Asteroids deluxe board video issue

Retro toast

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ruled the monitor, bower prick, and ar out. I used a good board in it and it plays fine.

When i put this board in it, i get spot killer for a second and then the spot killer goes off and i get deflection sounds, but then the sk comes back on and i get nothing, i get no picture on screen while this happens, i do have neck glow and i do have high voltage. Where would i even start looking on this1000017492.jpg1000017490.jpg
Any advice is appreciated, thank you.
 
Basic Atari vector troubleshooting process:

- Disconnect the monitor for now. Keep it disconnected until instructed otherwise below.

- Test power voltages. Get a DMM if you don't have one, you will need it. This is not optional. Buy one. Check the 5V DC on the game board, using the labeled 5V test point and any GND test point on the game board. Adjust using the pot on the AR board so it is exactly 5.00V DC on the game board.

- Check the AC ripple on the output of the power brick. This is measured on the 10.3V test point of the AR. Put DMM into *AC* volts mode (not DC), and measure the AC voltage on the 10.3V test point, using the GND test point on the AR, with the game board powered. If it is less than 400mV, you are fine. If it's above that, it's a problem. Post here and let us know.

- If the above voltages are ok, boot directly into test mode. Keep the monitor still disconnected for this step. This is done by powering the cab up with the test switch (inside the door) already turned on. This will force self-test to run, and generate the test result screen, which you won't see, but that's ok. Listen to hear any RAM error beep codes. (See the Ast Deluxe manual for details about RAM errors.)

- If self-test passes (which is indicated by a single quick high beep), next step is to test the XY voltages on the game board. This is done by measuring 4 voltages: The DC voltage on the XOUT and YOUT test points on the game board (they are labeled, near the pots). Set both pots to the center of their range. Then measure the AC voltage on both XOUT and YOUT. If XOUT and YOUT DC are between -2V and +2V, you are ok. If XOUT and YOUT AC are between 1.5 and 3.5V, you are ok. If either DC voltage is outside of the -2 to +2V range, or either AC voltage is zero, the game board has a problem, and you do not want to connect the monitor. Post here if this is the case.

- If the XY voltages test ok, connect the monitor, and boot into test mode again. You should see a crosshatch pattern on the screen. See if there are any ROM error codes (see the manual for details.) If there are, do not take the board out of test mode. You will need to fix the ROM errors first.

Here is the manual if you need it. See the section about Self-Test:


If you have questions (which you should), post them here.
 
Basic Atari vector troubleshooting process:

- Disconnect the monitor for now. Keep it disconnected until instructed otherwise below.

- Test power voltages. Get a DMM if you don't have one, you will need it. This is not optional. Buy one. Check the 5V DC on the game board, using the labeled 5V test point and any GND test point on the game board. Adjust using the pot on the AR board so it is exactly 5.00V DC on the game board.

- Check the AC ripple on the output of the power brick. This is measured on the 10.3V test point of the AR. Put DMM into *AC* volts mode (not DC), and measure the AC voltage on the 10.3V test point, using the GND test point on the AR, with the game board powered. If it is less than 400mV, you are fine. If it's above that, it's a problem. Post here and let us know.

- If the above voltages are ok, boot directly into test mode. Keep the monitor still disconnected for this step. This is done by powering the cab up with the test switch (inside the door) already turned on. This will force self-test to run, and generate the test result screen, which you won't see, but that's ok. Listen to hear any RAM error beep codes. (See the Ast Deluxe manual for details about RAM errors.)

- If self-test passes (which is indicated by a single quick high beep), next step is to test the XY voltages on the game board. This is done by measuring 4 voltages: The DC voltage on the XOUT and YOUT test points on the game board (they are labeled, near the pots). Set both pots to the center of their range. Then measure the AC voltage on both XOUT and YOUT. If XOUT and YOUT DC are between -2V and +2V, you are ok. If XOUT and YOUT AC are between 1.5 and 3.5V, you are ok. If either DC voltage is outside of the -2 to +2V range, or either AC voltage is zero, the game board has a problem, and you do not want to connect the monitor. Post here if this is the case.

- If the XY voltages test ok, connect the monitor, and boot into test mode again. You should see a crosshatch pattern on the screen. See if there are any ROM error codes (see the manual for details.) If there are, do not take the board out of test mode. You will need to fix the ROM errors first.

Here is the manual if you need it. See the section about Self-Test:


If you have questions (which you should), post them here.
So bit of an issue, i dont have a switch on the inside of my coin door, do you know which pins need to be active to turn this on without it
 
So bit of an issue, i dont have a switch on the inside of my coin door, do you know which pins need to be active to turn this on without it


Is this an upright cab?

It's usually on the upper inside corner of the door, closest to the hinge. It's small, so it's easy to miss.

Post a pic of the inside of your coin door.
 
Yk maybe i was looking for the euro switch, ill have to see if that coin door switch in there in the morning, but the one under the volume pot absolutely isnt there


Yeah, that one won't be. It's on the coin door.

This is a common mistake. People see the two wires and no switch under the volume pot, and think the switch is missing.
 
Yeah, that one won't be. It's on the coin door.

This is a common mistake. People see the two wires and no switch under the volume pot, and think the switch is missing.
Ill update with my findings when i get home in the morning, i appreciate the responses. Ive done a fair amount of raster games but this is my first vector game and man am i learning a whole lot all at once haha.
 
No problem. The first one is the hardest.

The good thing is, once you learn one, most of the knowledge applies to all other Atari vectors, as they are all very similar.
 
Yk maybe i was looking for the euro switch, ill have to see if that coin door switch in there in the morning, but the one under the volume pot absolutely isnt there
It can be buried behind the coin door harness wires. It's generally in the upper right corner of the open door (your right)
 
SO update on this, i found the switch, it actually fully cleared my blinking spot killer. But now i have a weird collaps issue i think?1000017494.jpg

Ive seen some people say this could be a 6012 issue? Would socketing all the vector section chips be a bad idea? Just trying to figure out a good approach to testing without banging my head on the wall haha. Currently going through the asteroid repair logs to see if i can find someone with a similar issue.

i can see the game playing but the asteroids are squished and i can see them jump from one side to the other?
 
Do you have a scope and schematics? I would unplug the monitor if you have not tested your X and Y voltages per andrewb. Also looks like you need to turn down your brightness.
 
Did you follow all of the steps I described above?

And is that picture test mode, or attract? Post the test mode image. Or a video of attract mode. (Upload to YouTube and like it here).

You have game board issues. But it looks like it could be more than just a DAC. Can't tell from just that pic, but there could be a digital component as well. The more info you can provide, the more we can help.
 
First off, did you say just by using the test switch your board started generating valid enough signals that the spot killer turned off in both game and test mode. Is there no ram beep code when in test mode? Socketing all the chips in the vector section would be an extraordinary bad idea. If you are only referring to the output side that too would be a bad idea the rabbit hole will only get deeper if you make a mistake there and introduce a physical problem making it impossible to diagnose online because it would require in person observation to determine the mistake on the work.
Is the game running blind?

ps did you verify your output voltages like @andrewb said. If they are running outside spec even though they are producing a picture the monitor could be damaged if driven to excessive deflection
 
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First off, did you say just by using the test switch your board started generating valid enough signals that the spot killer turned off in both game and test mode. Is there no ram beep code when in test mode? Socketing all the chips in the vector section would be an extraordinary bad idea. If you are only referring to the output side that too would be a bad idea the rabbit hole will only get deeper if you make a mistake there and introduce a physical problem making it impossible to diagnose online because it would require in person observation to determine the mistake on the work.
Is the game running blind?

ps did you verify your output voltages like @andrewb said. If they are running outside spec even though they are producing a picture the monitor could be damaged if driven to excessive deflection
Yeah idk why it came on with the test switch but it did, i also have followed all of the steps hes mentioned my outputs test within the range he gave, when i have them written down, i can give you the exact measurments, also yes the brightness was turned up a bit but has been turned down since that picture. This is on attract mode not the test, the test looks almost like nothing on the screen?

Oh also, trace repair(specifically micro soldering) is my bread and butter, its what i was doing far before getting into arcades, i trust myself in putting in sockets and not butchering boards i was more so asking if it would be a bad idea and mess with possible tolerences the chips may have.
 
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Did you follow all of the steps I described above?

And is that picture test mode, or attract? Post the test mode image. Or a video of attract mode. (Upload to YouTube and like it here).

You have game board issues. But it looks like it could be more than just a DAC. Can't tell from just that pic, but there could be a digital component as well. The more info you can provide, the more we can help.
Yeah, i followed them all which other than unplugging and replugging the monitor as instructed, the test switch is all ive changed, nothing else. This also was attract mode not test mode, test mode seemed to display less than this, ill get a picture in the morning when i get home.
 
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