my zizzle POTC will be ready soon

[Parallax]

Hi, Faralos and friends
If you click on the next links you could download a good amount of pics of the ZIZZLE model called MARVEL SUPER HEROES, in its original form and modded by me.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=NFNK3D7T
http://rapidshare.com/files/220241135/Zizzle_Dianas_y_Flippers.rar.html
(decals)
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=50GLF35X
(leds added)
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=W2PU4K2K

There are at least 150 photographs where you can see several arrangements I´ve made to the machine:
- white flippers (they were black, quite invisible in the dark background playfield by default),
- colourful round stickers for the targets, 2 square sticker for IRON MAN spinner (both plain black plastic originally), 2 yelllow triangle stickers in the middle of Mystique ramp.
- 2 added blue hi-light leds for the 3 upper MAGNETO lanes (only 1 in the middle lane from factory),
- better rubbers and sticker near the bumpers (improve rebounds),
- a decent speaker as a subwoofer in the wood cabinet, wired from the main board.
- 6 white hi-light leds to illuminate the decals of the playfield.
- an imitation of a coin entrance made of sticker in the front (taken originally from another TOMY pinball). Fits perfectly as there were many free space in white. (I even designed a custom spanish Gottlieb-Maresa apron finally not used).

You can see samples of everything in the attached pics.
If you need some sample of the music or rules let me know...

all the best

I have a Marvel zizzle machine as well, but the right flipper is at about 25% of the strength that it used to be. I can't shoot the ball up the Mystique ramp anymore.

Do you know how I can fix that issue? You seem to know quite a bit about these machines, considering the improvements you made to yours.

 

[robert kundrat]

I was saw few posts on gamesetwatch.com. from these machines. I think this machine is a complete piece of s__t. Here's the link, maybe helpful!

http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2006/11/zizzles_pinball_sizzle_further.php

 

[Parallax]

Yeah, I've seen that page before. I've tried to scour the web to find out how I could fix the flipper, but no success yet. I think that it would be no different than fixing a flipper on a real machine but I'm not 100% sure.

Seeing as how elo_rey has made modifications to his/her machine, I was hoping that I could find out how to fix mine.

 

[elo_rey]

Hi, Parallax

I really improved some cosmetics to the game, painted some areas, added lights-stickers, but I didn´t fix anything in the mechanic or firmware (I have no idea) part, I suffer the same as you, when I´m playing for a long time the right flipper loses some power, making quite difficult to achieve the mystique ramp. It has nothing to do with the flipper buttons, they play they part perfectly.

When I dissasembled the bumpers these last days to paint them in red old fashion (you can see it in the pics attached), I took a photograph of the solenoid with the reference and manufacturer, I think it´s the same solenoid used in the slingshots and in the flippers. They work with 24 volts and are made in a company called SHIH SHIN, reference SH-1040. You can see them here: ******THIS INFO IS WRONG, I FOUND THE RIGHT REFERENCE IS SH-1253A******
http://www.shihhsin.com.tw/products.asp

Cliking the product there are reference to all its characteristics, strength,length,...so if someone knows of the same solenoid to be bought by us, please tell us a word.

Parallax, could you ask shih shin (my english is very poor) if we, as individuals, could order this solenoid from them? I´m very interested in purchase 3-4 solenoids for replacement.

Another way to improve the solenoid power could be removing some round in the internal wire of the solenoid, but I think this is a high risk, and I don´t know how to do it. I knew of tecnitian people who fixed big burned speakers for discoteques that perhaps could do this task in the solenoid spirals....

It´s really really easy to change the solenoid, but

- you would have to remove the methacrylate playfield transparent cover -I remove it dissasembling the 3 upper plastic FRONT border parts only, bending the methacrylate cover a little up not to scratch it with the WOOD FRONT BORDER PART while you are taking it to you and out like if you were working in a real pinball with its crystal cover, its nearly the same), you would only scratch lightly the left and right border areas of the plastic but as they are completely hidden in the lateral plastic guides, dont mind...once you have removed and put this cover several times, it slides very easily. (Also take care of your hands and do this carefully and slowly, the methacrilate border is quite sharp)

- later, remove the flipper screw below in its axis, take it up and out from the playfield taking care of one plastic rim that is above between the flipper and the playfield. Be careful with the solenoid spring and the center metal part of the solenoid, now they are free. Take some photos before the process to be sure how they were asembled (is nothing complicated, i attached to you some pics to see it). I think you could then remove the solenoid easily removing 6 screws, later you could cut its 2 blue wires and put the new solenoid in its place.

Finally, I cannot agree with the people telling this game is a crap. Comparing to a real pinball, perhaps you could say it, but somebody living in a flat, not in an individual house, cannot afford to play a real pinball (my brother has 3, one from Gottlieb, another from Bally and an spanish Sonic -the quieter one- and I know what I´m saying) because they are very noisy and heavy, the inserts and playfield design in the zizzle pinballs are worth every dollar. PLEASE, DON´T FORGET IS A TOY, but with a lot of tiny complications and pieces, a lot of wires, contacts, wood body, led lights, slingshots, bumpers, flippers, metal legs, rubbers, sounds, etc that make this toy, in my humble opinion, a dream to everyone that played these kind of games in its childhood, and finally, the price is quite reasonable. Certainly you could improve the item but the start point is quite good.

All the best

 

[Parallax]

Ok, so I've found the page where I can contact Shin Shin about ordering the solenoids, but I have no clue what to fill in the spots.

I'd need to know spots #1-9. Seems like ordering the solenoid is almost like a custom order.

Any ideas?

 

[Joe]

Hi, Parallax

PLEASE, DON´T FORGET IS A TOY, but with a lot of tiny complications and pieces, a lot of wires, contacts, wood body, led lights, slingshots, bumpers, flippers, metal legs, rubbers, sounds, etc that make this toy, in my humble opinion, a dream to everyone that played these kind of games in its childhood, and finally, the price is quite reasonable. Certainly you could improve the item but the start point is quite good.

All the best

how well do they hold up?

 

[elo_rey]

Hi, Parallax
I found the right solenoid reference in the flippers is SH-1253A at 12v.
The manufacturer is the same, SHIH SHIN.
I think if you tell them this reference and where is mounted (Zizzle pinball flippers) they could fill the necessary information in the spots you mention. Keep me informed, please.

I attach you several photos of the flipper and methacrylate dismount process. You can see it´s only matter of 7 screws. Hope this help you.

Joe asked "how well do they hold up?", I think mine has all its functions working properly in 5 months, except for the flipper issue (loses some strenght at about 1 hour playing). Definitely this is the most important part in a pinball (even in a toy) and must be made with more quality, specially if kids are going to play with it. There is a fine example of reliability in the Giant Toy Pinballs SAITEK made several years ago (quite simplier, by the way). This is mine modded by me with about 15 new hi-light leds:
YouTube - SAITEK F1 SuperChallenge score HEAD LED MODDING
YouTube - Saitek LED-LIGHT MODDED F1 Super Challenge HOME TOY PINBALL
Thanks

all the best

 

[faralos]

I'd be careful with the bright led's as some types generate alot of heat possibly melting plastics or worse, wires
ok looking at that pic. in a real pin the bar exiting the solenoid is connected directly to the flipper with metal parts whereas yours uses plastics. Not a good choice as this will wear out into an oblong slot rather quickly resulting in flipper weakness or breakage. I'd replace those first going with a real pin flipper upgrade esp those plastic linkages underneath

 

[Joe]

Hi, Parallax
I found the right solenoid reference in the flippers is SH-1253A at 12v.
The manufacturer is the same, SHIH SHIN.
I think if you tell them this reference and where is mounted (Zizzle pinball flippers) they could fill the necessary information in the spots you mention. Keep me informed, please.

I attach you several photos of the flipper and methacrylate dismount process. You can see it´s only matter of 7 screws. Hope this help you.

Joe asked "how well do they hold up?", I think mine has all its functions working properly in 5 months, except for the flipper issue (loses some strenght at about 1 hour playing). Definitely this is the most important part in a pinball (even in a toy) and must be made with more quality, specially if kids are going to play with it. There is a fine example of reliability in the Giant Toy Pinballs SAITEK made several years ago (quite simplier, by the way). This is mine modded by me with about 15 new hi-light leds:
YouTube - SAITEK F1 SuperChallenge score HEAD LED MODDING
YouTube - Saitek LED-LIGHT MODDED F1 Super Challenge HOME TOY PINBALL
Thanks

all the best

can you get pics of the main control board in the game that you modded?

 

[bob]

Your zizzles look pretty cool, but I think this toy pinball looks looks amazing!

YouTube - American Pinball, cool little game..

 

[elo_rey]

Hi, Faralos
As I told my brother has 3 real pinballs, I know the Bally/Gottlieb/Williams mechanisms, I thought of implement them here, but I think it was difficult in the factory because of the costs and because the steel ball would destroy anything made of plastic in its way! Perhaps using a suitable solenoid that would not hit or send the ball so strong-hard...I have to say the board here makes a sound when some flipper button is pressed and of course they stop working when the game is over after 3/5 balls. If I´d mounted externally this kind of flippers at 24-38 volts, I would lose this two important features.

There is absolutely no problem with heating leds here. If I remember well, all of them (even the ones I added) come with a little soldered-in-board resistance to operate at 3 volts only, so all the plastics are fresh like a rose. What´s more, I can assure you there is no absolutely any need of ventilation in this toy pinball, there are only one or two little dozen holes in round shape near the mainboard where I mounted a decent speaker. The temperature is the same as outside the cabinet.

Talking about the plastic flipper assembly, the way is done in the Zizlle flippers assure that there is little friction in the parts and there is a suitable strength in the play (in theory!). The flipper movement is not as hard and perfect as in the real pinballs, is a little "lossy?" instead (and not so noisy, of course), but at the time this made the issue more suitable for a repetitive pressing by the children perhaps?? (again in theory). The problem, I´m 90 % sure, is the solenoid reliability or the working temperature IN THE OWN SOLENOID, not for the case heat anyway.

Hi, Joe
You can watch 2 hi-res pics of the mainboard (V2) at the bottom o this message. I attach you also a poor res pic of the V1 model (not mine, the one with text written). The IDE type conector goes to the score backboard screen and the rest goes to the different contacts, leds, etc. I added a photograph with the 2 wires red and black dedicated to the subwoofer speaker.

HI, Bob,
I know of the pinball you show us, made by TOMY in the 90´s, an absolute winner, I have one and is very very BEAUTIFUL, 2 holes, 1 hyperspace tunnel inside, 3 active bumpers, 1 slingshot, 3 mechanic flippers, its mechanic desing inside is amazing and the score is also lovely....but, the weakest points are that there are no rules, its size is about a great sheet of paper (A4 form), and, believe me, 30 minutes playing it would made you mad, is the noisiest game in the world!!! , with a continous motor moving all the parts in sincronicity. I´ve just made a port to Vpinball of it, using an original script by the user called ALE HAWK:
http://www.pinballnirvana.com/UpDownload-req-viewdownloaddetails-lid-1598.html

You can donwload in this folowing link the designs of the playflield, bumpers,slingshots, I scanned all of them.
PERMISSION TO USE SCRIPT-USER ALE HAWK: astro shooter from tomy - Pinball Nirvana Forums

If you want to have a look at the complexity of the mechs inside, this page by Jeff is very good, the model is similar:
http://www.jeff-z.com/pinball/toys/astroshooter/astroshooter.html

(at least, in the Saitek F1 model, is giant size, passing the ball throught the top BONUS rollover give you some extra ball -4 maximum-, has a digital hi-score, great sound samples, digital ball-in-play counter and player status (1st or 2nd) in the display, a wonderful long central ramp with 2 difeent exits (a top hole or the left flipper rollover), its two rotating bumpers are very silent, its metal legs and body, playfield... are very robust...globally, is several steps ahead of the TOMY machine.) I think it was in the 200 or more dollars range at the beginning, like the zizzle one.

I attached you some photos of my modest collection of toy pinballs. I love so much the zizzle one because for me it´s the jewel of the crown! Enjoy!
Here is also a video I uploaded of my Brother playing that beautiful toy from TOMY several months ago.
YouTube - TOMY American Pinball 1 credit (TOY TABLETOP PINBALL) by elosevilla
The machine below the toy is a real Gottlieb´s 1977 Centigrade 37. If you look at more videos I uploaded (I´m user "elosevilla" in youtube) you would discover more pinball toys, like the spanish RIMA´s MOTOCROSS, the spanish AIRGAM´s MILLONCETE PIRATES, SAITEK´s F1 CHALLENGE, Grandstand ASTRO WARS (Moon Cresta tabletop clone)....

 

[bob]

Wow! Nice collection of Pinball toys!

Thanks for for sharing it with us!

 

[elo_rey]

more little zizzle pinball marvel super heroes modifications

Hi, friends at pinball nirvana
I post some more little modifications I´ve made to the zizzle machine.

- Real Pinball Metal Bridge at the end of the ball shooter (to avoid the ugly re-entry of the ball while you are playing, something that breaks the play rhythm a lot): Ordered to Marco Specialties by my brother, we had the luck to choose the right lenght (7 cms). We only had to find a suitable short screw to fix it to the upper post (that has a little superior hole), and remove a little of metal in the other extreme to enter in the upper post of the right slingshot. The wire that acts as stop door is adjustable, we chose the outer position. Now the ball NEVER returns to the plunger and is the result is very nice.

- Painting of the Bumpers: Done some weeks before but some more pictures here.

- AC Adaptor Inside: Attached to the rear of the wood cabinet with 4 short screws and 2 little metal square pieces from a cheap meccano construction game. I removed the old 24 volts entry, added the AC cord in that hole, shortened the little plug of the old 24 v switch that now works as 125/220 V main switch.

- IDE 40 contacts extension cord (male-female) added: to attach or remove the score backbox easily from the cabinet. By default, backboard is attached with a long 40 contacts IDE cord to the mainboard inside the cabinet, but as both extremes are plugged inside both parts you couldn´t separate them and have to remove a lot of screws (8 and 16 aprox respectively) to unplug both extremes.

Hope some like them

 

[faralos]

I noticed that glaring omission when i was creating the Zizzles in vp. There was no gate at the end of the shooter lane, well both my zizzles have it as I had the same problem of the ball sometimes reentering the shooter lane.
So, now there is another one coming out huh? Well i am currently learning vp9 so will start the new one in vp9 this time once I find a playfield image for it

 

[JonPurpleHaze]

Just a heads up about a new Pinball News newsfeed about Zizzle:
MORE ZIZZLE


Direct Pinball News link:
http://www.pinballnews.com/news/zizzle4.html

 

[elo_rey]

STAR GALAXY PINBALL, A ZIZZLE CLONE???

Hi, JonPurpleHaze

I also found some time ago a Zizzle similar model called STAR GALAXY, very very rare.

I saw it on an old ebay auction:
http://cgi.ebay.es/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390056243835
(the auction page is attached in pdf format below, compressed in RAR)

also in this offer, quite expensive:
http://articulo.mercadolibre.com.mx/MLM-25623124-profecional-pinball-star-galaxy-machine-_JM

I think in the web has been mentioned that it has being sold in several UK TOYS´R´RUS stores, in Christmas season perhaps.

I say it´s rare because it seems (I haven´t got a decent photo) to be based on the same playfield, has 2 ramps, 5-6 central inserts like all ZIZLE models, but the left wire ramp is not straight (the photo is very poor but seem to be two curves), for example...

The backbox has also some extra buttons that don´t exist in the Zizzle ones, it seems the backbox of some modern digital counter toy pinballs with reset, 1P-2P button, volume button...my impression that is a photo composition for a catalog, but this model (with any variation from the PIRATES or MARVEL design) must exist.

My opinion in the last ATARI case is that if there´s going to be a simple new design (external paint design only, very retro & attractive), is a waste oportunity to improve some important failures, like a more satisfying shooter lane (to the top, with a gate, rebounding on a superior rubber and entering the magneto rollovers, for example), removing a quite stopping right spinner and the nightmare of the shooter skill shot, something that keep the ball in high risk the first 5-6 seconds. A time limit to save ball automatically is vital, and would also be welcome to show the ball in play and the current player repeteadly until the ball is shot (now appears very briefly and only one time when previous ball is over).

Looking the number of inserts and their places in the Atari new design with the same playfield as always, I dare to say the only thing that is going to change in the future mainboard would be the sound. By the way, the Extra Ball in the left outer rim is given ALWAYS (2 maximum), and not only "when lit" as stated in the playfield .

Thanks

 

[faralos]

wow another one with that same old playfield again? I think since I am learning VP9 I will change some things, like a timed ball save, see-thru ramps and the now famous lower wider table view that is so widely loved that vp9 uses. new sounds of course! different scoring etc...

 

[bob]

and the now famous lower wider table view that is so widely loved that vp9 uses.

The field of view and the Inclination a table uses, has nothing to do with the version of Visual Pinball that the author uses....

 

[elo_rey]

"SOLUTION" FOR THE LACK OF STRENGTH IN ZIZZLE PINBALL FLIPPERS.

Hi, friends at PNirvana forums,

I found a little more info about the Star Galaxy pinball. You can watch a video here:
YouTube - Star Galaxy Pinball toy
They are sold in Australia market, they seem to be very similar to the Zizzle ones but I believe the rules are more basic, and the ramps differ a little.

NEWS! NEWS! NEWS!

I finally found one solution for the lack of strength in the flippers in my Zizzle pinball (speccially the right one). I cut the wires from both the pinball motherboard to the flipper buttons and to the solenoids (the blue ones) of the flippers and now I took the energy directly from the main entrance from the AC adapter (24 volts DC), passing them through the switches of both flipper buttons. I think the polarity in the coil is of no importance (or I´ve been lucky to attach the wires properly since the first time). I choose to switch the positive pole.
The behaviour of the machine is the same, they can share the power of the adapter with no problem. It´s very soon to say (I made the modification yesterday) but I think the flippers work perfectly after several credits played, no heat or burned coil, and now the ball reach the ramps perfectly without harm to the playfield elements. The only disadvantage is that you cannot change the mode to classic mode (5 balls and extra chimes sounds) when you start the game (pressing the right flipper button), but I imagine it´s easy to add an old little right extra button (with no coil effect) in the bottom cover of the cabinet to choose this mode at the begining. You would notice that the flippers action can continue even if the game is over, (it will stop when you switch off the main button, of course), and I assure you won´t miss the old sampled whack! sound of the flippers.

I hope this could help other Zizzle pinball owners.
All the best
Jesus (Seville, Spain)

 

[elo_rey]

Please ignore my previous message here. After several games the same frustrating weakness of the flippers appear again....

 

[faralos]

can you pop in a more powerful solenoid for the flippers or would that break something?

 

[elo_rey]

Hi, Faralos
I think that putting 2 good standard pinball mini-posts (or plastic posts) with their rubber at the entrance of both ramps, and 2 "real" pinball fixed targets instead of the plastic ones mounted there would be no problem. We could add more inclination also to make the game more interesting and faster.
Perhaps some solenoid used in car spare parts (in the starting motor or the lock of car doors) would be suitable.
The trouble is, that the flipper mechanism in these zizzles is so poor (as you can see in my video here) and nothing to do with the standard, so I cannot imagine how to change the coil, and we would need them working at 24 v. max:

Zizzle MARVEL HEROES pinball MECHANISMS INSIDE CABINET by elosevilla - YouTube


Any ideas are welcome.

 

[faralos]

oh lordy steer clear of anything from a car!
Call this place, http://www.betson.com/
explain you have a home zizzle pin and want to upgrade the
flipper coils. if the coils are paper wrapped they may have a bunch of numbers
and letters printed on it. those are the specs for that solenoid, give betsons any and
all info on those solenoids, whether from them themselves or the manual.
They may be able to help you, I hope you find a solution for it,
I built two (zizzle copies) in vp and love them both
and I am sure the real ones are even more fun to play