STERN releases Wi Fi & NEW Boardset for 2015 called SPIKETM

[Caveoftreasures]

Photo added and Trending on Sterns Facebook page and their normal www.sternpinballl.com
website is the announcement of their new Wi Fi 2015 Boardset.
The pictures showed it in a TWDead test game and the new Wrestlemania game. Everything looks wired via Cat 5 cables under the playfield. Gone are the days of 2 kilometres of playfield wiring.
Will this new technology make everyone else redesign their games ?

Now every one else will have to match the Wi Fi code updates etc to keep up.
Stay tuned for more members to add more stuff from the websites.

[Caveoftreasures]

Update - yes, the new wrestling pinny has the new system board and new hardware underneath the hood.
A lot of new hardware.

Movies on YouTube and Facebook of the new WrestleMania pinball and the new board and new hardware.

Playfield lighting looks dam good. Really colourful lighting and playfield colours.

[4_amusement_only]

http://www.theverge.com/2015/1/5/7492891/wrestlemania-pinball-machine-stern-linux

[Caveoftreasures]

Well done. I couldn't link the movie whilst driving. Dumb I.phone. Lol

Only a short movie but still good. Tiny board.
Can't see any strings of Leds in the backbox on Sterns only photo of the new board in the backbox unless I am missing it ?

Also in the same photo above, the playfield is upside down because the ball trough is at the top and not the bottom....

[Homepin]

Looks like it is a custom board running an embedded controller with Linux as the OS?

Time will reveal more but FAR more promising than using a cheap $50 PC part that's for sure.

I'm not sure I would call ANYTHING electronic "Spike" however, asking for trouble ,  LOL

......Brett, STOP playing with your phone while driving, it's dangerous AND against the law!!!

[Caveoftreasures]

Mike, I was playing with my phone instead of the Gal I was dropping home. Lol
Only kidding.  

When someone copies Sterns entire press release, we can study what it all means.
It sounds like a computer in the last half of the release but not in the first half.
I don't know what it is yet. Lol

I am dying to fly down to AMD and look under the playfield and behind the translite.
People on USA Facebook seem to be loving it. ? ! ! In the next few days someone will work out exactly what it is.

Yes, SPIKE is a funny name for something electrical. Spiked usually relates to blown up. Lol
Maybe the name is meant to SPIKE our interest ! Plus My drink got spiked etc. Weird name.
Personally, I would have called it SMART. Or STERNSMART
How about a new PLAYBOY pinny from Stern.
I am sure the American Church system would love a Playboy pinny next to a The Walking Dead pinball on every Sunday.
Wrestling now seems very acceptable. Lol

[Freiherr]

Maybe an acronym for
Stern Pinball Industries Knowledge Expo or something.
Cavey, watch those mobiles, they cost you points.
The bird distaction pleases you and gives you points. BIG difference!

[GORGAR 1]

Looking good so far :)

[Caveoftreasures]

Maybe an acronym for
Stern Pinball Industries Knowledge Expo or something.
Cavey, watch those mobiles, they cost you points.
The bird distaction pleases you and gives you points. BIG difference!

 

[Retropin]

At last... a 48 in1 board in a pinball machine   

[oldskool1969]

Glad that they are stepping it up and having WiFi so you can hopefully do things like updates, on line tournaments etc etc.
Don't know what Linux and motherboards are but lets hope they are more reliable. Their salesman was saying in an interview that this new board set has built in protection, but what?
Glad I kept all my telco tools as I might be able to fix these in years to come 
Pinball moving forward and doing what it does best, pleasing the punters.

[Caveoftreasures]

Sterns labour cost just halved with little wires only to solder and cat 5 cables to simply plug in.
Easy easy easy.
Now things will get exciting.

And three times the floor space at the new factory to run 3 production lines at once if required.
Pump up the volume and manufacturing costs and time per machine reduced significantly. Excellent.

Will Vault editions switch to this system.
Can Star Trek n Mustang n ACDC etc etc go to the new technology ? Will Future TWDead orders go new tech SPIKE TM ?
Email time to Borgy.

[delarge]

Sterns labour cost just halved with little wires only to solder and cat 5 cables to simply plug in.
Easy easy easy.
Now things will get exciting.

And three times the floor space at the new factory to run 3 production lines at once if required.
Pump up the volume and manufacturing costs and time per machine reduced significantly. Excellent.

Will Vault editions switch to this system.
Can Star Trek n Mustang n ACDC etc etc go to the new technology ? Will Future TWDead orders go new tech SPIKE TM ?
Email time to Borgy.

Yes, I was wondering if SPIKE emulates Whitestar and SAM, so the possibility of making VE games of titles such as Lord of the Rings and The Simpsons Pinball Party much easier?

[robm]

I have posted this before, but this system has been around for a while - here is a pic of an ACDC i had a look at around 18 months ago, so yes, the systems are doable, however would require a completely new wiring loom and under playfield boardset and lighting system.

[beaky]

and look at the flipper coils, 2 windings  not a single winding