Asteroids Deluxe Image partial collapse

AtariShag

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Yesterday I noticed that my Asteroids Deluxe image was having some issues. It was fine at first then the right side of the screen collapsed, squishing into the middle. After a while and maybe a little light nudging on the cabinet, it would restore for a short time but then collapse again. What components should I be looking at testing or replacing?

I've attached a picture for reference
 

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Pull the monitor chassis, and inspect for cold/broken solder joints. Pay particular attention to the input header pins on the x/y inputs.

Resolder anything that looks dull, grayish, or white.
 
This happened to me recently on my BZ. If you take the back off and gently move the connection wires around, the image may restore itself. For me, it was the wires going to the bottlecap transistors on the side of the chassis, a cold-solder joint.

To fix it, discharge the monitor and remove it to do the repair. Then re-solder all the wires connecting to the bottlecaps for good measure. You can just do the one if you can narrow it down to which wire, I just like to do them all as an ounce of prevention since it's a pain to lug the thing out.

And as a side note, couldn't hurt to re-flow solder on the header pins on the deflection board while you have the monitor out too.
 
This happened to me recently on my BZ. If you take the back off and gently move the connection wires around, the image may restore itself. For me, it was the wires going to the bottlecap transistors on the side of the chassis, a cold-solder joint.

To fix it, discharge the monitor and remove it to do the repair. Then re-solder all the wires connecting to the bottlecaps for good measure. You can just do the one if you can narrow it down to which wire, I just like to do them all as an ounce of prevention since it's a pain to lug the thing out.

And as a side note, couldn't hurt to re-flow solder on the header pins on the deflection board while you have the monitor out too.


BrokenTrace mentions something here that reminded me of something: if you're going to pull the chassis on that monitor, you should discharge the tube. Do NOT use the 'shorting' method of discharging the tube like lots of folks mention in working with raster monitors. You need to use a HV probe to discharge the tube. If you discharge the tube by shorting it to ground, you could damage sensitive parts on the chassis.
 
Does that high score say 973_ _ ? I have only been able to get 573 _ _. I think I need some deluxe schooling.
 
Can you just unhook all the wires and discharge "normally"?





BrokenTrace mentions something here that reminded me of something: if you're going to pull the chassis on that monitor, you should discharge the tube. Do NOT use the 'shorting' method of discharging the tube like lots of folks mention in working with raster monitors. You need to use a HV probe to discharge the tube. If you discharge the tube by shorting it to ground, you could damage sensitive parts on the chassis.
 
BrokenTrace mentions something here that reminded me of something: if you're going to pull the chassis on that monitor, you should discharge the tube. Do NOT use the 'shorting' method of discharging the tube like lots of folks mention in working with raster monitors. You need to use a HV probe to discharge the tube. If you discharge the tube by shorting it to ground, you could damage sensitive parts on the chassis.

Good thing I don't have any vectors!
 
BrokenTrace mentions something here that reminded me of something: if you're going to pull the chassis on that monitor, you should discharge the tube. Do NOT use the 'shorting' method of discharging the tube like lots of folks mention in working with raster monitors. You need to use a HV probe to discharge the tube. If you discharge the tube by shorting it to ground, you could damage sensitive parts on the chassis.

According to the B&W vector monitor FAQ, you can use a 1MΩ resistor between the anode and ground. I stuck one inline in some 20ga wire & soldered alligator clips to either end. I've used it (clipped to the frame & a screwdriver) to discharge both vector and raster monitors, and nothing has been damaged.
 
According to the B&W vector monitor FAQ, you can use a 1MΩ resistor between the anode and ground. I stuck one inline in some 20ga wire & soldered alligator clips to either end. I've used it (clipped to the frame & a screwdriver) to discharge both vector and raster monitors, and nothing has been damaged.

+1

When working on my first vector monitor, that's what I did.

Here is a pic

dischargetool.jpg


The resistor is inside the plastic cover. Some more info is under my Asteroids Deluxe repair on my site...

... Altan
 
Yes, you can also use a resistor modification on your monitor discharge tool. But good luck dialing in your HV if you ever need to do that - that's why I recommended the HV probe.
 
Thank you for all of the information - I haven't had a chance to get into it yet but it's good to hear it's most likely some cold solder somewhere.
 
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