LED's vs incandescent

[Grauwulf]

I think LED bulbs are totally a personal preference. They suit some games really well, some they don't. I don't have any LED's in any of my machines yet, but I have a couple machines that will be getting the LED treatment.

 

[brewmanager]

Agreed - sometimes they work well (inserts, back box) and sometimes they really don't (GI, etc).

 

[mwong168]

LEDs can breath some new life in a machine and make the inserts really pop but the problem is looking nice is one thing as long as it doesn't affect game play. One game I know that looks nice but plays horrible with LEDs is Theatre of Magic. Everyone that I warned not to install a Coin Taker LED kit regretted it afterwards because the game's GI turns off a lot and all the inserts flash or flicker all at once a lot. Mind you if you don't play in the dark then the strobbing effect is not so bad but I like to play with the lights off.

 

[Pharoah007]

my general rule....

LEDs in inserts
incandescent in G.I.

 

[mwong168]

I would say strobing is when many inserts are going off and as the ball rolls over it casts so many reflections making it very difficult to see. The only solution I can see that can make LEDs work in particular games is this controller I was shown a few months back. Brock talked to the creator and managed to get one unit to test out but looks promising if it ever goes into production but costs an extra $150.

http://herg.homeip.net/ledocd/purchase.html

The newer Stern LE games use these LED boards that are directly soldered so unless you convert these to sockets you won't be able to do any sort of colour customization if you are not happy with the factory defaults.

The older Pro editions like Tron, ACDC and Xmen used regular incandescent bulbs so you could put together your own LED kit which some prefer. One main feature which is pretty cool you don't get with the Pro versus LE are code controlled colour changing GI which changes the mood of the entire game that can not be replicated in the Pro. I also read somewhere that going forward Stern will no longer be using incandescent in their Pro and LEDs.

 

[Grauwulf]

I really like the looks of those add-on boards. I would totally pick one up to test out.

 

[Soapman]

LEDs are up to the game owner/player. I like them in my machines. I think it makes them pop. But I have noticed in a few pins that the led would not work. Pinball magic is one for sure. The way the lights dim adds to the effect of the game. I might be wrong on this but I have not seen a nice led to fade in and out, they are usually on or off not much on dimming. Ok that is my "multi-ball" worth.

 

[Luckydogg420]

I led'd the inserts of my tee'd off. 2 before, lights on and off.



And 2 after.

 

[Pharoah007]

LEDs can breath some new life in a machine and make the inserts really pop but the problem is looking nice is one thing as long as it doesn't affect game play. One game I know that looks nice but plays horrible with LEDs is Theatre of Magic. Everyone that I warned not to install a Coin Taker LED kit regretted it afterwards because the game's GI turns off a lot and all the inserts flash or flicker all at once a lot. Mind you if you don't play in the dark then the strobbing effect is not so bad but I like to play with the lights off.

this strobe effect to the GI also happens on a LOT of date east/Sega games, thus I put LEDs everywhere BUT the GI in these games.