play ball with Elektor!

elektor electronics november 1985 play ball with Elektor! Here is a circuit that will appeal to the inveterate gamblers among our readers. It is an electronic version of the pin-ball machine, but is not so versatile as the professional machines found in amusement arcades, bars, and other public places. But then, it is also much less expensive and does not gobble up all your money. The idea for the circuit is based on a study conducted in Las Vegas, which suggests that any money won is of less importance to most players than the fact of getting a reward for his or her skill in playing the machine. 60 With reference to Fig.2, when the player presses S1, bistable N5-N6 toggles and this switches on oscillators N1 . . .N4. The resulting clock signal at pin 1 of IC1 causes this circuit to commence counting: inputs A, B, C, and D of IC2 become logic low, and this starts the ball rolling! Accompanied by flashing lights and appropriate sounds, the imaginary ball rushes about, hitting pins ...