Skeeball Rehab

[Bulliesrevival]

I am new here and new to this type of project. I'm going to attempt to upgrade my childhood skeeball machine into something that my children and I can enjoy again. I am a very tinker type person and have 3d printer and vinyl cutter to help this project look great. hoping I can get help with the software side of things.

Short backstory: my dad bought this for my sister and me at an estate sale when I was around 10 years old. As we got older, my dad gave it to my aunt and uncle for my cousins. Fast forward to now, and I (now in my 40s) have gotten it back from my aunt and uncle for myself and my kids.
However, the only thing that actually works is the override button for the ball release. It doesn't keep score anymore, has no sound, and doesn't track the ball count.
I'm trying to figure out how to replace the scoreboard with a monitor and use something like an old PC or laptop to run a digital screen. I've seen many people here have achieved the same and I look forward to any help and input on ways I can accomplish this. Heard that there's a JumpBall program out there that might be what I need but cant seem to find who has it.

[Bulliesrevival]

Started a imgur for the photos. I'll be dumping the bulk of them there as I tinker thru.

https://imgur.com/a/wXJG0di

[PL1]

I'm trying to figure out how to replace the scoreboard with a monitor and use something like an old PC or laptop to run a digital screen. I've seen many people here have achieved the same and I look forward to any help and input on ways I can accomplish this. Heard that there's a JumpBall program out there that might be what I need but cant seem to find who has it.

You might want to check out Nipsmg's Major League Skeeball thread here.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,156300.0.html

If you want to use the Adafruit 2167 or 2168 beam break sensors, this Thingiverse model along with 1/2" x 1/2" C-channel aluminum, #8-32 x 1" machine screws and #8-32 threaded inserts will provide protection and make it easier to maintain.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2932740



JumpBall is RandyT's software.
- Not sure about the current status and system requirements.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,29838.0.html

The Software will be available free of charge, for personal use, to current and future users of the KeyWiz keyboard encoder product line.

If you own a KeyWiz and would like a copy , drop me a line and I'll put you on a beta list..  As usual,  all feedback is appreciated.

Thanks,
RandyT

If JumpBall won't run on a modern system, you should be able to run it by using MAME to emulate Win95.
- If needed, I can provide a known good configuration command line batch file for emulating Win95 with a SoundBlaster.


Scott

[Bulliesrevival]

I'm trying to figure out how to replace the scoreboard with a monitor and use something like an old PC or laptop to run a digital screen. I've seen many people here have achieved the same and I look forward to any help and input on ways I can accomplish this. Heard that there's a JumpBall program out there that might be what I need but cant seem to find who has it.

You might want to check out Nipsmg's Major League Skeeball thread here.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,156300.0.html

If you want to use the Adafruit 2167 or 2168 beam break sensors, this Thingiverse model along with 1/2" x 1/2" C-channel aluminum, #8-32 x 1" machine screws and #8-32 threaded inserts will provide protection and make it easier to maintain.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2932740



JumpBall is RandyT's software.
- Not sure about the current status and system requirements.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,29838.0.html

The Software will be available free of charge, for personal use, to current and future users of the KeyWiz keyboard encoder product line.

If you own a KeyWiz and would like a copy , drop me a line and I'll put you on a beta list..  As usual,  all feedback is appreciated.

Thanks,
RandyT

If JumpBall won't run on a modern system, you should be able to run it by using MAME to emulate Win95.
- If needed, I can provide a known good configuration command line batch file for emulating Win95 with a SoundBlaster.


Scott

 I actually have reached out to RandyT but have gotten no response yet. I did find nipsmg and his major league skeeball and have decided if nothing else I will use that to run my new system. I am working on pricing together an old pc to use and run it. For the time being I think I am gonna try to continue to use the original wisker switches, but I may change that out after I see how they work.

[PL1]

For the time being I think I am gonna try to continue to use the original wisker switches, but I may change that out after I see how they work.

AFAIK the main downside to using the original switches is how they are positioned.
- A ball that drops through the 50 hole rolls down the channel and hits the 50 switch . . . then the 40, 30, 20, and 10 switches.

Pretty sure Nipsmg's software needs a setup where each ball only trips one switch.




Scott

[Bulliesrevival]

For the time being I think I am gonna try to continue to use the original wisker switches, but I may change that out after I see how they work.

AFAIK the main downside to using the original switches is how they are positioned.
- A ball that drops through the 50 hole rolls down the channel and hits the 50 switch . . . then the 40, 30, 20, and 10 switches.

Pretty sure Nipsmg's software needs a setup where each ball only trips one switch.



i read somewhere in that entire thread (which i read every post last night at 11pm so i might have missed some stuff lol) that it only one of the modes only registers the first switch tripped then wont read another switch until the ball is thru the  "drain" switch. i will be experimenting with that when i get the pc together. i have a mother board and stuff but no hard drive or  graphics card yet.


Scott

[Bulliesrevival]

Got a bunch of the easy stuff done this weekend, removed old components and test fit a 27" monitor I had laying around.

Was able to dig up an old computer that my parents were hiding in their shed. Cleaned it up and after my mom struggled to remember her work computer password from 2015 (lol) I swapped out the hard drive with one I had laying around my junk pile. And BAM - working computer. I uploaded the Major League Skeeball program, and set up the computer to boot into windows and load the program full screen right away. Super excited.

Need to acquire some new components to hopefully run this the way I want. What I need to get is some new scoring switches due to the wires being broken on 1. Also need to get a jz-801 timed relay. And another 5v controled 110v switch. And a bunch of switches and joystick.

My ultimate game plan is this:
The desktop computer will always be plugged in.
Wiring a remote power switch for the computer to turn it on and off from the playing area.
Using a USB port to control 1 of the 5v controlled 110v relays.
When I turn on PC, USB port will then supply power to the relay turning on another circuit that will give 110v to monitor and also a circuit for the 110v ball release.
I will have another 5v line going to a button near the playing area that will trigger a timed relay for 110v ball release.
Then I will have joystick and buttons near playing area to navigate game menus.
Ending with a power button press on the remote PC power switch that is setup in Windows to do a proper shut down. Thus monitor and ball release relay get depowered once USB port shuts down and everything is off.


Feel free to tell me I'm wrong or super smart you're probably right either way haha.

Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk

[PL1]

Sounds like things are proceeding very well.   

Wiring a remote power switch for the computer to turn it on and off from the playing area.

You may want to consider mounting that switch so it is hidden/protected from drunk friends and/or button-mashing kids.

Using a USB port to control 1 of the 5v controlled 110v relays.
When I turn on PC, USB port will then supply power to the relay turning on another circuit that will give 110v to monitor and also a circuit for the 110v ball release.

If USB port power is always-on, you can use a smart strip for this part.
- Plug the computer into the master outlet.  Plug the monitor and ball release power into the slave outlets.

Then I will have joystick and buttons near playing area to navigate game menus.

If you top-mount your joystick like gumpyme2 did, there's parametric OpenSCAD code here for a 3d-printable mounting plate cover.
- The default values should work for a japanese-style joystick plate. (40x84mm mount pattern)
- If you don't want to mess with OpenSCAD, I can upload the .STL file.




Scott

[Bulliesrevival]

Sounds like things are proceeding very well.   

You may want to consider mounting that switch so it is hidden/protected from drunk friends and/or button-mashing kids.

Yup going to make it hidden under one of the access points

If USB port power is always-on, you can use a smart strip for this part.
- Plug the computer into the master outlet.  Plug the monitor and ball release power into the slave outlets.

Will investigate that today. I believe there are multiple USB ports that do shut off. Will remember that incase I'm wrong or want to change the setup.

If you top-mount your joystick like gumpyme2 did, there's parametric OpenSCAD code here for a 3d-printable mounting plate cover.
- The default values should work for a japanese-style joystick plate. (40x84mm mount pattern)
- If you don't want to mess with OpenSCAD, I can upload the .STL file.

i absolutely want to print something up so im not putting to many holes in the original sheet metal. ive never used openscad so i may need an stl to work with. will look at that thread now and see how it ended up 




Scott
[/quote]

[PL1]

If you top-mount your joystick like gumpyme2 did, there's parametric OpenSCAD code here for a 3d-printable mounting plate cover.
- The default values should work for a japanese-style joystick plate. (40x84mm mount pattern)
- If you don't want to mess with OpenSCAD, I can upload the .STL file.

i absolutely want to print something up so im not putting to many holes in the original sheet metal. ive never used openscad so i may need an stl to work with. will look at that thread now and see how it ended up 

To minimize modifications to the original cabinet, maybe you could use a 3d printed box mounted to the cab using the cabinet's original screws and screw holes.

If you use a small joystick like this one and Sanwa or Seimitsu pushbuttons, you can fit them all in a fairly shallow enclosure.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083XY33VD

It would be fairly easy to remix a dual-stick controller box I made for similar joysticks . . .



. . . or do a variation of the button box mockup here where the lower lip lifts the panel and leaves a space inside the lip to run the wires so they are protected and you don't have to drill any holes in the sheet metal.   

https://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,168250.msg1770245.html#msg1770245




Scott