2026 EM Pinball Online Repair Clinic Survey results

EM Pinball Online Repair Clinic 2026 Survey Results

Just before the 75th EM Pinball Online Repair Clinic was held in September 2026 an anonymous survey was taken of past participants. About 40 people responded. Their responses are summarized below followed by their submitted comments.

Multiple choice questions:

About how many EM Pinball Online Repair Clinics do you attend?

How is the invitation request process?

How well does the Jitsi Meet video conference platform work for you?

What is your level of EM pinball troubleshooting or debugging?

How long do you usually listen to the repair clinics?

Overall, how useful, informative, valuable do you find the repair clinics?

How useful is the chat session in the side bar?

How helpful are the shared schematics?

How is the pace of the discussion?

How do the coaches do?

If you had a question or game issue, how were the explanations or answers presented by the coaches?

Free form questions:

What could we do that we're not doing?

Inform the game participants ahead of time that they need jumper wires ETC on hand, not maybe out in the garage I'll go look for them!
If only I knew more...
Carve out 10 or 15 minutes in each session and let one of the coaches demonstrate a solution to a common issue or repair technique. i.e. how to service a gottlieb stepper, or how to use jumpers to diagnose a switch issue, etc.
Sometimes for me talk or show a tad slower but this is me a begineer speaking and listening.
You could consider adding a moderator or producer role. Someone who can manage the attendees and make sure that people don’t unmute at the wrong time or do something that ruins the experience for others. I don’t know if Jitsi has those features to permit someone to have that role. I would volunteer to help in that capacity. I don’t know that I can make every call, so you would probably need a couple of volunteers to share the work. Then you as the presenter are not having to manage some of the call logistics and can focus.
Occasionally share knowledge about repairing/ restoring non mechanical pinball items, i.e., fixing cabinets, heads, playfield wear fixes, backglass corrections, etc..
I've observed that sometimes it feels like the coaches could use a non-coach moderator/assistant for meetings to handle the technical logistics so coaches can stay focused on repairs. For instance, this person could jump in to mute rogue mics and background noise, and more closely monitor the chat so questions get answered in a more timely manner.
Maybe initial time slots for each request
Advise us if/when Jitsi improves its software services. You subscribe to it. We only "use" it
Explain some of the logic - (maybe as in Boolean terms) - of the circuits or subcircuits
Add restoration tips. Maybe one or two per session
All good
Review popular questions from Pinside, discuss topics that are restoration oriented
Nothing that I can think of.
I have not yet attended one of the clinics but intend to in the future. Nonetheless I think it is a fantastic resource with great expertise. One of my friends regularly attends and is always telling me how good it is. His expertise is super advanced and he says he always learns something he didn't know from the coaches. Since I have not yet attended I was forced to leave a lot of blank answers above. Hope to attend in the future just seems like I always have something to do on Friday evening when the clinics are held.
Ask people with a pinball problem to have a 2nd person to hold the camera if possible.
It's run quite well, I can't think of anything at the moment
Have More Clinics, but I know everyone is busy, so am I and that is why I have missed a few clinics.
Well I don't know what else you could be doing as you always answer my questions.
That’s a tough one! The coaches in my opinion do a fantastic job of going through the schematics and explaining their process. Quite amazing they can find the affected circuits so quickly! In most cases the machine can be fixed during the session. I have been attending these clinics since the spring of 2020. That’s 70 some clinics. It has enabled me to repair my own machines.
Maybe post suggestions on camera etiquette to reduce nausea

What could we do better?

Don't know
I can’t think of anything. I regularly work on machines and for me, the repair clinics are pure gold.
Some folks are hard to hear but not anyones fault. I do wish coaches could on important things say thier name I do see the blue marks but only if they are on my side panel area .
I wish the video quality was better for some of the people needing help. But I get that some people are going to struggle with that learning curve. Phones and bandwidth are getting so good that it would be nice to be able to see more clearly sometimes.
I think what the coaches do is invaluable for the newbies whom need coaching to guide them. Without these monthly video calls and personalized coaching, I would have gotten very frustrated with my pinball repair & restoration projects and likely woukd have given up the hobby. Thanks again.
Elaborating more on the above: a "silent assistant" moderator would keep things moving smoothly by jumping in to point out important chat comments/questions in real-time (eg, when Kim adds coaching-type comments in the chat when his internet in Aus acts spotty). The coaches are doing great, but letting someone else manage those types of things would save them from momentum-killing distractions.
After a session, contact those who kept their video on unnecssarily. Some Jitsi issues might be due to bandwidth usage.
Explain in layman terms a bit more. Some of the explanations assume a lot of background in repair. Some coaches are good with the explanations.
Help the problem presenters do a better job with the quality of the camera work
Maybe provide more guidance for the owners on camera positioning and not moving the camera around along with proper lighting. I don't know how all you coaches can see thing clearly as some of the owners are swinging the camera around and or/not camera not focused on problem area of machine.
Maybe discuss one common issue with ems per session and one maintenance tip
All good
Can't think of anything to suggest.
I would like to see a simplier platform other than Jitsi but maybe I should just get on board and try it out before I suggest that.......
I have a hard time following the schematics. Maybe a class in understanding schematics would help me.
Do all quick send in questions at the beginning to allow people time to get home from work. Im in the Midwest.
It's run quite well, I can't think of anything at the moment
Sometimes someone will talk in acronyms and not everyone knows what those letters stand for.
Explain more how you’re coming to the conclusions for us dummies. Sometimes feel like it’s a competition between coaches and not breaking it down from easy on up to advanced for those of us less experienced. I realize it could take much longer to get it to where I actually have aha moments, but just maybe a little more of why you’re thinking something. It’s hard to even write this because it is sooooooooo nice of you all to do these shows, and I do love learning. Very much appreciated
Another tough one to answer. You share schematics, have illustrations and video examples of the components. All the coaches have a lot of experience and it shows! Maybe allow some time on past repairs that fixed the machines in future segments. Either way I learn something every clinic!
Please streamline the sign up process .. I see my account email when I click sign up so I don’t know why I have to repeat enter all the same answers every time I sign up. This frustration makes me put off the sign up to the point I forget by the deadline sometimes.
You all are doing a fantastic job, meeting are set up well.

What do we do well?

work through the schematics
The moderator (YOU) and the coaches are great.
Demonstrate how to think about em pinball repair.
Teach, listen, figure it out and are polite and wanting viewers to learn
Schematics, the highlight tool, the discussion are all excellent.
Technical explanations
Consistency having these monthly video calls, multiple coaches always participating, good educational explanations.
Honestly, everything! This program is overall so well put-together, and everyone is SO respectful to each other. It's such a lovely corner of the internet compared to how awful it can get on social media, and is a big part of why I keep showing up to observe. "Came for the cool pinball tables, stayed for the good vibes," in other words.
Provide expertise
Demonstrating by example how to try to troubleshoot the problem.
Being patient with newbies and game bringers. Teaching through schematics. Being a good team of coaches. Pointing to other resources.
The skill knowledge level of both the problem presenters (sometimes clueless) and the pro helpers (typically well experienced and terrific patient explainers.)
Troubleshoot . Find the problem quickly .
Answer questions and provide guidance and next steps for owners. Ask audience if they have any questions.
Format, explanation of issues, awesome information for anyone wanting to know about em repairs/maintenance
Troubleshooting
Address technical troubleshooting
The sharing of schematic diagrams and those explanations.
Walking through schematic and troubleshooting skills
Explain the circuits related to the problem.
I understand just about everything but sometimes the explanation following the schematic is hard to follow. Schematic reading is one of my EM weaknesses.
Willing to work through the problem, try a few things, persistence
You are very approachable and helpful to a beginner
Everyone thinks it thru together, very respectful
Slowing down your answers, I can follow well.
I think you do quite well with the coaches and people needing help
Everything, it’s probably just me
Finding the circuits on the schematics and explaining their relevance to the problem. I don’t think anyone can do a better job than what you do!
Technical knowledge with use of schematics which I understand how to read.
Sharing of decades of knowledge
Very patient and explain schematics well!

Any other comments or suggestions?

75, wow! When I get back to my machines I'm sure I'll see you again! As a beginner, a lot of your coaching is over my head. But when you answer my questions, you do it in a way that I understand. So thank you for helping the newbies!
Please keep it up. My goal is to one day be a coach rather than observer. I’m working on it by actively repairing machines and faithfully attending the clinics!
I look forward to this class every single month had withdrawals in August actuslly
It would be interesting to have a venue for discussion around restoration. I’m thinking about things like cleaning score reels or bonus units or going through it a game and checking switches. A little more on the preventative side in addition to all of the troubleshooting.
Keep on doing what you are doing, do not ever stop or I will be screwed.
I would love to see more guest speakers! Bringing in the guest from the pinball museum was super cool.
Also, maybe a brief ""specialized info"" session for the first or last 15 minutes? For instance, I'd love to learn how to get started finding and repairing EM tables. While I'm aware there's a Q&A at the end, a dedicated mini-feature on ""how to get into this field"" would fit much better and could be a fantastic way to inspire younger people to grab the baton for future generations."
You guys are heros
Thank you for hosting these. I was taking a lengthy career based class that interfered with participating. I look forward to more of these now that my 14 month class is over.
I truly enjoy the dynamic thought process as coaches, game owners with the game being worked, and others come up with thought, questions, and suggestions.
Keep it up. You do a great job in supporting and teaching about these wonderful machines. (I wish you would sometimes point out that these are early computers disguised as games.) Your pedagogy in explaining technical issues in a very usable and understandable way is a model.
Your team is doing a great job.
Keep golding the sessions. I alway learned something from the troubleshooting discussions
I'm in Ireland so online clinics start at 10 or 11 pm so I follow as long as I can stay awake!1. Thank you for all you are doing
Am loving every minite of it.
I hope to see you at Pinagogo in October
Thank you guys for everything and keep up the good work.
I enjoy the sessions. Keep up the good work.
Thanks, I always look forward to seeing a repair clinic Friday come around.
Nothing at this time.
Just feel like your speaking Greek sometimes.
Although I don’t feel I’m coach material I do like the chat and appreciate the coaches and participants questions and answers. To think I started with 1 machine and now have 16 is awesome. So much fun to repair. And yes I believe they can all be fixed! Bravo!!!
Re the below question…. Repair clinic at the Allentown, PA Pinfest show would be a winner.
Keep doing what you're doing!

Thanks to the everyone who responded to the 2026 survey, and to the coaches and participants who help make the repair clinic happen.