HELP: LotR LE shaker installation

stevenp61

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Has anyone installed a shaker into their LotR SE? I seem to be missing one connector.

The motor is installed, and plugged into the 5-pin connector in the control board. The harness that came with the motor connects to the 7-pin connector on the board. So far, so good. There are two large connectors going into the harness--2 and 3 pins--and it appears that each actually has just one pin used. OK.

There is one wired connector that fits the 2-pin, and it's in the bundle running under the flipper button. BUT: I can't find a 3-pin connector that should have a wire coming from the back of the machine. There is a smaller-sized 3-pin connector in that wire bundle, with 2 pins used by 2 separate wires, but the connector isn't the same at all. It looks like the missing wire/connector should be a brown wire coming from the rear of the pin (according to the shaker instructions for wiring if it's not pre-wired).

I closed up the machine for the night, but I can post back tomorrow with all wire colors if that helps. Right now I have found just one of the two wires/connectors that plug into the harness which then plugs into the 7-pin connector in the right of the controller board.

Any ideas on where to look for the missing shaker wire? Thx!
 
I almost got the funds for one but what REAL advantages the LE has over the original besides the shaker unit and the gold trim?
 
Why not? :confused:



Yup, already did just that. Figured I'd solicit the expertise from both places!


#1. Not many pinball people on here
#2. How many people actually have $4500+ to drop on a game?

KLOV is not the place to find a lot of pinball people unfortunately.
 
I almost got the funds for one but what REAL advantages the LE has over the original besides the shaker unit and the gold trim?

Advantages depend on whether you like what is in the LE or not.

1. Gold trim
2. Extra clearcoat on the playfield (this is debateable)
3. Mirrored real backglass with gold accents
4. Signed playfield by Gary Stern
5. A few software differences to take advantage of a shaker motor

What you are missing are all of the figures. Personally I would stick with a HUO LOTR and save yourself a lot of money. You can update the code yourself to what is on the LE from what I understand.

Now if LOTR is a game you always wanted to have NIB I would seriously consider buying the LE.
 
I saw and played an LE a few days ago and was really nice. I had one preordered but backed out when the price went up the final time. George Gomez signed it too, and his autograph looks great on there. You also have a plaque on the head, just below the backglass stating that it was a limited edition machine.

Personally I'd get a HUO or a routed machine that would clean up well. I did that and I was also able to afford an Indiana Jones (WMS) for a little less than the LE would have been. So yeah...LOTR that I had to clean up plus a very nice IJ for less than just the LE...I think I made the right choice for me.
 
Advantages depend on whether you like what is in the LE or not.

1. Gold trim
2. Extra clearcoat on the playfield (this is debateable)
3. Mirrored real backglass with gold accents
4. Signed playfield by Gary Stern
5. A few software differences to take advantage of a shaker motor

What you are missing are all of the figures. Personally I would stick with a HUO LOTR and save yourself a lot of money. You can update the code yourself to what is on the LE from what I understand.

Now if LOTR is a game you always wanted to have NIB I would seriously consider buying the LE.

This last one is the real reason. Considered buying a LotR NIB several years ago, but passed. Decided not to miss this one! For $100 I got a huge collection of the LotR figures, and plan to do my own layout with them. I have 2 other NIB pins, and both still look and play like brand-new. That new-pinball smell is great! You don't get that with someone else's HUO machine. (Besides, I only have room for 1 pin--really!--and I plan on taking good care of it. The last pin I bought was about 12 years ago, so my annual outlay is pretty low. ;) If I move out of the city, I would consider better deals on used pins.)

P.S. Got the shaker hooked up. The wire was wrapped with a bundle near the back of the pin. The shaker works great with the different modes. Worth an upgrade if the ROM replacement of the older LotRs will work with it.
 
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This last one is the real reason. Considered buying a LotR NIB several years ago, but passed. Decided not to miss this one! For $100 I got a huge collection of the LotR figures, and plan to do my own layout with them. I have 2 other NIB pins, and both still look and play like brand-new. That new-pinball smell is great! You don't get that with someone else's HUO machine. (Besides, I only have room for 1 pin--really!--and I plan on taking good care of it. The last pin I bought was about 12 years ago, so my annual outlay is pretty low. ;) If I move out of the city, I would consider better deals on used pins.)

P.S. Got the shaker hooked up. The wire was wrapped with a bundle near the back of the pin. The shaker works great with the different modes. Worth an upgrade if the ROM replacement of the older LotRs will work with it.

Awesome on the shaker install! I bet LOTR is a lot of fun with it installed.

I want a LOTR someday. Medieval Madness comes first though :)
 
To be honest I'm not big in putting all the toys on the machine. I'll do led's and scoop protectors but that's about it! So the latest rom revision is just for the shaker motor then or the rules? One other question is what rom version has the cave troll sequence?
 
The new ROM version (10.0.02?) has the cave troll. Not sure about any rule differences. The pre-set configs ("Installs") are kind of lame. For example, the "Home" one doesn't even set to free play, and has matching for free games. WTF? I wound up setting every mode to moderate, mb memories on, and free play with an EB at 25M (so it's kind of a 4-ball game).

Also, LotR has a lot of plain clear plastics around the pf (like small platforms) and a couple of 'searchlights' etc. So it really does ask for figurines to be installed!
 
I bought a HUO LOTR last January. Honestly for the money I would probably do it again. There isn't enough on the LE to warrant the extra money to me. I do like the gold trim and from what I have seen of the back glass when back lit I do like it. The shaker motor would be awesome too, but not 1k - 1.5k awesome, haha. If I had not bought it though I may have bought a LE. I love my LOTR and please don't think I am trying to piss in your Wheaties or anything. I was bummed that I got into pins to late to buy one NIB as well, but I ended up with a nice one in the end.

Let us know how the shaker motor is and what all it does. I really like mine on my SM and wish I could put it in my LOTR, :(.
 
To be honest I'm not big in putting all the toys on the machine. I'll do led's and scoop protectors but that's about it! So the latest rom revision is just for the shaker motor then or the rules? One other question is what rom version has the cave troll sequence?

My machine is running 9.0 and it has it. You have to set it in the setting though, or it will go directly into bashing the Balrog and trying to get the Fellowship across the bridge. I would consider going to 10.0 but there is no rule changes or anything like that so I don't see the point. To bad it's not like the SAM system updates where you just pop in a USB and bam your updated.
 
Yup-you have to set the troll cave to 'yes' in the options. As for the shaker, it gives a small bump for certain things, a good vibration when Balrog is bashed. I'm still mostly testing things (to straighten out a few minor glitches) and not playing full games. I'll report back later when I've put in some play time. But yeah, I think a well-done shaker is a plus in a game, and this one qualifies.
 
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