Why are motors so rare in pinballs?

Talk about anything that you would like.
Post Reply
User avatar
cap
MAACA Mega Contributor
Posts: 1215
Joined: Wed Apr 05, 2017 8:19 pm
Location: Laval
Been liked: 30 times

Why are motors so rare in pinballs?

Post by cap »

I have 5 machines with over 100 coils in them but only 3 motors total.
Granted, I don't expect a motor to drive a slingshot,
but even if the coils remain the majority, why don't we see more motors with cool effects?
Judge Dredd, Road Show, Last Action Hero, Rocky & Bullwinkle, Stargate, F14 Tomcat

User avatar
HPR Pinball
MAACA OG
Posts: 7936
Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2010 4:53 pm
Location: St-Rose, Laval
Has liked: 15 times
Been liked: 114 times

Re: Why are motors so rare in pinballs?

Post by HPR Pinball »

cap wrote:I have 5 machines with over 100 coils in them but only 3 motors total.
Granted, I don't expect a motor to drive a slingshot,
but even if the coils remain the majority, why don't we see more motors with cool effects?
I assume a motor is more complex to drive and they cannot be use for fast action
The video game i want to play is always the one i don't have :FP:
Les arcades, j'suis tombé d'dans quand j'tait pti !! :-)

User avatar
cait001
MAACA Mega Contributor
Posts: 4900
Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2012 3:42 pm
Location: Centretown, Ottawa, ON
Has liked: 481 times
Been liked: 225 times

Re: Why are motors so rare in pinballs?

Post by cait001 »

sell your solid state games and go for EMs! A motor in every machine.
backglasses wanted: Star-Jet, Fairy, Star Trek (1971 Gottlieb)
marquees wanted: Roller Aces, Quiz Dragon, Strider, Varkon, Dark Planet, R-Type (w/ship), Quantum, Ninja (Sega)
blog -- collection -- want list -- Pinball Women Ottawa -- Ottawa Pinball Map -- ratings

User avatar
cap
MAACA Mega Contributor
Posts: 1215
Joined: Wed Apr 05, 2017 8:19 pm
Location: Laval
Been liked: 30 times

Re: Why are motors so rare in pinballs?

Post by cap »

cait001 wrote:sell your solid state games and go for EMs! A motor in every machine.
Ha ha, but that would still be at most one per game.
I guess the magic squares in a bingo machines are motors, so that would be the machine with the most motors I can think of.
Judge Dredd, Road Show, Last Action Hero, Rocky & Bullwinkle, Stargate, F14 Tomcat

User avatar
cap
MAACA Mega Contributor
Posts: 1215
Joined: Wed Apr 05, 2017 8:19 pm
Location: Laval
Been liked: 30 times

Re: Why are motors so rare in pinballs?

Post by cap »

HPR Pinball wrote:I assume a motor is more complex to drive and they cannot be use for fast action
I don't see the issue with fast action. Sure motors suck for flippers, but you can get pretty cool effects with motors elsewhere.
Maybe someone with more electronic background can tell us how difficult it is to drive a motor compared to an actuator?
Judge Dredd, Road Show, Last Action Hero, Rocky & Bullwinkle, Stargate, F14 Tomcat

Dave Astill
MAACA Super Contributor
Posts: 520
Joined: Fri Sep 17, 2010 9:15 am
Location: Collingwood , On
Been liked: 14 times
Contact:

Re: Why are motors so rare in pinballs?

Post by Dave Astill »

they break a lot and are expensive.
Providing hard to find pinball i.c.s. eprom service and more

User avatar
DrSmooth
MAACA Valued Contributor
Posts: 133
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2014 7:12 pm
Location: Ottawa
Has liked: 1 time
Been liked: 7 times

Re: Why are motors so rare in pinballs?

Post by DrSmooth »

From my experience,
If not continually spinning, they are slow to react. They are not instant. They need to build up speed like you car. The electronics aren't that complicated, but if they get dirty or wear, it will certainly affect the speed and momentum.
The history of it in pinball ( to me) seems like the noise is a huge dealbreaker.
Certain motors are really expensive and some of the same size and complexity are not (supply and demand?). I'm not sure why that is.
Maintenance is more complex and can be dangerous, like Dr.Who.
Other than spinning wheels of doom, or black hole backgglass, what were you hoping to see?
That's my 2 cents
World Cup Soccer, Space Shuttle, D&D, Demolition Man, Revenge From Mars, Gorgar, Baywatch, Iron Man, Blackout, S-Spider-man, Black Hole, F-14
Gone: Judge Dredd, Spring Break, Elektra, Big Guns, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Hard Body, Special Force, Devil's Dare, Lizard, Dr.Who

Post Reply