Mattel
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1 Introduction
Mattel Electronics manufactured one model of electronic home model pinball machine. Mattel no longer has any manuals, information, or parts for this machine.
2 Games
- Las Vegas, 1977, 4 players
3 Technical Info
Mattel issued two manuals for "Las Vegas" pinball, an owner's manual and a service/parts manual. The Owner's Manual is part number 2442-0920. The Service Manual is part number 0007-2880.
Owner's Manual is available to download here: http://mattelhomepin.blogspot.com/p/users-manual.html
A better copy in pdf form is here:
Mattel Las Vegas Owner's Manual
The Service Manual is here:
Mattel Las Vegas Service/Parts Manual
Complete schematic on 11 x 17 page
Las Vegas pinball machine is covered by the now expired patents number 4162793 (game computer board) and 4203602 (metal ball used as a switch between two "hot" contacts).
4 Problems and Solutions
4.1 Power Problems
This is a stub. Information coming soon.
4.2 Solenoid Problems
All solenoid driver transistors are "pre-driven" by integrated circuit IC8 (type LM3900).
Transistor Q6 (type SE9400) drives pop bumper #1 coil. It is pre-driven by IC 8 pin 5.
Transistor Q7 (type SE9400) drives pop bumper #2 coil. It is pre-driven by IC8 pin 4.
Transistor Q8 (type SE9400) drives the slingshot coil. It is pre-driven by IC8 pin 10.
Suitable replacement transistors for the SE9400 are: TIP145, TIP107, 2N6040, 2N6042, NTE264.
4.3 Lamp Problems
General Illumination circuit for the backbox are through connector C9 on the black and yellow wires. General Illumination for the playfield circuit is through connector C9 on the red and brown wires.
Switched illumination is through connectors C3 and C5.
All lamps are # 1892 or # 1813 which are 12 volts.
4.4 Switch Problems
The original "ball and chain" tilt assembly is very flimsy and not very good. It is suggested to replace it with a Williams # A-15361 Tilt Assembly for much better operation since it uses standardized parts.
You can also use these Marco Specialties parts along with two 6-32 wing nuts to make a complete tilt assembly:
(1) # 04-10346 and (1) # 20-6502-A
The standup switches look like bent up paper clips just like the switches on Sentinel/Wonder Wizard home pinball machines. These switches must be kept clean and shiny to work properly. The circled area is the switch. The playfield switch circuits go through connectors C1 and C4.
4.5 Display Problems
This is a stub. Information coming soon.
4.6 Sound Problems
This is a stub. Information coming soon.
4.7 Flipper Problems
Some Las Vegas pinball machines came with an alternate flipper coil assembly which consisted of a Dormeyer 1/2" stack laminated 24 volt AC solenoid. Dormeyer part number 1504-M-1. It has a coil resistance of 2.3 ohms and can draw up to 9 amps current. Even though this solenoid is designed for 24 volts AC operation, this machine operates it on 24 to 30 volts (approximate) DC.
Regardless of which flipper unit assembly was installed in your machine, one solenoid operates two flippers via a connecting rod/linkage.
4.8 Pop Bumper Problems
Each of the above the playfield pop bumper parts are the same as the Sentinel/Wonder Wizard home pinball machines. There is a metal ring glued to the playfield that is one contact of the pop bumper switch circuit. The metal rod & ring of the pop bumper is the other contact of the pop bumper switch circuit. The metal pinball touches the playfield metal ring and then makes contact with the metal rod & ring assembly which completes the circuit to both activate the coil and to score points. This design relies on the contact surfaces to be clean and shiny to make proper contact to trigger the pop bumper.
4.9 Slingshot Problems
This is a stub. Information coming soon.