6.3 - What kind of sensors are used in games? (Pinball Technically Speaking)
Description
This article is from the General Pinball FAQ, by Keith Johnson keefer@access.digex.net with numerous contributions by others.
6.3 - What kind of sensors are used in games? (Pinball Technically Speaking)
Microswitched switches
----------------------
Rollover - Ball rolls over wire sticking up through slot in playfield.
Rollunder - Ball rolls under (or next to) a switch mounted on a ramp.
VUK - Weight of ball on VUK cup depresses a switch lever.
Star Rollover - Weight of ball rolling across button depresses switch lever.
Saucer - Ball in saucer depresses switch lever.
Spinner - Spinning target repeatedly trips switch lever.
Optos (optical sensors)
-----------------------
Standard opto - Emitter/detector. Ball crosses and breaks a beam of light.
Micro opto - 1-piece emitter/detector. Use on "gizmos" for positioning.
Also used for multi-bank drop targets to detect dropped targets.
Long Range opto - Same as a standard opto, except that the emitter/detector
use *modulated* light. This helps the detector detect the
light source as it gets quite dim with great distances.
Williams uses infrafred LED emitters, Sega uses visible red-light emitters.
Proximity sensors (detect a ball from under the playfield)
----------------------------------------------------------
TZ Style - These are fixed sensitivity.
New Style (STTNG and newer) - These have a little potentiometer on a control
PCB to adjust sensitivity.
All Proximity sensors work via Hall effect sensors. When a metal ball passes
by the loop sensor, its ferric content induces electric current in the sensor
loop. This is why it's similar to induction loops used to detect cars at
traffic lights. The Powerball, of course, doesn't affect the things at all!
This is how TZ differentiates between ball-types (if the proximity sensor is
NOT tripped before the Slot Machine switch, then it must be the powerball).
-- Thanks to Bill Ung <ung@filenet.com> for suggestions.
-- Thanks to Jonathan Deitch <musjndx@gsusgi2.gsu.edu> for a rewrite.
Continue to:
My Books
