OP
OP
Is the sound volume control you refer to the POT? The POT works. If it's a software thing, I'll give it a try...
Fireball 2 Questions
- Thread starter FrizzleFried
- Start date
Is the sound volume control you refer to the POT? The POT works. If it's a software thing, I'll give it a try...
Lindsey
Well-known member
I'm talking about the pot, resistor and cap that form the sound volume control. Do it anyway
OP
OP
I'm talking about the pot, resistor and cap that form the sound volume control. Do it anyway
I will do it... but the volume for the CHIMES does increase and decrease when I turn the SOUND pot... and the volume for the VOICE does increase and decrease when I turn the VOCAL pot...(right side one)...
Jon
Lindsey
Well-known member
I understand that but the cap or resistor could still be bad. Seems unlikely I know but the more you can strip it down to the root cause the better. I would just pull that jumper and not have to worry about that section for further troubleshooting.
I pulled my Fireball II manual yesterday.....the schematics show the DAC as being used......though, there's still no guarantee it needs it. I've seen Bally recycle other games schematics and not make necessary changes.
Edward
Edward
Lindsey
Well-known member
The schematic will definitely show it regardless of whether it's used because the socket is still on the board. The same way all the ROM sockets are shown but not all are used. The best you could hope for is a note on the schematic but I didn't see one
I still don't think it's a bad idea to throw one in there and see what happens. It's certainly possible that the DAC is necessary for the non-chime mode.
If I'm understanding the problem correctly everything worked fine on the chime setting but when you switched it the sound stopped working (low volume) even on the chime setting? If that's the case then I don't see a DAC solving the low volume issue but it's still possible that you may need one for the non-chime setting. I have a Fireball II in the garage. If I can get to it tonight I'll take a look at the sound board.
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OP
OP
The schematic will definitely show it regardless of whether it's used because the socket is still on the board. The same way all the ROM sockets are shown but not all are used. The best you could hope for is a note on the schematic but I didn't see one
I still don't think it's a bad idea to throw one in there and see what happens. It's certainly possible that the DAC is necessary for the non-chime mode.
If I'm understanding the problem correctly everything worked fine on the chime setting but when you switched it the sound stopped working (low volume) even on the chime setting? If that's the case then I don't see a DAC solving the low volume issue but it's still possible that you may need one for the non-chime setting. I have a Fireball II in the garage. If I can get to it tonight I'll take a look at the sound board.
(A) Where can I get a DAC? Got one to send Lindsey?
(B) Chimes always work. They never lower volume (unless I adjust the pot of course). There are 4 settings for sound (soft dip 18)...
00 - CHIMES ONLY (works fine)
01 - CHIMES + BACKGROUND SOUND (chimes work fine, background sound is very very very faint)
02 - EFFECTS ONLY (only 2 effects work, the others are very very faint)
03 - EFFECTS + BACKGROUND SOUND (only 2 effects work, the others plus background sound are very very faint)
We may be getting to the point where I ask what you'd charge for a known working S&T set up for FBII shipped to 83686... with or without trade-in.
Lindsey
Well-known member
Ahh... I was misunderstanding the problem. I hate it when that happens. I would definitely be trying a DAC at this point. I have a feeling that will solve your problem now that I fully understand what's happening.
AD558 is still readily available but not overly cheap.
This one is substantially cheaper than the others on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/AD-558KN-IC-ANA...522?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item58834c9dfa
That's probably the one I would order. New ones from Digikey are around $14 each. If it still doesn't work after that we can talk about a repair or exchange.
OP
OP
Bought... but damn... I hated paying $7.45 for shipping on a $1.50 item.
OP
OP
GOOD NEWS and BAD NEWS...(though more of the good)...
GOOD NEWS:
I put that DAC in place and sure enough... MY EFFECT SOUNDS and BACKGROUND SOUNDS came to life! w0000000t!
BAD NEWS:
One sound is jacked up. The sound the pin makes when you first fire it up... when you first hit start... and after you drain the ball just as a new ball gets kicked in to the shooter lane is jacked. (it appears they are all 3 the same sound)....when it fires to play the sound you get digital sounding static as if it's trying to play a sound...
Is that a ROM issue? I can video it if necessary...
Thanks!
EDIT: FWIW - I pulled the sound ROMs and cleaned them up. Unfortunately it didn't rectify the issue. Also, the specific sound in question triggers when you get a Fireball Bonus while playing (not the sound while the bonus trapped ball is banging back and forth but the sound immediately after).
Is there any way to determine which leg of which ROM deals with that specific sound? The schematics I have don't include anything with the sound.
EDIT #2: Unfortunately I found out that the background sound changes when you go in to multiball... and the sound during multiball sounds "wrong" as well... though it COULD be the bad sound that plays as described earlier just played at a very high frequency and repeated...
GOOD NEWS:
I put that DAC in place and sure enough... MY EFFECT SOUNDS and BACKGROUND SOUNDS came to life! w0000000t!
BAD NEWS:
One sound is jacked up. The sound the pin makes when you first fire it up... when you first hit start... and after you drain the ball just as a new ball gets kicked in to the shooter lane is jacked. (it appears they are all 3 the same sound)....when it fires to play the sound you get digital sounding static as if it's trying to play a sound...
Is that a ROM issue? I can video it if necessary...
Thanks!
EDIT: FWIW - I pulled the sound ROMs and cleaned them up. Unfortunately it didn't rectify the issue. Also, the specific sound in question triggers when you get a Fireball Bonus while playing (not the sound while the bonus trapped ball is banging back and forth but the sound immediately after).
Is there any way to determine which leg of which ROM deals with that specific sound? The schematics I have don't include anything with the sound.
EDIT #2: Unfortunately I found out that the background sound changes when you go in to multiball... and the sound during multiball sounds "wrong" as well... though it COULD be the bad sound that plays as described earlier just played at a very high frequency and repeated...
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Do you have anyone near you with an EPROM burner? They could do a checksum on your ROMs to see it they're good. Also, I'd swap the two 6821 PIA's at U7 and U11......see if anything changes. And lastly, I could also see the sound chip at U12 (AY3-8912) causing this issue.
Edward
Edward
OP
OP
I happen to have a buddy with a Fireball II locally AND an eprom burner. He's supposed to be burning me off a couple chips shortly...
I'll try U7/U11 and go from there...
I'll try U7/U11 and go from there...
OP
OP
Welp, swapping U7 and U11 had no change... and I pulled U12 and cleaned it up real nice... put it back in and... same. No change.
I guess the next step is to swap in 2 known working ROMs and go from there...?
Lindsey
Well-known member
That's what I would do. Could also be related to bad sockets.
OP
OP
FWIW I did test continuity between the ROM's legs and the solder joint for the socket on the back of the PCB. I am sure that's not the best gauge, but I figured I'd mention it.
Lindsey
Well-known member
Welp, swapping U7 and U11 had no change... and I pulled U12 and cleaned it up real nice... put it back in and... same. No change.
I guess the next step is to swap in 2 known working ROMs and go from there...?
One thought I just had....you might try.......this thing has, what, 3...4....different sound circuits. With the exception of the speech, we really don't know what chips are associated with what sounds. Try removing a chip and firing it up....see what sounds if affects. See if you can find a chip that makes your bad sounds become quiet.....or a removed chip that has no affect on anything (because it might already be bad).
Edward
OP
OP
Well, I suppose the DAC I just purchased could be bad... as that chip itself brought all the rest of the sounds to life?
I may have access to a working S&T board shortly... my friend just responded that unfortunately his burner wont do the specific chip I need, so I asked if he'd let me borrow his board for a day.
The sounds that are now messed up......were the missing before the DAC installation, sounded "normal", or sounded different?
Edward
Edward
OP
OP
Yes... all the "effects" save for one or two were missing... once I installed the DAC all the missing "effects" came to life... including this one (or perhaps it's two?) samples... which came to life as well, but it's obviously not the right sample... but rather an electronic brrrr...beee...brrr sound...
PS: Yes, I know they aren't "samples"... I am using that term to represent the different "sounds"... that fire at different times.
EDIT: Well, I just confirmed with my buddy that I can borrow his S&T from his Fireball II for a couple days. That should help be greatly in determining if it's a ROM, sound chip or some other socketed chip issue...
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