Lol, nice! It depends on what you mean by "owning a bowling center," but it looks like there are at least two of us into this :D

I bought a really old fully mechanical (and automated!) mini bowling lane. It works without a CPU, except for the score display, which originally used a 1970 Intel D8749H (MCS-48)!

Just like yours, the only thing that turns this machine on is a single relay :D On my model, I also get feedback on the pin status and a "ball received" signal, so I can trigger the scoring.

I dumped the firmware and replaced the display PCB with a more recent DIY PCB with an Arduino that speaks a modern, documented protocol. It's now compatible with ScoreMore software, and I can do a lot more with it.

Here are some pictures and more info on the Bowltech forum (you should post your stuff here too!):

* https://www.bowltech.com/forum/small-scale-bowling/small-sca...

@vik8 on discord if you need :)

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section33 a day ago | parent | next [-]

I love it! I actually looked at integrating with scoremore myself, but once I crossed into hardware world, I still couldn't get over how much fouling alone cost. $750 / unit and they're -ancient-.

Definitely will post on bowl-tech as well. I'm just new enough to have a lot of that new-guy anxiety around posting OpenLaneLink there yknow? Those guys know -everything- about this stuff.

	▲	vikbez a day ago \| parent \| next [-]
		Well, it's because those guys knows everything that they'll notice the little things you might have missed :) Have fun first !
	▲	bumby 16 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		Is the fouling functionality more complicated than one would assume? From a naive perspective, it seems like it would just be a simple photo-eye sensor

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cgyvbunji a day ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Can you explain the significance of the single relay? My car starts with a single solenoid.

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vikbez a day ago | parent | next [-]

The pinsetter is either "on" or "off", there are no other states to manage. Once it's on, it runs indefinitely: it sets the pins, clears the alley, resets the remaining pins, and repeats the cycle, all without any external control.

On mine, I do have some "feedback info" on which pins are down + a signal to "when" to score points, but this is optional as you can also write your score manually if you have no scoring computer system.

	▲	hinkley a day ago \| parent [-]
		When I was in a junior league we were at a relatively recent vintage alley and once in a while it would glitch and reset the pins twice in a row. I bet the relay stayed closed too long.

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devilbunny a day ago | parent | prev | next [-]

That one relay is the only connection between the pinsetting machine and the scoring system.

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lelanthran 21 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

> Can you explain the significance of the single relay? My car starts with a single solenoid.

Your car also starts with a single relay... that drives a solenoid and a motor.

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taneq a day ago | parent | prev [-]

Yeah this $100k system with all its expensive add ons is there to push a single button.

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manwe150 a day ago | parent | next [-]

But at least now I know why the lane near me just has a physical button next to each lane (and manual scorecards)

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eru a day ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Well, and to display your score.

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tanseydavid a day ago | parent | prev [-]

This is an AI app from the 1950s! Developed by Rube Goldberg who fully intended to vibe code the scoring part later. </sarc>

	▲	tanseydavid 4 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Point of clarity: my </sarc> remark was not in reference to the original post and project (which I love!). It was in reference to this comment (which I should have pasted): > Yeah this $100k system with all its expensive add ons is there to push a single button

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tclancy a day ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I’m just going to say I am going to find a way to be the third person in your bookclub. This is so cool!

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tecleandor 16 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Hah! I remember playing a couple times in one of those Alf Minibowling machines in Madrid in the early/mid nineties... It's a string machine, isn't it?

Kind of funny that factory is in a small town next to Zaragoza...