Looking for al Stranger miracle poker machine

Your doorway to those rare collectibles that everyone is searching for: books, props, posters, cards, and paper ephemera are all here for you to buy and sell.
Roger M.
Posts: 1598
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm

Re: Looking for al Stranger miracle poker machine

Postby Roger M. » January 23rd, 2021, 12:11 pm

I get that the same basic math is happening, but the vibe of this device is (to me) very different from the Poker Machine.

One major element that seems at first blush to be "the same" is really quite different procedurally and optically ... and that's the inability to enter playing cards directly into the device with just two button pushes.
For example, on the Poker Machine, if you want to enter "8 of Hearts", you simply push the "8", and the heart.
On this device, you have to scroll up through the numbers as a first step - and then scroll through the suits to arrive at what you want. Depending on the card to be entered, this could require the spec to execute over a dozen button pushes per card, and potentially many, many dozens of button pushes throughout the entire routine.
This reminds me of the lengthy, and often boring card tricks involving the requirement for the spec to engage in the endless counting down of cards.

This requirement to push buttons dozens of times drags the routine out for far too long, and by the act of scrolling up through each and every number and suit repeatedly, reinforces to the spectator that all values and all suits are constantly in play, and that "computing" is taking place behind the scenes, and obviously based on the playing cards they're looking at, and then entering into the device - whereas the Poker Machine is far more deceptive, and the thus revelations seem far more miraculous.

It's nice to have an option again, and this new device is better than having nothing available at all, but I'd much, much rather have a working, original Poker Machine with it's long history of dropped jaws and disbelief on the part of spectators.

On a separate note, the blurb in the the new devices advertisement which suggests that the Poker Machine is "hard to use", and "easy to make a mistake on" is just hyperbole. The Poker Machine is neither difficult to operate, nor is it prone to mistakes if the operator has bothered to take the time to commit the routine to memory.

User avatar
martinsmagic
Posts: 18
Joined: August 6th, 2020, 12:51 am
Favorite Magician: Robert Harbin, Fred Kaps
Location: Spicewood, Texas
Contact:

Re: Looking for al Stranger miracle poker machine

Postby martinsmagic » January 23rd, 2021, 1:03 pm

Roger M. wrote:On a separate note, the blurb in the the new devices advertisement which suggests that the Poker Machine is "hard to use", and "easy to make a mistake on" is just hyperbole. The Poker Machine is neither difficult to operate, nor is it prone to mistakes if the operator has bothered to take the time to commit the routine to memory.


Hi Roger,

You make some good points about the time it can take to input the cards, which is one of the reasons I only use 3 phases in my routine. But because you can go up and down, in practice it should never take more than 7 clicks which is not 1 but it is not 12 either. Also because there are only two buttons there is zero search time required to find the buttons so the use of the buttons gets to be very quick even on the 2nd card. In practice it flows pretty smoothly.

Also, I don't consider it "hyperbole" at all - I've had 3 of the Stanger's and two have died through no operator fault and I personally found it required more audience management to get them to put in the numbers correctly without pressing any other keys.

I am not a professional performer, but I do practice for about 3 months each year before the Holiday shows that I perform at my company and for friends and do take the time to commit the routine to memory. The routine is not the issue, the device is.

I am not financially involved with this item - just helped Chris out with some ideas and the video. I have both machines and will never use the Stanger one again. It is much larger and heavier, much more prone to mechanical/electronic issues, and even though I change the batteries religiously every year, twice I've had it fail on me, and no longer can get it fixed when (not if) it happens again.

andy
Martin's Magic Collection
The Largest Online Collection of Rare, Vintage, and New Magic!

User avatar
Don Hendrix
Posts: 527
Joined: January 18th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Tucson, AZ

Re: Looking for al Stranger miracle poker machine

Postby Don Hendrix » January 25th, 2021, 2:06 pm

I have one of these that I will sell. The last price I can find on it was $350 in 2006. I haven’t a clue what it is worth now. Any help with this will be appreciated.

oskar
Posts: 29
Joined: March 27th, 2008, 9:35 pm

Re: Looking for al Stranger miracle poker machine

Postby oskar » June 17th, 2021, 5:25 pm

I have just had to pack up a large part of my collection in order to refloor the room and I discaovered my Miracle Poker Machine. I replaced the batteries and switched it on but got nothing. As no-one appears capable of reprogramming it, is this now consigned to the trash?

Roger M.
Posts: 1598
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm

Re: Looking for al Stranger miracle poker machine

Postby Roger M. » June 18th, 2021, 11:32 am

Yes, it is now consigned to the trash.

My efforts to date to contact Al Stranger about the programming have produced no replies, and John didn't share the re-programming instructions with purchasers of the machine.

I suppose it would be prudent to hang onto dead Poker Machines for a while in case something positive were to occur as relates to the programming instructions ... although that seems very unlikely to happen.

It's too bad really, and, considering how much John loved the Poker Machine, it's odd that an accommodation wasn't put in place in the event that John was unable to re-program the Poker Machine for those who purchased them.

Bill Mullins
Posts: 5911
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Huntsville, AL
Contact:

Re: Looking for al Stranger miracle poker machine

Postby Bill Mullins » June 18th, 2021, 4:18 pm

Can anyone write new code to do the same things?

User avatar
AJM
Posts: 1529
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Scotland

Re: Looking for al Stranger miracle poker machine

Postby AJM » June 18th, 2021, 4:27 pm

I believe Mr Wasshuber released a version of this recently.

Cheers

Andrew

Bill Mullins
Posts: 5911
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Huntsville, AL
Contact:

Re: Looking for al Stranger miracle poker machine

Postby Bill Mullins » June 18th, 2021, 7:09 pm

He did, but it uses different hardware.

Roger M.
Posts: 1598
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm

Re: Looking for al Stranger miracle poker machine

Postby Roger M. » June 20th, 2021, 3:26 am

Wasshuber achieves a somewhat endless "button pushing" poker effect, but that's the only similarity it shares with the Poker Machine, which is a work of sheer genius.

MagicbyAlfred
Posts: 2388
Joined: June 7th, 2015, 12:48 pm
Favorite Magician: Bill Malone
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC

Re: Looking for al Stranger miracle poker machine

Postby MagicbyAlfred » June 20th, 2021, 4:57 am


User avatar
David Regal
Posts: 491
Joined: January 22nd, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Burbank, CA
Contact:

Re: Looking for al Stranger miracle poker machine

Postby David Regal » January 31st, 2023, 4:20 pm

I, too, let the batteries die in my Al Stranger Miracle Poker Machine. I replaced the batteries but the program went POOF. If anyone has a solution please contact me! I can be reached at david@davidregal.com

User avatar
Richard Kaufman
Posts: 27047
Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand
Location: Washington DC
Contact:

Re: Looking for al Stranger miracle poker machine

Postby Richard Kaufman » January 31st, 2023, 7:22 pm

No way to fix it. Evidently Mendoza was the last guy who could program it.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

User avatar
Brad Jeffers
Posts: 1221
Joined: April 11th, 2008, 5:52 pm
Location: Savannah, GA

Re: Looking for al Stranger miracle poker machine

Postby Brad Jeffers » January 31st, 2023, 11:07 pm

I contacted Al Stranger about this back in 2021 and asked him if he would still be able to program a TI-85 to work as a Miracle Poker Machine.

I figured if anyone could it would be him.

I received this reply ...

Brad,
Thanks for making me aware of the discussion on Genii site. Let me get back to you in a bit.
Please be patient; I'm not very organized and have to locate everything I need.
Al

I never heard from him again.

Roger M.
Posts: 1598
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm

Re: Looking for al Stranger miracle poker machine

Postby Roger M. » February 1st, 2023, 9:27 am

I sent a couple more extremely polite notes to Mr. Stranger after my first note back in 2021 (referenced in an above post), but I didn't get a response to any of them.

The fact that Brad got a response at all makes it worth hanging on to the Poker Machine, but it would likely be best to consider it relegated to the junk drawer, and to be pleasantly surprised if Mr. Stranger ever considers releasing the programming documentation to confirmed owners, who can be easily identified by being in possession of John Mendoza's hand signed instruction sheet for the effect.

Jack Shalom
Posts: 1368
Joined: February 7th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Brooklyn NY

Re: Looking for al Stranger miracle poker machine

Postby Jack Shalom » February 1st, 2023, 11:20 am

Al Stanger (no "r"). He used to go by the name of Stan Alger on the Cafe--an anagram. It's worth looking up his posts.

Years ago he was very kind to share materials with me on Day and Date algorithms with presentations which were incredibly clever (and complex), but I have not heard from him in at least a decade.

And yes, he was a university math professor.

User avatar
AJM
Posts: 1529
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Scotland

Re: Looking for al Stranger miracle poker machine

Postby AJM » February 1st, 2023, 11:29 am

He was immortalised in song in South Pacific many years ago.

Altogether now…

Some enchanted evening, you may see Al Stranger,
You may see Al Stranger across a crowded room,
And somehow you know, you know even then,
That somehow you'll see here again and again.

No? Oh please yourselves…


Return to “Collector's Marketplace”