# Stern Tech School: Switch Test **Source:** Stern Pinball **Type:** video **Published:** 2024-06-15 **Duration:** 5m 46s **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-QUx_XL1Q4 --- ## Analysis Stern Pinball's instructional Tech School video by Kyle explaining how to use the switch test diagnostics menu in Stern pinball games. Covers accessing switch tests via service switches, understanding different test modes (switch test, active switch test, switch alerts), and demonstrates proper testing techniques for various switch types including standup targets, optical switches, rollunder switches, and rollover switches. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] Switch test displays the last activated switch on the LCD screen and is used to test switches individually — _Kyle explains the switch test function early in the video_ - [HIGH] Active switch test shows all switches the game currently sees as closed — _Kyle demonstrates active switch test and explains its purpose_ - [HIGH] Switch alerts identify switches that haven't been actuated for approximately 10 games or longer as a maintenance warning — _Kyle states 'if the game hasn't seen that switch change state...10 games, if the game hasn't seen that switch change state it's going to say you might want to check it'_ - [HIGH] Finger presses on rollover switches may depress the actuator further than a pinball would in actual gameplay, potentially giving false results — _Kyle explains why pinballs should be used instead of fingers for testing rollover switches_ - [HIGH] Each switch in the diagnostics menu displays its number, connector location on node boards, and wire colors for identification — _Kyle describes the on-screen information showing switch number 28, connector details, and wire colors_ ### Notable Quotes > "The Switch test is going to display the last activated switch on the LCD screen that you have hit. This is used to test switches individually." > — **Kyle**, ~0:45 > _Defines core function of switch test mode_ > "This noise can be really helpful in identifying when a switch has been actuated." > — **Kyle**, ~2:30 > _Practical testing tip: audio feedback aids diagnostics_ > "An optical switch uses an invisible beam of light that when broken by a pinball will register as a switch closure to the pinball game." > — **Kyle**, ~3:45 > _Explains optical switch technology used in modern pinball_ > "The reason we don't want to use our finger to test these is depending on the switch adjustment, pressing into the routed hole for the rollover switch, the soft squishy part of your finger may be able to depress the actuator further than a pinball could in actual gameplay." > — **Kyle**, ~5:00 > _Technical explanation for why testing methodology varies by switch type_ > "If a switch hasn't been actuated and let's generalize and say 10 games, if the game hasn't seen that switch change state it's going to say you might want to check it." > — **Kyle**, ~7:15 > _Explains switch alert threshold for maintenance warnings_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Kyle | person | Stern Pinball technical educator presenting the Tech School tutorial | | Stern Pinball | company | Pinball manufacturer producing the Tech School educational content series | | Venom Pro | game | Stern pinball machine used as demonstration platform for switch testing | | Diagnostics menu | product | Built-in software tool in Stern pinball games for machine diagnostics and testing | | Node boards | product | Circuit boards underneath the playfield that receive switch connector inputs | ### Topics - **Primary:** Switch diagnostics and testing procedures, Pinball machine maintenance and troubleshooting, Different switch types (standup, optical, rollunder, rollover) - **Secondary:** Stern pinball machine hardware and architecture, Operator and technician education ### Sentiment **Neutral** (0) — Educational video with straightforward, informative tone; no emotional content or controversial opinions present ### Signals - **[community_signal]** Stern Pinball producing educational Tech School content demonstrating ongoing commitment to operator and owner education/support (confidence: high) — Full dedicated instructional video on diagnostic procedures, with mention of additional Tech School videos available --- ## Transcript hi I'm Kyle with Stern Pinball and this video we're going to go over the different switch tests in the Diagnostics menu in your pinball game to access the switch test menu we will need to use our service switches so we'll need to open the coin door we'll also need to pull the interlock switch to provide power to the Playfield and to test most of the switches we will need the glass off to enter the switch test menu we will need to get into the main d diagnostic screen here go into the Diagnostics menu and select switch menu once we enter the switch test menu we're presented with a few tests let me explain what they are the switch test is going to display the last activated switch on the LCD screen that you have hit this is used to test switches individually the active switch test will have the game present us each switch that it sees as closed currently switch alerts will present us with any possible errors uh when a game hasn't seen a switch close for some time or maybe a switch that shouldn't be closed and has been reporting as closed for too long of a period to select the switch test we'll use the black button to enter switch test mode we're presented with a message here switch test press any switch to begin we can reach for any switch on the Playfield and actuate it I'm going to press this switch here when I pressed it the game immediately detected that we hit the left Target as shown in the upper right hand side of the screen there you'll notice on the top left the switch also has a number this one is number 28 in your manual you'll have a list of switches that are numbered you'll also have an image that shows the position of those switches that relate to the number on that chart this can be useful for correlating those numbers between the chart and the actual physical location on your Playfield the other information shown on the screen will show us which connector these switches report to on the core nodes underneath the Playfield as well as the wire colors that are attached to said switch using this Venom Pro here I'm going to show you how to test a few of the common switches we'll use on our pinball games as well as some tips on how to best test each type of switch As We demonstrated previously when you hit a switch the game will immediately show the switch you had last hit as well as play a noise this noise can be really helpful in identifying when a switch has been actuated testing a standup switch can generally be done by just pressing it with your finger when the ball strikes the face of the standup Target it is closing the two switch blades together which will then have the computer read that as a switch closure another type of switch commonly used on our pinball games is an optical switch an optical switch uses an invisible beam of light that when broken by a pinball will register as a switch closure to the pinball game there are some instances when using a pinball instead of your finger to actuate a switch is going to produce better results let's try testing this roll under switch using the pinball let's roll it under the gate and listen and watch the screen as we do it so we can see there in and out we got a switch actuation listening for that noise and watching the screen respond showing us here the right Loop entrance another switch type that is best to use a pinball to test is a rollover switch these are commonly found in your inlanes and outlanes on your pinball game the reason we don't want to use our finger to test these is depending on the switch adjustment pressing into the routed hole for the rollover switch the soft squishy part of your finger may be able to depress the actuator further than a pinball could in actual gameplay active switch test is going to show us switches that are reporting closed if we had a standup switch that was bashed shut and the two blades of the switch were constantly closed the switch would never register but we could use active switch test to see what the game's computer sees as a closed switch so these are all the switches it sees as closed right now these switches are supposed to be closed in this instance it's showing the ball trough switches as being closed and that's because there were five pinballs in the trough at that time time so this is what active switch test looks like also if that switch uh that theoretical switch that was stuck shut that way that could also give us a switch alert the game has seen a switch that it knows shouldn't be stuck for a long time as not actuating not coming open and closed and that might come up as an error saying it's like hey you might want to check that switch if a switch hasn't been actuated and let's generalize and say 10 games if the game hasn't seen that switch change State it's going to say you might want to check it might not necessarily be bad but it wants you to go into switch test and actuate it to see if it's still functioning so what we're seeing now is we're able to go through all of the switches that the game is seeing as like not actuating these dip switches are M on the computer and that is the actual position they never change now as I move through it it's showing us every other switch it can read but we have no other alerts for more information on how to maintain your Stern Pinball Machine check out our other tech school videos _(Acquisition: youtube_auto_sub, Enrichment: v1)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 65d6c12f-ba66-42f6-9000-199ad28e49d6*