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Part 4: 1978 Gottlieb Close Encounters of the Third Kind Project. Death!

Pinball Shenanigans·video·16m 23s·analyzed·Oct 9, 2025
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Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.020

TL;DR

Close Encounters restoration: MPU boot issues, transistor/switch repairs, planning MPU loan.

Summary

Mike Dus continues restoration of his 1978 Gottlieb Close Encounters of the Third Kind pinball machine, focusing on getting it 100% functional. He troubleshoots boot issues with the System One MPU, replaces components (transistor, fuse, diode), repairs a broken slingshot switch blade using parts from his collection, and plans to borrow a working MPU from Corey to continue work. The video documents incremental progress on electronics diagnostics and playfield switch repairs.

Key Claims

  • The machine's drop targets and roto spinner were causing blown fuses; a transistor replacement (2N5875 compatible) should resolve the issue

    medium confidence · Mike discusses bringing a new transistor that should fix the solenoid driver problem causing fuse blows

  • A new display charged and tested works better than the original display which has lost brightness after being stored

    medium confidence · Mike notes displays can lose charge after sitting for months and brought tested replacements

  • Two different System One MPU boards both failed to boot reliably; one locks all solenoids on power, the other won't boot at all

    high confidence · Mike directly troubleshoots both boards with reseating connectors and power testing; neither works reliably

  • Canada Post strike is delaying potential Pascal board acquisition as a backup solution

    high confidence · Mike explicitly states 'Canada Post is on strike. So that might not even be an option'

  • Close Encounters uses high-voltage slingshot switch contacts (like EM machines) and cannot use low-voltage contacts without burning through the switch

    high confidence · Mike explains the technical difference: 'they use the more high voltage contacts like this. So you can't use the low voltage contacts or else you'll just like burn through the switch'

Notable Quotes

  • “I just want to get the machine 100% functional and then we can work on the cosmetics. That's kind of the last thing for the playfield.”

    Mike Dus @ Early in video — States the core restoration philosophy: functionality before aesthetics

  • “I just know that uh I just test every combination until I get a reading. I don't know if I can do this onehanded”

    Mike Dus @ Mid-video during transistor testing — Demonstrates informal troubleshooting approach and the practical challenges of single-handed electronics work

  • “I don't have the highest of hopes”

    Mike Dus @ After transistor installation — Reflects uncertainty about whether component replacements will solve the underlying issues

  • “Canada Post is on strike. So that might not even be an option.”

    Mike Dus @ When discussing Pascal board as alternative solution — External logistics constraint impacting restoration options

  • “Baby steps, right? Small little dents here and there.”

    Mike Dus @ Video conclusion — Summarizes incremental restoration approach and manages expectations for progress

Entities

Mike DuspersonCoreypersonDutchpersonClose Encounters of the Third KindgameGottlieb System OneproductPascal boardproduct2N5875 transistorproductPinball ShenanigansorganizationFork RivereventGold Wingsgame

Signals

  • ?

    community_signal: Peer collaboration network for parts sourcing and equipment borrowing enabling restoration continuation

    high · Corey provides soundboard refurbishment and MPU loan; Mike sources slingshot switch from Gold Wings playfield acquired from community member

  • ?

    product_strategy: Replacement display upgrade addressing degradation issues in alphanumeric displays after extended storage

    medium · Mike brings tested replacement displays noting that original display loses brightness and older displays lose charge after months of storage

  • ?

    product_concern: System One MPU boards showing unreliable boot behavior; multiple boards failing or locking solenoids, requiring component-level troubleshooting

    high · Two different MPU boards both exhibit boot failures; Mike must reseat connectors repeatedly and ultimately borrows replacement from Corey rather than relying on either board

  • ?

    technology_signal: Pascal all-in-one board considered as alternative control system solution due to System One MPU reliability issues

    medium · Mike mentions 'buy a freaking Pascal allin-one' as option for replacing failing System One architecture

Transcript

youtube_auto_sub · $0.000

0:02
All right, before we get started, let's uh let's tune in to the radio. See what's going on here. We got action. We got action. Mariners in the American League series Mariners in the American League series of World Series. Oo, baseball talk. Very easily could be Oo, baseball talk. Very easily could be just two crappy. Whoa.
0:25
Uh, that's pretty sporadic. I'm Mike Dus and this is Pinball Shenanigans.
0:42
All right. Oh, someone's texting. Let's see who this is. Oh, Corey. What is he saying? Supposed to read the text out loud. 7103494947322975515
1:01
JPG. Okay, so that's a photo and obviously I Okay, so that's a photo and obviously I can't see what that is. We'll have to check that out. Anyway, off to this stupid Don't worry, don't worry. I've got a new cell phone holder right in the back there and it's not going to be as dumb as this one. and it's flopping all over the place. Anyway, got some stuff, got some tools, got some parts. We're going to try and get Close Encounters of the Third Kind running 100%. That's the goal today. I got a new display. I've got a new transistor. And uh you know, that might just do it. Probably should have brought some rubbers and but I just want to get the machine 100% functional and then we can work on the cosmetics. That's kind of the last thing for the playfield. We'll novice it up, clean it up, rerubber it, check all the do all the lights, all the switches, you know, all the solenoids. Anyway, that's the plan for the day. Let's see what this photo is all about. All right, let's power this bad boy on
2:14
and uh see what we got. So, I brought this new transistor. It is
2:27
Manual calls for like a 2N5875 I believe, but apparently this is compatible. And that hopefully will get our drop targets and roto spinner working and stop blowing the fuse. Um, so this player 4 display doesn't look too bad. It's starting to kind of, you know, the longer you leave the machine on, the brighter the displays will get if it's been powered off for a while. But I did bring a couple displays that I have tested and charged and uh sometimes you charge a display and it's great but then you set the display aside for a few months and you go to plug it back in and it loses its charge. So I need to see what is that if is that like the sticky backing. Yeah. I need to see if these retained their charge and hopefully one of these two displays is just a little crispier than player four. So, I'm going to start with that. Okay. I was actually just like looking through this pile of stuff and I found a shooter tip, brand new. So, I thought, why don't I stick that on? Then I remembered I actually have my barrel springs on me. So got rid of the old shooter tip and mushed barrel spring. And we've got a cleaned up and rebuilt shooter. So that's cool. What is not cool is that this powered up the machine with the new display in it and it didn't boot up. So I'm pretty sure can blame the Nyw MPU on that. Let's see if just re powering it on and off does anything. Uh, nope. Does not appear that that solves the problem. Oh, wait. Hear the sound kind of clicking. Okay, I'm going to receat the uh connector going to the MPU, the main power 5 volts. That seemed to do it last time. And anyway, I don't think I can rely on this uh NYW MPU one way or another. Wonder where the 5V test point is on this thing. Is it obvious? Cuz next time that happens, I should test it. Is this a reset button? Maybe that's all I need to do. Either way, I'm going to receat this connector.
5:27
Got to add one more standoff so I can have four. And I haven't actually really really pressed the board on yet because like I said, I just assumed I'm going to be swapping boards because I wasn't sure I was going to be able to trust this one. Anyway, that's fine. Let's see if uh that did anything.
6:04
Okay. Well, I do have another uh board I can try if needed. Okay. I just was not having any luck getting this board to boot up again. Receeded the connector a couple times. I couldn't really find a spot to test the 5 volts. So, I don't really know what's going on with this thing. So, I just popped in this other one that apparently locks on all the solenoids once I power on the machine. Oh, interesting. What is that all about?
6:45
Haven't seen that repair job before. Well, that doesn't look too promising either. And these standoffs are crap. So, they're just popping right out of the back box here. So, I need to find some better ones. Anyway, I probably shouldn't have the solenoid driver connected, but here goes nothing. Let's see what happens. See if uh slingshot locks on. We got to wait for it to boot up and then Oh, if it even boots up. M doesn't appear as though things are happening. Nothing. Okay. Very easily could be just two crappy Whoa.
7:42
Uh that's pretty sporadic. Scared the crap out of me. But I think that is a bad news for that uh board. Okay, so I can't boot up my machine anymore. So I messaged Corey to see if he has a system one MPU that I can at least borrow. And then I'll have to kind of cross that bridge when I get there as to what I'm going to do. If I'm going to buy maybe try and buy it off them or see if I have one in my stash somewhere, get one repaired or buy a new one or buy a freaking Pascal allin-one. But Canada Post is on strike. So that might not even be an option. So in the meanwhile, I changed this transistor here.
8:31
And not much to it. Pretty simple. The question is, does this actually test bad? So the E emitter is the left side. The B base is on the right side. I'm guessing the collector is kind of the casing. What does it all mean? I don't really know. I just know that uh I just test every combination until I get a reading. I don't know if I can do this onehanded, [Music] but I tested uh a bunch of these at my house. Just various different transistors. And I'm pretty sure we got to put uh red leg there and the black on the base. I hope it's a bad reading. And you know what? It is. I should be getting a reading like like a diode here. Uh man, where's my chopstick skills when I need them? Hold on. Okay, this is kind of bad news. Well, firstly, I had it in the wrong setting. I got to put on diode test and I did test it and it tests fine. See that? That's actually a good transistor, I believe. Uh, nonetheless, it's swapped and we'll see if that makes any difference. Okay, I just been puttering around doing some miscellaneous stuff and things. Uh, so this roto unit here
10:18
Uh where is it now? I noticed that there is the diode for the solenoid is here. And I did snip off a leg and tested it. Confirm that the diode for the roto target is actually good. I did replace the fuse which was blown. And then I did install the new transistor. So, time will tell if uh that issue is resolved or not. I don't have the highest of hopes. Then I went through all of the uh playfield switches. These guys, these guys,
11:01
these guys, etc. Oh, you know what? Did I get these guys? Yeah, I think I did. Just gave them a cleaning. The spinner, etc. And um what else did I do? I did um remove the soundboard that's going to go to Corey tonight and I'll get a new one hopefully this week. He's going to hook me up with an MPU at Fork River tonight that I can at least borrow. So that's good. And then um I did find that. Where did it go?
11:42
my one of my slingshot switches, the blade was broken. This one here supposed to extend up about yay far. So, I remember seeing a bit of a switch blade in the cabinet when I was vacuuming out. This is the suspect here. And I went digging in my stash and I found this, which is pretty close, but the holes don't line up. Exactly. That was from my um this is a uh Gold Wings playfield. It's a little bit rugged, but he had it stored outside. I grabbed it off him. I can't remember what I paid, but you know, there's some half decent stuff on here. Maybe this solenoid might be okay. But I pulled this off of there and then I realized that it ain't going to work because it's got the little tiny contacts there. And Close Encounters is, you know, pretty closely resembling an electromechanical machine and uh they use the more high voltage contacts like this. So you can't use the low voltage contacts or else you'll just like burn through the switch. So then I went digging over here, looked in this box, didn't find anything. And then I looked in this coin box, which has some miscellaneous crap in it. Drop target part. You never know what you're going to find in your own stash. What do we got here? I don't even know what that is. Anyway, there in that coin box, I found an exact replica. Well, not quite. This is got riveted. Um, you know, it's all riveted together. This guy is screwed with nuts, but it's got the exact same L bracket. So, I've got that all soldered up and installed right there. So, that was a good find. Cleaned up the uh contacts. I should do that on this guy as well next. So, that's good. And then I did notice that this diode here was kind of uh not really soldered on. So I soldered it on. And then I also noticed it is some weird number I'm not used to. Let's try and zoom in here. That's not zooming in. That's zooming in too much. Where did my diode go here? 7852.
14:44
So, it's a little suspect. I don't know if that's actually going to be a problem or not, but it hasn't been so far. So, I imagine it is going to be fine and dandy. So, that is about all I've been working on. And I don't know, maybe I'll go see if I actually have any um Got Leap System One MPU boards on site here. There's a remote chance. Okay, my time has run out. I'm going to uh Fork River tonight to play some pinball. So, I have to wrap this up and uh baby steps, right? Small little dents here and there. And then I'll be able to get my uh MPU tonight, come back tomorrow, and hopefully get this thing 100% working. Um, be nice to pop in that new MPU from Corey and see these things all work. So, we'll see. Forking it up tonight. Hey, what's up, Ditch? Check this out. I am trying to get a good view here. And I am trying to get a good view here. And the smell in the bathroom is just wonderful. Actually, it's not that bad. Actually, it's not that bad. Good turnout tonight. Good action. Good action. What do you think? You're 19 now, What do you think? You're 19 now, drinking beer and stuff. Yeah.
16:20
Oh, nice. Good start to the