Asteroids board prototype ?

road.runner

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I recently acquired a very strange Asteroids board. It looks like a early board (ROM&PROM sockets, no cocktail inversion logic, large disc filter caps).....much like a Lunar Lander. However the board says "Asteroid" not "Asteroids" (no "S"). I would suspect a bootleg but it says Copyright Atari. Anyone have an idea what this is ? Will try to post pictures.
 
photo

picture.php
 
Hopefully it's a protoype but it could still be a bootleg too, people pirating coin-ops are already breaking the law, a little fraud on top of that is certainly in the realm of possibility too. That happens all the time with things like Nike sneakers and such, it's a big underground industry.
 
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Hard to believe it's bootleg

Board material and parts appear consistent with other early Atari boards....even has the Atari Quality Assurance inspection stamps

Date stamped is October 21 1979 (Asteroids was released in November)
 
sorry no lost code - came without ROMs installed

The board is a little rough but looks repairable
 
Interesting. I just checked the board in my early game. At least as best I could looking through the coin door. My board has the copyright info located in the middle of the board between N5 and N6. It does not say Asteroids anywhere I can see. It also has the game serial number stamped on the component side right near the edge connector.

Do you have any pictures near the edge connector for possible serial number stamp?

Around A/B 10 which I see in your picture you have two chip sockets with no chips. My board has no sockets nor any chips in that location.

Murph
 
The output section sockets you mention look to be from a previous repair (DAC and 4016)....here is an entire board photo. Serial is 144#1-02 between the 3rd and 4th columns of chips. I have worked on 100's of Asteroids board but this one is unique.

picture.php
 
Looks unique. The entire board has a ton more chip sockets than mine. Including chip sockets in locations I don't even have chips.

Sure enough between rows 3 and 4 I found the word Asteroids and A034986*02. The *02 in marker.

My game is serial 2796 and that is the number ink stamped by the edge connector of the PCB.

Murph
 
Looks interesting! Let us know when you get it up and running and notice any differences.
 
The output section sockets you mention look to be from a previous repair (DAC and 4016)....here is an entire board photo. Serial is 144#1-02 between the 3rd and 4th columns of chips. I have worked on 100's of Asteroids board but this one is unique.

picture.php

Looks like a standard rev 1 board to me...

I've had several before that had bipolar proms instead of masked roms / eproms...
 
that's very interesting - thanks

I have seen plenty of boards with both the PROM and ROM sockets.....but never recall seeing one with the wrong name (no "S" )
 
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