Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Arcade Collecting => Pinball => Topic started by: Toadie on April 23, 2013, 02:10:26 pm
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So while I'm away I'm reading about people who have taken the old #44 and 47 lights out of their machines and replaced them with LEDs. From a restoration point of view is that really a good thing? I see the electrical benefits but I'm wondering if you lose the classic piece to the game if you start changing out playfield technology. Thoughts?
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Totally a preference thing. All it really boils down to, if you're going to disregard the power draw difference, is your preference as to the color and distribution of light on the artwork.
Given that almost every single SI playfield is fairly yellowed I would consider some decent warm white LEDs as GI. But that might change once I actually saw them there. Gotta eyeball it in person.
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The More I see LED's in PINS (especially older ones), the less I like them. Most of the Pins at the Pinball Hall Of Fame in Las Vegas have been converted, and it's really visually jarring to me. Don't get me wrong, I can totally understand why they do it, given the number of machines they are trying to keep up and running, but for a home-use situation, I'd keep the original bulbs.
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I've got a Grand Lizard. Thought it'd be a good idea to put LEDs in... took them all out and put incandescents back in shortly after. Older pins look better with incandescent lights.
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I have seen plenty of older pins that look better with them. The key is to take your time and really think about what you're doing. The GI has to have the right color so it doesn't "modify" the artwork. Colors under inserts have to enhance faded inserts or at least not change them. Anything that acts differently needs to be there for a purpose - not just because it's flashy.
F-14 is a good example of a game that benefits from wise use of LEDs. The blue inserts are always faded to a greyish color. Putting some lower powered blue LEDs under those brings them back, when lit, to a vivid royal blue color. Then you need to put reds under the red inserts because the red/blue arrows flash at the same time and they need the same cycle time. At the same time I have seen people go to super bright LEDs and the intense light show becomes an unbearable retina searing problem. Especially if you LED the flashers.
Another game I am LEDing now is Dragonfist. Simple classic Stern with mostly white inserts. I ordered the warm white LEDs from every vendor before settling on the right color. I've even pulled out individual bulbs from within the vendor I chose (PinballBulbs.com) because there are always some from every vendor that vary in color for some reason. One will be more yellow than the rest. I also picked out three specific inserts and put color changing LEDs under them. They are "prompting" inserts. The main focus of the game is to complete three individual drop banks but only one is "active". That's the one you need to target. Complete that drop bank, the game switches the focus to a different bank, and so on. The insert that indicates the "active" bank is white with an X on it. Not exactly an attention grabber. I put a color changing LED under there and now it gets your attention. That one active X insert, a "prompt for action" in front of the appropriate target bank, is the only thing on the playfield changing color. It works really well without being overly flashy. The LED isn't any brighter than the rest of the inserts but it's color cycling.
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I played a space invaders last weekend. It was Wide Wide Wide. you might have to get the special Widebody LED's for it. :lol
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Heh, yeah. Personally I prefer Silverball Mania better... same playfield elements, not so wide and slow. Far better art.
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I played a space invaders last weekend. It was Wide Wide Wide. you might have to get the special Widebody LED's for it. :lol
I heard that too... I think I ordered some with the "Bumper Smoke" refills I purchased. Someone told me that my bumpers weren't working because the smoke was let out. :laugh2:
In all seriousness, I can see both sides of the coin. I think I'm going to stick with the stock bulbs. Home use, medium to little play and for me it's authentic. As for the widebody... I like the bigger girls :cheers:
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As for the widebody... I like the bigger girls :cheers:
Queen - 'Fat Bottomed Girls' (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMnjF1O4eH0#)