Reading pins too early (w/ 8270s)

[ChrisM]

After dealing with this scoring system for a few months now and really learning how things work, I feel like on of our major flaws with our scoring right now is the pin read is too early.
Now the normal is 2.0 second delay (Read that in the manual).

Has anyone deviated from that on these machines and gotten better pin reads?

We have about 2-5 calls a night during league all because it's an early read while the pin is shaking a little or until some of the pins are falling. Especially because an 8270 cycle isn't exactly the fastest on the market!

Let me know what I should try. I'm afraid to just go changing anything since I don't wanna get bad reads because I get in bad time with sweeps or anything like that.

Let me know your opinion. Thanks!

[PinCup]

Change the value on a single pair, sync files, and see how it behaves.
You only have a set time to read before the table shades the pins and a read is not possible.
I'd advise adding .2 seconds at a time until you get constant mis-scoring. Then back it off to your last good value.


You can always change it back to stock value and re-sync the files to the VLC.


Did Steltronic Tech support have any advice?


PinCup

[Rep]

We ran 2 seconds for a while as well. Too many late falling pins. We've upped it twice since then, we went to 3 then either 3.5 or 4 seconds. No issues and far less mis-scores. We do have Brunswicks though and the scoring starts our cycle so with AMF's you may not be able to go with that long of a delay

[ChrisM]

Scoring starts our cycle too. Sends a signal to the lane computer and a relay adds continuity to two wires and starts the . Cycle. That's delayed through scoring.

Anyways, I'm going to just have to sit down one day and test

Any one else have luck at 3.0 , 3.5 or 4.0 seconds. Lmk please

[Rep]

Oh, ok. Wasn't sure if that aspect was the same. With our Brunswicks the rake will drop from ball impact and the machine will sit like that forever if the scoring doesn't trigger it. I was thinking if you set it too high it would start to see the table as it ran. 3 secs we had no issues with aside from the late falling pins as I mentioned. I'm pretty sure we bumped it up to 4 now and it's been that way for a long while now

[Guido]

Chris, have you contacted Steltronic Inc Service department?
They will help you to optimize your system.
Anyway, your chassis is the uP model with APS or the older one without APS?
On Advanced 1 tab of Pinsetter Settings, what kind of pinsetter type is selected?
Best Regards
Guido

[xiixtech]

I don’t know much about Steltronic, and I am not an AMF mechanic; however, I do have many years of experience at making scoring work on both Brunswick and AMF machines.
8270 pin setters have a built in time delay of about 3.5 to 4 seconds, but it depends on where your ball detection signal is located and how the scoring system reacts to the signal.
I would suggest raising your 2.0 second delay to at least 3 (3.5 or even 4) if at all possible. That will alleviate the scoring too early problem.

[PinCup]

The possible fall-out could be a rise in deadwood calls (if cycle is delayed). As Rep said, A2s still drop rake by ball impact, 70s wait for cycle signal. Let us know what your final good value turns out to be.



Good Luck,
PinCup

[Ted]

Both the cycle timing and scoring read can be changed. Start by making sure the distance to the camera from the pins (start distance) is correct in the settings. Standard is 396 cm or 156" from the front sensor to the center of the 7/10 line. If this is different from 156" change the start distance.
The distance for speed is the distance between the sensors so the speed and cycle timing can be most correct. If the sensors are mounted on the camera base, they should be preset to 23 cm.
The read delay is the time BETWEEN when told to cycle and take the count.
Of course, the start distance timing depends on the speed of the ball. But as others have suggested, .2 increments should improve the late falling pins.
BUT - you can ALWAYS expect some late falling pins will be miscounted. You just have to watch a league bowl to catch a few late falling and see if they misscore based on your judgement of whether or not ANY scoring system would have missed that. IE; pin finishes falling as the table casting nears it.
Only the GS has no miscounts (unless machine parts knock them over).