converting cocktail Pac to Ms. Pac - a few questions

eightbitwhit

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converting cocktail Pac to Ms. Pac - a few questions

Everyone,

I've picked up a very, very nice Pac-man cocktail this morning - supposedly 100% original and visually complete and I really want to convert it to a Ms. Pac for my wife for Christmas. My questions are these:

1 - What all is necessary to convert this to a Ms. Pac?

2 - Will a standard UR non-JAMMA Ms. Pac board work in the cocktail cabinets or do the cocktails have their own unique form-factor/configuration on the PCB's?

3 - what circuitry is responsible for swapping the board orientation when P1 and P2 alternate turns? Is this something that is on the PCB or does this function as an add-on board?

This is my first cocktail and I'm just beginning to dig into it, so my questions are very n00bish, I realize. I appreciate any help on this.
 
DON'T DO IT!!! :)
Just my opinion....
Pac and Ms Pac cocktails cabs are different in many ways. Can you convert it easily? short answer is YES!
All you would need it a Ms Pac board, the Ms Pac underlay, and the CPOs for converting a Ms pac to a pac. The CPOs are different sizes between Pac and Ms Pac.
I would leave it a Pac sell it, and find a dedicated Ms Pac and get THAT one....
Or just put a Ms Pac board in that cab and leave the ART Pac
IMO a Pac cocktail is DEF more desirable.
And as far as your #3 question...
The harness it grounded on one pin on the edge connector of a cocktail, the Pac and Ms Pac PCB knows whether or not to swap back and forth on a cocktail if this pin is grounded......
A stand up is NOT grounded on this pin
 
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Here is a pic of both....
They look the same? Sure at a glance.......
I would trade a nice Pac for a Ms Pac ALL DAY LONG!!!!
 

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If you want it to play Ms. Pac, that's fine - and easy. If you want it to look like a Ms. Pac, well then here are your problems:

1) The Pac control panels are 11" wide, but the Ms. Pac control panels are 9" wide. This means that the Ms. Pac CPO's are not wide enough to cover the entire CP, and the start buttons most likely won't line up.

2) The Pac glass top has the art painted on the bottom of the glass, so if you want it to say Ms. Pac, you have to replace the glass and buy an underlay.

3) The artwork (and wood top) on the Pac cocktail is cut in a square shape over the control panels. The Ms. Pac cocktails have more of a trapezoidal cutout shape, so if you put a Ms. Pac underlay on a Pac wood base, you'll see some of the bare wood showing.

There are some other minor differences (painted corners vs t-molding, etc) that don't really matter.

Why not just get a 4-in-1 Pac kit and install that...
 
This is excellent information, everyone - thank you very much!

I'll look into getting a multi-pac kit - that would likely be the path of least resistance on getting this to play Ms. Pac. I'd still like to be able to play Pac on it as well, so I think that's the most logical way to go.

I also didn't realize there were cabinet differences between the two, so thanks for the heads up on such. I think I'll keep it (cosmetically) the way it is.

One additional question - when I plug it in, the fans in the bottom are really, really loud.. almost to the point of distraction. Are the cocktails supposed to be "heard" while they run?
 
Converting a Pac to Ms Pac board isn't as hard as finding a Ms Pac board...

All you need is a daughter board, ribbon cable, and 2 new character ROMs.

But, with all the other issues, you'd be better off as stated - buy a 4-in-1 or 6-in-1 multi-pac kit for the cabinet.

RJ
 
Converting a Pac to Ms Pac board isn't as hard as finding a Ms Pac board...

All you need is a daughter board, ribbon cable, and 2 new character ROMs.

Now RJ - you know it's even simpler than that. You don't need the daughterboard. It's dead simple to convert a Pac to play Ms. Pac with only ROMs. You use a 2764 for the character ROMs to replace row 6, and a 27256 to replace all the row 5 ROMs.

-Ian
 
I "think" you can change the Pac character ROMS, to Ms Pac and then at least the machine would have a female Pac for your wife.

I say this and if I remember correctly, I was asked what character ROMS I needed when I restored my Ms Pac.
 
One additional question - when I plug it in, the fans in the bottom are really, really loud.. almost to the point of distraction. Are the cocktails supposed to be "heard" while they run?

If you can hear the fan, then you should turn the game volume up. :D

You can always replace it with a quieter PC fan...
 
I think your fan bearings are shot if you can hear it. I have Midway cockail and the fan is wicked quiet. The fans are available. I think they cost between $10 and $20 for a new one. Keep your old one in case you need to swap the protective screen over etc.
 
I think your fan bearings are shot if you can hear it. I have Midway cockail and the fan is wicked quiet. The fans are available. I think they cost between $10 and $20 for a new one. Keep your old one in case you need to swap the protective screen over etc.

Good to know - thanks a lot.

I appreciate all of the other replies to this thread as well - it's been a big help.

Riptor - I've got a line on a 6-in-1 kit right now, but if that falls through I'll be back in touch with you.
 
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