There are a few variations on this install. Read them and decide what works best for your sitaution. Either way install should be fairly quick and easy. Plastics are provided with a rear paper covering which you can choose to remove or not. The lights shine through well in both cases, so if you want to try it with the covering first you might be fine with it. Leaving it on protects the back of the plastic when installing it, it can get lightly scratched. Even in our prototypes, which have been installed and removed many times, the scratches aren't visible on the front. The front of the plastic is coated with a clear matte protective layer that is meant to disperse light to keep them from reflecting glare. 

1. For all games simply unscrew the four screws in the front of the Starmap plastic. There may be plastic spacers (I think all games have them) so be careful or they will fall when you take the screws out. Especially if you have an actual starmap (LE/CE) there are two spacers per screw (front and back of starmap PCB) so make sure you grab those so they don't fall. They typically stick to the PCB by they aren't held on by anything. 

2. Do whatever you want with that old plastic and those spacers. Wall art? 

3. LE/CE Models Only (SE models skip this step) - Securing the Starmap PCB

Now you have a starmap PCB hanging there. In essence it is going to just stay in that same place, we just need it mounted closer to the backboard. The PCB will not sit flat without futher modification (see next paragraph). The two little capacitors on the left side will keep it spaced out from the backboard. To keep it in place reinstall two of the screws on the right side holes enough to prevent the PCB from moving but only with the lightest pressure to not hurt the PCB. Don't snug them down, just tight enough to keep the PCB there. You don't want to put undue pressure on the PCB due to the capacitors keeping it away from the backboard. To be really safe put a small bit of mylar or tape on the screw head so it doesn't scratch the plastic. 

If you are extremely enterprising or very anal (we are!) then you may want to drill some holes in the backboard where the capacitors are. To this end we have a template you can print out to use to mark the holes with drill bit sizes. In essence you are just making holes for the capacitors to sit in. You can drill from the front or back, depending on your drill size and if you want to remove the chest. Use a vacuum to catch the wood chips while you're drilling (get a helper!). This will not be noticable at all, even if you go back to the regular starmap, so don't worry too much. Use a black paint pen to color the holes for a real finished look. See below for the template and video. 

4. Installing the plastic (everyone) 

It's just time to install the new plastic. Watch the video below to see the best way to angle it in. Basically you want to slip it behind the target ship (left ship) and then slide it down behind the Black Pearl. There is a slot that has to go around the BP actuating shaft. The plastic needs to be bent slightly to deform around the shaft. Bow it out a bit towards the front of the machine so it has enough gap. Make sure the "tabs" of the plastic (where the slots are cut out) go in front of the backboard and behind the BP. 

The plastic is held in place with friction. It sits behind a few pieces of the game which hold it in place, most notably the Black Pearl VUK (the large metal piece in the far back right corner of the game). No other attachment is needed. 

 

Optional Drilling Instructions

If you want to really make your starmap PCB sit flat against the backboard then you need to drill two small holes. Watch the video and download the template. 

Template Download (PDF)

**Note you can use as small as a 9/32" drill bit which has been updated on the new template.

 

Quick installation example test: 

Enhance your Jersey Jack Pinball - Pirates of the Caribbean game with this full-width backboard plastic. Designed to have a galaxy sky look with stars and nebula which closely matches the smaller starmap plastic included with the LE and CE versions of the game. No matter which version you have this plastic will work for you. 

Standard Editions - If you own a SE version then your game has no graphic or starmap. This plastic will slide right in place without any removal of parts or modification to your game. Mounting can be accomplished with strategically placed screws or with double sided adhesive. Finishing touches and mounting considerations are still being decided but it will be discreete and easy to do. 

Limited or Collector Editions - If you own an LE or CE version then you have a starmap. This consists of a printed plastic mounting in front of a PCB (circuit board) which has the individual star LEDs on it. This LED board sits proud of the backboard on short mounts. The Full Width Galaxy Boardboard Plastic will replace the starmap plastic and retain the original function and placement of the LED board.  

 

Galaxy Backboard Lighting - Twinkling Stars for All Models

We have created an add-on to allow all owners to take advantage of our twinkling star backboard lighting mod. If you have a SE then this will turn your entire backboard in to a twinking night sky. For LE and CE owners with a starmap already on their backboard the lighting has been customized to wrap around the starmap. Your starmap will continue to function and look as it has and additional, random, twinkling stars will fill in the rest of the backboard. 

Installation can't be more simple. The only additional step when installing your plastic will be plugging in the connector. Simple. 

A preliminary prototype is shown in the video tab. The general idea is very close to the finished product. The lights in this example are not as random nor as colorful as the final version. There will only be a slight tint to the colors but it will be noticable and adds a nice effect. The overall placement, quantity and spacing is fairly close to the finished version. Of course everything will be clean and neat in your delivered version. 

Full Width Galaxy Starmap Backboard Plastic

  • $110.00


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Tags: backboard, jersey jack, jjp, pinball, pirates of the caribbean, plastic, potc, starmap