My friend, what you have here is a golden excuse to buy a spot welder!

Thanks for the idea! I was just about to buy a couple more OEM switches but I will try this instead.

If you are card shopping, here are the ones I made.

EDIT: Uploaded at original size, no rescaling. Double-check your print settings to make sure you get the right size for the Stern cards. To make these I located an Elven font, scanned bits and pieces off the DVD cover, and mashed it all up in Photoshop. Enjoy!

LOTR Free Play card.png

LOTR rule card.png

Missed that! Post fixed, thanks.

thewool -- I was skeptical but that does sound fantastic.

I have an original 2003 LOTR and I have never done the magnet transistor mod. I've also had it on one-ball DTR, giving the magnet a pretty easy life, but I would like to go back to the intended 2 ball mode.

I do have an IRL540N in the parts box... would y'all suggest pre-emptively swapping out the Q6 before it fails, and putting a 5A SB in F20?

(Oh, and I missed the discussion about LOTR's layout and how that relates to depth and longevity. More than any other game in my collection I find LOTR to be more than the sum of its parts. It doesn't have any exotic toys and the layout is somewhat mundane, yet somehow... it's magic anyway.)

My PL coils also seem to be fine, but I got them right after they were available and mostly missed the debate. Knowing there is a medium power option available, I'm going to re-evaluate them.

That means the batteries aren't working, so open the backbox and take a look. If they aren't leaking, replace them, and order or make a remote battery holder.

If the batteries leaked... post a picture.

It actually won't work as-is. The old Whitestar games are weird in that they have a 3x AA holder, but the electrical connections needed for the batteries are not at opposite corners like on WPC.

This product uses clips and the photos show the various install options. (I don't think clips are a great option since they might shake loose but this product page is a handy photo reference.)

https://www.pinball.co.uk/spares-accessories/remote-battery-holder/

pasted_image (resized).png

Glad to hear it.

Enjoy your game but please, do not put off taking steps to prevent leaking batteries from messing up the game.

At a bare minimum, use lithium AAs, which rarely leak.

Next best, put in a remote battery holder.

GalaxyBrain time: install NVRAM so no batteries are needed. This is a good option for LOTR as it has no features that require the clock to be correct.

Nope! It's the Stone Age up in that backbox.

I have an original run LOTR which is currently on software version 9. I am going to install an NVRAM and so this is the time to look at a software update, too. I guess I could even update to the LE.

I'm honestly not sure if I have the shaker transistor but I bet I don't, it is an early game. I am not worried about installing it... But honestly, I don't love the shaker effect on my STTNG. maybe LOTR's is better? If you love your LE shaker, I would like to hear about it.

Edit to add:
This article: https://homepinballrepair.com/install-a-shaker-on-a-lord-of-the-rings-lotr-pinball-machine/

Says: "The latest that the early (2003) can run is 10.00. 10.02 is needed to run the shaker motor."

How can I find out if my game is too early to run 10.02?

I am popping NVRAM into my LOTR and since my software is v9, I may as well consider an update to 10 or 10.02 (LE). I have read some contradictory info about which games can be updated to 10.02 LE. If anyone reading has gone through it, I would appreciate a sanity check.

* My game was made March 2004, and it has the transistor at Q12.
* My game is on O/S 4

Therefore, I should be able to install the software updates (game, display, PAL, OS) and an official SAM shaker kit like:

https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/502-5027-00

The instructions here seem pretty complete:
https://homepinballrepair.com/install-a-shaker-on-a-lord-of-the-rings-lotr-pinball-machine

Another option is to just install 10.0 and forget the shaker. Honestly, I have an old Pinbits shaker in my STTNG and I don't love it... it's kind of mediocre. But it's also kind of simple-minded, I think it just rumbles when the shield flashers fire.

How is the shaker implementation in LOTR? Will it win me over?

Thanks for the feedback, guys. I'll have to think about the shaker. I'm in no hurry to make a decision, the parts aren't going anywhere for a while.

Nice job ginmd ! That must have been satisfying.

Now before you put up a new GC score you'll miss... decide if you are going to update to 10.02 and the shaker motor!

That looks really nice... and it doesn't have obvious 3d printing striations on the pretty side!

Ashram56 have you tried any non-ghosting LEDs? LEDOCD is supposed to work better with cheap LEDs but since you are clearly having a problem, I wonder if combining the two might help.

When was your LOTR made? What ROM revision are you running?

Weird problem for sure!

Exactly what I am interested in finding out... I need to decide what to do with my game. I can leave it with the current v9 ROM, update to 10.0, or do the full update to LE/shaker with 10.02. If an update would cause LED problems, I want to know since an LED/LEDOCD update is also on my wish list.

If anyone on the thread has 10.0 or the full 10.02 LE chip update, plus LEDOCD, and zero problems ... hearing that would be reassuring!

Ashram56 -- very interesting, thanks. I'm stumped!

I just ordered the APB coils... I have had the PBL coils in forever and nothing has broken yet, but I want the game to have another good twenty years with me.

The PBL coils are so strong they feel opulent, I will have to relearn the game I bet.

Every Stern game of this vintage I have had or worked on has been a PITA in the same way. When I slide the playfield back in, it hits a stop, unlike a Bally/WMS game. I then have to reach in, grab the bottom rear of the playfield, and lift it up over the hump... while my other hand is on the other end of the playfield, to keep it from sliding the rest of the way in uncontrolled.

It absolutely sucks and if there is a better way to get the playfield back into position I would love to learn the trick.

Good to know I am not missing out on something, thanks @pinkitten.

That looks like a super cool project, but there is no way I am soldering SMD parts! Yikes.

If there is such a thing it would be cool if the author would post links. I wasn't able to find anything like that in the wiki.

I might be up for some through-hole soldering assembly if I could order a kit from one vendor, but I have enough work to do on my games that I am not going to invest time in running down all these parts myself. It's *super* cool that this project exists, but unless they add more hours to my day I'm unlikely to try it out.

That's so subjective.

I like the scratchy original sound, because I have had my game for so long that the original sounds make me feel nostalgic and happy. I don't like the idea of any sound upgrades.

We can get different things out of a game, it's OK.