Battlezone Keeps Resetting...

postmortem01

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Hello. I just picked up a Battlezone. Currently, it fires up and functions through the attract mode but resets after the high scores are displayed. I put it into test mode and this is what I get:

1. One low blip sound. I say blip sound because it is so short that it doesn't qualify as a beep.
2. These codes are on screen.
battlezone001_zps4b858153.jpg


I read through the error codes in the manual. The "6 FF" means ROM 6, Bit FF? I think? I assume I need to replace ROM 6?
 
I'm in unfamiliar territory with this machine. I looked at the schematics. I'm trying to determine what is what on those drawings. I reseated all the chips and now I have an "L" showing on the right side of the screen.

Low byte error? What does that even mean?
 
Reseating the chips has fixed your 'bad' ROM chip that was generating the 6 FF (ROM L/M1) so that's good.

The L indicates an error in the low byte of the Math box. That's where all the 3-D perspective calculations are done on the smaller PCB. It wasn't in your first picture, so it's intermittent. Almost certainly caused by the interconnect between the boards. Could be a loose cable but more likely it's that there are 'cold solder joints' on the pins to which that cable connects. To fix, you do the following for each pin on both boards:

suck the existing solder.
add some new solder
suck it out again
resolder for the final time

the pins will get hot (obviously) and will tend to get out of alignment. You may want to use a binder clip to clamp a bunch of pins together so the non-hot ones can support the one you're working on.
 
Yikes. Here's the update. I was having that ROM error. I removed solder from the interconnect connectors as suggested above. I re-soldered them. I was having the same issue. I accidentally bumped the main edge connector on the top (smaller) board and heard the audio click. If I touch the edge connector, it makes that clicking noise. I'm assuming I need to replace the edge connectors. Someone flowed solder on the card edge pads. I will remove that when I replace the edge connectors.

I purchased the Battlezone high score save kit and put it in the machine. My current problem is displayed as this...

On the right side of the screen, I'm getting error codes toggling between "T" "L" rapidly. The game does not display anything out of test mode at this point. The edge connector is what I'm suspecting but what I am reading in the manual is that those are: "T" Timeout Error and "L" Low byte error.
 
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Yikes. Here's the update. I was having that ROM error. I purchased the Battlezone high score save kit and put it in the machine. My current problem is displayed as this...

On the right side of the screen, I'm getting error codes toggling between "T" "L" rapidly. The game does not display anything out of test mode at this point. The edge connector is what I'm suspecting but what I am reading in the manual is that those are: "T" Timeout Error and "L" Low byte error.

Math box. Yes check your edge con ector but I'm talking about the cable and pins that con ECG between the two boards.
 
The white wires with red connectors between the two boards... Those are the connectors that I just re-soldered. They seem okay. I tested them point to point between boards. They seems to be okay.
 
I would replace that cable, they are known to be a problem. Double check your solder on the header pins and make sure they are looking good and none are bridged. You seem to be on the right track though.

Chuck
 
There are LEDs on both boards. Both are solid. I've I'm reading 5.01vdc and 12.1vdc on the boards. It seems solid but I've purchased a BIG blue and a ARII-06 rebuild kit. Going to try those after I eliminate the edge connector problem.

Question: I have some blue solder edge connectors that fit Ms. Pacman. Would those fit on these boards also?
 
Update: I found which pins are specifically causing the problems on the edge connector. I performed a temporary repair and voila! The firing button does not function. I will have to replace that switch. Very excited!

Please excuse the dirty glass and crappy video.
http://youtu.be/n0ZwJUbjpC4
 
Update: I found which pins are specifically causing the problems on the edge connector. I performed a temporary repair and voila! The firing button does not function. I will have to replace that switch. Very excited!

Please excuse the dirty glass and crappy video.
http://youtu.be/n0ZwJUbjpC4

Excellent! Now to track down why you don't have green...
 
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