(Topic ID: 83640)

Stern SM LED Issue

By jorge5240

10 years ago


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  • 22 posts
  • 13 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 9 years ago by jathomp22
  • Topic is favorited by 1 Pinsider

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#1 10 years ago

I have Put LEDs in my spiderman, but for some reason the center area that has the modes and villians flickers when lit solid. Has anyone found LEDs that do not have this problem? I have seen posts on this in the past but never a solution.
I now have standard bulbs in those areas and LEDs everywhere else. It looks pretty bad. Thanks, Mike

#2 10 years ago

What kind of LED's did you use??

If you use Premium / No Ghost / NoFlix bulbs (basically an LED with an extra resistor in it) you shouldn't experience the issue you're having...

#3 10 years ago
Quoted from jorge5240:

I have Put LEDs in my spiderman, but for some reason the center area that has the modes and villians flickers when lit solid. Has anyone found LEDs that do not have this problem? I have seen posts on this in the past but never a solution.
I now have standard bulbs in those areas and LEDs everywhere else. It looks pretty bad. Thanks, Mike

Get the LED OCD controller. It will cure the flicker/strobing, and allow the brightness to be adjusted.

http://ledocd.com/

http://www.cometpinball.com/product-p/ledocdstern.htm

#4 10 years ago
Quoted from DCFAN:

Get the LED OCD controller. It will cure the flicker/strobing,

Big WASTE of $$ ,, Order CoinTaker's Premium Leds and Yr Ghosting / Flicker-n Problem's Will Stop

I've been there and Done it w/ SM also w/ Tron Pro ( Sterns in General ) ... Trust me !!

I have Several vid-s of SM , but here's 1 w/ doughslinger when he came down ..

In the IM video , No Ghosting Anywhere .. You get what U pay 4 !!!!!! http://shop.cointaker.com/

#5 10 years ago
Quoted from fattrain:

If you use Premium / No Ghost / NoFlix bulbs (basically an LED with an extra resistor in it) you shouldn't experience the issue you're having...

Are this the T-10 No-FlixPlus for PinballCenter in Germany.

#6 10 years ago

+1. CT premium are perfect for Spidey.

#7 10 years ago
Quoted from RobKnapp:

Are this the T-10 No-FlixPlus for PinballCenter in Germany.

To be honest I've never used NoFlix. They seemed too expensive last time I looked.

I'm strictly a PinballBulbs or CoinTaker kinda guy when it comes to my LEDs
(& I only buy Premium's / No Ghosts)

#8 10 years ago

I installed CT premium nonghosting in mode inserts a year ago. While it helps. There is still a supper fast flicker. Much better but not total flicker free.

#9 10 years ago
Quoted from BLACK_ROSE:

Big WASTE of $$ ,, Order CoinTaker's Premium Leds and Yr Ghosting / Flicker-n Problem's Will Stop
I've been there and Done it w/ SM also w/ Tron Pro ( Sterns in General ) ... Trust me !!
I have Several vid-s of SM , but here's 1 w/ doughslinger when he came down ..
In the IM video , No Ghosting Anywhere .. You get what U pay 4 !!!!!! http://shop.cointaker.com/
» YouTube video
» YouTube video

The Cointaker LEDs do not do the different brightness levels for the Villain modes. The Cointaker also strobe even though the ghosting is essentially eliminated. The LED controller does it all and you can use the cheaper LEDs sold by Cointaker or any other brand.

#10 10 years ago

DCFAN

Since yr the Big supporter of the OCD controller board , Why don't you do a Demonstration for US ..

With & w/ out the board and w/ Premium Leds & w/ Standard Non Premium Leds ..

Or Send me the OCD board & i'll Try it on my Tron Pro when it arrives .. You Know I'll Do it & Film the Results

#11 10 years ago
Quoted from BLACK_ROSE:

DCFAN
Since yr the Big supporter of the OCD controller board , Why don't you do a Demonstration for US ..
With & w/ out the board and w/ Premium Leds & w/ Standard Non Premium Leds ..
Or Send me the OCD board & i'll Try it on my Tron Pro when it arrives .. You Know I'll Do it & Film the Results

Looks like there are videos posted on the OCD website.

#12 10 years ago

I have tried cointaker no ghosting and still had the problem. As a matter of fact I tried a bunch of different LEDs and all of them had the flicker. I just ordered some non flicker ones from Comet pinball. Maybe they will do the job, but I am skeptical.

Also the OCD board just seems way to complicated for me. I just don't think I am technical to do the programming.

I will report back if the comet pinball leds do the trick. Thanks, Mike

#13 10 years ago
Quoted from RobKnapp:

I installed CT premium nonghosting in mode inserts a year ago. While it helps. There is still a supper fast flicker. Much better but not total flicker free.

I had this same issue...especially noticeable with the center inserts for some reason. I think it is because the CT premium no ghosting bulbs are so bright.

I have the Superflux Noflix PLUS from Pinballcenter.eu in my Black Spider-Man now. Not as bright (but it doesn't need to be), but they also do not have the noticeable flicker from this area when the sockets are outputting 1/3 and 2/3 power as they do when each villains have been beat 1 or 2 times. So I don't really know if one bulb is better at handling the variable power that these sockets have, but I do know that it's much more noticeable / distracting with the brighter bulbs.

#14 10 years ago

The non Ghosting bulbs, CT, PBB, PBL, and mine all perform the same in Spiderman.
They will eliminate ghosting, and reduce the flicker somewhat. In my Spiderman, and testing all, I found this true.
I also, tested the same non ghosting in another friends Spiderman, and his results were better.
One of the bulbs we had flicker, was NOT flickering on his game. Meaning more a socket/game issue here then the bulb.

The Superflux Piranha, No-Flix, from Pinball Center, Optix from Comet, and also at Pinballdecals, was my next personal test, and it improved even further, but still not "perfect".

If one is sensitive to this or demands perfection in life, an OCD board will fix this.
Bulbs by themselves, have different levels of help, and for some, it is good enough...
for others it isnt.

And just for the fun of it guys...most of the bulbs are 90% the same.
Games, Insert Wear, Ambient lighting, your eyes, sockets, power boards, home power.....
All these affect your results. After similar threads over and over...guys sometimes its something other then the bulbs,
but we bring the battle back as if it is the bulbs.
A higher cycle rate by the OCD board is the only way to 100% change the results....Otherwise, be happy with non ghosting, or Super-Flux...Regardless of Who's bulbs...please lets stop banging that drum....Give your business to whom you want for the reasons you want, not because one person yells loader then the other that so and so bulbs are the best..

Kumbaya

Art

#15 10 years ago
Quoted from jorge5240:

Also the OCD board just seems way to complicated for me. I just don't think I am technical to do the programming.

If you've got a Phillips screwdriver you've got everything you need to put one of these boards in. I just put one in our SM last week and it's pretty cool. It takes about 5 minutes to install and you're done (see the picture below, all you do is attach is to the backbox and then unhook 2 yellow / red cables from the main board and plug them into the OCD board. You then plug 2 new cables into the other end of the OCD board and they run back to the two spots on the main board where you just unplugged those two cables).

You actually don't need to program anything if you don't want to, Herg has already pre programmed everything for you. It's up to you if you want to change things around. I find that the stock settings work just fine and don't need any adjusting.

I've been playing around with it for the past week and overall I like it. It just seems to smooth things out and it really reminds me of how the machine looks with incandescent bulbs, but just brighter (what I mean by smooth out is that the inserts come on and off nicely, no choppiness / flickering, strobing or ghosting effects).

I've been using some different Pinball Life / Cointaker bulbs and found this out (in Herg's thread I know he talks about the differences between the ghosting / non ghosting bulbs and how they work with his board):

- when using the cheaper ghosting bulbs you get the dimming effect when you beat the Villains for the 1st time. It's not on very bright but you can tell it's on and it just pulses (not a crazy flicker). Once you beat them for the 2nd time it gets much brighter.

- when using the more expensive non ghosting bulbs you don't get the dimming effect. After you beat the Villain for the 1st time it's lit and bright. After the 2nd Villain it doesn't appear to change, brightness is the same.

IMG_3381.JPGIMG_3381.JPG

#16 10 years ago
Quoted from Buckman:

If you've got a Phillips screwdriver you've got everything you need to put one of these boards in. I just put one in our SM last week and it's pretty cool. It takes about 5 minutes to install and you're done (see the picture below, all you do is attach is to the backbox and then unhook 2 yellow / red cables from the main board and plug them into the OCD board. You then plug 2 new cables into the other end of the OCD board and they run back to the two spots on the main board where you just unplugged those two cables).
You actually don't need to program anything if you don't want to, Herg has already pre programmed everything for you. It's up to you if you want to change things around. I find that the stock settings work just fine and don't need any adjusting.
I've been playing around with it for the past week and overall I like it. It just seems to smooth things out and it really reminds me of how the machine looks with incandescent bulbs, but just brighter (what I mean by smooth out is that the inserts come on and off nicely, no choppiness / flickering, strobing or ghosting effects).
I've been using some different Pinball Life / Cointaker bulbs and found this out (in Herg's thread I know he talks about the differences between the ghosting / non ghosting bulbs and how they work with his board):
- when using the cheaper ghosting bulbs you get the dimming effect when you beat the Villains for the 1st time. It's not on very bright but you can tell it's on and it just pulses (not a crazy flicker). Once you beat them for the 2nd time it gets much brighter.
- when using the more expensive non ghosting bulbs you don't get the dimming effect. After you beat the Villain for the 1st time it's lit and bright. After the 2nd Villain it doesn't appear to change, brightness is the same.

IMG_3381.JPG 195 KB

I was worried about the programming not the installing. If is pretty set up from the get go I might give it a shot. Thanks, Mike

#17 10 years ago

If I recall correctly the only bulbs that do not flicker in the mode inserts are No-flix leds. Due to the variable power going to the inserts all other LEDs will flicker. I have Cointaker premium in my SM but they still flicker. The No-Flix are not as bright. At least all this was when I was testing back when Cointaker came out with the premium non ghosting leds.

#18 10 years ago

No-Flix, or Optix Piranha Superflux are a different animal.

I choose to use these words. They dont "light" like an SMD, they "Glow"
For that reason they are perfect for inserts.
Yes, you can get brighter with higher lumen SMDs, so its a choice of brightness, cost, tolerance.....

2 weeks later
#19 10 years ago

An update I bought the comet no Flix bulbs and they solved the problems. I just bought a couple as a sample to try but so far would recommend. Thanks, Mike

#20 10 years ago

Glad that they worked for you.....they are really neat bulbs in inserts, and do, and most cases, fix ghosting, flickering,
and help with strobing.....

I appreciate the follow up post to share.

3 weeks later
#21 9 years ago

Ok.

So will the OCD board allow the led's in villain mode to go thru the 3 lighting modes?
Dim,Bright and Super Bright?

This has always been the only reason for me to not go and install Led's in my SM.

Thanks

#22 9 years ago
Quoted from Squizz:

Ok.
So will the OCD board allow the led's in villain mode to go thru the 3 lighting modes?
Dim,Bright and Super Bright?
This has always been the only reason for me to not go and install Led's in my SM.
Thanks

I'm hoping so b/c I added the LEDs and went to order the OCD board and they were out of stock. I'm waiting for them to get back in stock b/c my SM has some crazy lighting with the LEDs I added. Probably should have got the board first before adding LEDs.

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