Star Trek: The Next Generation
Williams, 1993Is there a connector on the power driver board or elsewhere to get +5VDC? I'm trying to modify the way the LED strips at the back and in the drain react when Borg Multi-ball starts and when video mode is activated.
I'm thinking of using a solid state relay to use the GI circuit to switch the relay providing 12V to the LED strips. The solid state relay requires a +5V supply.
Thanks in advance for the help.
Quoted from weaverj:good price?
washingtondc.craigslist.org link
Oh yes, probably a good deal!
Super simple question I think. Don't want to break the start button or to be continued button, been trying to figure out how to get to those leds. Those are my last 2 to replace besides the playfield gi lights which I'll do this weekend. Is there a trick to get to those leds on the buttons?
I'm working on a custom apron, let me know what you think:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/sttng-custom-apron-design#post-3616219
Okay, my seemingly random ball search problem is back. Took STTNG out of league play last night when it happened twice within a couple of games, after working fine all through warmup, and again after league was done. 
However, I did manage to capture the switch matrix when it was ball searching, and at various points afterwards, etc. So I feel a breakthrough is near.
To review, game plays fine, no switch errors/credit dots, in manual switch edge tests all switches incl optos, and solenoids work correctly.
At random a player will shoot a ball up into the ball lock (behind the target), or the neutral zone hole. Then the game will not eject the ball into the trough or via the left popper, but instead go into a permanent ball search, one which never actually ejects a ball to play.
Once ball search has started, even turning the machine off and on doesn't seem to clear it. What does work is if I select "clr out balls" from the test menu, and let a single ball from the trough be loaded into the lock, and a single ball eject from the left popper into the trough. Once this happens, the game is good to go again for a random amount of games (10 mins, or 10 hours).
Switch matrix pics are below:
After Clr Balls - working again
I have a few more states captured, but what is clear to me is that when the ball is "lost", the game thinks it is in the Right Gun Shooter, when it clearly is not. This explains why it never resolves the ball search I guess, as simply firing the right cannon shooter over and over isn't going to work. The other interesting bit is that at the same time, the actual ball SHOULD be Under L. Lock SW 2 I think, though that switch is open. I'm also not certain exactly where the physical ball actually is at that point - it is somewhere in the subway after being shot into either the ball lock or neutral zone.
So it seems to me that either the Under L. Lock SW 2 is flakey, or possible marginally aligned, the Right Gun Shooter opto is flakey or marginally aligned (possible wire harness starting to fail?), or the ball is physically stuck in the subway and not making it all the way to Under L. Lock SW 2 for some reason, and the next ball that comes along pushes it all the way to the opto. Not sure why this would make the game think the ball was in the Right Shooter though... ?
All these switches seem to work fine when tested manually via switch edges.
Ideas? 
Quoted from Fytr:Okay, my seemingly random ball search problem is back. Took STTNG out of league play last night when it happened twice within a couple of games, after working fine all through warmup, and again after league was done.
However, I did manage to capture the switch matrix when it was ball searching, and at various points afterwards, etc. So I feel a breakthrough is near. snip
Ideas?
You could eliminate the issue being a ball stuck in the subway somewhere but not allowing ejected balls to go into the subway during clear out all balls, unless just the process of one of the VUKs firing is enough to jar it loose - not likely as I'm guessing you've tried shaking the game during ball search. The other benefit to doing this is you can keep track of exactly where all the balls are ejected from and may provide insight into the problem.
Quoted from bobukcat:You could eliminate the issue being a ball stuck in the subway somewhere but not allowing ejected balls to go into the subway during clear out all balls, unless just the process of one of the VUKs firing is enough to jar it loose - not likely as I'm guessing you've tried shaking the game during ball search. The other benefit to doing this is you can keep track of exactly where all the balls are ejected from and may provide insight into the problem.
This is a good suggestion. It's just very frustrating as I can't reproduce the issue consistently at all and the game is on location 30mins away from my house.
From looking at the switch matrix test captures I made last night, I can tell that when things go wrong the game *thinks* a ball is in the right shooter when in fact it should be at "Under L. Lock SW 2". When things work, "Under L. Lock SW 2" is closed, and Right shooter is open. So is there any electrical connection in common with these two switches that could cause them to misread one for the other somehow (doesn't seem like a matrix row/col issue)?
I guess I need to inspect those 2 optos closely, resolder their connections at the least. Open to any other suggestions...
Quoted from Fytr:This is a good suggestion. It's just very frustrating as I can't reproduce the issue consistently at all and the game is on location 30mins away from my house.
From looking at the switch matrix test captures I made last night, I can tell that when things go wrong the game *thinks* a ball is in the right shooter when in fact it should be at "Under L. Lock SW 2". When things work, "Under L. Lock SW 2" is closed, and Right shooter is open. So is there any electrical connection in common with these two switches that could cause them to misread one for the other somehow (doesn't seem like a matrix row/col issue)?
I guess I need to inspect those 2 optos closely, resolder their connections at the least. Open to any other suggestions...
They are both optos and they both go to the same opto board under the playfield, they are in the same column as well I believe. My guess though is that you have a flakey opto connection somewhere, maybe the connector at the opto board since it appears that two of them and not just one reads incorrectly (assuming the ball actually is in the 2nd lock on the left). The next time it happens you could try opening the coin door and wiggling the connectors on the opto board, but personally I'd want to be sure about where that ball really is.
Good luck!
When was the last time the Optos were replaced on your game?
Mine had original optos which has yellowed with age... to the point where the emitting optos weren't consistently outputting enough light to trigger the detector. This led me to repeatedly try and troubleshoot optos. Eventually; I decided screw it and replaced all my opto leds with new "blue" optos and haven't had an issue since.
If you suspect these optos are orginal and are yellow/brown colored... do yourself a favor and replace them with new ones. You'll sleep much better with this machine being on location.
Quoted from Zitt:If you suspect these optos are orginal and are yellow/brown colored... do yourself a favor and replace them with new ones.
+1.
I've been replacing mine as I go, if they look crappy. I'll do the one behind the alpha ramp when I replace that ramp soon, regardless of the opto state. It's a hard-to-reach place.
EDIT: Also, you can clean a lot of optos under the playfield with a qtip soaked in alcohol, by cleverly pushing it through the holes in the metal assemblies that hold the launch coils. I had to loosen the opto board on the right of the subway to get my qtip in there, if I remember correctly. But 15 mins is all it takes. And my qtips were "black" with dirt and shtuff.
Quoted from JohnS:You may have a loose screw or piece of broken plastic in the subway preventing the ball from rolling down to one of the up kickers. I had a plastic piece of the Alpha Ramp break and fall into the subway and it caused this problem.
This is what I am starting to suspect, as I've never seen an opto fail "closed" before, which is what would have to happen for the "Under L. Lock SW 2" to misread if the ball was actually there. I guess the receiver could be shorting somehow, seems unlikely.
I'm going to pull the upkickers and subway tomorrow and checks things out further.
Quoted from bobukcat:They are both optos and they both go to the same opto board under the playfield, they are in the same column as well I believe. My guess though is that you have a flakey opto connection somewhere, maybe the connector at the opto board since it appears that two of them and not just one reads incorrectly (assuming the ball actually is in the 2nd lock on the left). The next time it happens you could try opening the coin door and wiggling the connectors on the opto board, but personally I'd want to be sure about where that ball really is.
Good luck!
My second most likely scenario is that it is a failing Opto board or connector. A friend is bringing a spare board for me to swap in (though I previously reflowed the existing board pins and it seem fine) tomorrow as well. I will also re-pin the connector wires for the opto board, though wiggling the connectors in switch test didn't cause any false readings.
Quoted from Bendit:+1.
I've been replacing mine as I go, if they look crappy. I'll do the one behind the alpha ramp when I replace that ramp soon, regardless of the opto state. It's a hard-to-reach place.
EDIT: Also, you can clean a lot of optos under the playfield with a qtip soaked in alcohol, by cleverly pushing it through the holes in the metal assemblies that hold the launch coils. I had to loosen the opto board on the right of the subway to get my qtip in there, if I remember correctly. But 15 mins is all it takes. And my qtips were "black" with dirt and shtuff.
I fully shopped the game in October, the optos were all cleaned then (and yeah, were they ever dirty!). I've only ever replaced one opto on it that had failed outright, the rest are original or at least very old. Possible that the right gun opto is failing or dirty, loose wire, or the wire harness is getting weak from use, but it seems unlikely that the "Under L. Lock SW 2" opto is, wouldn't fail "closed" would it?
I have 3 sets of new opto boards from Great Lakes Modular, I'll swap out those optos if the other fixes don't do it.
Thanks everyone for the suggestions, I'll let you know what happens after tomorrow, and if anyone has ever had an opto receiver start failing "closed", please let me know.
Quoted from Zitt:When was the last time the Optos were replaced on your game?
Mine had original optos which has yellowed with age... to the point where the emitting optos weren't consistently outputting enough light to trigger the detector. This led me to repeatedly try and troubleshoot optos. Eventually; I decided screw it and replaced all my opto leds with new "blue" optos and haven't had an issue since.
If you suspect these optos are orginal and are yellow/brown colored... do yourself a favor and replace them with new ones. You'll sleep much better with this machine being on location.
How many of those optos are there in this game?
Quoted from pcprogrammer:How many of those optos are there in this game?
Twenty-three!
Quoted from Fytr:Possible that the right gun opto is failing or dirty, loose wire, or the wire harness is getting weak from use, but it seems unlikely that the "Under L. Lock SW 2" opto is, wouldn't fail "closed" would it?
Reminder: You can disable the left, or right launcher in the system menu. That will help remove some factors in your diagnostics.
Ah! new Great Lakes Modular trough opto boards are sexy as hell! The original boards became way too tempermental for me. Replaced them. Runs much cooler too. The old 55lbs resistors just cooked!
Quoted from Bendit:Reminder: You can disable the left, or right launcher in the system menu. That will help remove some factors in your diagnostics.
Ah! new Great Lakes Modular trough opto boards are sexy as hell! The original boards became way too tempermental for me. Replaced them. Runs much cooler too. The old 55lbs resistors just cooked!
Yep! I love watching the balls roll through them with "clr balls out" running to see the green leds flicker off and on as the ball rolls past. 
I counted 19 playfield GI lights, the #44 bayonette type bulbs for the always on GI. Does that sound correct? Cointaker sent me 32 of those white bulbs for the GI lighting, not sure why the count would be off by so much? Anyone do a recent led conversion remember how many? I don't want to miss any because I am going to install the GI OCD board next and I can't have any of the old bulbs still installed. Thanks for any input!
Quoted from pcprogrammer:I counted 19 playfield GI lights, the #44 bayonette type bulbs for the always on GI. Does that sound correct? Cointaker sent me 32 of those white bulbs for the GI lighting, not sure why the count would be off by so much? Anyone do a recent led conversion remember how many? I don't want to miss any because I am going to install the GI OCD board next and I can't have any of the old bulbs still installed. Thanks for any input!
well, don't forget the coin slots, start button, continue button, and of course the backbox. those are all part of the GI i believe.
Quoted from pezpunk:well, don't forget the coin slots, start button, continue button, and of course the backbox. those are all part of the GI i believe.
Yea, I got all the ones in the backbox. But cointaker sent a separate bag of the #44 bayonette type with the rounded base, they are supposed to be for the GI lighting on the playfield. They sent 32 of them, which is way off my count of 19 on the playfield. I keep feeling like I am missing some somewhere. I couldn't get the 2 in the start and continue button, can't figure out how to get to them, kind of afraid I'll break the buttons trying to figure out how to get to those leds.
the buttons are pop-in/out style, if they're the originals. just wiggle back and forth a little like you would a connector. they'll snap right out. if they were replaced, they're probably twist style.
i bought a cointaker kit for my Sorcerer. i had a lot of extra bulbs. not a bad thing.
Quoted from pcprogrammer:I couldn't get the 2 in the start and continue button, can't figure out how to get to them, kind of afraid I'll break the buttons trying to figure out how to get to those leds.
Sorry, I thought I responded to this already
Like weaverj mentioned, you have to wiggle it a bit while pulling and it will come out, there is a ring around the white plastic part that snaps into a slot in the housing.
Here is a picture that should help a bunch:
Quoted from jorro:im in!
love this pin!
Welcome to the club! What's the extra flipper button mounted in the front for?
Quoted from Pin_Guy:Sorry, I thought I responded to this already
Like weaverj mentioned, you have to wiggle it a bit while pulling and it will come out, there is a ring around the white plastic part that snaps into a slot in the housing.
Here is a picture that should help a bunch:
Thanks! It worked!
What would we do without pin_guy... the Data of the sttng thread with all answers stored in his positronic matrix!
Quoted from Pin_Guy:I noticed some similarities on Sterns Star Trek; however STTNG is a far superior to even the LE version of the Stern machine. I can't even recall the last time I turned on my Stern machine.
Having played STTNG when it first hit the arcades (and spent many a quarter) as well as having watched TNG religiously when it was on television, I can definitely appreciate your perspective. I'd still love to have both of them sitting next to each other purely for theme. I've got a cast signed back glass for TNG that I had personally signed at Fandom-fest in Kentucky and then got Patrick Stewart's autograph at Wizard World. Would love to add Steve Ritchie's autograph at some point. I knew deep in my heart that at some point I'd own the pin, so I figured might as well have the back glass autographed lol...I'm a ST dork if you couldn't already tell.
Quoted from Orko:I'd still love to have both of them sitting next to each other purely for theme. I've got a cast signed back glass for TNG that I had personally signed at Fandom-fest in Kentucky and then got Patrick Stewart's autograph at Wizard World.
The theme perspective and that the Stern Machine was designed by Steve Ritchie is the Main Reasons why I purchased the machine, and of course I had to have the LE version since it is Star Trek I would be very interested in obtaining a fully signed STTNG translight; If you ever decide you can part with it, please PM me!
Just replaced 27 gi lights (the #44 Bayonetta ones) cointaker bag had 32. Do you think I got them all? Been staring at this playfield top and underneath for 2 hours, I just don't see anymore. Melissa told me they always send the exact number of bulbs in a kit.
Quoted from Orko:This pinball will be mine one day soon. This may have been discussed before, but I've read that the layout is pretty similar to Stern's ST. Same designer, so I could see the possible relationship...but anyone know if that happens to be more factual than hearsay?
I owned a star trek pro for 6 months. Sttng is way better in my opinion. I sold my st pro and got a WOZ, then traded the woz for met pro and sttng. Couldn't be happier! The star trek pro was beautiful but I found it kinda boring to play.
Quoted from pcprogrammer:I sold my st pro and got a WOZ, then traded the woz for met pro and sttng.
good moves.
Quoted from pcprogrammer:I owned a star trek pro for 6 months. Sttng is way better in my opinion. I sold my st pro and got a WOZ, then traded the woz for met pro and sttng. Couldn't be happier! The star trek pro was beautiful but I found it kinda boring to play.
I've been debating on a NIB Stern pinball, and I think you just made up my mind for me. There is a STTNG near for sale, and the kicker is that it's production date (minus the year) is my Birthday. I call that a sign from the Pinball Gods.
Quoted from Pin_Guy:I would be very interested in obtaining a fully signed STTNG translight
The best way to do this... is DIY:
http://www.creationent.com/cal/st_lasvegas_guests.html
I did it... and have worked on one of the star's pinball machine twice now. 
One to remove the original batteries... after drilling the lock. and One to install Titan silicon rubber kit.
Given it's the 30th STNG anniversary... "in theory" you should be able to get everyone's autograph at one show.
Have had over 25 games come in and out my door, and my STNG was there to watch them all come and go!
Definitely a keeper... Never gets dull!
Thinking of putting in one of these playfield protectors.
ebay.com link: Playfield Protectors for Pinball Machines M S
I plan on keeping this game long term and playing a lot on it. Anyone have this on their STTNG? How hard would a topside teardown be? I would have to teardown just enough to get the protector installed. Looks like ebay is the only place to buy one of these.
In a home environment, these are a waste of time and money. Even if you put 5,000 plays on it, the game should hold up just fine.
Even on route, the game should hold up just fine. Keep the balls in good shape, re-wax every few hundred plays and just enjoy the thing.
Quoted from pcprogrammer:I plan on keeping this game long term and playing a lot on it. Anyone have this on their STTNG? How hard would a topside teardown be? I would have to teardown just enough to get the protector installed. Looks like ebay is the only place to buy one of these.
Quoted from bobukcat:Welcome to the club! What's the extra flipper button mounted in the front for?
some operator couldnt find freeplay in the menue so added a credit button 
in the left corner there is a counter and there is a lock to, all disconected but still there 
no one to fool with huo!
Quoted from tilted81:So this was a few years in the making but I finished it up about 2 weeks ago and wanted to show off some pics of the decals I sourced and applied to all the ugly vuk's on my game..
I think they match nicely! What do ya'll think?
I think I like them, nice job!!
Did you get them at the same place as your backboard decal?
Cheers.
Quoted from thewool:I think I like them, nice job!!
Did you get them at the same place as your backboard decal?
Cheers.
I cut everything from the same sheet
All in total there are 11 pieces I applied to the game... I made templates for each spot and I've got enough of the decal left over to replicate another complete set or multiples without the backboard. Being as it's all cut from a sheet randomly, it's not gonna look exactly like mine but if anybody's interested hit me up.
Quoted from tilted81:I cut everything from the same sheet
All in total there are 11 pieces I applied to the game... I made templates for each spot and I've got enough of the decal left over to replicate another complete set or multiples without the backboard. Being as it's all cut from a sheet randomly, it's not gonna look exactly like mine but if anybody's interested hit me up.
Not a big fan of that on the VUKs (I'm getting mine plated with Black Nickel), but it looks sweet as a backboard. Is that some existing decal or are you making backboards on your own? I'd be interested in the backboard if you're making them. Please let me know.
Quoted from Zitt:The best way to do this... is DIY:
http://www.creationent.com/cal/st_lasvegas_guests.html
I did it... and have worked on one of the star's pinball machine twice now. One to remove the original batteries... after drilling the lock. and One to install Titan silicon rubber kit.
Given it's the 30th STNG anniversary... "in theory" you should be able to get everyone's autograph at one show.
Agreed!
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