Converting US pins to Australian voltag

[dendoc]

How easy is it to convert a US pin import over to 240V aust? Is it worth the expense of directly importing 1 title that I want?

[Pop Bumper Pete]

What game?

[swinks]

there is a guy on the Central Coast between Newcastle and Sydney that charges a flat rate for shipping and import duties ect at $500 per pin under $5k.

as for power, not sure maybe someone experienced can chime in but will be different from brand to brand, but worst case you can get a step up transformer (??? or is it a step down) reducer from Jaycar to allow the 110 to 240v conversion but are around $100 - make sure you check the amp rating and get a appropriate transformer.

[Strangeways]

What game?

+1

EM - If it is a export version, them there is usually a jumper. The plug needs to be replaced.
SS - Usually a jumper on a connector and the Varistor on the input side of the EMF filter. The plug needs to be replaced.
DMD - Various methods including jumpers, varistors etc

If any of the above work is undertaken, then it is a good idea to have a ground test conducted (Tag and Test).

What you can do is avoid all of the above and buy a Step down transformer for less than $100 !

[MartyJ]

Keep in mind if it's a later model Stern they have the Hz detection circuit to prevent it running on our power.  An add on board is available though

[Homepin]

All of the above advice is correct PLUS if it is a newer Stern you will need to buy the frequency convertor as they are locked to the operating Hz of the country they were intended to sell in (50/60Hz).

[dendoc]

Its a Family Guy as no one in Australia seems to want to part with theirs.

Thanks for the advice. I've contacted the central coast guy in the past re his poker machines, I might speak to him about this, and then call on Beaky to see if he's cool with the conversion.

My TSPP needs another rival cartoon for company.

[Pintoxicated]

There was a thread recently that Retropin did I think that highlighted very cheap step down transformers on ebay for about $20-30. 

[Ant68]

If you need a 60-50hz conversion board I have a few .I think FG may need one .

[Retropin]

Just as an extra note on this thread... is the reason why you need a 60-50hz convertor for STERN games because they take the CPU clock from the AC freq?

[Homepin]

Just as an extra note on this thread... is the reason why you need a 60-50hz convertor for STERN games because they take the CPU clock from the AC freq?

Yes, but they do it on purpose to prevent games destined for certain countries being sold to others.

You can buy an add-on PCB to get around it

Pretty stupid on Sterns part to do this IMO.

[Ant68]

Just as an extra note on this thread... is the reason why you need a 60-50hz convertor for STERN games because they take the CPU clock from the AC freq?

Yes, but they do it on purpose to prevent games destined for certain countries being sold to others.

You can buy an add-on PCB to get around it

Pretty stupid on Sterns part to do this IMO.

+ 1 to that !

[Zarnet]

Definitely need more Family Guys in the country.  I've been using a $25 step-down transformer for the wife's robot vacuum cleaner for over 12 months with no problems.

[beaky]

The conversion from 110 to 240v is simple with a few jumpers but you will need a small pc board fitted to the cpu board for the 60 to 50hz

[pinsanity]

Pretty stupid on Sterns part to do this IMO.

Even though ROHS was the "official" version for Europe at least, I would say at least part of it would have been at the instigation of the authorised distributors (particularly when our dollar began to surge).

There was a similar occurrence back in the '80s with the Williams Aus distro, when a container mix of brand new and used Williams pins arrived on a competitor's doorstep at the same time as the official container versions were still in transit to the authorised Williams distributor in Australia at the time.

It went all the way to the High Court on the basis of copyright infringement and enforcement of exclusivity of licence agreement from memory?

If I could find the damn case name I could provide some more details....

EDITED just in time:

Avel v Multicoin

http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sinodisp/au/cases/cth/HCA/1990/58.html?stem=0&synonyms=0&query=pinball