Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and Repair: Pascal answers!

All the error messages are described in the ERROR MESSAGES section of the PI-1/X4 manual (page 22  of revision 1.13) and in the ERROR CODES section of the PI-80 manual (page 6 of revision dated January 2020). It can be freely downloaded from the SUPPORT section.

Follow this procedure to find the culprit: https://www.flippp.fr/faq/F55

When a coil is dead, it rarely comes from the coil itself. Don't change it randomly!

Instead, you should check in this order and depending on the error message:

-          the dedicated fuse coil, if equipped (see game manual)

-          the general coil fuse (in the cabinet near the transformers)

-          the associated contacts (drop targets, holes ...)

-          the coil diode: https://www.flippp.fr/faq/F154

-          the transistor on the board itself : transistor list https://www.flippp.fr/faq/F155 and how to test them https://www.flippp.fr/faq/F107

joker poker uses a remote PNP transistor 2N5875 under the playfield, to reset the kings drop targets bank with lamp outpout 17 (A3J5 pin 1):

VERY often, this transistor becomes defective and either turns the coil on forever (blowing the fuse) or sends coil voltage upstream, blowing the driving transistor upstream (original GTB driver or my board).

note that the fuse must be a sloblo 2A, not a fast blow. this is mandatory for continuous protection.

turn your game off, disconnect A3J5, then check that transistor under the playfield following my instructions here:

https://www.flippp.com/faq/F107

it is most likely dead.

if dead, replace it by a similar transistor (acceptable ones are listed in my FAQ here: https://www.flippp.com/faq/F118)

then keep A3J5 disconnected and turn game off.

the coil should not be energized and the fuse won't blow.

turn game off, connect A3J5, turn game on, see if the coil is not energized. (which should be the case)

then go to TEST COIL menu and try all coils.

A pop bumper driver board (codenamed: PBDB by Gottlieb) needs 5 different signals to work, as per the picture below:




The +5V comes from connector A1J6 pin 18. This pin feeds +5V to all pop bumper driver boards.
A good +5V +/- 5% is mandatory, but won’t do the job alone.
BOTH grounds should be connected, but not together to the CPU:    - The power ground runs straight from the common grounds copper rail in the cabinet.
    - The signal ground runs from CPUA1J6, along with +5V. Do NOT cross-connect them on the pop bumper driver board itself!

one of the pop bumpers is stuck in "down" position, so my board cuts the coils power supply to avoid further possible damages (coil overheating, melt-down, or even fire start)

it does not depend on my board: like all games from those years, the flippers are driven directly by the buttons.

the voltage going to the flippers goes through the game over (Q) and tilt (T) relays under the playfield.
the exact wiring is detailed in the game’s original manual, which you absolutely need to have on hand.

several possible causes for the same failure:

• the game over (Q) and tilt (T) relays are not activated; normally they should click once together at startup
• contacts on these relays are bent or dirty, preventing the coil voltage from reaching the flipper buttons
• the end of stroke (EOS) switches on the flippers are worn, bent, or dirty; in that case the small coil (each flipper has 2 coils wound on the same core) stays energized all the time, making it look like the flippers are not working
• the general +24V coil supply is missing upstream of the relays, due to a blown diode bridge or dedicated fuse.

the displays are powered by the 60V power supply which is protected by a little cylindric fuse (brown or black) on a socket, just right of the A2P3 (PI-1 X4 board) or A2J3 (PI-80 board) connector.
if the fuse has blown, it's because one of the displays has become defective.

the board itself is not at fault, but at least 1 of the displays draws more current than it should and makes the fuse blow.
with time, there is a risk to damage the power supply section of the board.

depending on the delivery time, a replacement fuse was delivered with each board (in a little zipped bag).
but we need to find the culprit display before replacing it!

start with the following procedure:

turn the game OFF, disconnect connector A2P3 (PI-1 X4 board) or A2J3 (PI-80 board), A1J2 and A1J3 from the CPU, and disconnect the edge connector on ALL the displays.
then, on each display (one at a time) with your multimeter on "2000 ohms" setting, measure the resistance across the 1uf 100V electrolytic capacitor (small orange or silver container), as shown on this picture :
 
- if the measured resistance is higher than 2000 ohms : the display is PROBABLY good, but it is not an exhaustive test
- if it is lower, one of the UDN6118 chips is likely to be damaged.
 
write down the value measured on each display of the game, then cross-compare them: if one of the values is significatively lower than the others, this is probably the faulty display.
 
additional test:

reconnect A2P3 (PI-1 X4 board) or A2J3 (PI-80 board), A1J2 and A1J3 from the CPU (with the game still OFF), replace the fuse (depending on the date of delivery, a spare one might be provided in a separate zip bag).
 
then only plug ONE DISPLAY AT A TIME, turn the game on, check whether the 60V is still good (60V/42VLED is lit) :
- if yes, the display is probably good. turn the game off, disconnect the display that you just tested, connect the next display, and continue.
- if no, the defective display is the one connected last.
 
on the suspected defective display, desolder one of the two UDN6118 chips and redo the 2000 ohms resistor measurement on the display: if the value is now closer to the other ones, this chip was at fault, otherwise it's the second one.
 
alas, none of these 2 tests is exhaustive, we may not be able to draw any conclusion.
 
if you got no electronics skills, it will be difficult to identify the faulty display because the current drawn thru the +60V to the displays must be measured.
 
in that case, I strongly advise to get in touch with a skilled repair person or company and send them the displays for test and repair.
 
IMPORTANT: ALWAYS turn the game OFF before plugging/unplugging any connector, otherwise it would cause further damage to the game!

it comes generally from a bad contact on the display connector.
try to shake gently the cables coming to the connector.
if the very bright digits disappear, the problem is confirmed, so inspect the edge connector
else either the connector is badly damaged, or the display itself has a problem.

IMPORTANT: turn off the pinball before unplugging any display or more damages will occur.

if the problem shows only on one of the displays, you have to check the display itself (faulty display, dirty edge connector, cut wire ..)
swap it with a known working one to see if the problem "moves":
- if it moved, then the display itself is faulty
- if it didn't, then there is a connection problem (dirty edge connector, cut wire).

if TWO displays show the same problem it may come from the main board or a bad A1J2/A1J3 connector:
** on PI-1 and PI-1 X4 boards:from connector A1J2:
- SEGMENTS a..h of displays 1 and 2 and credit display are driven together
- SEGMENTS a..h of displays 3 and 4 are driven together
from connector A1J3:
- DIGITS of displays 1 and 3 and credit display are driven together
- DIGITS of displays 2 and 4 are driven together
** on PI-80 board (most of the games):from connector A1J2:
- SEGMENTS a..h of displays 1 and 2 are driven together
- SEGMENTS a..h of the credit display are driven separately
- SEGMENTS a..h of the displays 3 and 4 are driven togetherfrom connector A1J3:
- DIGITS of displays 1 and 3 and credit display are driven together
- DIGITS of displays 2 and 4 are driven together

swap the faulty pair of displays which the pair of working ones to see if the problem "moves":
- if it moved, the problem is linked to the display itself
- if it didn't, then there is a connection problem (dirty edge connector, cut wire).

on PI-1 and PI-1 X4 boards, the little display is linked to displays 1 and 3.
Does it work properly?
if it does, the PI-1 X4 board is good, displays 1 and 3 are the culprits.
if it doesn't, either the PI-1 X4 board is damaged or it is disturbed by displays 1 and 3

IMPORTANT: always turn the game OFF before plugging/unplugging any connector, otherwise it will cause further damage to the game!

before suspecting the PI-80 board, the power supply or the displays, are connectors A1J2 and A1J3 correctly plugged in?
as marked on the board, they must be plugged in reverse position, A1J2 on the bottom, A1J3 on the top, name sticker toward the back of the front head

the original fuse fitted the good old analog regulation design of GTB's power supply, but no longer fits my boards which use a step-up converter (from 14V to 60V), whose power budget is strictly under control.

so please do NOT replace my original fuse by anything higher rated one!
that would blow U2 in case of trouble.

a fuse repeatedly blowning means that at least one display is draining too much current.
this display must be identified and fixed once for good.
the culprit is either (rarely both) UDN6118 chip on the display itself. follow my other FAQ to help find the faulty display.

Replace the 7432 component (Z1, 14 pins) on this small display by a 74LS32 or 74HCT32 + good quality socket (machine tool)

 

segments signals are shared between those 2 displays and the small credit display.
this one, if defective, may cause problems to the other two.

an easy test:
-          turn game off
-          disconnect the small display alone
-          turn game on
-          if the scores are good again, the culprit is the small display as guessed
 
in thase case, follow the procedure described in this FAQ: https://www.flippp.com/faq/F140

LAMP TROUBLES -- PI-1 X4

LAMP TROUBLES -- PI-80

Lamps driven by a pair of ULN2803 circuits

Lamps always on or dimly lit:
turn the pinball game off, remove one of the 2 integrated chips (no matter which one) then turn the game on: if the faulty lamps are now off, that chip is faulty and must be replaced.

otherwise (lamps still lit), replace the 2nd chip.

Lamps always off:
both integrated chips must have been damaged, and must be replaced at the same time.

These are General Illumination lamps, they aren't controlled by the boards (only by the TILT relay) and have a dedicated fuse.

If none of them is lit, check the fuse near the transformer and the diode bridges.

If some are lit and some aren't, it means that the fuse is OK, but then :

- the sockets may be rusted or tarnished

- some lamps may be dead

- the metallic wires behind the sockets may be cut somewhere.

did you plug all the connectors? especially A1J6 (PI-1, PI-1/X4) and A1J5 (PI-80).
and any credits left? check the CREDIT display!

The error comes from one or several faulty coils or their diode in parallel or their associated fuse or the associated contacts.
The board detects the error, warns the user about it, and prevents from starting a play to avoid aggravating the problems.

A full description of all error messages and their possible causes & fixes can be found in the PI-1/X4 and PI-80 boards manuals.

In a first step, narrow the failure search by following the simple steps below:

PI-1 and PI-1 X4 :

- CHECK + name of the coil + STUCK SWITCH:
After activating a coil, one of its associated switches is permanently closed.
It's typically the case of a broken drop target that doesn't reset, or an eject hole switch always closed.
Follow this procedure: « IN CASE OF PERMANENTLY CLOSED SWITCH ».

PI-1 X4 specifically:

- CHECK + name of the coil + CANNOT DRIVE:
Impossibility to activate a coil (eg. dead fuse or dead driving transistor).
Follow this procedure « IN CASE OF A COIL WHICH CAN'T BE ACTIVATED ».

- CHECK + name of the coil + LOCKED ON:
Coil permanently activated (eg. driving transistor in short circuit).
Follow this procedure « IN CASE OF PERMANENTLY ACTIVATED COIL ».

PI-80 specifically:

- ERROR 1 or 3 :
Permanently activated coil (eg. driving transistor in short circuit).
Follow this procedure « IN CASE OF PERMANENTLY ACTIVATED COIL ».

- ERROR 2 :
Impossibility to activate a coil (eg. dead fuse or dead driving transistor).
Follow this procedure « IN CASE OF A COIL WHICH CAN'T BE ACTIVATED ».

- ERROR 4 :
After activating a coil, one of its associated switch stays permanently stuck.
It's typically the case of a broken drop target that doesn't reset, or an eject hole switch always closed.
Follow this procedure: « IN CASE OF PERMANENTLY CLOSED SWITCH ».

IN CASE OF PERMANENTLY CLOSED SWITCH:
Check all the switches behind the drop-targets, the eject hole switches ...
The contacts may be dirty or the contact blades too close from each other.

IN CASE OF PERMANENTLY ACTIVATED COIL:
For a PI-1/X4 :
Turn pinball OFF,  unplug connectors A3J2 and A3J4, then turn pinball ON: the error should have disappeared.
If the error is still there: pinball OFF, plug A3J2 only, turn ON: if the error is still there, there is a problem on the « knocker » coil or on transistor Q1.
If the error has gone: pinball OFF, plug A3J4 only (unplug A3J2), turn ON: if the error is still there, there is a problem on  6 7 8 or « outhole » coil.

For a PI-80 :
Turn pinball OFF, unplug connectors A3J4 and A3J5, then turn pinball ON: the error should have disappeared. Pinball OFF, plug A3J4 only, turn ON. If the error is still there, there is a problem on one of the 1 2 5 6 9 coils or on their respective driving transistors QS1 QS2 QS5 QS6 QS9.
Pinball OFF, plug A3J5 only (unplug A3J4), turn ON. If the error is still there, there is a problem on coil 8 « knocker » or on transistor QS8.

Once the faulty coil driver is found, you must control the associated coil(s) + their diode(s) on the playfield.
Follow the procedure  « CHECKING DIODES AND COILS ».

IN CASE OF A COIL WHICH CAN'T BE ACTIVATED: For all the boards:
Find in the game manual the fuse type which is in series with the coil it protects (if present, depends on the game).
Check the fuse, check if blown or not, and replace it by the right type then check the coil and its diode before turning the game on.

CHECKING DIODES AND COILS:
Checking diodes is very easy: unsolder one of its 2 legs (else the coil in parallel will result in a false measure) and test the coil then the diode with a DMM. Position "200 ohms" for the coil, or position "diode" for the diode: red wire on the non-banded side, black wire on the banded side (white ring).
Tip: cut one of the diode legs in the middle, easy to restore with a solder joint.
Compare the coil resistance with the Gottlieb coil chart in your manual.
Contact us if needed.

you must select the proper game upon power-up.
the PI-1, PI-1/X4 and PI-80 boards work in many games, but they are unable to detect which game they are installed in (no board can, no matter the manufacturer).
so you must select the correct game in the available games list upon power-up.
this is explained in the installation leaflet.
otherwise, when the board enters the attract mode, it will turn on/off the playfield lamps or even coils disregard of the game = may cause real havoc.

check the voltages on the power supply connectors on the left hand side, strictly following the checklists below:

- PI-1 X4 : https://flippp.com/faq/F148

- PI-80 : https://flippp.com/faq/F149

Check in the cabinet that the A6J5/P5 and A6J4/P4 connectors are correctly plugged !

The most common problem for menus and game/language selection is the connector A1J6 (on PI-1 or PI-1 X4 boards) or A1J5 (on PI-80 board) which is often corroded due to the former leaking battery and prevents TEST and CREDIT buttons to work as they should.

Did you inspect it carefully?

If a few pins need to be replaced, I usually replace them one by one, otherwise I replace the whole connector by a JAMMA connector which I trim to the desired length. They are extremely robust.

One thing you can try before replacing any connector is to disconnect A1J7 (on PI-1 or PI-1 X4 boards) or A1J6 (on PI-80 board) and see whether it works better. There may be problems on the switches matrix under the playfield that interact with the switches behind the coin door.

check that the ground lug, screwed into the metal rail under the driver board location, is not bent and does not make contact with the PI-1/X4 board above it.


in case of doubt, turn the lug anticlockwise and press it against the metal plate, farther from the PI-1/X4 board.

Before suspecting the PI-80 board, the power supply or the sound board itself, did you check that the A3J5 and A3J6 connectors are correctly plugged and in the right way?
If plugged upside down, the PI-80 or the sound board will be damaged!

-          is the RED LED flashing during the « BING » sound just after start-up? (even if you don't hear it!)

-          is the volume potentiometer ON THE BOARD properly adjusted?
for example set at mid-level

-          is the volume potentiometer IN THE PINBALL BODY (near the transformers for example, depending on the model) properly adjusted?
for example set at mid-level

-          is the loudspeaker properly connected and working?
pinball turned off, unplug it and test it with a DMM. its resistance should be between 4 and 8 ohm minimum.

Example of this problem on a Torch pinball:

Explanation : the sound board microprocessor receives a bad clock signal. You'll have to send us the board back for test and repair. Contact us.

DMM set on "VDC":

• across bottom pin (-) and top pin (+) of diode D4, you should read +5V
• across bottom pin (+) of top right audio amplifier and its metal lug (-), you should read +12V or more

no, because there are many type of diodes with different voltage thresholds.

1N270 diodes have a threshold between 0.2 and 0.3V and my boards are made to drive only this type of diode.
Schottky diodes are a perfect replacement, eg. BAT42 BAT43 BAT85..

1N4148 1N4004 1N4007 diode have a threshold between 0.6 and 0.7V. This means that the switch matrix circuitry may not be functioning properly if they are used
it's a problem which is too often overlooked when the original diodes have to be changed.

this warning message says that the switch number "xx", pertaining to one of the pop bumpers on the playfield, remains closed permanently.
this message may be turned off by means of COMMON SETTING 28 "CHECK BUMPER" but I don't recommend it, because the rootcause for that closed switch must be found.
it may be an electrical or mechanical problem.
the cup switch of each pop bumper must be checked to find the stuck one.

all boards (PI-1, PI-1 X4, PI-80) work the same.

basically, the CPU board sends out strobe signals (=rows) and they intersect with return signals (=columns) that go back to the CPU.
at each intersection, you got a switch (=contact) and a diode in serial with it.

on the following drawing, when the switch #10 is closed, the active-low strobe signal (in RED, one active strobe at a time) is fed to the playfield switch thru the diode.
when the switch is closed, this signal goes back to the return input signal (in BLUE) of the CPU.
the CPU detects it and knows that this given contact number #10 has been closed.

checking the diodes is pretty easy. 
disconnect the connectors:

-          A1J6 and A1J7 for PI-1 and PI-1 X4 boards

-          A1J5 and A1J6 for PI-80 boards

then measure each diode on "diode" setting with red DMM plug on NON BANDED side and black DMM plug on BANDED side: it should read between 0.2 and 0.3V. 

if a faulty diode must be replaced, information about replacement diodes can be found here:

https://www.flippp.com/faq/F49

the 10 pts switches and the 10 pts sound coil are two not directly related things.

it is true that scoring either 10 pts switch on the playfield will energize the 10 pts sound coil.

but there is no “direct link” between them: it is the software that will add 10 pts to the player’s score then will energize the proper coil (if scoring sounds have been enabled).

as you noticed, 10 pts switches are often found in plenty on a playfield, and are ALL wired in PARALLEL: this means that if ONE switch is permanently stuck closed, the others will never register.

so you must carefully inspect the 10 pts switches on your playfield.

they are found behind the rubbers, slingshots, drop targets, along the lanes etc…

use your game’s playfield drawing in the original Gottlieb manual to find them all.

use TEST SWITCH mode too, to check whether each 10 pts switch is duly registered and not displayed as [M]aintained.

One or more switches under the playfield are permanently closed and give points.
Go to the TEST SWITCH menu and write down the switch numbers that are displayed "M" = maintained (permanently closed).
These are often the 10pt switches behind the rubbers. They are wired in parallel.
Also check those behind the drop targets or in the holes ...

All boards are guaranteed for SIX MONTHS (parts and labour) starting from the date of purchase against all failures of the components and the manufacturing. This guarantee is intended to protect you against the kind of failures that can show up soon after starting during normal use. However, it does not apply if the board has been re-sold to a 3rd party during the guarantee period: in that case, it applies only to the original buyer whom I will make arrangements with.

Absolutely! I always do my utmost to attend as many French pinball expos as possible throughout the year: Sorgues, Le Tréport, Le Fontanil, Ste Ménéhould, Pouilly en Auxois, Chailly en Bière.. My plans to attend an expo or not are displayed on the "Next shows" page.

name: I use it sparingly in my manuals will full credit given to the rightsowner.
boards: I redesigned everything from scratch, both hardware and software. I don't reuse the original roms and game proms unlike other repro boards around.

The various boards presented on this web site, although carefully designed to work in Gottlieb® System-1, 80 and 80A games series, are not built under licensed Gottlieb® manufacture.

Yes it's possible, please contact me thru the contact page.
Only the boards still in their sealed, unopened antistatic bag will be accepted. The refund will be limited to the original board's price (and possible paypal fees, proportionally) and will be issued after reception and control of the returned board.
The initial shipping fees will be obviously not refunded.
You may then place another order on line for another board.
Note: no restocking fees will be charged.

after too many international wire transfer problems (high hidden fees invoiced by banks on both ends), this means of payment is no longer available.
contact us for more details.

I keep records of all purchases since 2001 but I never offered any log-in user account whatsoever. 
this makes your personal data a lot safer against hackers, as they are not stored on line.

Given the huge price increase on all parts, mainly electronic components, we no longer offer any discount on multiple orders.

However, being a faithful customer or about to place a big order (> 1000€), please contact us BEFORE placing your order.

It's useless to change the same fuse again and again. A fuse doesn't blow by itself and will keep blowing until the failure has been found.Contact me and don't empty my fuse stock!

Do NOT send the same message several times in a row!!
It will be processed as soon as possible, usually within 24 hours except under some circumstances (such as holidays) clearly stated on top of the web site.
I have designed, manufactured and programmed these boards as part of my pinball hobby, and not as a business.
I make no profit from these endeavours.
I am more than happy to help people who buy my boards, and I appreciate the feedback from them, especially where it helps to improve the boards.
I do have a real job though, and a big family, and I am not able to provide continuous and/or immediate help on a 24/7 basis.
I hope that you can appreciate this..
If not and you are not satisfied with what I provide, then return the board to me in original condition and I will refund the cost of the board you have purchased from me (except shipping fees).
No restocking fee will be charged if the board is returned in new condition in its original, unopened antistatic bag.

yes : the sales tax (VAT) on the sales is refundable and is clearly stated (for French or UE customers only) on the invoice sent by email the day your order is shipped.

Register to be informed of its availability. It may already be under programming.

Yes, the board will eventually support all the System-80/80A series.

All games run with the exact same sounds as the original games. I drive each game's sound board in exactly the same way as the original Gottlieb CPU board.

It is an ambiguous question: a non-working game is one of the main reasons that people purchase my boards! In the manual as well as on top of the quick installation leaflet, I remind users of the most important points to check PRIOR to any installation. It is ALWAYS dangerous to install a new board without performing some basic checks on the game! All my boards embed advanced hardware and software protections against all kinds of failures which would damage the original Gottlieb boards, but it is always wise to check for shorted coils & lamps sockets, damaged displays, blown fuses, broken connector pins, dead diode bridges etc...

download the quick installation leaflet from the SUPPORT page before receiving the new board.
you'll find all the steps to check on the top of the first page. They don't require any extensive knowledge in electronics.

With each board, and in addition to the guarantee, I do my best to help people install and set up my boards by email. But I could not help the user restore his whole game from scratch from distance. I would need a 2nd life to do so! It also goes without saying that in the event that the board is damaged following its installation in a game in unknown condition without making basic checks, then the 6 month guarantee may be invalidated.

the pullup resistors are indeed recommended by GTB (as shown on the attached technical bulletins).
I also highly recommend them, and not only on black hole but on ALL games that have PNP transistors under the playfield, including system-1 games: joker poker, countdown, close encounters, pinball pool, hulk, buck rogers, torch, roller disco, asteroid annie.

the problem lies more on the PNP transistors they used under the playfield than the driving transistors upstream (GTB driver or my board).
due to their high current gain, they may remain slightly energized instead of being completely turned off, leading to overheating and possible coil meltdown after some time.

TIP: the original PNP transistors may not be available anymore, you can freely use one of these instead:
2N5875
2N5879
2N5884
BDX18
BDX64
BDX66
MJ2500
MJ2955

don’t worry, the PI-1 X4 will peacefull drive any kind of sound-making system, including chimes, without any modification.

it is also written on the PI-1 X4 description page.

For sure! The coin slots still behave as usual and are fully programmable by menu.

NPN

to measure a NPN transistor (on the schematics, the arrow runs from base to emitter) :

examples: BDW93C, TIP122, BC547, 2N3055, BD241, TIP31, MPSA13, MPSU45, 2N6043..

Set your DMM on "diode" setting
- red tip on B, black tip on E : readout 0.5 to 0.7V OK (MPSA13 or MPSU45: 1.2V to 1.4V OK)
- red tip on B, black tip on C : readout 0.5 to 0.7V OK
- red tip on C, black tip on E : readout "1   " or "OL" (open circuit) OK for most, but some may return 0.5 to 0.7V (depends on the transistor’s internal structure) which is OK too
Any short-circuit readout like “0” or “000” means that the transistor is dead shorted.

PNP

to measure a PNP transistor (on the schematics, the arrow runs from emitter to base) :

examples: 2N5875, 2N5879, 2N5884, TIP2955, MJE2955, BC327..

Set your DMM on "diode" setting
- red tip on E, black tip on B : readout 0.5 to 0.7V OK
- red tip on C, black tip on B : readout 0.5 to 0.7V OK
- red tip on E, black tip on C : readout "1   " or "OL" (open circuit) OK for most, but some may return 0.5 to 0.7V (depends on the transistor’s internal structure) which is OK too

Any short-circuit readout like “0” or “000” means that the transistor is dead shorted.

Personal tip: connect your DMM probe tips together (and to nothing else), so you know how the “shorted” condition is displayed on your DMM. Not all DMMs display it the same way.

TIP115 : only used under the playfield of Buck Rogers and Torch. BDX66C and its equivalents (2N5875, 2N5879, 2N5884, BDX18, BDX64, BDX88, MJ2500, MJ2955) are used under all System1, System80, System80A, System80B playfields except Buck Rogers and Torch.
All these transistors can be ordered here: spare components.

some are not readily available on line because they address the kind of repair that I don't normally let people make themselves.

I have seen too many boards damaged/ruined by self-appointed repair persons that don't know how to identify/solder/desolder components.

so when special demands show up, I prefer to treat them on a person-to-person basis.

COIL DIODESdesolder one of its 2 lugs then measure the coil THEN the diode with a DMM  ("200 ohms" range for the coil, "diode" for the diode: red tip on the non banded side, black tip on the banded side (white ring)). The coil diode measures are between 0.6 and 0.7V.Personal tip: I cut the lug right in the middle so it's easy to repair with a small drop of solder afterwards.Only use 1N4004 or 1N4007 diodes.

DIODE BRIDGES
The diode bridges are 4 basically 4 diodes in a package. With the pinball schematics on hand, take 4 measures (1 for each diode). No need to desolder the bridge, just remove the fuse downstream.
Beware: if a "boost" capacitor has been soldered in parallel on the « + » and « - » outputs of the coil diode bridge, the diode measurement may be inaccurate.
SWITCH MATRIX DIODESTo check the playfield diodes, don't desolder anything, just unplug A1J5 and A1J6 (PI-80 board) or A1J6 and A1J7 (PI-1 or PI-1/X4 board) and measure the diode with a DMM (see 1st paragraph) . The playfield diode measurement is between 0.2V and 0.3V (switch matrix).Never use 1N4148 diodes! See https://www.flippp.fr/faq/F49 for acceptable replacement types

absolutely:

Boston Pinball displays: https://www.bostonpinballcompany.com/displays.htm
I have been personally using them for years in some of my games delivered ready to install, simple set-up, adjustable brightness (dimmer), 4 6 or 7 digits, various colors available, excellent rendering

Wolffpac displays: https://www.wolffpactech.com
I never had a chance to try some myself yet, but two close friends did and were very satisfied
warning: come as a kit = you must SOLDER them yourself, very simple set-up, 6-digit cyan only (as of April 2021), very good rendering

Sidenote: some earlier board revisions may require a minor modification, simply ask me directly for details.

Yes! I demo it at my stand at nearly every pinball expo. As a reminder, all the details (only in French for now) on my giant display can be found here.

7-digit scoring setup on my PI-80 board is much easier than on an original Gottlieb CPU, because all the software programming is already embedded and readily available for ALL system80 games.   download the board's manual and proceed to page 4 COMMON SETTING: setting 30 "7-DIGIT MODE" will turn it on/off.   no need to fumble with tweaked game proms and roms as on Gottlieb CPU board!

however, you still need to make the 7-digit displays fit your game's existing 6-digit wiring.

two options:

1) use original Gottlieb 7-digit vacuum displays AND re-wire all display connectors.
this has been described elsewhere on the web.
it's long, tedious, and prone to errors.

2) get specific 7-digit LED displays from Boston Pinball:
https://www.bostonpinballcompany.com/displays-S80A.htm
they make 7-digit displays that are both 7-digit and 6-digit pinout compatible (a chip must be flipped on the displays), as shown here:

some additional wires must be connected across the displays themselves, but it's very easy.
then there is no need to change the wiring at all!

enjoy the 7-digit displays then:

Yes: a specific mod (PI-80 only) allows to reconfigure the coin slots switches to scroll thru the letters when entering a name in the table. A small hardware modification must also be made to the game itself. Please contact me to get the description of the mod.

Yes, and more, both types can be mixed on the playfield and in the cabinet, without any problem.

All the documents can be downloaded for free from the Support section. For the PI-80 boards though, I could not find time yet to write a complete manual as for my System-1 boards (it takes a huge amount of time to write one), so only a quick installation leaflet is available for now.

No need to: all supported games are built in the main processor. Selection is made by menus upon power-up or by dipswitches (sound boards). No original prom is needed anymore.

The sound/speech replacement board is the only exception. It needs the original sound proms.
As they are copyrighted by Gottlieb Development LLC, I don't sell them.
You need to get them thru authorized resellers (read the following FAQ).

The manuals and the sound proms are copyrighted by Gottlieb Development LLC. I don't sell them.
You have to get them thru:
- ads (ebay, Mr Pinball..)
- used part resellers
- authorized and licenced resellers in the USA, eg:
Steve Young "The Pinball Resource" : http://www.pbresource.com
John Robertsons "Flippers.com" : https://www.flippers.com/catalog/product_info.php/gottlieb-game-sound-promeproms-p-2802

the A24 reset circuit board monitors the displays activity on the CPU board.

It resets the CPU in case of display freeze for a given time = a sign that the CPU board has hung (such as after a coil problem).
In arcade rooms, that prevents the CPU from remaining locked up for an extended time, especially in a coil-burn state.
At home, this reset board has little or no use, as the game does not remain powered for long continuous periods.
The PI-80 replacement board embeds similar & improved hardware that makes this reset board useless. Moreover, it cannot be connected to the PI-80 board.

Not at all, except typical mistakes such as coils (= shorted coils or without a diode) not checked by the user prior to installing my board which may cause driver transistors blow; as would be the case on ANY other electronic board. Worse, the original CPU boards would also be badly damaged, which is not the case on my board. The damage, in 99.99% of the cases, is limited to a transistor.

The so-called « SLAM » is the feature that immediately puts an end to the game in play when for
example the coin door is banged, or when the game was lifted up too high to bring a lost ball back into
play:

1. The kick in the coin door is detected by a classical switch, normally closed, with a tiny weight
on its tip, located on the inside of the door. Following a too strong kick, the weight opens the
switch and triggers the ‘SLAM’.

(box : the complete mechanism  -  arrow : where the contact is made, normally closed)
2. The excess game lift is detected by the ball on its captive rail, located on the left side of the
cabinet, near the ‘TILT’ pendulum. If the game is lifted too high, the ball rolls over the end of
course switch which opens and also triggers the ‘SLAM’.

(box : the complete mechanism  -  arrow : where the contact is made, normally closed)
Therefore, in order to allow the game to run, it is very important that the two above contacts are duly
closed. Very often, the switch blades are dirty or too wide open, preventing the game from starting.

For normal home usage, the 'SLAM' feature can be disabled. A clothes peg is enough to keep the
contacts well closed, but it can also be done on the board:  - on the PI-1 board: insert a jumper between the 2 rightmost pins of J2 row just above A1J6
 - on the PI-1 X4 board: insert a jumper between the 2 rightmost pins of J14 row just above A1J6
 - on the PI-80 board: thanks to the setting #24 of COMMON SETTINGS menu.

It's very simple:

• ask for an update of your MCU/80 board by clicking on this link: MCU/80 update.
• send us the MCU/80 daughter board (only this one, no need to send the whole PI-80 board) to the following address: FLIPPP Maintenance Christophe Champault 12 rue Jules Michelet 83120 SAINTE-MAXIME FRANCE
• we'll send you the updated board back.

Theoretically yes, but it's not easily achievable. This would require me to add hardware (= additional cost) on top of additional software. I decided that it was not very useful, since a software update is simple and free of charge (except for shipping costs) by regular mail.

No, it is not as easy as it seems. Since the software runs embedded in the main processor, it is not loaded in RAM and does not run from an external memory as old computer systems used to run.

Alas, it is likely to never be available, especially because I use a specific cross-compiler which is not freeware and, very specific development tools. However, I gladly take suggestions, so should you have any ideas for improvements, please share them with me!

System80 in English (E and 80 boxes ticked in the Config box) System80A in English (E and 80A boxes ticked in the Config box)

You must keep your existing sound board for the present time, until I release my own sound add-on board. If the sound board of your pinball game (refer to the list of available games on the 'Boards' page) does not work, you can replace it by my stand-alone PI-FX sound board. It plugs into the existing sound board connector in the front head and requires no modification to the game whatsoever.

Yes, I plan to release one.. but when..

devil’s dare, volcano and black hole exist in two versions:

-          “export”, sound only (basic sounds):

-          “domestic”, with sound/speech board (speech + much better sounds):

 

in Europe, most (if not all) game were “export” versions.

 

you are correct. to turn an “export” version into “domestic”, you need:

-          the sound/speech board itself, with the SC01 speech chip (very difficult to find) and the correct set of sound proms, such as: https://www.flippp.com/speech.php

-          its dedicated power supply: https://www.flippp.com/speechPS.php

-          and the wiring harness that connects the power supply to the existing game harness

 

I wrote a whole article about this (in french for now) here:

https://www.flipjuke.fr/une-carte-son-parlante-dans-gtb-sys

See https://www.flippp.fr/faq/F115

See https://www.flippp.fr/faq/F115

Yes sure. The PI-80 board is normally delivered with both software versions: single ball (stock game) and multiball.
You simply select the version you want thru the menus.
So you can play first with your unmodified game in single ball version, and decide to convert it to multiball later.

this is a common mistake that Haunted House owners make, because the information was never "widely spread" by Gottlieb.

HH playfield was manufactured in two versions: normal production run (the most common) and preseries (“sample games”).

they are compatible EXCEPT for the upkicker coil:

- the production games use SOL2 to drive that coil

- the preseries games use lamp 14 output + PNP transistor 2N5875 under the playfield to drive that coil

refer to the Gottlieb service bulletin:

get the full PI-80 manual from my web site and go to the specific page for your game: you must select the correct game configuration in the GAME SETTING menu.

There are 2 separate projects around this game :

1. The Haunted House in multiball with speech project comes from a fruitful co-working with the Davroux brothers who added our specific sentences to the existing sounds.
This project only works with our PI-80 board.
It needs a PI-80 board + an original GTB sound/speech board with the specific sound proms, to be acquired directly from the Davroux brothers

2. The Haunted House with speech version (hence single ball) reuses the original CPU to which the Davroux brothers added code to trigger additional sentences
This version work with the original GTB boards ; the PI-80 board software has not be fitted for this yet, due to lack of time and demand
It needs an original GTB CPU board + an original GTB sound/speech board ; both boards require specific game and sound proms, different from the multiball version above, to be acquired directly from the Davroux brothers

Yes, once the software is available.

See https://www.flippp.fr/faq/F117

Yes, the "Grand 8" uses the same rules as "Panthera", and as such works perfectly with my board.

there are actually 3 CPU revisions for this game:

http://www.pinwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Sega/Stern_White_Star_Repair

refer to chapter "3.1.1 CPU / Sound Board" :

• top right : 520-5136-16 Rev. E (Monopoly) => the one we currently have in our TSPP test game
• top left : 520-5136-16 Rev. D => same one with additional logo "SEGA" instead of "STERN"
• bottom center : 520-5300-00 Rev. A (Lord of the Rings) => the newest of all 3 which causes trouble with CN5 farther from CN6

for some reason we don’t know, Stern guys redesigned their CPU and slightly shifted the top left connector.

on this picture, you will understand why my board does not fit on a rev. A :


my PI-SIM board plugs into CPU 520-5136-16 Rev. E, and NOT on CPU 520-5300-00 Rev. A.

we studied the cost to make a specific model for that CPUs. but a limited PCB batch would cost a fortune, and we don't have this CPU for trials.

a possible mod would be simple though: build "connectors extenders" for CN5 CN6 and CN7, and bend them apart to fit that CPU's specific connectors spacing.

See https://www.flippp.fr/faq/F115