Dirty Pool Podcast - Ep19 - Aaron Davis of FAST Pinball

What does it take to build the brain behind modern pinball? Aaron Davis, founder of FAST Pinball, joins the show to talk about designing the hardware that powers homebrews, boutique manufacturers, and the next generation of game coders. We dig into the origins of the FAST platform, how open hardware changed the indie landscape, and what it really means to make a control system reliable enough for production but flexible enough for experimentation.

From garage prototypes to global adoption, Aaron walks through the philosophy that keeps FAST on the cutting edge — community-driven innovation, open documentation, and a steady respect for pinball’s analog soul.

🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid

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00:00:00 - Intro

00:00:10 - Surprise Thursday episode, Homebrew Week, and the free sound effects kit with Imoto at Marco; chat might glitch.

00:01:17 - Guest intro: Aaron Davis of FAST Pinball.

00:02:23 - Why FAST started—platform-builder mindset and maker movement spark.

00:03:31 - Pinball as “STEM in a box,” learning by building with partner Dave Beecher (totally not a robot).

00:04:45 - Programming as creative choreography—logic tied to experience.

00:06:45 - Homebrew freedom: no licensors, weird ideas that push the platform.

00:08:50 - Early FAST nights soldering with Dave, the first boards coming alive.

00:10:59 - Gen-one form factor stays similar; modular IO boards shown on camera.

00:12:10 - Latency handled in hardware on the nodes—switches to coils without round-trips.

00:13:30 - ARM choice and hardware abstraction—swap chips later but keep behavior.

00:15:05 - Future-proofing for collectors, reliability focus, “Is Dave a robot?” gag.

00:18:10 - Family tavern Royal Flush memory; Dad becomes a replacement ramp maker.

00:20:00 - Quick shop tour setup, lineup includes Predator, Dune, and Labyrinth.

00:23:30 - Three programming bays; friends and kids help with QC, ESD trays on baker’s racks.

00:26:20 - Running from home spaces with low overhead, always on video calls.

00:27:56 - What’s next: inductive switches, end-of-line test fixtures to save OEMs time.

00:28:56 - Spooky question, door open to anyone; Pinball Brothers Predator port story.

00:31:24 - Documentation philosophy: additive, not breaking; FAST serial is easy to target.

00:32:58 - Favorite homebrew is the one in front of you.

00:33:58 - Tariffs and parts availability, multi-site manufacturing to avoid blockers.

00:36:50 - Stateside runs and the end-of-line “fort,” programming at the factory.

00:38:10 - Fuse question: smart power filter board plus on-board polyfuses and keyed connectors.

00:40:55 - Assembly mix: US, China, Italy. Tips for new homebrewers—make friends and add accountability.

00:41:56 - Predator road trip route to Expo via Electric Bat.

00:42:48 - RJ45 carries power and data, not standard PoE but similar expectations.

00:43:59 - FAST origins timeline: side project turns serious pre-COVID.

00:45:40 - IP and homebrew—market confusion risk, depends on the license holder.

00:49:35 - Indie film analogy for smaller makers, “invention marketing” over time.

00:52:40 - Future: smaller, interesting runs; friendly one-upmanship inspires better games.

00:53:45 - Wiring kits and cable making, crimp/strip machines to ease new builders.