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Show HN: I replaced a $120k bowling center system with $1,600 in ESP32s

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Re: Show HN: I replaced a $120k bowling center system with $1,600 in ESP32s

#81

Post by evan_ »

tmh88j wrote: post #74
semi-extrinsic wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Never understood the need to wear extremely uncomfortable and ill-fitting shoes just to throw a ball. Always seemed like a way to jack the price up. Sure, professional bowlers use specialised shoes. Professional footballers and professional runners and cyclists and golfers and tennis players and skateboarders and ... do as well. But if you do any one of these activities at a low enough frequency and/or level that you…

Mostly to prevent damage and minimize maintenance + cleanup. Dirty shoes can mess with the oiling and rocks lodged in soles can gouge the floor.

Maybe they could issue those disposable over-the-shoe booties they make you wear at home showings

Re: Show HN: I replaced a $120k bowling center system with $1,600 in ESP32s

#82

Post by codazoda »

I’m curious what sensors you’re using? My first thought was a camera up above the pins pointing down that can detect them. There are probably more reliable methods. If it were me, I’d seek to simplify as much as possible so things keep running smoothly.

Re: Show HN: I replaced a $120k bowling center system with $1,600 in ESP32s

#83

Post by cgyvbunji »

vikbez wrote: post #18

Lol, nice! It depends on what you mean by "owning a bowling center," but it looks like there are at least two of us into this :D I bought a really old fully mechanical (and automated!) mini bowling lane. It works without a CPU, except for the score display, which originally used a 1970 Intel D8749H (MCS-48)! Just like yours, the only thing that turns this machine on is a single relay :D On my model, I also get feedba…

Can you explain the significance of the single relay? My car starts with a single solenoid.

Re: Show HN: I replaced a $120k bowling center system with $1,600 in ESP32s

#84

Post by codazoda »

idopmstuff wrote: post #64
monster_truck wrote: post #29

Is there a URL I can send people? I would like to show this to an OG in the pro circuit who has been looking to buy an alley and modernize it but is being dissuaded by the exact situation you are describing. We so desperately need more 'third spaces' and Bowling Alleys are great for this

Yeah good god OP please start writing a Substack about this! Engineer who buys a run-down bowling alley and cleverly fixes problems is exactly what the internet needs more of.

I’ll second this. I’d probably follow along even though I don’t own an ally.

Re: Show HN: I replaced a $120k bowling center system with $1,600 in ESP32s

#85

Post by Johnny555 »

KennyBlanken wrote: post #76
section33 wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Totally - we've got notifications wired in though, so our counter instantly knows "lane so and so needs such and such shoe sizes"

You're removing human interaction, though. Nerds seem to forget that entertainment venues and sports are social spaces, interaction with staff matters, and is one of the more distinguishing features of a venue. Unless you've got someone walking up and down the lanes introducing themselves as the manager/owner/whatever...

If I go out bowling with friends, I'm there to socialize with my friends. If I rent the lane from a Kiosk, I'm fine with that being the end of the transaction I don't need the manager to come introduce himself.

Re: Show HN: I replaced a $120k bowling center system with $1,600 in ESP32s

#86

Post by kamranjon »

ndiddy wrote: post #30
Huppie wrote: post #21

Back when I was in school I interned at a company installing bowling lanes / machines. Even back then it was fairly simple technology, no cameras or speed measurement yet, just some inputs from the machine as to what pin-cords had been pulled out (i.e. what pins fell down) translated to some simple animations. I remember the screens being just a simple VIA motherboard running DOS + their software from a compact flash…

In the US tethered pins with cords aren't really a thing, instead most bowling alleys use mechanical pinsetter machines. These machines are large, complex, and expensive (see here for a video on how they work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iod6uwUGM2E ) which is why he's talking about the equipment being 70+ years old- with the revenues most bowling alleys make, it's not economical to replace a pinsetter instead of…

Unfortunately it is becoming more and more common for US alleys to use the pins with cords systems. Many lanes will actually upgrade to this system and I feel it is a mini tragedy in a way. I am very happy to see this because it gives me hope that there might be alternatives for bowling alleys who are considering the string based systems.

Re: Show HN: I replaced a $120k bowling center system with $1,600 in ESP32s

#87

Post by codazoda »

Tade0 wrote: post #68

> Any React dev can build their own UI and bowling animations. About that: do you have any questionable quality animations for strikes etc.? To me it was always a major part of the whole experience.

Not op, but, because I’m not a designer, I’d probably try to use an AI tool and maybe give it specific instructions to make it suck a little. Then again, not being a designer, I’d probably make it suck too, but it would take forever.

Re: Show HN: I replaced a $120k bowling center system with $1,600 in ESP32s

#89

Post by devilbunny »

cgyvbunji wrote: post #83
vikbez wrote: post #18

Lol, nice! It depends on what you mean by "owning a bowling center," but it looks like there are at least two of us into this :D I bought a really old fully mechanical (and automated!) mini bowling lane. It works without a CPU, except for the score display, which originally used a 1970 Intel D8749H (MCS-48)! Just like yours, the only thing that turns this machine on is a single relay :D On my model, I also get feedba…

Can you explain the significance of the single relay? My car starts with a single solenoid.

That one relay is the only connection between the pinsetting machine and the scoring system.

Re: Show HN: I replaced a $120k bowling center system with $1,600 in ESP32s

#90

Post by vikbez »

cgyvbunji wrote: post #83
vikbez wrote: post #18

Lol, nice! It depends on what you mean by "owning a bowling center," but it looks like there are at least two of us into this :D I bought a really old fully mechanical (and automated!) mini bowling lane. It works without a CPU, except for the score display, which originally used a 1970 Intel D8749H (MCS-48)! Just like yours, the only thing that turns this machine on is a single relay :D On my model, I also get feedba…

Can you explain the significance of the single relay? My car starts with a single solenoid.

The pinsetter is either "on" or "off", there are no other states to manage. Once it's on, it runs indefinitely: it sets the pins, clears the alley, resets the remaining pins, and repeats the cycle, all without any external control.

On mine, I do have some "feedback info" on which pins are down + a signal to "when" to score points, but this is optional as you can also write your score manually if you have no scoring computer system.

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