(Topic ID: 225496)
Linked Games
Ali
Stern Electronics, 1980-
Big Game
Stern Electronics, 1980
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Catacomb
Stern Electronics, 1981
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Cheetah
Stern Electronics, 1980
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Cosmic Princess
Stern Electronics, 1979
-
Dracula
Stern Electronics, 1979
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Dragonfist
Stern Electronics, 1981
-
Flight 2000
Stern Electronics, 1980
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Sellersburg, IN
Quoted from cottonm4:Is that made of glass? I would assume so. But it sure is not tempered glass breaking into shards like that.
Yeah, that is not a good sign. I wouldn't want a plate glass backglass. Hopefully, you get that straightened out with insurance claim.
2 weeks later
Quoted from TheLaw:Shit I just measured my type 2 and cant remmeber off hand.
Type 1 I don't think you can buy anywhere?
Steve Young has both types. Just ordered some type 1s for my Meteor.
2 weeks later
Quoted from DRDAVE:Some I have come across have the same issue: The match is grayed out so it won't show when back lit. I think this is in the minority of Quicksilvers though and maybe the ones with the grayed out are factory seconds.
If match is grayed out, I'd imagine it was for a geographical area that didn't allow you to win free games due to gambling laws.
4 weeks later
Quoted from jkashani:Wish I was told this sooner. I guess I will have to take my chances.
The post right above the CPR link was advising you to contact John about the backglass. 
I imagine the CPR backglass will be great. They do great work.
1 month later
Picked up another classic Stern tonight. Magic made it's way home. Backglass is the only bad thing on this one. I'll try my hand at some touch up since it's a difficult one to find in nice shape. Needs a bunch of connector repinning, but I'll get her going. No chance to set it up. Went to see Joker after we unloaded it.
IMG_20191005_190008703_HDR (resized).jpgIMG_20191005_233055831 (resized).jpgIMG_20191005_233102002 (resized).jpgGot the Magic stripped down to the bare playfield. Upon doing so, I realized I'm missing the right spinner target. Bracket and switch are there, but the spinner is MIA. Anyone have a spare Stern spinner that will fit?
As usually happens when working on these things, I've run into a snag. Right flipper pawl has one of the 2 allen screws snapped off below the hole, so I can't get a tool on it. Flipper bat not budging with only removing the other screw.
Quoted from cottonm4:Major bummer.
You might be able to drill into the screw and use an EZ out, but I think those screws are pretty hard. I would not waste my time trying.
You are probably going to need a Dremel Tool with a cutoff wheel and slice into the flipper shaft above the pawl. Or you might be able to use the cutoff wheel to whittle the flipper bat off. Either way you are looking at buying a new bat and possibly/probably a new pawl from Pinball Life.
Yeah, I've got new bats and stuff. Just sucks I have to stop in the midst of the job to go get a cut off wheel. Mine snapped.
Another weird thing. This is a pic of the Magic in display test. These all look bad. Not sure if out gassed or what. The weird thing is none of these displays do anything in my Harlem but my Harlem displays with perfect in the Magic. Is there some non compatibility about early Stern displays with Bally games?
IMG_20191011_202109796 (resized).jpgQuoted from frunch:Sometimes one bad display can affect the others in weird ways.
Before proceeding: it's critical you *never* unplug or plug in a display with the power on. You'll damage *lots* of stuff if you do. In addition to that, it's high voltage at the displays, so proceed with caution.
Power off, unplug all but one display. Power on and test display. If good, power off, plug in another display, power on and test, repeat. You may find most work, but there's one or more that don't work properly. Once you fix the bad ones, they should all hopefully begin working properly (or at least better, they may still have minor issues). There are a number of recommended fixes/upgrades for these displays, as described by other posters above. Don't worry about compatibility, either Stern/Bally will work fine.
I'll try this tonight. Thanks. Just weird that none of the Stern Magic displays work in my Harlem. All of my Stern Meteor displays work fine in Harlem.
Here's what they're doing one plugged in at a time. This is in display test when all 8's should be showing. Player 4 looks the best. 1 and 2 have some little dancing dots outside the segment lines. Hard to see in pics.
IMG_20191014_182756325 (resized).jpgIMG_20191014_182221491 (resized).jpgIMG_20191014_182645416 (resized).jpgIMG_20191014_182350560 (resized).jpgIMG_20191014_182530920 (resized).jpgQuoted from frunch:That is weird. So if you put the Harlem displays in the magic they all work fine? I would think that would rule out the mpu and connectors. Hard to imagine you have 5 bad displays. You said the Magic displays do nothing in the Harlem, but you also mentioned a Meteor. Have you tried the Magic displays in the Meteor or vice versa?
One other idea: have you tried clearing out all the audits? Not sure why, but apparently sometimes a factory reset can clear garbage out of the ram or something, which may be leading to this weird behavior. Does the game have a battery or NVRAM?
Game has an Alltek MPU and Driver. I did not install these, so I can do the reset procedure and try again. I did not try swapping Meteor and Magic displays. I can do so. This game was owned by a family for over 30 years, I'm told. They played the crap out of it and didn't really care for it properly. Both sling armatures were snapped off and flippers were dragging due to worn bushings.
Ok. Did a quick swap of meteor and magic. Turns out all my Meteor displays are Bally lol. Meteor display works fine in Magic. Magic display shows same garbage in Meteor. Looks like I have all bad displays. I've fixed issues before like missing digit or really bright digit but not like these.
IMG_20191014_192539908 (resized).jpgAlso, I did do the memory clear process and no change. Who's got 5 good displays they recently replaced with LED that they wanna sell cheap?
Quoted from Whridlsoncestood:Did you reflow the header pins yer?
If that doesn’t do anything most of those look likened out segments. Would need new glass.
I reflowed one to test and no change. Putting one Magic display in Meteor has no effect on the good Meteor displays.
Quoted from Whridlsoncestood:I think it’s just burnt out segments on the glass at this point. No need to keep swapping displays between 3 games. Order some led replacements and be happy
I feel the same. I've repaired some in the past with missing segments and missing digits using Steve's guide, but these have dancing flickers indicating burned segments or maybe outgassing. A fellow pinsider has messaged me with a good deal on working originals for now. Thanks all. My pinball resource order should be here today, so pops and flippers will be rebuilt tonight.
Quoted from pinfixer:Have you swapped the solenoid driver board? A flaky or out of range high voltage can sometimes cause the segment issue your pictures show.
I'm guessing but the display glass itself does not have the vacuum port or "tit" on the back. There is the word "displays" readable when you look at the back of the glass. These are cheap and unreliable displays. They were sold through one of the parts wholesalers like Wico, Peach State, or Great Amusement Emporium back in the day. The seal around the outside edge has finally let enough air back in that the segments start to fail to glow. Notice on your displays that most of the missing segments are near the outside edge of the display closest to the seal? Probably time to swap out the display glasses.
Didn't swap the SDB since there is a newer Alltek in it. All the displays are Stern branded, but I do see your point. Got some used working originals lined up though.
Not sure if this will help anyone, but I finished up the Stern Magic LED conversion the other day. I had several bulbs out (8). I found and replaced 3 bad SCRs on the LDB. This fixed all but 4 lights. Using low cost Comet LEDs and the seigecraft adapters. I was using all warm white except the 4 that were having issues. I was using cool white in them because they were the 4 inserts I thought looked good with cool. I usually use cool under green, purple and blue inserts. Anywho, on a complete whim of curiosity, I swapped in warm whites in those 4 and they all work fine. I haven't had an issue mixing colors before, so maybe the way Magic is wired had something to do with it. Just a weird one I figured I'd share.
IMG_20191019_134829986 (resized).jpgQuoted from MikeS:Does anyone know if the little button rollover switches from Stars have been repro'd or available anywhere? Mine are looking a bit haggard. thanks
I believe Pinball Resource has them on this page.
Quoted from HHaase:The spots giving you issues, were they not working at all? Or strobing badly?
-Hans
Totally off. Issue was happening with and without your boards, so I know it has to be something with the game or the LEDs themselves.
1 week later
1 week later
Quoted from HHaase:It’s a mod, never had it that way from the factory. Not sure what else is involved
I'd be down to do this to my Stern Magic. My Meteor had a Bally chime box laying in the cab when I got it, so, I believe I have the necessary parts.
1 month later
Quoted from chuckwurt:Agreed. Thanks!
You about to upgrade your Big Game to a nicer one?
Quoted from frunch:Anyone know where to get the parts to rebuild the chimes for Stars? I would like to get new grommets, sleeves, etc. The parts currently on the game look rigged up/not original so I'd like to get it all back in proper order.
I don't have direct experience with Classic Stern chimes, but pbresource.com has Bally, Williams and Gottleib chime parts if any are interchangeable.
2 months later
Quoted from Madmax541:Excellent thanks for info, I do have spacers put them aside and forgot to install
I didn't take enough pics during my Meteor tear down and had to go back afterward and add those dang washers lol. Luckily, the new light socket leads had some play so I was able to put them back in.
3 weeks later
Hey folks, anyone have a couple used Stern flipper buttons? The white ones (off white or cream at this point in their old age). I have a game that came with one correct and one replacement gottlieb button, so I wanna replace the gottlieb with the correct button.
Thanks,
RC
Quoted from cottonm4:I have some, but new ones are not all that much. And you still have to pay shipping.
https://www.pinballlife.com/search.html?Search=flipper%20button
I'm the weirdo that would prefer an aged original over a new set. Shoot me a pm and I'll happily buy a used original or a few from you.
Thanks,
RC
4 months later
Quoted from Agent_Hero:Stern Ali went for $1,950 + 15% buyer's premium at the Jaybird auction just now! [quoted image][quoted image]
And with Bally legs, no less.
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