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Asteroids Deluxe Cabaret
- Thread starter ieure
- Start date
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Too rainy for paint today, so more electronic work. Rebuilt the PS with a new big blue & bridge rectifier. Recapped the AR1. Looks like I need to replace a burnt diode on the AR1 and the edge connector on the harness. Was really hoping I could wrap this up today, but I have more work ahead of me.
It is going to be so very sweet to play when everything is straightened out.
It is going to be so very sweet to play when everything is straightened out.
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Sanded the primer and shot the CP with its last or second-to-last coat of paint. High grit to even out some drips, possibly one more coat, then apply the overlay, buttons, and new cones.
Finished my AR1 board today as well. Wrapped up the repair kit, replacing Q2, Q3, R25, R26, and CR1. R25 was destroyed, R26 and CR1 looked iffy, and the transistors were in the repair kit. Clipped the legs of Q2 to make it easier to get out. Q3 was a pain. Sucked as much solder as I could out of the joints, then had a friend pull on it with pliers while I heated up both leads with two irons.
I think I have a lead on what's up with the monitor. It's gotten worse since I recapped it and the PS. After I put it back in, it didn't fire up, then I fiddled around with molex on the PS (J5, I think), and it came on. Might be unrelated, not sure. I'm getting deflection, but no neck glow. Also think I figured out what's up with the problem where the display starts phasing out. While I was poking around in back trying to get power to the HV cage, I noticed the spot killer kick in on the deflection board, then start fading out and back in. So it seems like either the connection to the board is intermittent and causing the spotkiller to kick in or I have a board issue.
I'll pull it again tomorrow, double-check the fuses, reflow all the interconnects, and see where I end up. If that doesn't fix it, new molex plugs all around.
Sorry, I know this isn't really cab/cosmetics, but I want to keep my work log in one place. I'll have photos my the restored CP very soon.
Finished my AR1 board today as well. Wrapped up the repair kit, replacing Q2, Q3, R25, R26, and CR1. R25 was destroyed, R26 and CR1 looked iffy, and the transistors were in the repair kit. Clipped the legs of Q2 to make it easier to get out. Q3 was a pain. Sucked as much solder as I could out of the joints, then had a friend pull on it with pliers while I heated up both leads with two irons.
I think I have a lead on what's up with the monitor. It's gotten worse since I recapped it and the PS. After I put it back in, it didn't fire up, then I fiddled around with molex on the PS (J5, I think), and it came on. Might be unrelated, not sure. I'm getting deflection, but no neck glow. Also think I figured out what's up with the problem where the display starts phasing out. While I was poking around in back trying to get power to the HV cage, I noticed the spot killer kick in on the deflection board, then start fading out and back in. So it seems like either the connection to the board is intermittent and causing the spotkiller to kick in or I have a board issue.
I'll pull it again tomorrow, double-check the fuses, reflow all the interconnects, and see where I end up. If that doesn't fix it, new molex plugs all around.
Sorry, I know this isn't really cab/cosmetics, but I want to keep my work log in one place. I'll have photos my the restored CP very soon.
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Installed the overlay:
Went mostly smoothly. I laid the overlay on the panel, and put some buttons through, then tweaked the alignment until my OCD was sated. Clamped it on either side, making sure to smooth it out. Used an X-Acto knife to score the backing near the front curve, and applied it, making sure to smooth out any air bubbles. Pulled the buttons, flipped it over, and peeled and smoothed until it was completely applied.
The overlay did not want to stick on the 90° angle on the front, where the lip of the panel slots into the wood of the cab. Tried clamping it, but it popped up in between the clamps. I resorted to using masking tape to get it down, then flipped it over and piled the monitor & some other heavy stuff on top of it. Hopefully it will be better-behaved tomorrow, but if not, I will apply some contact cement to get it in place. I really want this part to be solid, since any gap between the panel and the overlay will make it catch when the panel is installed.
I revisited the monitor again as well. Discovered that the left-over caps I had were necessary, and I just wasn't seeing them before, because the old caps were ceramic disc instead of aluminum electrolytic. They were all in the spot killer circuits, so I replaced them all and reflowed/touched up the headers. Some of them were cracked and they generally looked ugly. Fired it up, but I still have no display. I have deflection, but no neck glow. All the fuses seem fine. Not sure where to go from here.
Mean time, the CP should be installable tomorrow or the next day. And once the monitor is sorted, I can start putting things back together.
Went mostly smoothly. I laid the overlay on the panel, and put some buttons through, then tweaked the alignment until my OCD was sated. Clamped it on either side, making sure to smooth it out. Used an X-Acto knife to score the backing near the front curve, and applied it, making sure to smooth out any air bubbles. Pulled the buttons, flipped it over, and peeled and smoothed until it was completely applied.
The overlay did not want to stick on the 90° angle on the front, where the lip of the panel slots into the wood of the cab. Tried clamping it, but it popped up in between the clamps. I resorted to using masking tape to get it down, then flipped it over and piled the monitor & some other heavy stuff on top of it. Hopefully it will be better-behaved tomorrow, but if not, I will apply some contact cement to get it in place. I really want this part to be solid, since any gap between the panel and the overlay will make it catch when the panel is installed.
I revisited the monitor again as well. Discovered that the left-over caps I had were necessary, and I just wasn't seeing them before, because the old caps were ceramic disc instead of aluminum electrolytic. They were all in the spot killer circuits, so I replaced them all and reflowed/touched up the headers. Some of them were cracked and they generally looked ugly. Fired it up, but I still have no display. I have deflection, but no neck glow. All the fuses seem fine. Not sure where to go from here.
Mean time, the CP should be installable tomorrow or the next day. And once the monitor is sorted, I can start putting things back together.
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Make sure that the molex connector going into the transformer has a good connection. I had a dimming problem on my game until I realized that the blue lead on that connector was loose and wasn't making good contact. Be sure to unplug it and look closely at those pins seeing if that wire is loose. I don't have a pictorial but I believe that lead is close to center in that molex connector.
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Yeah, I checked the PS fuses and they're fine, but I ran out of time to debug further. I already suspect the PS molex, so that's the first thing I'm looking at.
What did you do to fix yours? Do I need to repin these things?
Nope. I just reseated the wire into the molex (basically pushed it back in) and it came up with a brilliant picture again. Keep us updated-- it's coming along swell!
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Alright, I'll give it a shot. I'm going to see about moving it up out of the garage later tonight, which should help.
The control panel was a little happier today, but still has areas where it isn't sticking. I stuck some contact cement in there and clamped it, which should take care of things. I think I'll tape the edge down to keep it from getting caught on the cab when I reinstall it.
I'm jonesing for a good game, so I hope the last couple issues are sorted out soon. After that, I need a replacement speaker, new surround, and maybe a new tube.
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Oh m'gawd. YODAinMN, you were 100% right, the pin for the +6.3VAC had just worked its way up enough that it wasn't contacting. Super obvious once I stared into the molex.
Display seems to be off-center slightly, to the left, but it is just beautiful and so clearly working right compared to before.
CPO is getting glued down right now, tomorrow I'll be able to play an actually decent game on it.
Display seems to be off-center slightly, to the left, but it is just beautiful and so clearly working right compared to before.
CPO is getting glued down right now, tomorrow I'll be able to play an actually decent game on it.
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The bad news is that even with a decent hand truck with big inflatable tires, I can't move this cab up stairs alone. So it's stuck in the garage until I get a hand, unless someone has a great trick up their sleeve.
Looking good. Screen size looks a tad small. You can easily adjust the XY size on the game pcb. I thought that may have been the easiest fix.. Pretty much should be a sticky on that in the repair section. You don't know how many times I changed the big blue before discovering it was that wire in the molex.
Another thing, don't be too concerned on swapping out the tube if that burn bothers you. Once you get that correct tinted plexiglas on you'll never see it. Also the brightness will probably have to be turned up on it as well, hence the screen burn.
Another thing, don't be too concerned on swapping out the tube if that burn bothers you. Once you get that correct tinted plexiglas on you'll never see it. Also the brightness will probably have to be turned up on it as well, hence the screen burn.
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