to the play field.

IMG_5758 (resized).JPG

6) When you are finished you are looking at this. When you get to this point, you need to apply some torque to help lock the screw in tightly. You do not need to use any Loctite or any other thread locker. However, you may have to use your screwdriver to keep the stud from spinning out when you proceed to install the locking nut.

IMG_5749 (resized).JPG

That is it for installing the T-nut and 6-32 machine screw.

But you also need to prep the screw by cutting it to proper length before you start working with the T-nut.

After some experimenting, I decided I wanted my machine screws to be protruding .500" beyond the height of the post. .500" left me enough screw length that I could lock the post down by using a locking nut. And then I can place a nylon beauty nut on top of the locker nut.

IMG_5753 (resized).JPG

It is a solid post lockdown and it looks pretty. You can even use the rubber post caps if you prefer.

IMG_5751 (resized).JPG

To prepare the machine screw, you need to pair of those cheap wire crimp tools to cut the screw to proper length.

NOTE: Cutting screws to length with a pair of these cheap crimpers mangles the screw threads. You will need to clean them up with a file.

IMG_5752 (resized).JPG
===========================================

The above is for fabricating a 6-32 machine screw to make a locking style post for sling shots and spinners. For those posts that do not provide mounting points for plastics and are locked down with screws, do all of the above only reverse the screw and load it from the top of the post and screw in down into the t-nut.

===========================

So, you can do the above for this for 40 cents.

Screw............... = 15 cents*

T-nuts............... = 20 cents*

Star lock washer = 4 cents*

* This is buying onsey-twosie. Buying a box of 100 will be cheaper.

Or you can buy a manufactured post stud, that is too short, for a $1.35 plus shipping.

EDIT: Some posts dod not get much action so for those I will still use the type that screw into the wood. But for high impact posts, this will be the way I am going in the future.

That would be clean!

The game itself has a double beep on start and a single beep when you drain the ball. I presume this was supposed to be the bell.. it's odd as I thought boxing had a single to start and triple to end? any boxing fans here?

Anyway, if I could hijack the code which triggers the beep to instead trigger the knocker, I'd be quite happy with that ROM adjustment. TBH, I've tried to follow your work Slochar, and it's amazing, but quite a bit over my head until I can at least really dig into the tools and so forth.. any idea if this is feasible to simply disassemble and potentially find the address of the beep on outhole and launch, and adjust this to fire the knocker? or do you anticipate it would be more involved?

I read your previous post & found your take very interesting. Since I already had the standard post screws on hand, I figured countersinking the t-nuts would just be easier in my case.

With this much attention to detail, I’d be very curious to hear your technique for adjusting & dialing in your Stargazer spinners to perfection.

Just like your wife has a shoe fetish, I have a tool fetish. I like tools so sometimes I might stretch a little bit to justify buying a tool. 3 years ago I saw a tool on Harbor Freight's shelf, did not buy it and 6 months ago when I wanted what I saw previously, the HF floor people did not know what I was talking about and I went home empty handed.

Today, what I have been wanting was on the shelf at HF.

It is a desk top cut-off saw for cutting whatever. It is like a miniature chop saw.

IMG_5778 (resized).JPG

I had to jury rig it. It comes with a 2" high speed metal saw blade. HF, as sometimes happens, sells a tool but does not sell replacement parts.

Amazon to the rescue. Amazon sells the 2" saw blades to fit this little chop saw. Amazon also sells desktop cut-off saws but for a bit more money than HF. No matter; I was going for something different.

HW sells 3" composite cut off wheels with the same size arbor of 3/8". It fits right up. What you see laying flat are the saw blade and the blade guard.

IMG_5769 (resized).JPG

I am safety minded so I made my own replacement guard from some polycarbonate. It is ugly but it works. I'll paint it black so it will look pretty.

IMG_5770 (resized).JPG

I cut a small block of wood to the same length that I need to cut some screws to. Then I drilled a hole in the block. Now, I can place a screw into the hole and lower the mini chop saw and cut a screw to the length I need. If I need shorter screws then I can clamp in a shorter block; I can cut down any long screw to the length I need with this setup. It cuts clean and does not foul up the threads.

It is repeatable and fast. I have a lot of screws I am going to need to cut to length. This tool will be perfect for that.

IMG_5771 (resized).JPG

IMG_5774 (resized).JPG

IMG_5775 (resized).JPG

IMG_5776 (resized).JPG

So you're going to replace your knocker with a bell?

These are the 2 momentary solenoids that are listed as free on Ali:
Q10 0B J5-15
Q12 0C J5-13

If there's no preference either can be added to make the bell ring.

You can do 1 each ball start and 3 at ball end if you like. According to google that's what the boxing people do.

Adding in external stuff to try and react wouldn't be my preferred way to do it, for instance, adding a second switch to the outhole, I could then shake the game and make the bell go off continuously when it shouldn't. I'll look at the software it shouldn't be that difficult to mod it.

Hey @slochar, thank you for this that would be amazing.

Yes, I figured I could re-use the knocker circuit and coil.. having the bell ring on special during game works as well.. so re-use makes this a pretty easy one physically for parts and so forth. Here's a video of the knocker turned 90' to hit a bell

https://photos.app.goo.gl/24kagxcyZLMeQH959

-----

Having this done in the game rom is the grail.. my brute force is because I have not developed my brain enough for the ROM side :/ That said, I would add that I have had quite a bit of success with additional switches and mods on EMs like this.. it works.. but agree 100% not as clean, and potential for stuff to go wrong etc.

Thank you for looking into this.

-Koji

You might be nonplussed at how short the patch to do this ends up being.... of course, finding the code to control it is the magic. Since I still want to complete the classic stern source code project, I'm doing up the entire codebase (at least far enough to recompile) vs. just looking for the patch area. I found an old patch I did for Ali that I completely forgot about to change the sling shot sound, which apparently is annoying. It's been a couple decades since I've played an Ali though, so dunno. Probably last played it in the mid 90s.

That bell must be loud as hell.

Adding switches etc. to EM's is how you "reprogram EM roms" - perfectly viable.

I am searching for a lockdown bar receiver assembly for my Seawitch. I’ve heard that the Data East/Sega assemblies can be used? But that doesn’t sound right. Is there anywhere I can go purchase one? I got the playfield clear coated, new backglass (not translite) and this is the last piece of the puzzle.

https://mantispinball.com/product/stern-receiver-old/

Thank you! Ordering now!

Yeah.. definitely finding the location to make the adjustment is the tough part. Brought back memories of when people would look for jumps to bypass some annoying protection on PC games in the late 80s IIRC.

Thanks for your direction here. I'll try to take a look at what you've done and see if I can figure something out as well... The bell is probably a bit on the quiet side when the machine is all closed up, but it's a nice tone so it will work. Was really hoping to get this all done with my LISY-35 board, but interestingly enough, I learned the stern code runs at twice the speed, and the sound is quite a bit different.. so the author is looking into adjusting the software for Classic stern.

Ali is pretty amazing.. the rules have aged really well.. pretty much perfect IMO.

substitute atari 800 games and that's where I did that to learn this.

In a way it was better because I had a machine language monitor attached that I could enter to debug code at any time.... of course I can do that with pinmame but not in the real machine.

FYI I asked them about this and their reply was that Stern used two different rollover buttons in the 1970's. Mine on the left is the Stern # 4B 241, the one on the right they sent me is the 4A 129A. He said they don't have the 4B 241 at this time. My problem is that the new buttons don't reach though the housing underneath.
Rollover buttons (resized).jpg

Rollover button housing (resized).jpg

Question on a lockdown bar from my Wild Fyre. I need a fin lockdown bar and one where the fins start 2 5/8 from the left and 2 3/8 on the right. See attached. Does anyone know if this was an original Stern setup? I bought this was a custom made bar with screws into the from of the cabinet.

image001 (resized).jpg

Underneath your tape measure should have the holes for the lockdown bar. Wild Fyre used the "pins / studs" versus the fins. Hot Hand was the first to use the fins.

Scrap what I said. It looks like someone changed your lockdown bar receiver with the newer style.

Hopefully you can find someone who can 3D print some.

Here a work in progress of 3 days, cleaning up, if you want to take a look at it:
https://sites.google.com/site/allentownpinball/galaxy-asm/ALI.ASM?attredirects=0&d=1

You'll need the stern13.asm macro file from https://sites.google.com/site/allentownpinball/galaxy-asm/ as well. The assembler I'm using is AS02 from: http://www.kingswood-consulting.co.uk/assemblers/

Addition:

commenting up the logic in the code, there's a lot of removed features in it. The manual says dip 8 has to remain off, but even if you flip it on, the game specifically changes it during the attract mode to be off again. If you turn it on and start a game really fast at bootup it might activate the deprecated code although I doubt it. I'll investigate more as this is definitely the most code I've seen in a classic stern game that ends up not being used. (lot of games have removed features like an extra slingshot or similar that was removed, but nothing on this scale.)

I'll try to update the file on the allentown site each day as I add to it.

Wow.. thanks for sharing this work slochar pretty amazing.

Interesting about the removed features. Wonder if it has anything to do with:
"optional background fight tones".. I mean, there is the Background drone.. but given this was not really exclusive, there is a bit of mystery around this it would seem? Not much info about it..

Unrelated, but thought I'd share this.. my original speaker was completely torn, so a friend of mine had a little upgrade available

20210228_153527 (resized).jpg

Hey group, I need to replace my speaker in my Galaxy. I could not find a part number, nor the specs in the schematics. I need some help finding one. Does anybody have info on the speaker, or where I can find one. Thank you so much.

All these machines should be compatible for speaker I would imagine.

Check out the one in the post above, or here are the specifications from the one I pulled out of Ali.

20210220_230115 (resized).jpg

Here's a post cottonm4 made about speaker replacements https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/price-check-1980-sterns-quicksilver-stargazer-seawitch/page/91#post-6101696

So you went with a 2" screw? on top of 1-3/16" post + 1/2" protruding, having to cut around 5/16'?

I'm trying to track down why the flippers in my Hot Hand stopped working. Both flippers stopped working at the same time. They don't fire in the coil test and don't flip. I checked the fuse under the playfield which is good. I checked the relay and it clicks at start game. While a game is started, I checked continuity across the relay for both flippers and things are good there.

What are some other things I can test/check? Since both stopped at the same time and they didn't fail while in use I imagine it's a power/connection issue.

That is for any help!

Here's a start-
Test for power at each flipper coil. Do this with the game on and in attract mode.
Put your DMM on DC voltage. Put the black lead on the metal side rail (ground) of the game.
Put the red lead on any of the three terminals should read about 43 volts.
If you are missing voltage at the coil, check for a broken wire/connector.

Have connectors been re-pinned? Specifically MPU J4 and SDB J4

I tested all 6 points and all of them read @ 44V.

I haven't replaced those connectors muself, but they already look brand new from a previous owner. I'm guessing they did it at the same time they swapped the MPU for an Alltek.

Flipper button contacts clean? With power off, pull a business card through the contacts while you press the button. Look for any poorly soldered or broken wires.

Game on, try grounding (momentarily) the center lug of the flipper coil - it should fire.

Inspect the back of the Solenoid Driver board. Sometimes the circuit board traces from the connector J1 to the relay burn and/or J1 header pin solder joints crack.

Anyone else have next steps?

Ok I got it sorted out. I changed the upper right connector on the rectifier board and bingo. The orange wire pin was clearly corroded and damaged.

Flippers are a go, but don't work exactly as they should. When I flip at a ball coming towards the left flipper to catch it, sometimes it has a sort of stutter. I can post a video of I can figure out how to attach it.

Good, glad you got it going.

Clean and adjust the EOS switch on the flipper to see if it improves.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/vids-guide-to-upgradingrebuilding-flippers#post-284622

Edit- when you cleaned the cabinet flipper button switch were the contacts in good condition? With game on briefly jumper this switch- does the stutter go away?

Just taking a look at them, the EOS switches could use a cleaning so I'll do that. What's the best way to clean them? Alcohol?

I'm not sure jumpering the switch would tell me one way or another. They *only* stutter when catching a ball that's coming directly at them. It's mostly the left, but the right has done it once or twice too. Could that mean the coils are getting weak?

Thanks again for your help!

Yes, I use alcohol on a q-tip and then pull a card thru to clean contacts. Adjust gap for EOS to open at right time near the end of stroke.

Sounds like there may be slop mechanically in the flipper mechanism and need to be rebuilt. Energize flipper and move bat with your hand. Is the coil letting go or are parts just loose and worn?

EOS and flipper button switches are high current tungsten. File them smooth.

I'm pretty sure at this point one of the removed features was the rope-a-dope had an extra switch in it so the game could tell which 'direction' you go through it (like split second does). They likely didn't go with this because it would have to react very quickly and of course, cost.

You want the knocker (bell) to fire 3 times on ball drain before counting the bonus down and then once when the ball is launched, right? And get rid of the existing bell sound. I should have a patch for you tomorrow or saturday if so.

Looks like I can stick the patch all into U1 because of the not-used dip 8 coding. I'll change some of that to get the knocker changes.

EDIT:
OK, patched U1 is here:
https://sites.google.com/site/allentownpinball/galaxy-asm/ALI-ALPHA.01-KNOCKER-FOR_BELL.u1.716?attredirects=0&d=1

Fires the knocker once at ball start after firing all the drop bank resets, etc.
Fires the knocker three times on ball drain, before counting the bonus down.

The code changes were very small but because I shifted a larger section of original code, it looks like a lot of changes. I thought about getting really clever and changing it to NOT hit the knocker if you happened to have zero score ball, if this is something you'd want, LMK, but the probability of that happening would be slim I'd think..... I'm sure there's lots more things that I could change to be even more "3leet" (ugh....) but let's see how this one works out. The timing of the bell hits might need to be adjusted for the triple..... it seems "ok" in pinmame but who knows for sure.

It won't make that horrible electronic bell noise at all now.

oh, the dip 8 thing is definitely more involved than background sound. There's a lot of changed scoring possibilities that make me wonder if Ali was supposed to end up being the first 7 digit game from Stern instead of Big Game, as there's a lot of score boosts on the GREATEST lamps, and maybe they were just laying groundwork in case that was a case. As usual more wild-ass speculation on my part.

The source code file has been updated as well if you want a peek at that, the bell changes are all designated off by "if bell=" if you want to peek at them.

I know I said tomorrow or saturday but sometimes stuff just comes together quickly..... proof will be once you get it into your machine. If you need to combine into 2732's just copy /b u1 + u2 u2.732 with the u2 being the normal one.

For the post that holds down the spinner where tall spinner post, I used a screw 2.20" in length. This allows for one elastic stop nut and one white nylon nut and both are screwed down tight.

IMG_5830 (resized).JPG

For the short posts, to allow enough room for a protective washer and the plastic, the same 2.20" inch length of screw is used. This allows for one elastic lock nut, the protective washer and the plastic. When the nylon nut is screwed down tightly there is still wiggle room for the plastic to move. A plastic that can move is less likely to warp.

IMG_5835 (resized).JPG
IMG_5838 (resized).JPG

For the taller posts add .20" inch for a post that is 2.40" long.

Oh man. Thank you so much for this. I was happy to get the stuff to compile and was poking about the process a bit. Really interesting to try to disect these roms to build more history. I wonder if someone has the original source anywhere that they'd release.. I bet the comments in that would be extremely enlightening and interersting for many here.

Pretty curious about the scoring opportunities. The rules certainly don't feel like anything was held back for the time.. spelling GREATEST subsequent times on my set up seems to give you the GI flicker again and lights the extra ball again. (There is also a config option to require completing this twice to be awarded)

I'll need to see if one of my local friends can burn the rom for me, and I'll get a video of it in action.

Once again, thank you. definitely a clean solution. This era for Stern is pretty amazing.. I hear they were cheap stuff back in the day, but it's interesting to me how the solid gameplay and rules have made them so prominent to this day.

So for the process, I guess over time you become a bit more familiar with interpreting the decompiled code to determine what pieces are doing.. and you have that great macro include already to define many of the common features etc? and keep widdling away at it etc?

I feel like there is so much potential here.. in the past, when looking at the Cheetah bonus per ball adjustment, I figure that was a small hack to the rom.. but with the framework you are building maybe there is more potential rather than going with the MPF type of route re-doing all of the rules etc. to add a little complexity and so forth.

Thank you-

In case you guys missed it, we've got repro cabinets out there now.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/reproduction-classic-stern-cabinets-now-available#post-6153662

As of today there is one more Star Gazer in the world! Anyone been keeping track of roughly how many of these have been built by people in the community now?

pasted_image (resized).png

That looks like a great project. Anyone have a list on where to get all the parts? The major ones are easy to find. Are all the mechs available and the apron?

Three drop target banks and apron will be your harder to find stuff. Flippers and pops are available from pinball life, as well as standups. Spinners were hard to find but I think have been remade now. I actually ordered the three on this machine from Germany a few years ago.

Who makes the glass and playfields? I thought they would come up easier on a google search.

Really the hardest thing to find is a reasonably priced donor game (OR just an old transformer since repro cabs are now available bare).

greatwichjohn makes the playfields and backglasses.

I’m making one out of a condemned Hot Hand soon. Not the “correct” transformer but for a 2-flipper game with a clear coated playfield I have no concerns about how fast it will play.

Cool thanks. I’ll Add this to my wish list for builds. I have a DE Simpsons torn apart right now that I need to get put back together.

Yeah this one was converted from a Stern Electronics "Pinball" That I got for like $175 I think. The transformer is plenty powerful. I think those beefier ones were largely designed for the wide body game with 3 & 4 flippers. My buddy also built a quicksilver using a transformer from Dracula and I've played that and it also felt great.