# Episode 234 - Bingo Free Play Setup

**Source:** For Amusement Only EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast  
**Type:** podcast_episode  
**Published:** 2015-10-31  
**Duration:** 9m 32s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://foramusementonly.libsyn.com/episode-234-bingo-free-play-setup

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## Analysis

Nick Baldridge explains the technical methods for converting EM bingo pinball machines to free play mode. He covers two approaches: one for pre-Coney Island Bally and all United machines, and another for later Bally MagicScreen games. The process involves jumpers, leaf switches, anti-cheat switches, and coin switch configuration, with practical troubleshooting guidance.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] There are only two different methods for EM bingos to put them on free play — _Nick Baldridge, host of For Amusement Only, speaking authoritatively about EM bingo conversion techniques_
- [HIGH] Bally added an anti-cheat switch onto the replay register (normally open, closed when credits exist) on MagicScreen games and all Bally games after Coney Island — _Nick Baldridge explaining technical differences between early and late Bally bingo machines_
- [HIGH] The free play conversion method doesn't prevent coins from being inserted and triggering the coin switch — _Nick Baldridge explaining behavior of jumpered free play setup_
- [MEDIUM] On MagicScreen games, the coin switch connection is typically the second switch in the red button stack, but can be the first — _Nick Baldridge noting variation in MagicScreen game wiring and need for experimentation_
- [HIGH] All bingo machines currently in Nick Baldridge's house are on free play while he recovers from a major move from York — _Nick Baldridge personal status update near end of episode_

### Notable Quotes

> "There's actually only two different methods for EM bingos to put them on free play. And it's relatively straightforward."
> — **Nick Baldridge**, Opening segment
> _Establishes the scope and apparent simplicity of the technical task being explained_

> "The nice thing about the free play on the bingos is it doesn't prevent you from putting in a coin and trip the coin switch, what would be different? Nothing at all."
> — **Nick Baldridge**, Mid-episode
> _Key design advantage of the free play conversion method—backward compatible with coin operation_

> "I usually have an alligator clip jumper and clip it on to what I think is the appropriate switch tab then turn the machine on. If the machine immediately goes into search and just continuously searches like you're just you got a stuck coin switch, then you've got it clamped onto the wrong lug of the coin switch."
> — **Nick Baldridge**, Troubleshooting section
> _Practical diagnostic method for testing and identifying correct switch configuration_

> "The alligator clip method is completely reversible. All I do if I want to set it back to straight up coin is to unhook one end of the alligator clip and that's it."
> — **Nick Baldridge**, Method advantages
> _Non-permanent approach to free play conversion valuable for collectors_

> "At the moment all of the bingos are still on freeplay in my house. I'm kind of still working my way back from York and the big move."
> — **Nick Baldridge**, Closing remarks
> _Personal context about Nick's current collection status post-relocation_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Nick Baldridge | person | Host of For Amusement Only EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast; EM bingo specialist and enthusiast with hands-on technical expertise; collector with machines at home; based in York area |
| For Amusement Only | organization | EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast hosted by Nick Baldridge; focused on electromechanical and bingo pinball machine content |
| Coney Island | game | Vintage Bally bingo pinball machine; serves as historical marker for distinguishing two different eras of Bally bingo machines with different free play conversion methods |
| Bally | company | Historical pinball/bingo machine manufacturer; produced bingo machines with variations before and after Coney Island, including MagicScreen games with anti-cheat switches |
| United | company | Historical bingo machine manufacturer; entire range of United machines uses the same simpler free play conversion method as pre-Coney Island Bally machines |
| MagicScreen | product | Line of Bally bingo machines with electronic display screens; featured anti-cheat switches on replay register; requires different free play conversion method than earlier machines |
| York | location | Geographic location Nick Baldridge recently moved from; referenced as context for current collection setup status |

### Topics

- **Primary:** EM bingo machine free play conversion techniques, Electromechanical switch configurations and wiring, Bally vs United bingo machine technical differences
- **Secondary:** Anti-cheat switch operation in MagicScreen games, Practical troubleshooting methodology for EM machines, Reversible modification techniques for collector machines, Red/green/blue button play modes in bingo machines
- **Mentioned:** Nick Baldridge's personal collection and recent relocation

### Sentiment

**Neutral** (0.5) — Straightforward technical educational content delivered in matter-of-fact tone. No strong positive or negative sentiment; Nick presents challenges matter-of-factly ('a pain in the ass') but overall conveys confidence in the process.

### Signals

- **[operational_signal]** Nick Baldridge provides detailed technical guidance on converting EM bingo machines to free play mode, demonstrating specialized knowledge valuable for operators and collectors managing these machines (confidence: high) — Entire episode devoted to step-by-step free play conversion methodology with troubleshooting
- **[historical_signal]** Documents technical differences between pre-Coney Island Bally bingos, post-Coney Island/MagicScreen Bally games, and United machines, showing manufacturer design evolution and anti-cheat mechanism introduction (confidence: high) — Detailed explanation of how Bally added anti-cheat switches to replay register in later games
- **[content_signal]** For Amusement Only continuing to produce specialized technical content for EM bingo audience; deep expertise positioning Nick Baldridge as authoritative voice on bingo machine operations (confidence: high) — Episode demonstrates mastery of electromechanical systems and practical field experience
- **[restoration_signal]** Promotion of non-permanent modification approaches (alligator clip jumpers) that preserve original functionality and allow collectors to maintain museum-quality originality while enabling free play testing (confidence: high) — Emphasis on reversible nature of alligator clip method: 'completely reversible... All I do if I want to set it back to straight up coin is to unhook one end'
- **[operational_signal]** Explanation of how free play conversion affects color button selection behavior in bingo machines, with implications for user experience and gameplay flow (confidence: high) — Detailed discussion of immediate search triggering when buttons pressed in free play vs coin mode
- **[community_signal]** Nick Baldridge documenting and sharing specialized EM bingo technical knowledge through podcast, contributing to preservation of expertise for community (confidence: high) — Methodical explanation designed for education of listeners on specific technical procedures
- **[operational_signal]** Nick Baldridge notes preference for keeping bingos in coin mode despite complexity, suggesting operators/collectors struggle with balancing free play convenience against authentic gameplay experience (confidence: medium) — 'I tend to like having my games on coin' despite explaining free play method, and noting all his machines are currently on free play due to post-move recovery period

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## Transcript

 What's that sound? It's 4 Amusement Only, the EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast. Welcome back to 4 Amusement Only. This is Nicholas Baldridge. Tonight I wanted to talk about putting a bingo in free play. This is something I've avoided. There's actually only two different methods for EM bingos. to put them on free play. And it's relatively straightforward. Let's start with the easy method. And for Bally, this is for games before Sea Island and for United, this will cover the entire range. Essentially you need to take a jumper and uh... put it between the leaf on the red button that provides voltage for when the switch closes and the portion of the coin switch that is normally open and so when you push the red button Closes the normally open. Now this will allow you to play your red button and it will also allow you to play your yellow button if it exists. So how do you tell which leaf is the one that applies voltage? Well the easy way to think about it is that a leaf switch is typically two different pieces There the piece that is actuated so the piece that actually pushed in when you push the button and then there the receiving side Well the receiving side is the one that just sitting there waiting and if you think about voltage what it is is the potential to conduct electricity When you close the switch that potential turns into actuation and so you take the smaller side of the leaf switch and do it that way now what a little difficult about bingos is that Most cómo todo se regrece, to fundar a for cé solo car club alegó durante cada disco, Gimnasia этого ele só se despl sans estar com o cole, motivo de que se solidificara, embora aieron participado, which is fór con os cargos or des сожалению ort próximos ao presidente, but Nòébidnepose y está colocando en los cargos,更alico era uno de los relativos you need to ensure that you're clipping the one closest to the front the faster you get the way in one quickly click the next tabladestillaste somig рес theية frscale L 47 00oooooooooooooooooooo daisiräakä about topo berü backside uh now again this is for games from Sea island and before assetäderäääää andäääääåäääääääääääääääääääääääääääääääääääääääääääääää Most of the MagicScreen games and all of the Bally games after that. Bally added a anti-cheat switch onto the replay register and it is normally open. When there are credits on the meter, it is closed. And so in a similar way to tricking a credit unit in a flipper game, you zip tie or jumper that switch and that's half of the battle. Then the other half is actually tying the red button to the coin switch. Now on a MagicScreen game, that's typically the second switch in the red button stack, but it can be the first. I usually have to do some experimentation. And what I do, because a lot of things carry not 120 volts, but they do carry 50 volts on the coin door, is I turn the game off. and then apply my jumper I usually have an alligator clip jumper and clip it on to what I think is the appropriate switch tab then turn the machine on If the machine immediately goes into search and just continuously searches like you're just you got a stuck coin switch, then you've got it clamped onto the wrong lug of the coin switch. If the game doesn't do it at all, then if it's a later model, you don't have the anti-cheat switch zipped or clipped, jumpered. If it's an earlier model, then you don't have the right switch on the red button. Or possibly you don't have the right switch on the coin switch. The game is a bit of a pain in the ass to play, but it's relatively easy to do. The alligator clip method is completely reversible. All I do if I want to set it back to straight up coin is to unhook one end of the alligator clip and that's it. The nice thing about the free play on the bingos is it doesn't prevent you from putting bs2 maternalğinpano unlikely,evermonicalcs技 대해서 Jiannean,tolled케,AdH د haird miner Normal ni,D ngu inhabit ti,Nynaye,Levi ac♥nheir bw dö��겠istling เข habla ni bei sə çiș серь返 Clinicintérieur advantage habeke multə chips že,ίاopers elfŵ א segregation ниваетсяbor ay tribute$ chess,M φαüz Where I Rice diam epsilon City ja,t recibש recharge var leggiahop,OT n Psychol sent and trip the coin switch, what would be different? Nothing at all. The only issue with just leaving it connected is if you have a game with pick and play. Or if you go into extra ball mode, but we'll get there in a minute. So if you have a game with pick and play, that's the red, green, and blue buttons, and sometimes white on the front of the bingo. In order to put it into those different modes, you have to push the button first. The machine will click and it will show a different color highlighted on the back glass, waiting for you to put your money in. While on your first press because it on freeplay it actually going to search for that particular thing so if you push blue it would search for an increase in odds You basically get a freebie before you start pumping in money PTPC wt3 Jurctr2 By O consonant 소� thôi질 제가가 Na 깲 초 пап카� welding 안하나 영상급모�ə iP.이 가족 굉장히 인테리식.'고�ं liabilityero retrouveunta prospect으로 구입 수 Tony. Schweiz uncondcie. You have it in freeplay, it's going to search immediately as well because it thinks again that you've dropped the coin in immediately on the button press. So, I tend to like having my games on coin. At the moment all of the bingos are still on freeplay in my house. I'm kind of still working my way back from York and the big move. So right now I'm just enjoying playing the games and I'm not really betting against myself on them, but I will get back to that certainly soon, as soon as I finish likely. The name of the game is Nicholas Baldridge. You can reach me at fortamusementonlypodcast at gmail.com. The end of Acoustic Soc and Voyagensinn at InfoWeltworld.com website or you can listen to us on our website which is 4руш Ryぞkaj Bro reminderств for immersed. batteries Easy to buy get you on which is for all those who can mesh us get what he's done for you are waiting 132 00есьkovich band concierge th

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: efd50ffd-8f74-48ef-872e-b7e753057a50*