Fooler or no Fooler???

[Pinaddicted]

Hi All

I’m just trying to be able to play games that are looking for a Top Box.  A friend has a BB2e w/emotive controller and WMS logo topper that plays all those games. He does not have a fooler board!!!

My cabinet used to be a BB2e, but someone decided to rob it of the top screen trim w/light and the emotive controller. I have those 2 pieces ordered along with a WMS logo topper. It does have the bottom light, emotive controller harness, and all the CAT5 cables though.

From what I see in pictures it looks like there are 3 connections on those toppers, I assume they are the candle, center WMS light, and outer ring of lights. (mine hasn’t been delivered yet)

The Million Dollar question is…. What parts in the BB2e is fooling the CPU into thinking it has a Top Box???  Nobody seems to be able to answer that question definitively. (in a way that I understand anyway)

The more I investigate this subject, I’m thinking maybe the USB between the emotive controller and the CPU is the magic combination, (just a guess) or does that just control the emotive lights?

I did go ahead and pay the ridiculous ($180) price for a fooler board, but I don’t have it yet.

Can someone clarify all this topper/fooler stuff for me?

Thanks!!!

Mark

[Ash100]

Hello,

I'll see if I can help you out some by answering your questions, but first, I'd like to know what game(s) you are trying to play that give you a Top Box error.

If it's Wizard of Oz, Ruby Slippers, then that one does not require a Fooler Board, but the Top Box must be disabled in the initial set up process. As the original game used both monitors and a special Light Box that surrounded the upper LCD. That's the part that's considered a Top Box.

There are other WMS games that used only a special Top Box without an additional LCD. The game was played on a single monitor (the Main lower LCD). Those games would require the use of a Fooler Board ot TSE TSE Board as they're commonly called.

The TSE TSE will have it's own CF Card that will emulate the Top Box being present for the game to function properly. It basically fools the machine into thinking that all of the required equipment is in place.

Most times, the seller of the software will inform you if that game requires a Fooler Card, and will include it in the package. Therefore you'll receive 3 CF Cards with the purchase. A Game Card, an OS Card and  a Fooler Card.

I hope this helps you out some.

The Emotive Lighting System will consist of the upper and lower Lighted Shroud Assemblies, 4 Cat5 Cables, a Controller, a USB Cable and a Power Cable. It sounds like you've got a handle on that.

As far as the Topper is concerned,  I can't really say. I've never installed one on a Bluebird cabinet.

Curtis ash100

[Pinaddicted]

Thanks for the info Ash

I'm aware of the special setting for WOZ ruby slippers, that's not the issue.

One game for example that I'm referring to is Lord of the Rings - Mordor. (transmissive) The machine is looking for a Top Box in setup and won't load completely. I can't remember the exact error... something about top box communication or something similar to that. The friend with a BB2e and WMS topper can load and play that game, and similar ones with no issues.

Is there something in a BB2e that bypasses that error?

Thanks

[Stayouttadabunker]

That game you're talking about is looking for a lightbox, as in the 1st photo below.
It may also belooking for a progressive display as well? I'm not sure.
It's too bad you didn't tell us what part #'s are on your CF game card...and your OS card.
Members would be able to tell you for sure what you can do with your software.
If it's not a WAP game card, then your friend's BB2e machine probably has a Tsetse board in it with the appropiate fooler CF card.
Without the appropiate fooler programmed card, the Tsetse board won't help.

A BB2e has two LED lights...one on top and bottom of the machine.
It cannot do what a Tsetse board does.

The 2nd photo below is a picture of two bluebird machines.
One of them is a BB2, and the other one is a BB2e...the "e" on the end of BB2 stands for "Emotive Lighting"...>>>

[Pinaddicted]

That game you're talking about is looking for a lightbox, as in the 1st photo below.
It may also belooking for a progressive display as well? I'm not sure.
It's too bad you didn't tell us what part #'s are on your CF game card...and your OS card.
Members would be able to tell you for sure what you can do with your software.
If it's not a WAP game card, then your friend's BB2e machine probably has a Tsetse board in it with the appropiate fooler CF card.
Without the appropiate fooler programmed card, the Tsetse board won't help.

A BB2e has two LED lights...one on top and bottom of the machine.
It cannot do what a Tsetse board does.

The 2nd photo below is a picture of two bluebird machines.
One of them is a BB2, and the other one is a BB2e...the "e" on the end of BB2 stands for "Emotive Lighting"...>>>

The game card/dongle is S7F5  OS: 13.37

The exact (and only) error in the attendant menu during setup reads... "Top box lost communication"  The friend thinks there's something in his topper acting as a fooler, but it's a stock WMS BB2e topper. There's no Tsetse in his machine.

I know the difference between a BB2 and BB2e

[rickhunter]

BB2 wms toppers have not foolers on them, unless you have on of the "star" toppers that were used on some transmissive slot games.  Standard toppers don't have any hardware other than leds and supporting circuitry.  The topper has no interaction with the game.  Your friend probably has a fooler board somewhere.  The newer foolers are relatively small (about 2x4 inches) and typically have a 6 pin power and 24 pin molex connector for data.  You can't run the LOTR game depicted without a fooler as far as I know.

[Pinaddicted]

BB2 wms toppers have not foolers on them, unless you have on of the "star" toppers that were used on some transmissive slot games.  Standard toppers don't have any hardware other than leds and supporting circuitry.

Rick

You may have answered the "Million Dollar Question" Do you take Monopoly money???   

His BB2e was originally a transmissive machine, it has the pull handle on the side. He must have one of the "STAR" toppers that you mentioned.

The mystery may have been solved... 

[Pinaddicted]

BB2 wms toppers have not foolers on them, unless you have on of the "star" toppers that were used on some transmissive slot games.  Standard toppers don't have any hardware other than leds and supporting circuitry.  The topper has no interaction with the game.  Your friend probably has a fooler board somewhere.  The newer foolers are relatively small (about 2x4 inches) and typically have a 6 pin power and 24 pin molex connector for data.  You can't run the LOTR game depicted without a fooler as far as I know.

Rick

The "star" topper that you mentioned... is it named for its physical shape or another reason?

The topper that I was referencing earlier looks like a standard WMS oval topper, except is has a circuit board inside marked "RGB Marquee Controller"