AFM lighted cityscape backboard video posted
surgeonB
backboard in my AFM despite not seeing any examples. When I got it,
it was obviously dark without any illumination.
I purchased the LED strip from Pinball Decals first, to check out
the product, which gave it a great lightning effect when the saucer
was struck. I built a harness and attached to the wiring leading to
the right lower most saucer. However it was still not noticeable
without backlighting.
I then installed 6x 555 sockets in a similar fashion to what
Christopher Hutchins did for his saucer backboard mod, placed a
connector on it and connected it to wires I ran from connector 106
(backboard GI) which I ran along with harness and to which I attached
another connector so the backboard could be easily disconnected (also
similar to Hutchins mod).
I thought I would post am amateur video to show others in the event
they were entertaining this mod. and described the process to assist
any relative newbies that were going to do it in the future.
I apologize for the poor quality of the video. I hand held the camera
while I activated the switches to show the lightning effect. I did
not have the patience to use a tripod.
below is link:
Bill Heatherly
Bill
Andy
are done, I'd appreciate it.
Andy
surgeonB
Andy
Andy
thaiisl...@yahoo.com
> Thank you!
>
> Andy
That looks really awesome, much better than the treasure cove decal I
have on my AFM. I have a transluscent backboard for my CFTBL I've yet
to install, I'd also be interested to see how you mounted the 555's on
the back of the backboard. Thanks for the video.
Randy
funrudy
<eeb67ac3-6df4-4a54...@c3g2000yqd.googlegroups.com>,
surgeonB <bn...@aol.com> wrote:
I can also add some input here.
The translucent backboard with LED strip is INCREDIBLE!
Videos do not do it justice! (I tired to "capture" the effect as well)
I have not gone as far as lighting up the backboard with the 6x#555
bulbs mod but have found wiring the LED strip to SuperJets flasher works
quite impressive as well. The board remains visible but when SuperJets
activates, it lights up like nothing else! Adds yet another dimension
with the quick flashes of light and the whole board becoming visible.
Quite the effect.
In any case, the products from Joey are another MUST HAVE, just as Bill
Ung's saucer mod. AFM is well worth the price for these mods to make it
even better.
Edd
surgeonB
I wired just like in the Hutchins pictures and with input from my wife
decided to place 3 sockets on each side. I positioned the sockets
with the light bulbs at the level of where the building meets the
laser beam like things shooting from the buildings when there were
those beam.... and the others I placed just below the top of the
buildings. I decided on this placement after I had used aligator
clips and a battery to light up all the lights which I taped in
different positions to find which positions I found visually
pleasing.
I used LED lights in the sockets, plain white, rather than regular
bulbs....but the regular bulbs may have even looked better and light
dispersed a little better with the incandescent.
I ran a set of long stranded wires from the back box driver board down
and made the connection under the playfield like any pro mod. I
believe from Hutchins pictures he may have made his connection in the
back box. I just used the existing connector and piggybacked the wire
to the 6 volt AC current that came off of the backbox GI connector
rather than rebuild it with a trifurcon or something...I was a little
lazy that way.
I am not sure if I would have used the Pinball Decals product again
since I had to wire the backboard anyways. But I have to say the LED
strip is a good quality product and I could not improve on its
performance with my own wiring....low profile, solidly built and
disperses a huge quantity of light. It is a solid product and
probably made the installation even easier. It just isn't
inexpensive, but I definitely do feel that I got my moneys worth.
Jeremy
Hutchins' wiring appears to be dead?... Can anyone provide this?
Also, Edd, you said you only wires the LED strip to the super jets
flasher, and the backboard remained somewhat visible all the time
despite not running any 555 lights. Does the super jets flasher get
constant current, or are you saying there's enough ambient light to
brighten the backboard when it's not flashing?
Jeremy
Jeremy
the original backboard? If it was relocated, did that requiring new
wiring?
funrudy
<8ca0416f-26ec-4b9c...@t34g2000prm.googlegroups.com>,
Jeremy <jer.wi...@gmail.com> wrote:
I have to do some service on my AFM later this week and will get some
photos up if they do it justice.
As for the strip, Correct, I wired mine into the Super Jets lamp.
There is enough light to just make out the cityscape to see something is
there, off in a dark distance. (Much better then a decal or just plain
black bb) When the Super Jets goes off, the whole back lights up 100x
with the LED's and now shows off the completely visible and color
bursting backboard. What was "not that noticeable" now becomes and
entirely different backdrop. Lights, Colors, flashes.
I have toyed around with lighting the backboard as other suggested and
the problem is where to screw in the sockets. The backboard will show
easily (I think, not tried it yet) the hardware used to attached it.
Like I said, I plan on doing some minor service later this week and will
post my results.
Stavs has the Space bb with the planets and those are wired and bulbed
to show the planets as glowing. Nice mod as well. Easier to hide the
mounts since it is black.
funrudy
<269052ec-e3b1-4b75...@l12g2000prg.googlegroups.com>,
Jeremy <jer.wi...@gmail.com> wrote:
I am pretty sure I kept it where it was. That back left corner is kinda
hidden anyway. I read about others who relocated it but I'm just lazy. I
much prefer to play and enjoy the game then be the pin purist some are.
But will take another look later for you.
surgeonB
> In article
> <8ca0416f-26ec-4b9c-873e-fd5063238...@t34g2000prm.googlegroups.com>,
strangely enough, the hardware (i.e. wiringand light sockets) does not
show through.
surgeonB
kept the UFO motor where it was originally.
surgeonB
I felt the ambient lighting did not show the beauty of the backboard.
I feel it also adds depth to the area with the lighting. My guests
also never noticed it either without the lighting . Finally the stark
and sudden nature of the flashing backboard was more irritating to me
without backlighting.
To wire the backlighting use the IDC connectors to piggyback your
wiring inside the backbox from the backbox GI pins, which is a
constant current. It takes more time to do this lighting but I
believe it is well worth the effect. I personally recommend wiring a
long lead from there to the underside of the playfield piggybacking
along the one of the main harnesses. Put a connector there and then
add a connector to the backboard wiring so that the mod is easily
removable.