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Panthera & Tri-Zone Pinball Shenanigans!

Pinball Shenanigans·video·13m 37s·analyzed·Jul 18, 2026
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Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 (batch) · $0.011

TL;DR

Mike Dust repairs Tri-Zone and Panthera classic machines, fixing battery/switch issues and soundboard diodes.

Summary

Mike Dust documents restoration work on two classic pinball machines: Tri-Zone and Panthera. Tri Zone-Zone, he replaces a battery to fix credit persistence issues, secures loose pop bumper screws, and adjusts drop target switches. Panthera, he installs repaired diodes on the soundboard and troubleshoots fuse issues, ultimately discovering electrical problems preventing sound output. Both machines require further diagnosis and repair.

Key Claims

  • Mantis Pinball is going out of business in September

    medium confidence · Mike Dust mentions this while discussing Tri-Zone's new lane guides being Mantis brand

  • Tri-Zone had all new plastics installed except one broken piece, new skirts, caps, and bodies

    high confidence · Mike observes the condition of Tri-Zone's components during inspection

  • The pop bumpers on Tri-Zone had no screws holding them in place

    high confidence · Mike discovers and fixes this issue during repair work

  • Panthera's soundboard diodes were blown and needed replacement

    high confidence · Mike replaces two diodes on Panthera's soundboard as part of repair

  • AI provided incorrect battery information Panthera

    high confidence · Mike notes that AI told him to use a different battery than the CR 2430 he ultimately needed

Notable Quotes

  • “I've been told by the bosses here I can't use the correct term. So I'll stick with shenanigans for now.”

    Mike Dust @ Opening — Sets the tone for the channel and hints at censorship constraints

  • “Mantis Pinball is going out of business. I believe this is July. I think they're going out of business September.”

    Mike Dust @ Tri-Zone section — Industry news about a pinball parts manufacturer closing

  • “Never always trust AI. So, I'm going to pop in this soundboard, see if we have sound, cuz that would be nice.”

    Mike Dust @ Panthera battery section — Commentary on relying on AI for technical information

  • “This game is way cooler when the drop targets actually work. Cuz if you spell zone, then it lights your spinner for 200.”

    Mike Dust @ Tri-Zone drop target repair — Explains gameplay mechanics and how repairs restore full rule set engagement

  • “There's only one way to find out.”

    Mike Dust @ Panthera soundboard installation — Recurring catchphrase indicating testing/troubleshooting mindset

Entities

Mike DustpersonTri ZonegamePantheragameMantis PinballcompanyNightmare on Elm StreetgamePinball Shenaniganscontent[name withheld pending review]eventPAPAorganization

Signals

  • ?

    restoration_signal: Detailed restoration documentation of Tri-Zone and Panthera including battery replacement, component inspection, electrical troubleshooting

    high · Mike systematically diagnoses and repairs multiple issues across both machines, replacing batteries, diodes, fuses, and adjusting mechanical components

  • ?

    product_concern: Tri-Zone exhibits multiple quality issues including loose pop bumper screws, intermittent drop targets, and electrical instability

    high · Pop bumpers had no screws installed; drop targets intermittently fail; machine resets when both flippers hit; tilt bob and knocker solenoid wiring cut

  • ?

    business_signal: Mantis Pinball aftermarket parts manufacturer going out of business September

    medium · Mike Dust states 'Mantis Pinball is going out of business' with September timeframe mentioned while discussing Tri-Zone's lane guides

  • ?

    content_signal: Mike Dust planning standalone gameplay tutorial video for Nightmare on Elm Street pinball

    high · Mike states he will create his own 10-15 minute gameplay video of Nightmare on Elm Street, noting limited existing content outside of PAPA live coverage

  • ?

    product_concern: Panthera soundboard diodes blown; soundboard still non-functional after diode replacement; fuse issues preventing sound output

    high · Two diodes replaced on soundboard; quarter-amp fuse installed; sound still absent after repairs; Mike troubleshoots power supply connector issues

Transcript

youtube_auto_sub · $0.000

0:02
of ke shenanigans that he likes to say. >> I call it shenanigans. I've been told by
0:04
I call it shenanigans. I've been told by
0:04
I call it shenanigans. I've been told by the bosses here I can't use the correct term. So I I'll stick with shenanigans for now. And there's been a lot of shenanigans going on in this game. >> I'm Mike Dus and this is Pinball
0:15
I'm Mike Dus and this is Pinball
0:15
I'm Mike Dus and this is Pinball Shenanigans. Okay, I think this is basically round three of the Dus Garage series here. And I've come back to do a few more tweaks and adjustments. So try zone when you turn it on,
0:47
?

operational_signal: Systematic diagnostic approach: battery testing, component isolation, fuse verification, connector inspection

high · Mike methodically tests machines, replaces parts, rechecks switches, and documents findings throughout restoration process

  • ?

    community_signal: Pinball Shenanigans series continuing with multiple video iterations (Dus Garage round 3+) indicating sustained viewer engagement

    high · Mike references this as 'basically round three of the Dus Garage series' and plans additional gameplay content for future episodes

  • ?

    design_philosophy: Tri-Zone rule set complexity: spelling ZONE lights spinner for 200, saucer increases from 5,000 to 10,000 points when zone spelled

    high · Mike explains 'if you spell zone, then it lights your spinner for 200. And this 10,000 saucer, which is normally what, 5,000'

    • you get this weird stuff happening here. You turn it off and on
    0:56
    maybe a couple times. No, wait a minute. Turn it on. There you go. Now it boots up. Zero credits. So, I'm thinking that might just be a bad battery. So, I brought a new one. And I'm hoping that changing that will solve that problem. And then, um, this guy will pretty much go up for sale. What else is going on in here? So, the fact that there's all these old plastics does indicate to me that all the plastics on here are new, except
    1:39
    there was one that is broken there. So, I'm not sure why that is the case with a new plastic set. But also, you can tell it is in fact new skirts, new caps, and I believe new bodies. Uh, looks like maybe this out hole kicker was replaced. Obviously, the displays were replaced. And even the lane guides, probably new Mantis lane guides. I don't see the other one, but they do look to be in nice shape. And just a reminder, Mantis Pinball is going out of business. I believe this is July. I think they're going out of business September. So, still got time. Anyway, this guy is darn near ready to post up for sale as a working project. I'll have to check to see if the tilt bob is in there or not. And um really the only issue is two drop targets not registering
    2:57
    some wobbly pop bumper caps or pop bumpers. These might just be screwed right into the wood and the wood might be stripped a bit. Maybe I'll look at that. We'll see. And uh game resets when you hit both flippers occasionally. So hopefully I can at least resolve the battery situation. And Pantherra, I've got the soundboard.
    3:32
    repaired. So, I just replaced those two diodes there. Hopefully, I oriented them in the correct position. From the photos I saw on the internet, I should be right. There's only one way to find out. And someone suggested that maybe they blew. Well, they just blow because they do. They're old. But someone suspected that maybe the fuse for this was over amped. So I will triple check the fuses and make sure that uh they are correct. Here's my battery. It is a CR 2430 and got the correct one. I came here yesterday briefly. Uh AI told me that it was a different battery. So, I went and bought one cuz I didn't have one. And I came here only to find out that it lied to me. So, never always trust AI. So, I'm going to pop in this soundboard, see if we have sound, cuz that would be nice. And I think there's a couple other things on the list, but I'm going to do a gameplay video of Nightmare on Elm Street, too, cuz I don't think there's too many out there. There was a Papa um video on it. Papa live I think it was called back then. I watched some of it last night. But I'm going to do my own little version. I think that one is like an hour and a half. I'll just do like a 10 or 15 minute one. Anyway, that's the plan. All right. So, there actually is a tilt bob in there. So, that means I got a spare, which is nice. And uh so the reason the pop bumpers were so floppy cuz there is literally no screws in them. Not a single one. So borrowed a couple screws from my pile and remedied that. I stuck in a new battery, but I left my multimeter at home. I wanted to test the old one. I can't do that. But let's turn it on and see what happens now.
    5:49
    Wonder if the battery was just a little bit loose in there. Kind of felt a little loose. Uh let's um do this off and on strategy again. add a couple credits. Okay. And now let's see if the state is preserved. I don't have high hopes, but we'll see. All right. Do we have three credits? Hey, look at that. Okay. We might be good to go from now on. Let's check out our new pop bumpers. See how they're still behaving nicely.
    6:47
    Look at that. Oh, wait. What's happening? This guy needs a little room. Is he Are you locked on? Uh-oh.
    7:05
    That looked like it was locked on, didn't it? Maybe this switch got stuck. Look at that. Tracked mode again. Should have two credits. Perfect. But, uh, yeah, I think that switch just maybe got stuck down. All right, I'll look into that. This solenoid was definitely warm. I adjusted the switch a bit. Just want to make sure it doesn't get stuck closed. But I also discovered there was a bit of a meltdown at some point in the knocker solenoid. And that wire has been cut. So that's this guy here. And then this wire here was for the tilt bob. Not sure why that was cut, but uh not sure what is going on there, but that is a thing that is going on. Also, what the f is going on here? This is a weird looking cable. Usually that's a sound cable, but uh that is not connected to anything, but we do have sound. So that goes back where I found it. All right, we have a new development that uh pop bumper wants to lock on basically as soon as we start a game. See that? I'll turn off the machine. So that's definitely uh electrical. So, that's great. Okay, I changed the bulbs in the pop bumpers while I was at it. So, they work now. I receeded a couple connectors on the power supply.
    9:09
    So, this is not like a permanent resolution, but at least for now, it's functional and not locking on. Okay, one last thing. Oh, I turned the volume down cuz it was obnoxious. I did adjust the drop targets. The end is still a little bit intermittent.
    9:35
    Okay, maybe it's not 100%. I had it working. The O is now working. Good. Pop up. A I had it working. Of course, the second I try when you're not looking, it works. And when I try when you are looking, it doesn't. Perfect. This game is way cooler when the drop targets actually work. Cuz if you spell zone, then it lights your spinner for 200. And this 10,000 saucer, which is normally what, 5,000. Now 10,000 points can actually participate in all the rule set.
    10:25
    Okay, I only have so much time. I've got to do my standalone video of Freddy A Nightmare on Elm Street gameplay tutorial video. Why did I turn into a robot? I got to do that now. And then if I have time, I will check on the fuses and soundboard over here. But uh if I don't see you, if this is the last of this video, then uh hope you had fun. Okay, I left for a few hours. Just came back to get a head start on Freddy. And a little bit of bonus footage here cuz I'm going to wrap up this episode actually. But I did put in the repaired soundboard. Let's just see if we at least have sound for the first time. Okay, there's one credit in there. Let's hit the start button and see.
    11:24
    I would like to I would think there would have been sound by now. Could be wrong. What about a switch? No, still no sound. What about this volume pop?
    11:43
    Okay, then. Um, that didn't all of a sudden create sound. So, I got to dig deeper. All right. There's actually a fuse for sound. And uh the fact that the couple dodes blew there means that this fuse probably blew as well. Or maybe it didn't. And that's why they fried when they were supposed to blow the fuse first, not the diodes. I don't think I have my meter, but I'll see if I have a half amp fuse. Okay, the fuse that I pulled out looks okay, but you never know. So, I popped in a new one. Half amp. Is that supposed to be half? Let me just make sure. I don't have my glasses. Supposed to be a quarter. Damn it. I put in a half. I'll be back. Okay, quarter amp fuse installed.
    12:50
    but I don't see any power either. What's going on? It's weird. Let's try that again. Okay.
    13:01
    Maybe uh something shorting something, which is always great. Let's try one more time. And now maybe I just got to wait a minute. It takes like what? 7 seconds to boot up. Maybe I'm just being impatient.
    13:19
    H Okay, we're going backwards. Does it need the ball in there? There is that why I just put it in. Check the connectors.
    13:30
    All right. Well, I hope you enjoyed this video, but that's about all the time I have to mess with Pantherra. So I will be back.