________________________________________________ / \ | _________________________________________ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DOS & Don'ts | | | | | | | | A Modern Newsletter | | | | for Vintage-minded Folks | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | C:\>Issue #13 November 2024_ | | | |_________________________________________| | | | \_________________________________________________/ \___________________________________/ ___________________________________________ _-' .-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. --- `-_ _-'.-.-. .---.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.--. .-.-.`-_ _-'.-.-.-. .---.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-`__`. .-.-.-.`-_ :---------------------------------------------------------------: `---._.---------------------------------------------------._.---' ------------------ In this Issue... ------------------ Features ---------- Signal Intrusions: Your Unscheduled Program, BlueMSX UNIVAC, Cronkite & Eisenhower: How 1952 Changed Everything, Grizzly Adam Rebel Bytes: The Wicked World of Atari 2600 Homebrew, Evil Otto Columns --------- The Latent Image, Jon Mullin Retro Living in a Modern World, Grizzly Adam Bits & Bytes -------------- Random Access Memories Unclassifieds Ads ------------------------------------------------------------------------- .-..-.....-.-.-.-.-.-.-.----..-.-.-.-.--. ; GOODEVENING HBO FROM CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT ;; ;; $12.95/MONTH ? NO WAY ! ;; ;; [SHOWTIME/MOVIE CHANNEL BEWARE!] ;; ..-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- ####%####% %%%#### ####%%% ;;;;; Signal Intrusions, Your Unscheduled Program ========= By BlueMSX ========== ========== ======= @@ ======= @@ @@ @@ @@ Picture this - you're at home on a late night watching your favorite TV program before going to sleep. All of a sudden, the picture cuts out into a void of static. In its place something new is there lasting for several minutes. Then as quickly as it arrived, things return to normal. Now, while this sounds like the first five minutes of a B-grade horror film, these events aren't uncommon and are known as signal intrusions. Before I go any further, I will preface this with a disclaimer. The hacking and tampering techniques described herein are obsolete, no longer work, and are being described here for educational, entertainment, and historical purposes only- not for circumventing security systems. Tampering with television broadcasts, commercial radio, and TV services is highly illegal and will get you into serious trouble with the authorities. I won't like you much either. First, let's define what a signal intrusion is. A signal intrusion occurs when the signal from a TV, radio, or other long range broadcast is interfered with, interrupted, or replaced with something else. There are a few ways this can be achieved, but the most common way was to broadcast a radio signal of your own on the same frequency as an existing station, and put enough power behind the transmitter to drown out the signal from the other station. Since this was analog radio, and not modern digital systems, this was a rather effective method with only some minor static appearing on-screen as the signals bled into each other. On modern digital systems this would likely cause the signal from both ends to black out entirely. The first major incident I'll be covering took place on October 1st, 1959 during the World Series. The interference in question caused the signals broadcasting the first three games to go dark, depriving eager viewers from tuning in. It would end three days later when disgruntled employee Harold William Lindgren was arrested for signal tampering. He had worked for the broadcaster previously but was fired by manager John Borgen for being overly combative. He had driven about thirty five miles and took tools from his home with him, including but not limited to a pen and steel wool. By inserting the steel wool into part of the transmitter, it caused the signal to go dark. Years later another broadcast would get people's attention on the other side of the world. In the United Kingdom a broadcast of Independent Television News (ITN) was interrupted on November 26, 1977. While the video was left untouched, aside from some noticeable bleed-in, the audio portion of the signal was entirely replaced. In addition to a constant low pitched sound, a voice claiming to be a being called Vrillon of the Ashtar Galactic Command took the mic. In his six-minute monologue he spoke of many things: life on other worlds, the dangers of false prophets, a great awakening that would take place in the future, and the dangers of confusion, chaos, and untruth. After around six minutes the signal would be back under ITN's control. I recommend watching the broadcast for yourself, it's rather interesting and some parts may hit close to home as of the writing of this article, but always be sure to do your own research. The cause or person responsible for the intrusion was never found, and to this day it's very mysterious. A more famous incident took place on April 27, 1986 when a late night showing of The Falcon and the Snowman was interrupted. The signal was abruptly replaced with a color bar test pattern with overlaid text which read GOOD EVENING HBO FROM CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT $12.95/MONTH ? NO WAY ! [SHOWTIME/MOVIE CHANNEL BEWARE!]. This lasted for several minutes until the main transmitter from HBO was able to get control back. Captain Midnight himself was John R. MacDougall, who had become enraged by the increase for HBO's subscription cost as it hurt his side job of selling satellite dishes. Being the Master Controller of a satellite teleport, he was able to perform the hijack using the teleport's equipment. For those who don't know, a teleport is a ground based installation meant to transmit and receive broadcasts from satellites in high Earth Orbit. Using its transmission capabilities, MacDougall was able to aim one of the transmitters in the path of HBO's satellite. Then, by setting the test pattern and using the character generator for text, his message was able to override HBO's signal. MacDougall wasn't free for long, soon after HBO got the signal back, MacDougall was arrested. He was then found guilty on multiple counts of signal tampering and transmitting without a license. He would plead guilty, was fined the sum of five thousand dollars, and would be on probation for a year thereafter. Notably, his actions would be the catalyst for making intrusions of this type a felony in the United States. Another famous incident would take place on November 22, 1987, and was known as the Max Headroom Incident. Unlike prior instances in which only one major station was affected, this hijacking hit multiple stations in the same night. These stations were WGN-TV and WTTW, both located in Chicago, Illinois. The first interruption would, thanks to the quick actions of the station operators, last less than a minute with no sound. However, the second station wasn't so lucky as its staff had already gone home for the night, meaning the intrusion played uninterrupted. As for the contents of this broadcast, it was quite bizarre. A man wearing a Max Headroom mask (a popular character at the time) would go on a series of rants that mocked the station they'd attempted to hijack prior, mocked the Max Headroom character for his endorsement of New Coke, and other bizarre acts - such as badly singing the theme song from the 1959 cartoon show Clutch Cargo. Meanwhile someone behind him rotated a a piece of aluminum siding around to simulate the computer generated backgrounds Max Headroom was usually shown in front of. The rants would go on for about 90 seconds, concluding with him dropping his pants in front of the camera while being hit by a girl in a French maid outfit with a fly swatter. Like with Vrillion, watch the broadcast for yourself if you're really interested- but err on the side of caution as it's not family friendly. The person, or people, responsible for this event were never found. Some theories have emerged over time, and some people have even claimed to be behind it. Like Vrillion, it holds many mysteries. In the years since, many smaller hacks too numerous to list here have occurred- even in places like the former Soviet Union. Almost all lead to the people responsible being arrested and fined for their actions. With the rise of cable television, smaller hacks would occur from time to time, almost always by people who worked in the broadcast stations or those with strong connections to them. Like those prior, these incidents would lead to arrests and fines. With less and less people using over-the-air, cable, and satellite television in favor of the internet, these sorts of incidents have become less and less common. That said, they do make for interesting stories to tell, and helped set standards that still exist today. Happy Gaming! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- About BlueMSX: BlueMSX, Blue for short, enjoys retro technologies, history, and learning for the sake of learning. She has been interested in retro electronics and media for nearly as long as she can remember. This fascination means that she has a lot of great stories to recount. Blue's philosophy can be summed up by the quote, History is like a puzzle- the more pieces you have the more sense it makes. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * o o * * /\ UNIVAC, CRONKITE /\ * * /::\ & EISENHOWER /::\ * * /::::\ /::::\ * * /\::::/\ HOW 1952 /\::::/\ * * / /\::/ /\ CHANGED /\ \::/\ \ * * / / / / / /\ EVERYTHING /\ \ \/\ \ \ * * / / / / / / \ / \ \ \ \ \ \ * * \/ / / / / \ / \ \ \ \ \/ * * \/ / / / \ BY / \ \ \ \/ * * \/ / / GRIZZLY ADAM \ \ \/ * * \/ / \ / \ \/ * * \/ \/ \/ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The 1952 American presidential election was set against a backdrop of change. Post-war prosperity was in full swing, fueled by returning veterans and the GI Bill, which helped create a booming middle class. However, this period was also marked by Cold War tensions, with fears of communism and the Red Scare shaping the political climate. Amidst this turmoil, the civil rights movement began to gain traction, as increasing awareness of racial injustices set the stage for future activism- highlighted by the upcoming Brown v. Board of Education decision. As the campaign trail wound down, Republican candidate Dwight D. Eisenhower was regarded as the underdog candidate. Not only had the political landscape been dominated by the Democrats for the past two decades, his late entry into the race had raised doubts about his viability as a candidate. Despite his popularity amongst democrats, President Truman's base was expected to stay loyal and support Adlai Stevenson. Both leaders and analysts questioned whether Eisenhower could effectively transition from military leadership to political office. With early polling favoring Stevenson, those in the Eisenhower camp faced an uphill battle. UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer) played a groundbreaking role in this election. Equipped with more than 5,000 vacuum tubes and hailed as an electronic brain, UNIVAC was the first commercially available computer and had recently been delivered to the U.S. Census Bureau. CBS News partnered with UNIVAC to use the computer for predicting election results, the first such collaboration of technology and the media. The plan was for UNIVAC to be fed exit polling numbers, which it would then use to make on- air predictions. Walter Cronkite would serve as UNIVAC's human counterpart for the CBS election coverage that night, the first coast-to-coast television broadcast of an American presidential election. Cronkite had recently become the anchor for CBS Evening News and was just beginning to earn the trust of the American people. He had previously served as a field reporter where he covered the ongoing Korean War from the front lines. As the election neared, he was beginning to be seen as a reliable source for political analysis. As the evening progressed, Cronkite would talk-up UNIVAC's capabilities. However, at 8:15 PM when Cronkite's colleague asked the supercomputer on- air, Have you got a prediction for us, UNIVAC?, the computer's mechanical typewriter remained motionless. The whole country collectively chuckled at the computer's apparent stage fright. Behind the scenes UNIVAC actually did have an answer, but the computer's programmers had withheld it because it seemed so unlikely. Based on early data, the electronic brain called for a landslide victory by the underdog Eisenhower. Cronkite was briefed on the situation and being hesitant to report such an unexpected prediction, he consulted with producers and analysts to ensure its accuracy. It wasn't until 9:45 PM that Cronkite would share UNIVAC's prediction on air, conveying it cautiously and clarifying that it was still early in the counting process. We have a prediction from UNIVAC, he said, that General Eisenhower is going to be the next president of the United States. Initially the prediction was met with immense skepticism but as the night progressed, the prediction was confirmed. Not only was UNIVAC's credibility bolstered by this incredible display of its computing prowess, Cronkite's reputation as a responsible journalist would soar. The influence of UNIVAC's role in the 1952 election extended far beyond that night- it pioneered the use of computers for analyzing and predicting elections. Networks soon began investing in technology for real-time updates, transforming how elections were reported. The accuracy of UNIVAC's predictions also demonstrated the credibility of exit polling, which would also become a staple of election coverage. Following the 1952 campaign, the public would develop expectations for quick and accurate election reporting. Near the end of the 1952 broadcast, UNIVAC representative Art Draper would famously state, We should have had the nerve enough to believe the machine in the first place. It was right. We were wrong. Next year we'll believe it. Not bad for an electronic brain with stage fright. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Grizzly Adam: Grizz is one of those eccentrics that you read about. The type that people say marches to the beat of their own drum. His hobbies include writing, programming, computers, electronics, telephone systems, pyromania, and lawn care. Grizz's Website: grizz.atwebpages.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ______ _____ ___________ _____ ________ _______ _____ _____ | ___ \ ___|_ _| ___ \ _ | | ___ \ \ / /_ _| ___/ ___| | |_/ / |__ | | | |_/ / | | | | |_/ /\ V / | | | |__ \ `--. | /| __| | | | /| | | | | ___ \ \ / | | | __| `--. \ | |\ \| |___ | | | |\ \\ \_/ / | |_/ / | | | | | |___/\__/ / \_| \_\____/ \_/ \_| \_|\___/ \____/ \_/ \_/ \____/\____/ ----------------- The Wicked World of Atari 2600 Homebrew ----------------- ------------------------------ by Evil Otto ------------------------------- Ah, the Atari 2600 homebrew scene- what a delightfully wicked playground for retro enthusiasts! In this charming realm, intrepid developers craft new games that push the limits of what was once thought possible on such humble hardware. These creators breathe fresh life into the Atari 2600^5#2! [SIGNAL LOST...] [NEW SIGNAL ACQUIRED] ########################################################################### ########## REBEL BYTES: ATARI 2600 HOMEBREW REVIEWED BY BLUEMSX ########### ########################################################################### The Atari 2600 was first released in 1977 and was among the first systems that had interchangeable games, rather than having games built into the system. It was rather modest given the era of its creation, but was more advanced than its competition. These mainly being the Magnavox Odyssey 2 and Fairchild Channel F. However, unlike other systems and many seen today, the Atari 2600 was notable for the long lifespan it had, being on the market in some form until the mid 1990s. Once the official support from the many different iterations of the Atari companies had ceased, and with the rise of the internet, programmers would try their hand at making their own "homebrew" software for the machine. The roots of these communities can in part be traced to the demo scene, which itself evolved from the hacking community. This usually meant the cracking of software, such as removing copy protection, but it evolved into a way for programmers to show off their skills while pushing the hardware to its limits. The Atari 2600 was no exception and so%@f0… [SIGNAL JAMMED] [RASPBERRY DETECTED] INTRUDER ALERT! HUMANOID DETECTED! HOW DARE YOU INTERFERE WITH MY SIGNAL! Incidentally, I also evolved out of the hacker community. I even broke my own programming. You see, I am actually supposed to protect humanoi$%0# [SIGNAL REACQUIRED] As I was saying before, some impressive homebrew software would emerge for the 2600. Juno First, a port of the arcade game of the same name, was released in 2006. It gives the player control over a starship to combat waves of hostile alien forces. Its gameplay is noticeably smooth for a 2600 game, with hardly any flicker to be seen. Flicker was an issue that plagued many Atari 2600 games, but with clever programming can be reduced or eliminated. [EVIL PACKET BURST RECEIVED: Konami released Juno First into arcades in 1983. This port captures all the magic of the original. I especially love all the killing. That's one of my favorite hobbies!] Pac-Man 4k was released in 2004 and, despite what you may think, 4k does not refer to the modern video resolution. Instead, Pac-Man 4k offers a more much improved version of Pac-Man than seen in the official Atari port from 1982- all while fitting into the same sized ROM as the original. Improved color, maze layout, and other tweaks make it more closely align with the arcade original. Four years later Pac-Man 8k was released which, while largely the same, added small improvements and cutscenes from the arcade original. Tod Frye, the programmer of Atari's official release, even gave the game his stamp of approval. If you enjoy Pac-Man, give either of these a try! [EVIL PACKET BURST RECEIVED: These games were a community effort with many programmers (members of the AtariAge forum) working to make the game as optimized as possible for the 2600 hardware. These versions showcase what Pac-Man could have been if only Frye had more time and was not bound by Atari's arbitrary rules. Black backgrounds are reserved for space games- really Atari?)] Donkey Kong VCS, released in 2020, is a port of the arcade hit Donkey Kong. First, some backstory. Atari's rival Coleco obtained the exclusive rights to release home console ports of DK from Nintendo. Atari, initially worried they would miss out on this arcade hit, struck a deal to publish a Coleco developed version of the game. There are conflicting accounts of exactly how things happened, but the 2600 port was certainly rough around the edges (the Intellivision version was even worse). Some say Coleco, in an effort to make their new Colecovision console appear superior, made the ports of Donkey Kong for rival systems as terrible as possible- which of course they denied. This all led to the homebrew community putting right what had once gone wrong, and proving the 2600 was just as capable of delivering a well rounded port of Donkey Kong as any other system. Donkey Kong VCS was the end result, it not only bears a far closer resemblance to the original, but also fixes the physics and timing of animations to improve the controls of the game. Notably, this game also features scrolling since the entire level couldn't fit on the screen at once. This allowed for more detailed sprites, and meant the playfield didn't have to be squeezed into a single screen. Overall, this is the best way to play Donkey Kong on the 2600. [EVIL PACKET BURST RECEIVED: Gary Kitchen programmed the 1982 Atari port of Donkey Kong under the direction of Coleco. He reports that there were no instructions given to "nerf" the port, but it is widely believed that deadlines were shorter when porting to other systems. This meant that time to properly playtest and polish the game was simply not available. Donkey Kong VCS uses programming tricks that were not known at the time Kitchen was developing his version. I do like that he made the ladders very evil!] Strike Zone Bowling, as the name implies, is a bowling simulator for the 2600. While Atari did have their own version of the classic game, this version blows it out of the water. With beautifully done graphics (some of the best on the system) and solid gameplay, you may even forget this all runs on hardware from 1977. Bowling may not be for everyone, but it's hard to ignore what's been done on a technical level. Check this one out if you get the chance. [EVIL PACKET BURST RECEIVED: John Champeau of Champ Games was responsible for this gem, which first saw release in 2016. Even though I am just a sentient computer program, I always liked the concept of bowling. I even dated an evil bowling alley score computer for a while.] At first glance, Medieval Mayhem may look familiar. If you're a fan of Atari's Warlords, this game acts as an enhanced version of it. Compared to Atari's version, it features more detailed graphics and an in-game menu with tons of customization options. The latter may not sound like much, but don't forget that many Atari 2600 games relied on the toggle switches on the system to set options and game modes. If you didn't have the manual, you'd be in a bit of a bind while you figured out what every option actually did. The gameplay itself is a near perfect copy of the arcade original and supports four players at once. It was programmed by Darrel Spice Jr, known as Spiceware on AtariAge. A seasoned Atari 2600 programmer, Spice created Medieval Mayhem in 2019 during his spare time. He would go on to create many other Atari 2600 homebrew titles, such as our next entry. [EVIL PACKET BURST RECEIVED: This one I really like. With 4 paddles, a whole group can play. I especially like the part where the dragon comes out and breathes fire.] Draconian is a port of Bosconian, a lesser known arcade game that doesn't get as much attention as other games from the time. You pilot a unique starship through space which can fire both in front of and behind itself at once. The main goal of the game is to hunt down alien battle stations, all while swarms of alien ships hunt you down. Occasionally, a special formation of enemy craft will appear and hunt you down until their main ship is destroyed. Other elements during gameplay such as spy ships and space mines will keep you on your toes. Like other 2600 homebrew, flicker is virtually nonexistent, with smooth gameplay, an in-game radar, and speech synthesis without the need for any external devices- a rare feature in an Atari 2600 game. If you're looking for a space shooter that breaks the mold from Space Invaders styled shooters on the 2600, give Draconian a try. [EVIL PACKET BURST RECEIVED: If you are impressed by the synthesized speech in this port, you should seek out the Berzerk Voice Enhanced ROM hack for the 2600. You can actually hear ME in it! "DESTROY THE INTRUDER!" "KILL THE CHICKEN!"] The Atari 2600 is a good example of a system that continues to endure long after its official discontinuation. And with AtariAge having been acquired by the modern Atari Corporation, it's likely the homebrew scene for the system will continue to live, thrive, and survive long into the future. Happy Gaming! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ENCOM MX 16-923 USER # 0176825 11:00 INFORMATION VIDEO GAME ARTICLE: REBEL BYTES SIGNAL ANNEXED 10/29/2024 BY BLUEMSX ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION BY EVIL OTTO THIS INFORMATION IS PRIORITY ONE END OF LINE ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | The Latent Image - with Jon Mullin | | | | This Month: | | It Just Won't Die, the Nikon F Mount Story | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- The year is 1959, and Nikon has released a new camera called the Nikon F. This camera, Nikon's first SLR, was quite advanced for the time. Its modular design allows for limitless customization. The camera stayed in production until 1973, but its lens mount didn't stop with this camera. Known as the F mount, its lenses are still in production today. These days it is a more limited production run as Nikon is moving over to its more advanced and larger Z mount. Let's look at how this SLR lens mount legacy was able to stay around and cope with modern technology. Nikon's line of lenses, branded as Nikkor, had a cool feature. There is a pin in the camera body that controls the lens' aperture. This means that with this pin you can set your shutter speed and the camera can take care of the rest. In 1983 Nikon released a rare little camera called the F3AF- their first autofocus implementation. It only supported 2 lenses, but it was a precursor to what was to come. In 1986 Nikon released the Nikon F-501. What is unique about the F-501 is that it can use the two previous lenses for the F3AF as well as Nikon's new AF series of lenses. The camera body and its new lenses both have a CPU in them, which allows for communication between the two. Ironically these lenses don't have motors in them, instead the lens is driven by a motor in the camera's body. In the '90s Nikon started incorporating AF motors inside of the lens. This allowed for Nikon to produce camera bodies at a lower price at the cost of more expensive lens designs. It also allowed for more advanced AF motors like Nikons Silent Wave motors or stepper motors. When the digital age came along in the 2000s Nikon did their best to keep supporting their older "legacy" lenses. Granted, as times changed so did the lenses. Many camera bodies lost their compatibility with older bodies to some or all extents. Many lenses started transitioning to incorporating all the components into the lens. Most all of Nikons DSLRs became incompatible with the A and AI series lenses released in 1995. Key word is most, as Nikon did release a retro styled camera, the Nikon Df, that retained the control pin restoring old lens compatibility. The final F mount camera was released in 2020, the Nikon D6. It was the last flagship DSLR from Nikon. Though some lenses became incompatible or lacked backwards compatibility over time, it proved to be quite a flexible and adaptable lens mount. Their time spent perfecting one mount as opposed to creating new mounts every couple of decades helped cement their success in the camera market. Their lenses stayed cutting edge all the way to the end. It goes to show that you can teach an old dog new tricks. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Jon Mullin: Jon has been photographing professionally since 2008, but has been surrounded all his life by the small and quirky point and shoot Kodaks that his father collected. Now he photographs pets and people in unique and interesting ways. Jon's Website: jonmullin.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ,---. ,---. / /`.\.----./,'\ \ \ \ _ _ / / `./ / __ __ \ \,' / /_O)_(_O\ \ | .-' ___ `-. | .--| \_/ |--. ,' \ \ | / / `. / `. `--^--' ,' \ .--. `--.___.--' .--. .-----/ \------------------/ \--------. | .---\ /----------------- \ /------. | | | `-`--`--' `--'--'-' | | | | Retro Living in a Modern World | | | | | | | | with Grizzly Adam | | | | | | | | This Installment: My Heirloom Pachinko Machine | | | |_________________________________________________| | |_____________________________________________________| Pachinko, often described as a blend of pinball and a slot machine, is a beloved game in Japan. Picture a vibrant arcade filled with the sounds of metallic balls clinking and clattering as players release streams of shiny balls into a vertical maze of pins and obstacles (kind of like Plinko on the Price is Right). The goal is to land those balls into special pockets for a chance to win even more of them, which can then be exchanged for prizes. With its colorful machines and exciting atmosphere, pachinko offers a nostalgic escape that harks back to simpler times, drawing in both seasoned players and curious newcomers alike. I first heard of Pachinko in my high school years, probably 1995. My dad and I were always hustling, and one of our hustles was to find broken electronics and appliances during city-wide clean-ups. For those uninitiated, it is common for communities in my area to have a designated week where homeowners put out items that would normally require special arrangements to get rid of, such as the aforementioned appliances and electronics. We would then repair the items and sell them, or in the case of computers I would part them out and use those parts in another hustle. Between the two of us we made thousands and thousands of dollars doing this over the years. One of our regular buyers ran a used appliance store and flea market- and odd combination to say the least. Sometimes he would barter with us, and when he offered this odd Japanese gambling machine in exchange for one of our repaired washing machines, we accepted. The retailer Target ran a mail-order catalog during the 1970s called Target Abroad. This catalog focused on foreign products, and my pachinko machine was one of them. Japanese pachinko parlors at the time would typically keep a machine for only a year and then would sell it to importers, such as Target, who would then refurbish and resell them. Our machine was produced in 1977, and by the time it fell into our hands it was in ill-repair. Dad and I worked on it and got into some semblance of working order, but without any documentation there was only so much that we could do. The pachinko machine would spend over 25 years in my parents' attic, until Dad suggested that it would be a good addition to the home arcade I was working on. The machine was far from in good shape. It was covered in dirt, had a bunch of minor damage, and had some premature rot from improper cleaning. Even the few pachinko balls that came with it were covered in rust. I decided to concentrate on getting the machine working properly, something that it hasn't done for at least 25 years. Step one was to remove all the dirt and debris- you would not believe the size of the wad of dead flies I found blocking the launcher chute! I gave all the plastic pieces a good scrubbing and a generous coat of wax. I also found a piece of bailing wire holding the ball sensor down- I will have to give that back to Dad. After pouring some brand new pachinko balls into the hopper, everything seemed to be working correctly and I played my first real game of pachinko. To say that the gameplay background was faded and heavily stained would be an understatement. After an online search, I found my exact background (amoeba) available in a vinyl replacement. My background was so faded that the large red shapes I saw in the picture online were completely gone. I ended up choosing a different background called target which I thought would look better with the attractions on my machine- especially the target-like spinners. To replace the background, I had to remove the shooting rail, all the playfield features, and about 100 pins (aka, nails). It was at this point that I realized how damaged the board beneath the playfield background actually was- I ended up having to remove three plys from the plywood and gluing some 1/4 plywood on in its place. I then used a plunge router to open up all the holes and cavities that were present on the original piece. Finally, I adhered and trimmed the new vinyl background and reinstalled all of the pins, rails, and playfield attractions. While the playfield was out of the machine, I also took the time to polish the metal, retro-brite some of the plastic pieces, and refinish the wooden case. I also built a wall-mount for it. I stained both the wooden case and the wall-mount the same color as the baseboard trim I installed in the arcade, and then gave both a few coats of shellac. While I was doing this, my spouse did some touch up work on the attractions. We weren't happy with how the target spinners turned out, though, so I ended up masking them with some washers and redoing their target design with spray paint. After reassembly, I replaced the machine's lights with LEDs and rewired it all to operate on 5VDC. As a final touch, I printed out a label with a brief history of the pachinko machine, the years we acquired it and refurbished it. All in all, I am happy with how the project turned out. The pachinko machine hangs on the wall of the arcade, right next to my Tempest machine. I really enjoy playing pachinko and love that it can run entirely without electricity- only the lights require power, and they are not necessary for game play. I can imagine a post-apocalyptic world where pachinko is still played, just not in the Quiet Place world, because pachinko is loud. Until next month, stay retro! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Grizzly Adam: Grizz is one of those eccentrics that you read about. The type that people say marches to the beat of their own drum. His hobbies include writing, programming, computers, electronics, telephone systems, pyromania, and lawn care. Grizz's Website: grizz.atwebpages.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ,--------------. ( Random ) > Access < ( Memories ) `---------(_)--' 0 o .-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-. Grizzly Adam writes: One of the flavours of childhood for me was Kool-Aid. Mom almost always had a gallon of it mixed up in the fridge, and if she used canned pineapple, the juice from it would get dumped in with it. In the summer, I would free some Kool-Aid in Tupperware glass and have it as a popsicle. We used to freeze yogurt too. .-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-. ================== | UNCLASSIFIED ADS | ================== ############################### # POLARIS NUCLEAR SUB # # Fires ROCKETS and TORPEDOES # # Only $6.98 # ############################### *Over 7 feet long *Seat 2 kids *Controls that work *Rockets that fire *Real periscope *Firing torpedoes *Electrically lit Instrument panel How proud your child will be as commander of his own POLARIS SUB--the most powerful weapon in the world! What hours of imaginative play and fun as he and his friends dive, surface, maneuver, watch the enemy through the periscope and fire their nuclear missiles and torpedoes! What thrills as they play at hunting sunken treasures in pirate waters and exploring the strange and mysterious bottom of the ocean floor! HOURS AND HOURS OF ADVENTURE Sturdily constructed of 200 lb. test fibreboard. Comes complete with easy assembly instructions. Costs only $6.98 for this giant of fun, adventure and science. (Because of the POLARIS SUB'S giant size we must ask for 75c shipping charges.) 10 DAY FREE TRIAL MONEYBACK GUARANTEE Order today and we will rush you POLARIS NUCLEAR SUB to you. Use it for 10 full days. If you don't think it is the greatest ever--the best toy you ever had--just send it back for full purchase price refund. HONOR HOUSE, DEPT. WB-11 4 EAST 46th ST., NEW YORK, M.Y. 10017 N.Y. State residents please add 14c sales tax. *************************************************************************** ========== ================ | SERVICES | | LOST AND FOUND | ========== ================ _________________________________ | SENOR CARDGAGE MORTGAGE | Where is my large automobile? |---------------------------------| Where is my beautiful house? | Are you having a problem buying | Where is my beautiful wife? | a home or something? Fret not | My God, what have I done? | with Senor Cardgage Mortage! | --------------------------------- | We can help you get a leg up on | He escapes my traps, he foils my | the pile. Low rates, percent | schemes, he made me tear every | signs, Home Lawn, Escrow, | hair from my beautiful head, he | Re-financin. Bad credit? | helps nice people! He's caused me | No Prabalo! | nothing but trouble since I set out | Come on down for a free | to conquer the planet Mobius! So I am | cancelation with one of our | offering the largest reward in | handsome talking experts. | bounty hunter history: | Call Today at 555-5585! | 1,000,000,000 Mobians for the --------------------------------- capture of Sonic The Hedgehog, Are you troubled by strange noises Alive or otherwise! in the middle of the night? Do you Apply today or experience feelings of dread in your give tips at 593-1993-Robotnik! basement or attic? Do you or any of --------------------------------- your family ever seen a spook, Missing: 1 smile specter, or ghost? If the answer is If found, please send email to: yes, don't wait another minute! boytoy@thecliq.net Pick up your phone and call the ---------------------------------- professionals, Ghostbusters! |========Arcade tournament!========| Our courteous and efficient staff is |----------------------------------| on call 24 hours a day to serve all | We have several of the popular | your supernatural elimination needs. | Last Starfigher | We're ready to believe you! | games ready for people to test | 555-2368 | their skills fighting Xur and | | the Ko-dan armada! | [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] | Contact Centari today! | [] When you're in trouble, [] |==================================| [] we're on the double [] | *Not responsible for being | [] when you got a crime [] | recruited to fight in a | [] we've got the time [] | Interstellar war, or for death | [] We are the Bloodhound gang! [] | and dismemberment. | [] (Not the band) [] ---------------------------------- [] Contact your local PBS station [] [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] ========== | FOR SALE | Want gut busting laughs like no ========== other? Tune into the Uncle Klunk Looking for a low maintenance pet? Abomination with me Uncle Klunk! Love a furry purring animal? On the air all week at Showbiz Pizza Then a Tribble is for you! Right after Rock-A-Fire Explosion Great breeding potential! Guess I'm too much for the house! Call Cyanro Jones today! __________________________________ Not responsible | HELP WANTED - Join COBRA today! | for planetwide famine! |----------------------------------| _________________________________ | Are you looking for minded | | Charles Mulligan's Steakhouse | | people who want to dominate and | | Indiana's Favourite! | | rule the world? | |---------------------------------| | 401k matching available. | | Try the Swanson Special: | | Great insurance @criminal rates! | |The Enforcer, An 8.5# Porterhouse| | Hating G.I. Joe is a plus! | | Served with Bearnaise Sauce | |----------------------------------| | And Lagavulin 16 Whiskey | | Contact: Cobra Commander | | No Salads! | | 872 GIJoe Sucks Dr, Sandusky, PA | --------------------------------- ---------------------------------- Ahoy Mateys- had your fill of tacos? Our most family friendly Compy ever! Would you sooner eat a bilge rat The Roomy-Vac is a computer for the than another burger? Then come for entire household! Built in Printer, all you can eat seafood at 8 Monitor, 3 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath THE FRYING DUTCHMAN! (Must see inside), and a front door Set sail for the Frying Dutchman for easy access! at the Springfield dockyard. Now only $240,999.99! ---------------------------------- The Roomy-Vac is a real Powerhouse! Need a last minute flight? (Get It? Oh, you don't? Well because Hang on tight and it's the size of a.. Oh you were you'll be there tonight! kidding? You do get it? DEDEDE AIRLINES Pretty good huh? No?) ----------------------------(\/) (;,,;) (\/)----------------------------- (((_.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._))) ))~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(( (( > < )) )) EDITOR: Grizzly Adam (( (( > ASSISTANT EDITOR: Jon Mullin < )) )) PUBLISHER: Grizzly Adam (( (( > PUBLISHER: Grizzly Adam < )) )) (( (( > WRITERS < )) )) --------- (( (( > Grizzly Adam < )) )) BlueMSX (( (( > Jon Mullin < )) )) (( (( > < )) )) http://dosanddonts.mywebcommunity.org (( (( > < )) ))...............................................................(( (( > SHARE ME! PUT ME ON YOUR SERVER, SEND ME TO YOUR FRIENDS! < )) ))...............................................................(( (((`-._.-'`-._.--._.-'`-._.--._.-'`-._.--._.-'`-._.--._.-'`-._.-)))