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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

#61

Post by section33 »

dn3500 wrote: post #55

Serious and maybe stupid question, also note I don't live in the US. Is this really needed? If you put a scoring pad and a couple pencils in each lane would your customers say "what is this shit", turn around and walk out?

Oh yeah. We even have one lane pair the auto-scoring isn't working, we just can't assign most people to either lane. The machines themselves work fine, and we do have a way to bypass the failed unit - but for the generations that have never seen paper scoring, you'd think had asked them to file their taxes for fun.

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

#62

Post by kQq9oHeAz6wLLS »

sleepybrett wrote: post #9
section33 wrote: post #2

Right now I'm working on adding LED + DMX DJ light control - I kinda want to be able to order LED strips to "chase" a ball as it goes down the lane or back up the return. I plan on triggering laser-light shows and such with the DMX controller. Eventually, I want to allow a customer walk up to the lane, tap to pay and start bowling immediately, too. Kiosk-ize bowling alleys, yknow? I'm pumped. So much room for activit…

This is interesting, i built similar for retail environments, oneoffs for events or windows or whatnot. I'm sure you could probably get away with a few terrible webcams per lane for ball tracking it's pretty much a perfect environment. A totally flat level lit are with very little noise with one circular blob moving through it. Might be an issue if you do the ever popular blacklight lanes night bowl thing, maybe just…

RFID tags in the heels of the bowling shoes, tied to the users account. Implant a reader in a spot by the lane - stomp to play!

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

#63

Post by articulatepang »

Hey! Thank you for posting. This a great project and an excellent illustration of progress in technology: commodity hardware and open source software got good enough that you could do this at such low cost and as a solo developer. Great work!

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

#64

Post by idopmstuff »

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.

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

#65

Post by kQq9oHeAz6wLLS »

RickJWagner wrote: post #45
ndiddy wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

String setters are on the way. They’re far cheaper to buy and run. Bowlers hate the idea, but bowlers hated synthetic lane surfaces, urethane lane surfaces, and even lacquer surfaces before that. They also loved their old urethane balls, super soft plastic and dodo balls. All those changes went into place against the wishes of the bowlers, but that didn’t matter. Economics wins, every time. String setters are on the…

> Economics wins, every time.

Indeed, it does. I wonder if anyone has ever correlated those changes to the decline in bowling popularity? It'd probably be difficult to verify how much of an impact it had (if at all) when there are so many other factors contributing to the decline.

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

#67

Post by Projectiboga »

semi-extrinsic wrote: post #51
ErrantX wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nowhere near the OP (UK) but I've noticed a lot of fun-only lanes arent bothering to rent shoes and just let you wear whatever you have.

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…

Reinforced toes? That might be a reason.

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

#69

Post by KennyBlanken »

semi-extrinsic wrote: post #51
ErrantX wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nowhere near the OP (UK) but I've noticed a lot of fun-only lanes arent bothering to rent shoes and just let you wear whatever you have.

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…

In the US they're just slippery enough to keep you from wrenching your ankle, the bowling lane knows they will have clean soles, and the soles won't damage the floor.

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

#70

Post by Gangway0829 »

dn3500 wrote: post #55

Serious and maybe stupid question, also note I don't live in the US. Is this really needed? If you put a scoring pad and a couple pencils in each lane would your customers say "what is this shit", turn around and walk out?

Not that it necessarily justifies the difficulty in making it work (which I just learned about, thanks OP!), but I absolutely adore the silly animations that play after you bowl. It's seriously make or break for me. I can live without beer and snacks, but it just isn't the same without the goofy animations.
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