Hello, planning to buy a tz. A seller is telling me his tz is working fine, but sometimes he gets an error regarding the clock, although the clock works fine during play. He says he previously has another tz, behaving in the same way. So it looks like its a Tz thing to sometimes show those errors. Is this true? Or should I be concerned about those error messages?

Hello,

Joined the club! So happy to finally get this legend!

A question for the experts: my TZ came with manuals and documentation(see pics). From their conditions, they really look (and smell) like 20+ years old, not reproductions or copies. Especially regarding the manual, I saw online that the cover should be red, while mine is white (carton cover, as a normal w/b manual). On the cover there is no logo or graphics, the date is february 1993 instead of april, and the code is 16-50020A-101 instead of 16-50020-101. The pin has an original white clock, but not a proto, so I am thinking this could be an early production one.

What you think?

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but the link you posted shows a manual with the TZ logo and graphics and the date is april 1993, it's different from mine.

nice, thanks!

New decals?

Like brand new!

hi, I checked my TZ software. It says revision L-5 and sound revision P-3. Are those revisions enough advanced? where to find the revisions list for TZ?

I cannot see L-5 in this list... ??
Also, the Romset list is in alphabetical order, so I cannot figure out how recent is my revision.

Any help?

Thanks! It makes sense now. L-5 should be the latest version for location. Do you think its worthed taking the home revision or not?

Tx again. Sorry, edited previous post. Ok, got it regarding the changelogs.

New owner here and learning the rules. Question about the powerball: I understand the powerball goal is to get powerball mania (multiball). The powerball is more difficult to control and easily drained, so getting the powermania multiball makes things safer. The powerball is initially released by the slot machine on the right flipper, and if not flipped it bounces comfortably on the left flipper. From the left flipper all you need to do is to shoot the right spiral orbit to get to powerball mania. After the bounce from the right to the left flipper, the powerball moves very slowly on the left flipper, so the shot to the right spiral orbit is very easy. I do this all the time and it works 9 out of 10 times. But in this way the powerball gameplay is extremely short. Is this the correct strategy, or am I missing something?

Thanks. Although not always the powerball start the powerball mania if shot at the right spiral immediately... Why is that?

I noticed the setting A.2 345: balls in gumball. Mine is set to 2, but I always have 3 balls in the gumball. The game plays fine. So why setting is 2 and I get 3.

And what is the point with this setting?

so you have 4 in the gumball, and 2 in the trough, right? i have 3 in the gumball, and 3 in the trough. I guess in this way the gumball is more rare, right?

by the way: sometimes I get the "extra ball in the gumball" error, although it always clears by itself after few plays.

danke someoneelse!

Sometimes the ball, when very slow, stops at the top of the spiral orbit (in this area of the playfield is even difficult to see it). The only way to move it is to shake the pinball, sometimes getting a tilt. Is it normal that the ball stops up there? Any suggestion on how to reduce this problem?

Playing TZ for around a month now.. Really love this pinball, very addictive and so much to do.
But I am wondering about the rule of the game regarding the door panels to be lit: its enough to enter the piano or the slot machine and you get one of them lit, then its just your choice to go for the points related to the lit panel or to simply carry on collecting other panels shooting again to the piano or the slot machine.
Has anybody ever thought about about a software revision that will award a lit panel only if a certain amount of point/tasks are achieved relatively to the specific panel just "activated"? This pinball would become even more difficult, but I think it would make it absolutely perfect!

Of course it would imply rebalancing few things. I wouldn't make each mode too tough (in order to lit a panel), just a bit so that the player HAS TO DO something related to that mode. About making it to LITZ, it would certainly be harder. But this new set of rules would be home-use specific, so it would go along 5 balls (and 7 balls in the machine as the latest home-use rom), maybe longer times for ball saver, narrow outlanes, easing of some of the other rules and so on.

My point is that TZ is a machine so rich in features, that the game rules could be furtherly improved for a home-use crowd (where increased game time is not an issue).

interesting, thanks, although I don't think I 'll have the time and skills to do that.

Anyway where to buy and how does it work? how to program it?

TZ was released in1993. More than 15.000 units were produced. Do you know in which time frame were all the machines produced? I mean, when was the last machine produced?

wow.. I thought they remained in production for a few years.. but its like 6 months. 2500 per month. around 100 per day? not bad!

I am planning to buy 9.4h revision. It will allow 7 balls play. I need to buy the sixth regular ball and I am shopping at Pinball Heaven. They have "steel balls" and "premium balls". The description says the "steel balls" are not good for games with magnets, while premium are. So do I need premium balls? But in the pic they look like darker, while mine existing 5 regular balls looks like a normal, regular steel color.

So what do TZ use regular steel balls or special ones suited for magnets?

My Tz looks like working fine at the moment. I have an issue though at the end of LITZ, when the machine attempts to reload the gumball. The auto-fire kicker tries to shoot balls into the gumball, but out of the three shots required, often one is not long enough to reach the gumball entry diverter. The kicker is actually powerful enough, but sometimes the ball slightly hits the sides of the launch lane or the right orbit and then cant reach the gumball entry.

When this happens the game gets confused and I end up having two or more balls in play, and also the shooter diverter behaves strangely. In the meanwhile the auto-fire kicker keeps trying feeding the gumball machine, and when 3 balls are there, everything works fine.

Where is the hardware problem here? Is the auto plunger supposed not to miss any shot? Why do I getmore than one ball in play?

I read it is possibile to install 7 balls (6 + Powerball). Is it enough to add a sixth regular ball, or is it also needed a recent eprom?
I guess it is needed to set the number of balls in the Gumball to 4, right?
Also, the software sometimes "emulate" the powerball if the real powerball is not showing up after a certain amount of plays: 7 balls can create problems?

What is the tournament mode setting doing? What means that multiballs and jackpots are equalized?

Hi, I am working on a new soundtrack for TZ with Pinsound, Lost in the Deep Funk Zone..

here you can see a video:

About adjustment A.2 10, I still have to understand how it works..

1st hard lock: the manual says hard lock is when you have to spell "gum-ball" twice to enable lock. So I understand you have to make twice both the left and right ramps, right? But on my machine it's always enough 1 left + 1 right ramp, even after several multiballs...

Am I missing something?

thanks much! now it's clear.

anyway I am going to leave the hard lock from the first m.b., as it is too easy otherwise.

control of the ball in the mini-playfield with magnets is somehow random. anyway with experience you learn to shoot at the right time and the right distance and achieve pushing the ball upwards more consistently. also, the right-left position of the ball from the magnet have an impact on the direction in which the ball is shot by the magnet: obviously it's not like playing with normal flippers, its definitely much more random, but as said with experience you learn to increase the number of good, strong vertical shots towards the out on the top of the pyramid.

I have a minor problem with my TZ. When I switch the machine on the clock lancets keep rotating. I then enter the clock test and I cannot make it move forward (fast and slow). Anyway, after around 30/60 seconds, the clock stop misbehaving and the machine works perfectly. It looks like the clock needs to "warm up".

What can be the cause?

Yes. The clock test shows the optos flashing accordingly to the actual time on the clock. As mentioned, during the test only backwards movement works, while the clock lancets stop when forward is selected. Anyway, I tried again today and the problem lasts really for a very short time, around 30 seconds. When I leave the test and back to attract mode, everything works fine. I then play the machine extensively (over one hour) and no problem at all.

Yes, I mean hands (sorry not a native speaker and sometimes I just "create" words I do not know..

Anyway, I will try to wait some more and let you know..

clock hand = lancetta

maybe by the time I entered the clock test the optos already warmed up?

as I mentioned the problem lasts for few seconds really.

it should be something related to "warming up": if - after few minutes - I switch the machine off and on again, everything stays fine.

backwards.

I didn't check if - after the problem disappears - the clock test still refuse to move forward. I will check and let you know. but I suspect everything will be fine then, becuase also during the gamplay the clock moves correctly backward and foward during the different modes.

Checked the clock test after the problem disappears, and as expected now the clock test works fine, forward and backward no problem.

So basically what happens is: I turn the machine on, the clock start and keep moving backwards, I enter the adjustments for a few seconds, I exit the adjustments and back to attract mode and everything is perfectly fine and stays fine all the time I keep playing.

I think I found the solution, in a previous thread: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/tz-clock-wont-stop

read post #4: it's about the minutes clock at startup breaking 12 o'clock.

I just opened the clock, gently pushed a bit the hands, closed the clock again with the screws slightly less tighten up and now it works prefectly. It works for me, but can somebody explain why does it behave like that? Are the hands inclination influencing the optos reading?

I see, thank you.

I cant remember excatly now, but I think at startup the clock makes some moves forward and backward. Also on post #4 (mentioned above) the poster mention that the hands kept moving backwards.

I always had the typical problem with the powerball detector harness. I read in the past a solution that worked for me: twist all the wires in one direction until they are all rolled up quite tightly. It works for me, but just for some weeks. Then sometimes I have to do the work again, but in the opposite direction, and have all wires again all rolled up in the other direction.

Is there a permanent solution instead?

I have a problem with the lock coil. When three balls are locked, it does not have enough power to kick them (the first) out. Basically the three balls are on top of each other, so the first one is squeezed by the weight of the others. In fact, with only two balls the kicker works fine. Also, in test mode, even with three balls the kicker works always fine. But during gameplay, when multiball starts, the kicker keep trying (around 5/6 times) to kick the first ball out, but it cannnot make it. After around 10 seconds the game goes in search ball mode, trying all solenoids: at this point the lock kicker always manage to kick the first and subsequent balls out (like in test mode).
So it looks during gameplay the coil has not enough power. What to do?

upper left flipper: if held, should it send the ball (coming from the right orbit or from the diverter) to the hidden passage above the slot machine?

Mine dont, but I think that should be the only way to intentionally get the 4 way combo.

thanks. ok, no set rule. but knowing the machine in depth, I believe it should be so, especially regarding the 4 combo shot, which is otherwise impossible to get intentionally. Also, that shot is not making points otherwise, and it's not otherwise relying on skills (as said, it cannot be achieved in another way apart from luck). So adding this adjustment only improve the variety of shots to the game, while is not subtracting anything to the game.
I mean, the situation is very different, for example, from the shot at Khan hole in TS with the upper right flipper. In that case you CAN normally shoot at the Khan hole with the upper right flipper: that is a shot! So modifyng the angle of the held upper flipper in order to make the Kahn hole automatically is a cheat in my opinion, because it makes the game easier.
But as explained this is not the situation in TZ, so I think this modification should be done.

I have ROM 9.4H. I cannot understand what adjustment 51 is about ("M.B. P.B. DETECT OK").

I understand that if ON the machine behave normally. But what happen when OFF? Both my eddy sensor for the powerball works fine. Should I set it OFF?

Thanks a lot, great job.
Still not sure about this rule: if set to YES the machine will use the slot prox sensor to detect powerball during mb, while if set to NO the machine will use the trough prox sensor, right?
So, whats the problem using the slot prox sensor, which is even more reliable? Why is better to use the trough prox sensor instead?

I totally respect Estes' position, for whatever reasons. But just out of curiosity, why he didnt want so badly to allow coins?

Hello,

planning to add cliffys protectors on my TZ. I have no experience at all with cliffys, so just asking:

-do you think cliffys are worthed purchasing, or waste of money? The machine is almost 25 years old, but the wear at the holes is not bad at all. Is it really necessary to protect holes?
- if yes, which parts in TZ do you believe need protection?

You mean when off the miniplayfield when you defeat the power? Which cliffy is that? I do not see it in the link posted by lyonsden.

I need to replace the screw that holds the wire chute to the mini-playfield. Which part number is this screw?

In the flasher test, it says pop bumbers (2). I understand there are then 2 flashers working togheter. But I only see one (big red circle in the middle of the bumpers. The manual says the second one is on the left, near the playfield edge. But in that spot I have two GI lights. I cannot see any flasher. What you think?

And I also need another part number: its a little retangular metal plate under the playfield. Its where the screw of the outlanes post fits in (under the playfield). It has three little holes, and you can choose which one to screw, according to how wide you want the outlanes to be. Actually the middle hole is now too wide and the screw does not fit tight, so the post moves quite a bit and is not firm. I can use the narrow and the wide holes fine, but I like to play with the outlanes on the middle one!

..found the second flasher, thanks. About the third one... I will think about another time )

I was thinking to that! Thanks for the part number. Any idea for the miniplayfield top screw part number? The head is very ruined and its a pain to unscrew.

I am considering adding the gumball lamp kit. I see many producers have this on offer: Judge Dreads on Ebay, Pinbits, Pinball Pro, PDI...

Do you think is it a worthed adding mod? Isn't it distracting?
Among the four, which one do you recommend?

At the moment I am thinking about the slow changing by Judge Dreads, but not sure. Does is always fade the lights at the same speed (during attract mode, normal game play, when loading the gumball), or does it change somehow interactively?

But it looks to me it is very often blinking, either white or red. Or does it stop sometimes?
I am generally careful with leds on my machines. I use them very sparingly. For example, in my opinion on TZ the stock flashers already create a great light show. Therefore I am up for adding some lightning, but I like it to be balanced and not distracting. I believe that adding as many lightning as possible detract from the proper balance and disturb the gameplay.

So for the gumball machine my ideal mod would be slightly, softly, warmly lighted during gameplay, without flashing unless very very slowly. Then when uploading the gumball of course I'd like it to flash fast, change colors, etc.

Is the slow changing by Judge Dreads changing pattern when uploading the gumball machine?

Something already discussed since the old days, but just asking again: the right orbit is almost completely covered by the yellow gumball sign. Especially the Spiral insert inside the orbit is almost not visible. And when pinballs are released by the lock, its hard to see them. Is there a simple way to move the yellow sign in order to let the right orbit more visible?

Too easy!
Fastest, easiest, cheapest, most effective mod ever!

Not in the root directory. In the specific folder of the sound or track you want to edit. Basically you need to create many .txt files, one for each folder you want to edit.

Yes, just a number from 1 to 20 as text.

Ok, I know it will sound like blasphemy, anyway: is there some alternative version for the translite? I know the original is packed with amazing references to the tv episodes, and I love it a lot. Anyway It still looks a bit on the cartoonish side, unlike the tv series. I would love a graphic similar to the original tv series, maybe even in b&w. More adult, deep, scary.

What do you think?

I didnt know that. Do they sell the b&w translite? I d be fine just with that..
Or: is maybe possible to put a transparent filter over the existing translite to get the b&w effect? I would like to try and see how it looks...