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Williams sys11 displays?

ronnie63

ronnie63

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I'm needing the 4 digit match/ball display! as these are hard to find I wondered if a standard 6 digit numeric display would fit? looks although it might if the 2 middle digits legs were snipped off, I'm thinking a 6 digit might be easier to find?

Thanks Ronnie
 
The earlier Williams 'master display' circuit boards did use a 6-digit envelope for the Credit/Ball in Play/Match display, so if the spacing is right it might be feasible. It would depend on whether the special 4-digit envelope has the leads for the segments (shared by all the digits) and the high voltage 'keeper' in the same place. The leads for the unused digit anodes could be left alone, or cut off if preferred.

The 4-digit display isn't unique to System 11, though, it's the same as used from Alien Poker onwards.

I think I have a spare 6-digit display envelope.
 
Last edited:
Jay Walker said:
The earlier Williams 'master display' circuit boards did use a 6-digit envelope for the Credit/Ball in Play/Match display, so if the spacing is right it might be feasible. It would depend on whether the special 4-digit envelope has the leads for the segments (shared by all the digits) and the high voltage 'keeper' in the same place. The leads for the unused digit anodes could be left alone, or cut off if preferred.

The 4-digit display isn't unique to System 11, though, it's the same as used from Alien Poker onwards.

I think I have a spare 6-digit display envelope.
Click to expand...


Hi Jay, thanks for the reply, I hope it is possible but in the link I added above the guy had to mod in some jumper wires to make it work! but it's unclear what he jumped to where?

If you do have a 6 digit you can spare that would be fantastic! let me know what you need for it?

Thanks Ronnie
 
ronnie63 said:
I hope it is possible but in the link I added above the guy had to mod in some jumper wires to make it work! but it's unclear what he jumped to where?
Thanks Ronnie
Click to expand...

It's not all that clear, but I gather that even doing all that only allows one pair of digits to operate - the 4 digit glass is effectively two 2-digit ones, so the circuit board has two different sets of segment inputs. I suppose that fitting a normal 6 digit envelope, with all the leads into the board, would mix the two together. Hence the leads left out, and the jumpering required to connect the r/h pairs' segment and anode feeds on the pcb to the leads in the envelope.
 
Jay Walker said:
It's not all that clear, but I gather that even doing all that only allows one pair of digits to operate - the 4 digit glass is effectively two 2-digit ones, so the circuit board has two different sets of segment inputs. I suppose that fitting a normal 6 digit envelope, with all the leads into the board, would mix the two together. Hence the leads left out, and the jumpering required to connect the r/h pairs' segment and anode feeds on the pcb to the leads in the envelope.
Click to expand...

He does say in his web page that he uses it in his test rig and only needs the right 2 digits, but he also says it can be used in a pinball? So I assumed the left digits would work also?

Ronnie
 
As I read it, the l/h pair of digits wouldn't work as a credit display. The special envelope has the segment connections of the two pairs separate, but the normal one has one set for all the digits. As such, a normal envelope can only be used for either the left or the right, not both.
 
Jay Walker said:
As I read it, the l/h pair of digits wouldn't work as a credit display. The special envelope has the segment connections of the two pairs separate, but the normal one has one set for all the digits. As such, a normal envelope can only be used for either the left or the right, not both.
Click to expand...


Thanks Jay, so it's a non starter then! Unless those 4 jumpers make the left side work? I can't see why he would fit them otherwise! but then I'm no engineer! I did email him and he responded but I guess there is a language barrier as I don't think he grasped what I was asking!
 
The guy just confirmed only 2 digits Work:(

Was offered the proper one used for 60 euro but I thought that was a bit steep!
 
Going by the charts above, the normal envelope has the leads for 4 of the segments (d, e, f and g, which make up a lower-case 't') over at that end, so the jumper wires link to the pcb pads intended for them in the r/h pair.

I dug out a 6 digit envelope, but do you not wish to follow this now?
 
Jay Walker said:
Going by the charts above, the normal envelope has the leads for 4 of the segments (d, e, f and g, which make up a lower-case 't') over at that end, so the jumper wires link to the pcb pads intended for them in the r/h pair.

I dug out a 6 digit envelope, but do you not wish to follow this now?
Click to expand...


Hi Jay, thanks for your help and advice with this, if I could get the 6 digit to display the 4 needed digits then yes I would grab it from you! Do you think it's possible at all? I see your details in the thread but I don't really understand the workings of the segments!

Thanks Ronnie
 
It's galling, but the configuration of the Williams L 7 onwards display set-up won't allow it. I don't have a picture of the rear of a display glass, but on the ordinary type traces for each segment can be seen travelling between the digits, right across the panel. I can't recall ever studying the special kind, but it must have these segment connections between the left hand pair, and separate ones between the r/h pair. Because the display driver board addresses the pairs separately, a normal panel isn't suitable. AFAICT, It would need two normal envelopes to emulate the 4 digit display - one with its two r/h digits (10 & 1) as the l/h pair, and the second with its two l/h digits (100k & 10K) as the r/h pair. That's if the spacing and mounting worked out okay, and there'd be a mess of jumpered wiring. I doubt that many leads would be lined up with the correct holes.
 
Thanks again Jay, would have been a cheaper option if it was possible, have found a new one in the states for $63 might buy that and get it sent to me via someone in the states to avoid the charges.

Thanks for your time and knowledge

Cheers Ronnie
 
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