Asteroids Deluxe monitor issue

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I just purchased my first arcade cabinet ever, an Asteroids Deluxe. When I got it home, it was working fine for two or three games, the monitor was recently recapped (I believe),*and everything was working great. However, after about 4 games of Asteroids the monitor suddenly died: sound, buttons, still work but there is no image. What's going on, and how do I fix it? I hope I didn't spend all that money for a big piece of trash... it's rather disheartening.
 
Well, start with the simple things. Did the monitor connector come loose? Look inside the coin door, and it should be right there.

Next check the fuses, there are some at the bottom of the cabinet and there should be 5 or so on the monitor's deflection board (the one without the cage). You'll need a multimeter/continuity tester to check the fuses, yuo can't check them visibly. And it's best to check them by touching your probes to the socket just to make sure they are making contact.
 
Issue update

I did check the fuses with a continuity tester and all were OK. I assume the dangling wire right near the entrance to the coin slot is the monitor hookup? I disconnected and reconnected it and it didn't seem to make a difference.

I have some updated news on the machine, too. The screen actually does work for a short time when you hit the side of the cabinet, so maybe a loose connection?

But it also smells like something is burning inside, so I don't know what to think. Could this start a fire? Is this a really serious problem?
 
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I did check the fuses with a continuity tester and all were OK. I assume the dangling wire right near the entrance to the coin slot is the monitor hookup? I disconnected and reconnected it and it didn't seem to make a difference.

I have some updated news on the machine, too. The screen actually does work for a short time when you hit the side of the cabinet, so maybe a loose connection?

But it also smells like something is burning inside, so I don't know what to think. Could this start a fire? Is this a really serious problem?

Something burning or are you smelling ozone? You have cold solder joints at the video header pins on the monitor chassis at the very least. Those joints need to be reflowed with new solder. A rebuild on the monitor chassis would also be a good idea while you have it out of the machine. Bob Roberts will have what you need.
 
Yeah what Phet said - even if the monitor was recapped (the caps should like newer), the white molex plugs that connect to the board in the monitor are very prone to bad solder points. Remove the board - resolder EVERY point on EVERY plug (not all that many) and you should be good to go!

If it wasn't truely capped, Bob Roberts does sell cap kits for it and its good to do on a vector.

Dissapointed indeed but just keep an open mind that these things are 30+ years old at this point. Anything 30 years old whether its an appliance, car, game, or otherwise is bound to have an issue once in a while.
 
Should I entirely desolder the pins and then resolder them? What sort of parts would I need from Bob Roberts? And where is his website? Thanks for your help!
 
Should I entirely desolder the pins and then resolder them? What sort of parts would I need from Bob Roberts? And where is his website? Thanks for your help!

You can just heat the old by melting new onto it. Remove most of the old with a solder sucker or similar, then hit the pin insertion point with a perfect blob of new solder. http://www.therealbobroberts.net/
 
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