Scorbitron Operation Manual
Last updated
Last updated
The Scorbitron is the device required to connected your pinball machine to the Scorbit platform. It is a multi-function device, designed for a number of different simultaneous features. The Scorbitron is installed in the backbox of a pinball machine, taking power from the internal power bus of the machine. Each of the following labels are explained in greater detail below.
4 pin .156" capable of supporting 12VDC or 5VDC. From left to right:
Pin 2
+12VDC
Pin 3
GND
Pin 4
+5VDC
The left side of the board has eight status LEDs designed for support information and diagnosing power issues. Generally they can be ignored in everday operation. Going from the top of the board to the bottom:
LED 1
5VDC input
* NOTE: Will light if 12VDC connected to 5VDC pin
LED 3
5V rail
Green = good
LED 4
3.3V rail
Green = good
LED 2
2.5V rail
Green = good
LED 5
1.8 V rail
Green = good
LED 8
USB High Speed Upstream Port Indicator
Asserted: HS Negated: FS
LED 9
USB Active / Suspend Status
Asserted: Configured Negated: Not configured
The CPU Power Light will always be green if power is supplied to the main CPU board.
The four USB C Data Ports, labeled A, B, C, and D (left to right), exist for either probe or USB serial use. Note: probes can only be used in ports A or B, and USB serial devices can only be used in C or D. Please consult with the Installation Guide and Game Connection Guide specific to your machine to know which is appropriate. While the ports all use the USB C form factor, the connection protocol to the probes via ports A and B is proprietary and can not be used with USB components at this time.
The pairing reset button is a multi-function button that should only be pressed when instructed by the app or tech support. The button has the following functions:
5-10 Second Press
Support Mode. Used for diagnostics with tech support.
> 10 Second Press
Reset to defaults.
On the lower front of the Scorbitron there are two LED status indicator lights designed to provide real-time status of the state of the Scorbitron. This is useful for understanding the current configuration, network status, game status and troubleshooting.
The following are the definitions of the various LED colors. These will be referred to in greater detail in the Scorbitron Operation Manual as well as any troubleshooting guides.
The Scorbitron is a connected 802.11n WiFi device with both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz radios. It is designed to be mounted in the backbox. Connections are either power via the power input conector or data via the data ports. Data ports are automatically configured based on the machine you are installing.
Power is generally provided via 12VDC or 5VDC. The device has been tested in all known electronic pinball machine power systems, though does put some additional load on the machine's power bus. In general, the Scorbitrion pulls between .25 and .5 amps in active state, depending on the configuration.
We strongly recommend using the provided power solution. Scorbit power adapters have been designed not only to take power from the existing power bus, but also to protect the machine from damage. In certain cases, particularly older Bally and Stern solid states, the power adapters also deliver the 0v ground references to the Scorbitron. Please refer to your specific power installation guide for your machine for additional details on the power adapters.
Game connections are either provided from displays, CPUs, or serially via USB. There needs to be at least one (but not necessarily limited to one) game data source for your machine to function properly with a Scorbitron.
For display-based game connections, the provided Scorbit Probe sits in between the game controller board and the game display. The probe is an active component and is driving the display. Therefore, if the probe is disconnected or fails, the display will not function. The benefit of this is the ability to change what is on the display as well as provide a cleaner signal for marginal systems.
For CPU-based game connections, the provided Scorbit Probe sits between or above the game's CPU chip. The probe is a passive component in this configuration, so if the probe is disconnected or fails, the machine will continue to function. The benefit of this is speed of the data and ability to access non-game specific information.
For serial-based game connections, all that is required is a special null USB serial cable provided with the Scorbitron to connect to the game's CPU. Examples of this are Spooky, American, and Stern Spike 2 machines. The features of the connection are limited by the machine in question. The game will continue to function in this mode if the cable is disconnected or the Scorbitron malfunctions.
The Scorbitron is a 802.11n WiFI device capable of operating at 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz. The network is configured through the Scorbit app pairing function and installation procedure, which uses a proprietary network handshake to pass your WiFi credentials from the app to the device. The device can be reconfigured at any time. Refer to LED #2 Status Indicator above for details on how to know the current state of the network. If the Scorbitron is on the Operator plan, you can also view the current network and operational status of the device via the Scorbit app.
Arcades, bars, restaurants and other public locations are likely to have many different forms of interference. Basements are popular game rooms, but often are not wired as well for WiFi. As a good rule of thumb, if you phone has a bad connection, the Scorbitron is also likely to have some difficulty. That being said, the nature of Scorbitron traffic is very low bandwidth with low latency requirements, so it tends to have very robust connectivity to a properly configured network, even inside an old pinball machine.
For dense situations where there is expected to be crowds or high activity, we recommend a dedicated SSID within the same WiFi system to avoid competition. In extremely dense situations, a non-overlapping channel with a dedicated access point can also be very effective. Finally, despite lower speed, 2.4GHz can travel through walls better than 5GHz, so consider this as an alternative to higher power.
Please consult the Network Troubleshooting Guide for more details on configuration and troubleshooting of your device's network connectivity.
