Hi all
As promised heres a quick review about the above board. It's made by a chap called Ingo Kramer in Germany. Website is http://germanpinballmodular.de.to/final-tz-clock-pcb-english.html and the price is around 90 euros delivered to the uk. it took about 5 days from ordering to delivery and Ingo even emailed me a video of my board being bench tested.
First mpressions were that this board is very different to the original and other reproductions. It's only one board rather than 2 and as such eliminates the first weak spot of the original boards, the interconnect (you'll notice a theme as we go through as all the rest of the shortcomings are addressed)
The board immediately looks "busier" than the originals, having as it does a couple of chips and lots of LEDs. The minute optos aren't on the board and appeared missing. Then I checked the Packaging again and found them there. The optos are a push fit on the board. This leads me on to shortcoming of the original board 2, having to use the special high sensitivity optos. This board uses the normally available optos. Ideal! The chips n the board are comparators and my little understanding of electronics suggests that these amplify the signal from the optos so the special ones aren't needed. These chips are also socket mounted just in case.
Next up Is the illumination. Socket mounted superflux LEDs. They come as standard with warm white LEDs but are easy to change by just pushing in new ones. Ingo also stocks blue and red for a small amount extra. No problem with excess heat killing the board.
The board has its own diagnostic on board. Indicator LEDs show when the optos close so diagnosing whether the problem is a dead opto or something in the game is a doddle. There's also a power indicator. All these indicator LEDs are able to be switched off by moving a jumper.
Overall I'm dead impressed with this product. I needed new clock Board anyway and it seemed a little pointless to buy something which didn't solve any of the well known problems or just put LEDs in to try to mitigate the problems. This board should last for a long time to come. It looks professional and I'd buy another one anytime.
As promised heres a quick review about the above board. It's made by a chap called Ingo Kramer in Germany. Website is http://germanpinballmodular.de.to/final-tz-clock-pcb-english.html and the price is around 90 euros delivered to the uk. it took about 5 days from ordering to delivery and Ingo even emailed me a video of my board being bench tested.
First mpressions were that this board is very different to the original and other reproductions. It's only one board rather than 2 and as such eliminates the first weak spot of the original boards, the interconnect (you'll notice a theme as we go through as all the rest of the shortcomings are addressed)
The board immediately looks "busier" than the originals, having as it does a couple of chips and lots of LEDs. The minute optos aren't on the board and appeared missing. Then I checked the Packaging again and found them there. The optos are a push fit on the board. This leads me on to shortcoming of the original board 2, having to use the special high sensitivity optos. This board uses the normally available optos. Ideal! The chips n the board are comparators and my little understanding of electronics suggests that these amplify the signal from the optos so the special ones aren't needed. These chips are also socket mounted just in case.
Next up Is the illumination. Socket mounted superflux LEDs. They come as standard with warm white LEDs but are easy to change by just pushing in new ones. Ingo also stocks blue and red for a small amount extra. No problem with excess heat killing the board.
The board has its own diagnostic on board. Indicator LEDs show when the optos close so diagnosing whether the problem is a dead opto or something in the game is a doddle. There's also a power indicator. All these indicator LEDs are able to be switched off by moving a jumper.
Overall I'm dead impressed with this product. I needed new clock Board anyway and it seemed a little pointless to buy something which didn't solve any of the well known problems or just put LEDs in to try to mitigate the problems. This board should last for a long time to come. It looks professional and I'd buy another one anytime.
