Pinnovators CG-MAC User manual

1
Installation Manual
for
CG-MAC for Chicago
Gaming Pinball
Machines
Version 1.3 PRELIMINARY January 27, 2021
Contents
Warnings and Agreements ................................ 2
1. What’s included in the Kit.......................... 3
2. Requirements ............................................ 4
3. Preparation ................................................ 4
4. Mac-Control Board Installation ................. 5
5. Front Door Interface Cable ........................ 8
6. Interface switch assembly installation: ... 10
7. Mech-MAC switch installation ................. 11
8. PB-MAC Button and PinPAC MAC
Headphone Kit Installation .............................. 13
9. ROT-MAC Button and PinPAC ROTO-MAC
Headphone Kit Installation .............................. 14
10. Final Checkout ..................................... 15
11. Closing Statements .............................. 16

2
Warnings and Agreements
Welcome! The PinPAC Pinball Personal Audio Controller has been designed for simplicity of installation! As with
any pinball machine modification and add on kit there is a required level of expertise for the installation. If you are
not proficient in basic pinball parts installation we recommend having our kit installed by someone who is
proficient with the basics of pinball repair. Pinnovators requires our kit be installed by an experienced pinball
service technician with basic electrical skills. As with any electrical piece of equipment a danger does exist and you
must agree to not hold Pinnovators responsible for any injury, damages, etc. before continuing.
Sound Levels: Pinnovators recommends running your headphone sound level at a safe level to prevent long term
hearing loss. For a good example of recommend sound levels, we recommend following suggestions given by
major audio equipment manufacturers such as Apple and their ipod.
phys.org/news80304823.html
www.macworld.com/article/1060274/hearingprotection.html
ESD: We recommend always discharging the headphone cable by touching it to an exposed metal part of the
pinball machine before plugging it into the machine.
Power Cord: ALWAYS UNPLUG THE POWER CORD for safety when working on your pinball machine!
Playfield Propping: Pinnovators highly advises following playfield propping instruction for your pinball machine.
These instructions are typically found inside the Operators Manual for each machine. Failure to follow these
instructions can cause fatal injuries or even death. Pinnovators also recommends having an assistant hold a
propped playfield in the up position when servicing under the playfield.

3
1. What’s included in the Kit
Door Types:
https://pinnovato
rs.myshopify.com
/pages/coin-
door-type
M
ech
-
MAC Kit
R
oto
-
MAC Kit
PB
-
MAC Kit
PinPAC
-
MAC
Headphone Kit
(Your MAC
headphone kit
will have these
parts.)
PinPAC
-
R
oto
-
MAC
Headphone Kit
(Your MAC
headphone kit
will have these
parts.)
Front panel
interface for
machines
with “A,B,or
C” doors.
Front panel
interface
machines
with “H”
doors
Cables
2 foot,
3-pin cable
2 foot,
4-pin cable
2 foot,
3-pin cable
2 foot,
3-pin cable
2 foot,
4-pin cable
CG
-
MAC
control
board
Hardware
Kit: #6, 1
inch screws

4
2. Requirements
A. The Pinnovators CG-MAC for Chicago Gaming systems requires a Universal Validator Door slot on the
machine’s coin door. Chicago Gaming used two types of coin doors. The “A”, “B”, “C” type and the “H” door.
If your door does not have the DBA plate BUT you have TWO coin reject buttons, you can still get the MAC
feature using the Pinnovators MECH-MAC kit.
B.
3. Preparation
Unplug the pinball machine!
Using a helper, remove the playfield glass and lift up the playfield.

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4. Mac-Control Board Installation
There are two similar looking MAC controller boards so make sure you have the one with the single
large capacitor loaded and the two 13 pin male connectors loaded as shown below. The other version
has two large caps loaded and is for Williams/Bally legacy games.
Locate the coin door cable as shown below. Unplug the coin door cable from the male-to-male adapter.

6
Plug the top cable into the outer connector as shown. This connector is not keyed so be extremely
careful not to misalign it as you insert it!
Plug the lower coin door cable into the remaining connector header on the MAC-controller.

7
Insert one of the included screws into the mounting hole shown below. Hand thread the screw into the
standoff until the screw begins to protrude out the other end of the standoff.
Line up the MAC-controller as shown and then fasten the board to the cabinet. DO NOT overtighten the
screw! The screw will not penetrate the outside of the cabinet. Make sure you use the proper
screwdriver, so it grips the screw well. Pinnovators will repair your board for free if you slip and damage
any components.
Insert the two remaining screws in the other standoffs and fasten them.

8
5. Front Door Interface Cable
Locate the front door interlock switch as shown below. This is the switch that signals the computer that
the front door is open.
Remove the white wire with the brown stripe from the switch.

9
Route the MAC-controller front door switch cable through the cable clamp as shown and then connect as follows:
 White push-on terminal to the original terminal on the interlock switch.
 Red male terminal to the red female terminal that used to be on the interlock switch.
Close up view.

10
6. Interface switch assembly installation:
Insert the 2-foot 3 pin included cable into the connector as shown below for Mech-MAC, and PB-MAC
kits.
The Roto-MAC kits will use the 4 conductor cable and the wire colors are different. Route that cable the
same way as shown below except plug it into the 4-pin connector on the MAC-controller board.
Route the cable to the coin door as shown.

11
7. Mech-MAC Switch Installation
We will use pictures from Terminator 2 for this section. The install is the same for a Chicago Gaming
system.
Overview: The coin door needs to have two coin chutes with two coin mechanisms installed in order for
this kit to be installed. The “down” switch assembly will be mounted on the left coin mech (left as
viewed when looking at the outside of the coin door). The “up” switch assembly will be mounted to the
right coin mech.
Make sure the plastic area on the coin chute is free of dirt and dust.
Push down on the coin mechanism until it is fully seated.
Test fit the “down” switch assembly so that the lever of the switch makes contact with the lever of the
coin mech. The switch should be activated when the coin mech lever is not pressed. When the coin
reject button is pressed, the lever of the coin mech will be pressed in a downward motion. The switch
on the “down” assembly switch board needs to be deactivated when the coin mech lever is down.
Verify the switch reactivates when the coin reject button is released.
Once proper operation is verified, remove the adhesive backing on the switch assembly and mount it in
place.

12
Mount the “up” switch assembly on the right coin mechanism.
Route the wire from the MAC-controller to the “down” switch assembly as shown.
Route the cable to the “up” switch assembly across the top of the right coin mech.
T2 version Monster Bash Remake version

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8. PB-MAC Button and PinPAC MAC Headphone Kit Installation
PB-MAC Plate Installation:
Remove the 4 nuts that hold the DBA plate onto the coin door. Remove the DBA plate and install your
new Pinnovators DBA plate with PB-MAC control. Reinstall the nuts and spacers.
Install the 3-pin cable into the connector on the DBA plate.
PinPAC-MAC:
Your PinPAC manual will instruct you how to install the PinPAC DBA plate. Install the 3-pin cable into the
connector on the DBA plate.

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9. Roto-MAC Button and PinPAC Roto-MAC Headphone Kit Installation
Roto-MAC:
Remove the 4 nuts that hold the DBA plate onto the coin door. Remove the DBA plate and install your
new Pinnovators DBA plate with MAC control. Reinstall the nuts and spacers. Install the 4-pin cable into
the connector on the DBA plate.
PinPAC-MAC:
Your PinPAC manual will instruct you how to install the PinPAC DBA plate. Install the 4 pin cable into the
connector on the DBA plate.

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10. Final Checkout
Power up your game!
While the game is booting up, verify the power LED is lit on the Pinnovators MAC controller board.
For Mech-MAC and PB-MAC and PinPAC MAC:
Push the MAC Down and verify the Down LED lights up.
Push the MAC Up button and verify the Up LED lights up.
For Roto-MAC and PinPAC Roto-MAC:
Rotate the knob either direction and verify both LEDs blink.
All kits: With the coin door open, verify the system volume adjusts when you push the MAC buttons or
rotate the MAC knob.
Reassemble your system and close the coin door. Repeat the volume adjust test but this time verify that
the system makes a “Ding” sound and then moves the volume setting. The “Ding” sound is the sound
the game makes when the coin door is opened.

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11. Closing Statements
We appreciate your business!
Thank you for purchasing our products. We try our best to make pinball products that we find useful and
sell them for a fair price. We keep our eyes open for useful pinball product ideas we are pinball people
too!
Warranty and repairs:
Pinnovators will stand behind everything we sell. If our product ever fails, contact us and we will make it
right! (even if you didn’t make the original purchase or you break our product)
Contact Us:
Please contact us with any idea or suggestions for making our products better!
We can be reached at: [e-mail]
Thanks,
The Pinnovators team.