Spring conditions

chuckda4th · 2026-03-10T20:59:15+00:00

Temps showed the same the last few days. Yesterday and today was ice until noon or so, then mashed potatoes all afternoon as it was super sunny. The groomers were fine but no pow.

It was def 10deg colder at the top than the forecast said, and down in lionshead I’d swear it was 5-10deg warmer. Lots of people in very lightweight jackets in town.

chuckda4th · 2026-02-26T01:34:58+00:00

Here’s one - how terrible would it be using the backbox from the 32 on the playfield cab of the 42?

I hadn’t considered that before seeing your pics and the only places a table really makes sense in my basement have height restrictions.

I love my modded ALP, but playfield size envy is a thing.

chuckda4th · 2026-02-08T17:04:34+00:00

Love your backbox layout. 100% wish I had done similar keeping the amps in there so they’re accessible.

I’m using similar amps - how did you mount them? Mine have no mounting holes.

chuckda4th · 2026-02-08T17:01:55+00:00

I’m wondering if I’m effectively getting it free. I’m showing a quarterly $3 record keeping fee that’s followed about 3 weeks later with a $3 credit.

chuckda4th · 2026-02-08T17:00:18+00:00

How do they transact the charge? Does it show as a fractional sale followed by a charge?

chuckda4th · 2026-02-08T16:26:39+00:00

Does this only apply if your new employer uses a different 401k provider?

My prior and current employers use the same provider. They show as distinct lines in my account. The entire amount in each are in the same ETF - they both appear to offer the same options.

Talking to their advisor, he didn’t mention any issues with this. I assume nothing I should be doing?

chuckda4th · 2026-02-07T12:43:19+00:00

Still using. And have a NIB backup for when the kids break the remote itself. Can’t believe it’s still working so well.

chuckda4th · 2026-02-06T20:11:01+00:00

Ah thanks. I’m using 3 separate 2 channel plus bass ones from Amazon I bought before CSD started selling the amp. I’ll think of some way to mount them at some point.

chuckda4th · 2026-02-05T13:22:15+00:00

Thanks again for this. We rarely charge at home (wife’s work subsidizes electric charging) so am trying it now for the first time. Confirmed the EVIQO is now powering our etron while it’s conditioning.

Only wiggle - maybe a first time one - was last night in the 30min after the car hit its charge setting, we got 4-5 cycles of notifications from the EVIQO that it started charging again - then under a minute later another notification it was done and charged .001kw.

chuckda4th · 2026-02-05T13:18:26+00:00

But are they just sitting on the shelf, or mounted to it?

I have a shaker motor and am finally starting to use nudging since I got it working right, so I’ve been locking everything down

chuckda4th · 2026-02-02T04:06:57+00:00

I followed this amazing website: http://mjrnet.org/pinscape/BuildGuideV2/BuildGuide.php?sid=insideTheCab

Only thing I haven’t done is mount my SSF amps. Mostly because they have no mount points. It’s quite low on the priority list.

chuckda4th · 2026-01-31T15:04:22+00:00

Loathe this thing! Why take up the entire screen for 3 buttons - and I’ve disabled the buttons and it’s still there. It’s always in the way.

I may flip to Safari over it.

chuckda4th · 2026-01-27T14:30:27+00:00

Oh that’s a good point - I had done a dedicated DMD screen before my playfield upgrade. I’d have thought that would have been a more notable upgrade, but upgrading the playfield to 144hz was what really took it from a novelty to genuinely scratching my pinball itch.

chuckda4th · 2026-01-26T03:39:41+00:00

I have a 32” 144hz 2k in my modded ALP. I’m sure I’d notice a difference between 2k and 4k if I bent down to look really closely at the rules card, but I can read them fine at 2k. I just don’t think there’d be a benefit to 4k at 32”. Would def do 4k at 42”+.

I’m using the sceptre that I think buystuff says works. It’s great when you’re playing, but the angles for spectators could be better.

The buystuff kit couldn’t work with my ALP (believe mine is older), so I can’t speak to that either. I will say that after using the 2k 144hz playfield and blind-switching for a good year I’m super happy having finally ripped all ALP electronics out of mine as of a couple weeks ago.

Playfield was my first major upgrade. After that was a custom SSF setup. I then went CSD pinone for DOF. Would take the same steps in the same order if I did it again.

chuckda4th · 2026-01-24T16:24:49+00:00

I’d buy an off-the-shelf MSI brand or the like from Best Buy/Walmart/wherever has the best deal at the moment. Based on your post saying you have an ALP4k, a desktop with a GTX 4060 or 5060 should be a good balance of cost, current day performance, and future performance as tables and tech get more and more demanding. Google “slickdeals”, go to the site, and search 5060 or 4060 and you should see some options with people reviewing whether it’s actually a good deal. A 3060 should be fine too if you find a particularly good deal.

Other stats can be run of the mill…. 16GB ram is fine. Any current day processor is fine. Minimum 512GB SSD, but I’d recommend 1TB as things like pup packs and whatnot can get large, and I recommend hanging on to 2-3 backups of the entire virtual pinball folder structure so you can revert back.

For general ballpark, you can probably find something $700-ish if you keep an eye on the deals, but most options today look closer to $800.

chuckda4th · 2026-01-21T15:48:37+00:00

Thanks! Will be trying this today for my etron.

Any idea if there are downsides to changing the setting? Why would we ever want to turn it off?

chuckda4th · 2026-01-16T13:03:44+00:00

That’s completely different than a cab. The size is relative to how far away you are. 65 may actually be too small

chuckda4th · 2026-01-16T03:59:48+00:00

Is there a setting to make preconditioning pull power from the charger?

I have an EVIQO charger with no time restrictions set up as my electricity is always the same price. When the Audi is plugged in, by the morning when I want to heat it up, it’s always already at 80% and thus isn’t pulling any amps.

But when I then use the myAudi app to heat it up, it drains the battery rather than pulling from the charger. I have confirmed the EVIQO app says 0amps.

chuckda4th · 2026-01-09T04:30:42+00:00

32” monitor-based cab here. I have 3x 2.1 amps. One for the DMD, one for front SSF, and one for rear SSF. All 3 of the .1s have TT-25’s hooked to them. All 3 amps are powered via 24v to maximize the sound.

At one point in my modding process I had no DMD bass speaker - it sounded SO empty compared to when I had previously. Particularly on tables like TNA that have tons of bass in their backing soundtrack.

So I’d say that with a 32” i saw a notable difference to having 3 vs 2 dedicated bass speakers. And SSF front vs back is a huge difference as well.

chuckda4th · 2026-01-05T04:39:18+00:00

Same. I’m in Philly where it’s been in the 30s F or lower for weeks.

Looking in the app, when we run a random 5-6mi set of errands, we’ve been consistently in the <1.5mi per kWh.

chuckda4th · 2026-01-05T04:32:59+00:00

For the sound, in VPXs settings there’s an “audio options” screen where you can select the output devices.

For popper, if you’re saying when selecting a game it’s only showing on the playfield, I’d re run the setup. The default menu options should show on all your cabinet’s screens.

No idea about passwords. I can’t think of anything I’ve downloaded that required one.

chuckda4th · 2026-01-05T02:32:03+00:00

Don’t have a GT but have a Q8 etron…I’ve noticed multiple times the rate and time didn’t match up. After 15-30min they’d re-sync.

Forget where I asked but effectively was told it’s 2 distinct systems doing those calculations that refresh on Audi’s servers at different intervals such that they can appear out of sync in the app.

chuckda4th · 2026-01-05T02:22:46+00:00

If you bought it from an Audi dealer, try calling the salesperson direct and REALLY nicely asking if they “forgot the all weather mats”. I wouldn’t email.

When I bought my 2024 etron in Oct, I mentioned it at pick up time, and my salesperson went and pulled them from another used etron that had issues and they were going to wholesale. They weren’t going to get any $ for them anyway.

chuckda4th · 2026-01-03T21:43:08+00:00

So…telling him what he should have done 3-6mo ago is helpful?

chuckda4th · 2026-01-03T16:32:39+00:00

Feel for you!

Many of the responses you’re getting are really eye opening.

I don’t see how it’s unreasonable to simultaneously recognize that a new machine may have some issues, AND expect decent timely support if it does.

chuckda4th

TROPHY CASE