Maintenance Switch Levels Vs. Edges

[Coil_Smoke]

Reading recent posts brought this question back to mind. What is the difference between a switch level test and switch edges test? I'm thinking the real question here is...How are levels and edges used differently when diagnosing switch problems ?

 

[pinballdaveh]

i'm not really sure but of what i read williams systems 3-7 it was just called switch test. systems 9-11 the test was called switch levels. systems 11A -11C starting with pinbot is when the switch test was being called switch edges. i dont know if there is any differences with the tests it might just be a terminology change.

 

[Coil_Smoke]

i'm not really sure but of what i read williams systems 3-7 it was just called switch test. systems 9-11 the test was called switch levels. systems 11A -11C starting with pinbot is when the switch test was being called switch edges. i dont know if there is any differences with the tests it might just be a terminology change.

Thing is, Some games have both edges and levels tests. They seem to do the same thing.I figure there is some advantage using test one over the other against a specific challenge. It has been a while since I've used ether test. Like I said above this is something I've been wondering about for a long time. Since I got my first machine. I'm a bit rusty and guess I should re-visit those tests for a clue.

 

[sleepy]

Is it maybe something like the same switch level is also read as an edge for other uses?

As in, the edge of a switched pulse triggers an effect or sound or whatever on the immediate value, while the level then stays on to maintain a constant enable of, say, the Extra Ball target or some playfield feature? And then when the level is dropped, the feature is disabled?

EDIT: If a pulse edge is used to trigger an effect or a sound, then it could be that this is done so that the constant level doesn't perpetuate a constant triggering of the sound byte, etc., or leave the momentary sound trigger in an "On State" for the duration of the level. If so, the edge is passed as just that momentary pulse.

 

[Coil_Smoke]

I think these only test for on and off. Or closed Vs. open. Those higher functions would be part of programming sequences or something else I don't understand.