Centipede trackball

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The trackball in my Centipede cabinet is not working. Rolling it up/down was working ok (sounds rough and feels rough, but was moving Centipede up/down), but left/right was not moving Centipede at all, or rather any moving of the trackball was moving Centipede right very slowly.

I took it apart today and cleaned 38 years of dirt/grime from it. The rollers are pretty worn in the middle, but the ball is moving them fine and the optical wheels seem to be spinning fine. I cleaned the sensors with a q-tip and some rubbing alcohol. After I cleaned it, left/right still wasn't working and up/down is now stuttery, even though the optical wheels seem to be spinning fine.

Not sure where to go from here. Is there something I can test to see if there's a signal problem rather than a physical problem? I can replace the rollers/bearings, but like I said, it seems to be spinning the optical wheels just fine.
 
The trackball in my Centipede cabinet is not working. Rolling it up/down was working ok (sounds rough and feels rough, but was moving Centipede up/down), but left/right was not moving Centipede at all, or rather any moving of the trackball was moving Centipede right very slowly.



I took it apart today and cleaned 38 years of dirt/grime from it. The rollers are pretty worn in the middle, but the ball is moving them fine and the optical wheels seem to be spinning fine. I cleaned the sensors with a q-tip and some rubbing alcohol. After I cleaned it, left/right still wasn't working and up/down is now stuttery, even though the optical wheels seem to be spinning fine.



Not sure where to go from here. Is there something I can test to see if there's a signal problem rather than a physical problem? I can replace the rollers/bearings, but like I said, it seems to be spinning the optical wheels just fine.



Good chance you have a pcb issue on the main board, it's a common failure.
 
When you have issues like this, it's either the opto boards in the trakball, or the chips on the board.

To tell, swap the opto boards in the ball. If the issue changes directions, you need a new opto board. Else it's the input chips on the game board.

Also, check to make sure the solder joints on the opto boards are not cracked. Reflow them with fresh solder if necessary.


You can get new rollers and bearings if needed from Arcadeshop. I also have one more rebuilt original trakball available, here:

https://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=423013
 
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To tell, swap the opto boards in the ball. If the issue changes directions, you need a new opto board. Else it's the input chips on the game board.
...https://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=423013

Well, it's not the opto boards. :( Swapped them (a couple of times just to be sure) and still had the same problem with left/right. So, which chips on the main board are we talking about? Is there anything I can test (I have a multimeter, but not an oscilloscope) to troubleshoot this further?
 
yes it's repairable.

most likely the cause is one of the two MC14584 on the main board though there are other chips that could cause it, it's almost always (I'd say 90-95% of the time) one of the MC14584
on the game PCB (changes depending on which version of the centipede boards it is)

if you have test equipment like and ocilloscope or even a logic probe in this case you can diagnose it to be more sure, but it's probably a > 60% chance replacing both will fix the problem. that said you'll need to be able to desolder chips and resolder them without destroying the underlying traces or vias, it's super easy if you have a desoldering gun like a Hakko 808 or similar. much harder if you don't but can still be done (google for the best methods) I don't want to recommend one as I"d feel bad if you destroyed your board as I've never had much luck desoldering chips before I got my Hakko.

The actual parts are like $1.00 each if I recall they cost more to ship than to purchase.

Is it repairable? How would I troubleshoot it?
 
brzezicki, as luck would have it, I just ordered a Hakko FR-300 today (and bought some 63/37 solder); should have the gun by next weekend. Chances are replacing these chips will be my first experience at using a desoldering gun. I'm getting a 0.8mm and 1.6mm nozzle. I'm guessing I would use the 0.8mm nozzle for removing chips??

Is this the chip I would need? https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/on-semiconductor/MC14584BDG/MC14584BDGOS-ND/1478996
And we're talking about the 2 chips marked E/F 10 and E/F 11 on the main board, right?
 

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brzezicki, as luck would have it, I just ordered a Hakko FR-300 today (and bought some 63/37 solder); should have the gun by next weekend. Chances are replacing these chips will be my first experience at using a desoldering gun. I'm getting a 0.8mm and 1.6mm nozzle. I'm guessing I would use the 0.8mm nozzle for removing chips??



Is this the chip I would need? https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/on-semiconductor/MC14584BDG/MC14584BDGOS-ND/1478996

And we're talking about the 2 chips marked E/F 10 and E/F 11 on the main board, right?



Awesome! I am sure you will love it!
Yes those are the chips. (In picture) NOT digikey, you need the through hole models

Before you try to replace them first practice on a spare parts board. It does not take long to learn to use it effectively probably just a few tries before you have the hang of it. But probably not best to try on your actual board as a test.
 
Awesome! I am sure you will love it!
Yes those are the chips. (In picture) NOT digikey, you need the through hole models

Before you try to replace them first practice on a spare parts board. It does not take long to learn to use it effectively probably just a few tries before you have the hang of it. But probably not best to try on your actual board as a test.



Also the .8 will probably be good I don't recall what I use it's either .8 or 1.0 but I don't remember but I am sure either of those are fine.
 
You may even try taking a small nail and pushing the connectors
on the molex plug in alittle further while its connected. the one before the control panel.
one of the pins may have backed / pushed out when it was plugged in.
 
Ok, let's try this again: Does this look like the right chip?
https://www.ebay.com/i/222166663349

Google's being a bit difficult with this search. I did find it on one site for 19 Rupees (about $0.23 according to Google)... Not sure what the shipping from India would have been. :) If you know of a better reputable site to buy them from, please let me know.
 
Ok, let's try this again: Does this look like the right chip?

https://www.ebay.com/i/222166663349



Google's being a bit difficult with this search. I did find it on one site for 19 Rupees (about $0.23 according to Google)... Not sure what the shipping from India would have been. :) If you know of a better reputable site to buy them from, please let me know.



Yes that looks right I think Jameco sells them in USA but has a $10 minimum.
 
Ugh, eBay link I posted says delivery by end of April. I'd prefer to get them by next weekend. I'll continue searching.
 
greatplainselectronics.com seems to have a $5.00 minimum. Not a big deal, I just don't need that many of them. :) How about this one? https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/texas-instruments/CD40106BE/296-3503-5-ND/376602


Those will work. Though if you look around the GPE site, I'm sure you can find $5 worth of other spare parts or tools that you can use, as all of his stuff is geared to the arcade hobby, and he has a lot of really useful stuff.

You might pay more for in the end for Digikey shipping, not sure. But either place will do.
 
I just wanted to give a quick shout-out to all of the excellent people in this community and the help that is freely given. A single thread here will fix many problems that never receive a mention but happen none the less.

I just finished fixing a track-ball issue on my centipede that wouldn't go up/down. I replaced one of the hex inverters with a 40106 and it now works.

Stan
 
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I had issues with a Centipede like this and it was a bad wire connection in the plug at the control panel as you could put it in test mode and move the wires around and get it to work sometimes so make sure it's not something like this....
 
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