Need help with my Satomi Miracle Arrangeball

[Card Shark]

Decided it was time to get back to work on my Satomi Miracle Arrangeball.

First here are some pics...

Front.jpgInside Front.jpgInside Back.jpg

First area I need help with is I am missing 10 bulbs for the machine. They are the ones that go in the top row of the machine that indicate scoring.

Here is a picture of the board missing the bulbs and one of the matrix bulbs. I have test bulbs from the matrix on the score board and they work perfectly, just need to know what bulbs to get and where to get them.

Missing Bulbs.jpgGrid Light Bulbs.jpg

My next question involves a switch on the inside fron of my machine that I do not know what purpose it serves. Here is a picture of the switch...

Switch on inside front.jpg

There is also a small label with a very basic diagram on in on the inside front of the machine. Would love to know what it is indicating...

Inside Front Label.jpg

Last question for this post involves a connector coming from the coin mechanism that is not connected. Not sure what it should connect to and what it is for...

Connector.jpg

I am hoping some of you Arrangeball experts can get me headed in the right direction.

Thank you in advance.

[emmadog]

IIRC the correct bulbs were posted in the thread about your machine how you got it. It's in the forum somewhere but I can't remember.
The toggle switch when in the up position will not allow a game to be started. This was maybe for diagnostics or something else? Not sure and this so has been discussed at some point.
The diagram shows a small nut that can be adjusted to lower a slider that will restrict the size of the coin allowed. Open up ur machine and look at the rear of the token insert slot.
Lastly, the white plug's purpose is unknown but every Satomi of this model has it unplugged.
You definitely need to get yours up an running. It's my favorite arrangeball or at least in the top 2 or 3.
Wasn't yours also paying out erratically or something?

[Card Shark]

I put it on a back burner for quite awhile. Too many projects to little time. Going to take care of all the lights first.

It seems to play fine but has a quirk where when a token is inserted, it automatically pays out five tokens before starting the game.

[Card Shark]

I will do some searching for that thread with the bulb information. Thank you.

[emmadog]

I reread the old thread and LT is using the 2182's so try those out. What was the result from the guy that had your boards?? I've been wondering about your machine ever since.
It sounds like time that one or more of the logic chips is faulty.

[emmadog]

Oh yeah, the toggle switch will pay out the last amount won in a game. Don't know why this was necessary and in may not be its only function.

[emmadog]

So Shark, what did the electronics guy determine with your boards? Are they fixed?

[Card Shark]

He said that he tested the boards thoroughly and could not find a problem. The machine does seem to play well other than the issue of paying out 5 tokens whenever you you first start a game. That may be linked to the toggle switch though. I will try to do more testing soon. Need to order my bulbs soon first.

[emmadog]

"I pulled out the switch next to the coin mech and flipped the switch by the ball release solenoid down. The machine now releases the balls properly. I took bulbs from the matrix and put them in the payout lights up top. Horizontal rows light up the twos, verticle rows light up the ones, and the four center lights up the three. I still have to hold the payout button down and it always pays five. I turned off the machine and removed cartridge B, then replaced the cartridge and now it pays out continuously while holding the payout button until all tokens are dispensed. I then switched it back to five and it is back to dispensing five whether a winning combination is reached or not. I am afraid I have the same circuit board problem that was described in the other thread. I am guessing I will need to send the cartridges out to have them reworked."

That's from your other thread regarding this machine. Is it still doing all of these things or only paying 5 tokens at game start?
I still think it's an issue with one or both of the cartridges for a couple of reasons. I've seen this problem before on another Satomi and it had to do with a couple of faulty chips. Also, the instructions on the cartridges themselves state that if the machine is paying out improperly/malfunctioning that one or both of the cartridges need to be replaced. I know the tech said the boards were fine but I've had one experience where I sent a couple of boards out to get tested and they supposedly tested fine. I put them in the machine and still the same issues so I sent them to another place and 4 chips were bad. They were replaced and now the game's good to go.
I took the B cartidge apart yesterday to have a look at the chips. There's about 10 of them and I did a search on a couple of the numbers just to see and they're still available. A local guy was working on a machine for me and I'd order a new chip for him, that problem would go away and then on to the next problem which in this case meant another chip. After all this he told me that the next time I bring a machine to him with chip issues, he'll have me order all new chips and switch them out because it can't hurt, and it's only a total cost of maybe 15 bucks.
If you can live with the machine paying 5 at game start then you're good to go. If it's still doing all of the above things in the quote then it's going to be too aggravating to play. If it were me, I'd forget about the bulbs for now and take the whole machine with the schematic to a TV repair shop, or electronics repair shop. The repair guy up here was vaguely familiar with pachinkos but never had seen an arrangeball and was quite intrigued when i brought one to him. After a few new chips it was fixed and he remarked that it was a very simple machine, electronically. There are plenty of people out there that are into vintage electronics and you have a huge help in all this and that's the schematic. It will cost a bit and I know you only paid 50 so spending more may not be attractive but if you get this machine fixed properly it'll be worth quite a bit more.

[Chumsize]

Didn't do a full translation, but the gist of the small label/diagram seems to be for setting the size of the tokens the machine takes. Mentions 26 and 27 mm "medals"... don't know if you could somehow adjust it down to 25mm for standard pachislo tokens. I'd think it would probably foul up somewhere else in the works if you did that... but who knows?

[Card Shark]

I ordered my bulbs. Two boxes of 10 for $5.00 plus $10.00 shipping. I thought I was getting gouged a bit on the shipping considering how small these bulbs are. The package arrived today. I think a couple of pictures says it all...

image.jpg

I guess I can say they were well protected

[Moparformances]

holly s@@t!!! Thats a damn good packing job..

congrats..

[Card Shark]

I think even Fedex would have trouble damaging this shipment.

[heima]

I think even Fedex would have trouble damaging this shipment.

With my experience, UPS would find a way to damage them. Sorry, very bad experiences with UPS.

[Card Shark]

I installed the bulbs today when I got home from work. Everything is scoring properly on the display. The machine still pays out five tokens whenever a token in inserted and then does not pay out after the game is complete.

A quick question before I find someone to take the machine and have a look at the boards. What are the proper functions of the two below the coin slot. I just want to make sure they are functioning properly.

Also, what does the small light in the "IC" logo above the coin slot indicate?

I just want to make sure I understand how everything is supposed to work before taking the machine to someone for repairs.

[heima]

Also, what does the small light in the "IC" logo above the coin slot indicate?

I don't know, but if I were to design an arrangeball machine, I would want a light near the coin slot to tell the player that:
1. The machine is broken in the logic area, don't play.
2. Payout is not ready, don't play or you will have to play and loose x number of coins to get a payout. (you have to build up the jackpot)
3. The coin mechanism is jammed.
4. Secret IC spy is watching you.

Something hit me just now. Does the machine have a way of knowing that it has made a payout? Meaning, is there some type of sensor for the payout coins?
Consider this scenario: The sensor for the payout doesn't work. Therefore, the machine has a payout stored in memory, and though it drops the coins, it doesn't see them fall. It assumes that something is wrong, but its "limp"* mode is to payout upon token insertion because inserting the token resets the logic. I don't believe that there is a computer inside of arrangeball machines, though there might be. The machines themselves only need minimal logic, and the logic chips can do that. So maybe in the logic chips a state of payout is being held active. In other words, always payout. But other logic needs to reset with each play. So putting the token in initiates the reset, then the payout logic goes and the game continues.

What happens if you put two tokens in, one after the other? Do ten or five tokens come out?

*limp mode is a situation where a computer controlled system is not receiving proper feedback and the computer assumes the most conservative input and output operating parameters. In the case of a electronic fuel injected car, if the throttle position sensor fails, the car will drive like it is limping.

[Card Shark]

When you put in a token, it resets the machine, the matrix lights, and the score bar. It also releases the balls to the shooter and spits out 5 tokens.

I went through my old notes when I was first testing the machine. The top button appeared to be to cancel or stop a game. The lower button was to pay out winnings.

When I press the upper button it does light up the cancel / game end light in the top right of the playfield. The lower button does not appear to do any thing right now.

[Drunkenclam]

“Arthur Dent: What happens if I press this button?
Ford Prefect: I wouldn't-
Arthur Dent: Oh.
Ford Prefect: What happened?
Arthur Dent: A sign lit up, saying 'Please do not press this button again.”

[heima]

The lower button was to pay out winnings.

The lower button does not appear to do any thing right now.

Maybe the lower button is stuck "on"? Can you easily disconnect the wires from the button?

[Card Shark]

I was thinking the same thing while at work today. Going to test out that theory tonight if I get a chance.