As you are aware, different strokes for different folks!
Some players track the pre-tests, some keep records for each machine.
The information is available at the website. Refer to Pre-Test drawings where the specific machine and ball sets are
listed for each drawing.
Lottery officials say the choices are based on some random system they use that identifies the machine and the ball set.
I posted the note to alert Texas players that don't actually watch the drawings that there has been a major change where ball machines
are concerned for Texas Lotto.
It may not make a difference to anyone.
As for me, I track the separation (gap) between the balls. It doesn't affect the way I chart game history.
The lottery folks can change everything, but, no two balls can occupy the same space at the same time.
There is and always will be a separation.
Using the power of substitution, I can represent the gaps, no matter how small or large, by assigning unique numbers, 1 to 4.
I can do this because in my system, I'm only tracking 3 or 4 balls, not 10 as most folks do.
I think folks who track draw history by machine, and there a few who post here at LP, are probably wondering what they should do.
The fact that no new ball sets come with the new machine just makes the problem more difficult.