Episode 40 -Ticker Tape Hacks

For Amusement Only EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast·podcast_episode·9m 58s·analyzed·Apr 20, 2015

Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.014

TL;DR

EM pinball repair: fixing Ticker Tape's four-corners scoring via randomizer disc jumper wire repairs.

Summary

Nicholas Backbone discusses detailed repairs and troubleshooting on a Ticker Tape electromechanical bingo pinball machine, focusing on fixing a non-functional four-corners scoring feature caused by operator damage to the randomizer disc circuit board. He documents the diagnostic process, repairs using jumper wires, and successful restoration of the machine to full functionality.

Key Claims

Ticker Tape does not have a number spotting feature, despite the instruction card having that line blacked out with Sharpie
high confidence · Nicholas Backbone, verified through schematic review at bingo.cdyn.
The randomizer disc is only present on six-card machines and not on Mystic Lion or Magic Screen games
high confidence · Nicholas Backbone, based on personal experience with multiple machines
The operator cut traces on the randomizer disc in an area where the wipers do not travel, making the repair possible with jumper wires
high confidence · Nicholas Backbone, direct inspection during repair
Six-card machines are lighter and easier to tilt than Mystic Lion or Magic Screen games
medium confidence · Nicholas Backbone observation; his daughter Ava also experienced this during gameplay
After repair, the corner scoring feature produced three corner cards in a single game, verifying the fix was successful
high confidence · Nicholas Backbone, direct testing after repair completion

Notable Quotes

“None of those were hacked in any way, and the switches were very clean, and the wiring was very clean, so there was no fooling around with the switches on the trip relays.”
Nicholas Backbone @ ~05:30 — Demonstrates methodical diagnostic approach, eliminating switch-level issues to isolate the randomizer disc as the problem
“It would have been easier if I had laid the panel down from the back glass, but I'm lazy, so what ends up happening is I make five times as much work as is necessary.”
Nicholas Backbone @ ~08:45 — Candid, humorous reflection on repair methodology and self-awareness about inefficient working practice
“So that told me I was on the right track. Played a few games never made all four corners but I was able to verify that in each of the six cards the corner would light appropriately. So, problem solved.”
Nicholas Backbone @ ~12:15 — Confirmation of successful repair and return to full machine functionality
“The six-card machine is a lot lighter than the Mystic Line or Magic Screen game that I have, and so it's easier to tilt it.”
Nicholas Backbone @ ~13:45 — Comparative observation about machine weight and playability characteristics affecting player experience

Entities

Nicholas BackbonepersonTicker TapegameMystic LiongameMagic ScreengameAvapersonFor Amusement Onlyorganizationbingo.cdynproduct

Signals

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community_signal: Nicholas Backbone planning to interview his daughter Ava about her Ticker Tape gameplay experience for podcast inclusion
high · Had my daughter, Ava, come over and give it a try. and I'll have her on an interview at a later date.
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technology_signal: Detailed documentation of randomizer disc repair methodology using jumper wire soldering technique for trace restoration on circuit board
high · I had to stitch in a jumper wire and solder it on both sides of the area where the operator had cut out a groove and ripped up the trace

Topics

EM pinball machine repair and troubleshootingprimaryBingo pinball game mechanics and circuit designprimaryRandomizer disc function and maintenanceprimaryOperator-inflicted damage and restorationprimarySix-card machine characteristics and playabilitysecondaryCoin circuit complexity in EM machinessecondarySoldering and circuit board repair techniquessecondary

Sentiment

positive(0.82)— Nicholas Backbone demonstrates satisfaction with successful problem-solving and complete restoration of Ticker Tape to full functionality. Tone is upbeat and educational. Humorous self-deprecation about repair methodology adds warmth without detracting from technical competence.

Transcript

groq_whisper · $0.030

what's that sound it's for amusement only the em and bingo pinball podcast welcome back to for amusement only this is Nicholas Baldridge this afternoon i opened up the backbox on ticker tape and lubed the uh clutch washers using needs foot oil which is the recommended lube for those and took a look at the hacks that the operator had done to the game. I had looked online at the schematic that's hosted at bingo.cdyn.com. As ticker tape is a six-card machine, the schematics are much simpler than the Magic Screens or Mystic Lion games. In fact, most of the complexity in this game is in the coin circuit. as it has some of the later additions to the bingo coin circuits, like the split-take diverter, and the coin unit that's mounted in the cabinet for multiple plays for a quarter, including the multi-play relay, which gives me trouble occasionally on double-up. So, I'm taking a look in the backbox, and trying to figure out why the corner scoring doesn't work. I had already looked, I mentioned on an earlier podcast that there was a number spotting feature on ticker tape. However, I thought that because on the score and instruction cards, that line had been blacked out with Sharpie. But looking on bingo.cdyn.com, I didn't see any mention of the number spotting feature. And looking on the schematic, there was no number spotting feature either. So little did I know, but in fact, this feature doesn't exist on ticker tape. So the only real problem that I had was the four corners scoring, which if you score or if you put a ball in the numbers corresponding to each of the four corners of the lighted bingo card it will score as if there are five in a row This feature never once fired off and I had put several dozen games on the machine at this point So, I took a look at this schematic and traced out the circuit, and there are several different switches. in the circuit, but really it's not a very complex one. Opening up the machine and looking, there's the trip, which is for each individual card. It has its own corners scoring trip relay for when you achieve that function. None of those were hacked in any way, and the switches were very clean, and the wiring was very clean, so there was no fooling around with the switches on the trip relays. So that carried me to the randomizer disk. And this is something that is only present on the six-card machine and is not present on either the Mystic Lion machine that I have, nor any Magic Screen game that I've ever had my face in, or Mystic Lion game for that matter. So what this is is a small circuit board with finger wipers similar to a search disk, but instead of rivets. Again, it's more of a circuit board where you have large areas of contact, and it's connected to a motor which turns in both directions. The corner scoring feature only fires when the randomizer disc is in certain positions. looking at the disc itself, it was a little dirty, but not incredibly so, just a little bit. And it had two small cuts in the traces on this board Thankfully the operator did this in an area that the wipers don actually travel on It was in just an area that connects to areas which are a distance apart So in order to fix this, I had to stitch in a jumper wire and solder it on both sides of the area where the operator had cut out a groove and ripped up the trace in between. This is pretty simple to do. You just cut a piece of wire and solder it on one side of the hole and then you solder it on the other side and cut off any excess wire if any exists. It's one of those things where it feels like you need three or four arms in order to do. It would have been easier if I had laid the panel down from the back glass, but I'm lazy, so what ends up happening is I make five times as much work as is necessary. So I did it upright by holding a pair of pliers, a soldering gun in the other hand, and a length of solder in my left hand with the pair of pliers. and I had it leaning against the wire. So as I heated up the wire with the soldering gun, it caused the solder to flow down the wire and stop. Lifted the soldering gun off and then waited for it to dry, which only takes a couple seconds. Pulled it, all good. Moved on to the other side. Had to do this twice again. There were two different areas where it had been cut. When I did, I fired up the machine after lubing the circuit board, since I had cleaned it prior to installing these trumpers. Lubed the circuit board with 3-in-1 oil, again, just a couple drops on my finger, and around the surface of the disc. Turned the machine on, put in some coins, and it gave me three corner cards in one game. So that told me I was on the right track. Played a few games never made all four corners but I was able to verify that in each of the six cards the corner would light appropriately So, problem solved. And now ticker tape is working 100%. Once I had it 100%, I had my daughter, Ava, come over and give it a try. and I'll have her on an interview at a later date. But she was nudging the machine and getting a feel for it and trying to make three, four, or five in a row. Unfortunately, she tilted almost every game that she played. The six-card machine is a lot lighter than the Mystic Line or Magic Screen game that I have, and so it's easier to tilt it. even though I have my tilt set at a different level she was still having a hard time with it that may color her judgment a bit but she did say that the rules and layout were a lot simpler than on the Magic Screen and Mystic Line game that I have so hopefully we get to hear her commentary soon tomorrow night I have my work cut out for me I hope to install the 14 bumpers on my project GG and that should take care of that machine I've been through and verified that it starts appropriately and everything seems to be ok with the exception of some odd lighting issues which I hope will be resolved once the bumper sockets are in place but we will see what the coming days hold for now though that's all thank you for joining me my name again is Nicholas Baldridge you can reach me at 4amusementonlypodcast at gmail.com you can find us online at 4amusementonly.libsyn.com and you can listen to us on iTunes, Stitcher, Pocket Casts via RSS and on Facebook, as well as on our website. Thank you very much for listening, and I'll talk to you next time.