Really interesting stuff! If you're looking for bowling animations I'd look into https://youtu.be/ZXpETSoNWxY
Made me laugh.
Show HN: I replaced a $120k bowling center system with $1,600 in ESP32s
91–100 of 375 posts
Re: Show HN: I replaced a $120k bowling center system with $1,600 in ESP32s
#92Is 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.
No, not a Substack, just a regular blog please.
Re: Show HN: I replaced a $120k bowling center system with $1,600 in ESP32s
#93Oh nice. I'm a hacker, finally I will be able to win at bowling for the first time in my life!
Re: Show HN: I replaced a $120k bowling center system with $1,600 in ESP32s
#94Lol, 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.
Yeah this $100k system with all its expensive add ons is there to push a single button.
Re: Show HN: I replaced a $120k bowling center system with $1,600 in ESP32s
#95Lol, 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…
I love it! I actually looked at integrating with scoremore myself, but once I crossed into hardware world, I still couldn't get over how much fouling alone cost. $750 / unit and they're -ancient-. Definitely will post on bowl-tech as well. I'm just new enough to have a lot of that new-guy anxiety around posting OpenLaneLink there yknow? Those guys know -everything- about this stuff.
Well, it's because those guys knows everything that they'll notice the little things you might have missed :)
Have fun first !
Re: Show HN: I replaced a $120k bowling center system with $1,600 in ESP32s
#96I had to read this twice because at first I thought it said that you replaced a $120 bowling system with $1600 in ESP32s and I was like "So you replaced a good-cost system with something more expensive why again?" :D
Re: Show HN: I replaced a $120k bowling center system with $1,600 in ESP32s
#97Serious 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?
In high school, I was invited every time even tangential friends wanted to go bowling because I was the only person who knew how to keep score on paper (the nearby lanes didn’t have electronic scoring). And that was over 30 years ago.
Re: Show HN: I replaced a $120k bowling center system with $1,600 in ESP32s
#98Earlier quoted context omitted.
How are you handling bowling shoe rental?
Isn't that included in the lane price? Always has been for me.
Which could be removed, which I, a customer, would very much enjoy. Bowling prices are absolutely insane these days. Haven't been in over 10 years. Related, nearly all of the bowling lanes in my area are empty, except for birthdays/work events.
Re: Show HN: I replaced a $120k bowling center system with $1,600 in ESP32s
#99Right 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…
Hell yeah brother, this sounds like a fantastic project with a lot of room to dig into fun things with the double extra bonus of other people having fun with the result. Now you have me shopping for a bowling alley :D
Ugh, there is a four lane bowling alley right near me for sale for $100,000 or so. Now I’m further tempted.
Re: Show HN: I replaced a $120k bowling center system with $1,600 in ESP32s
#100Earlier 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…
It's because the way the sole slides is an integral part of bowling the ball. You can't play "properly" without a proper sliding bowling shoe.
I was a little surprised when the local bowling centres stopped bothering to make everyone use the proper shoes. I get what you're saying about playing casually, but when I last went bowling with colleagues, and won comfortably, and others were asking for tips because they just can't roll the ball properly, but won't try proper shoes, they tried to wind me up by telling me I was "cheating" by using the proper shoes that are offered for anyone who wants one - I can't win :)