FS Vidiots & Vidiot Deluxe

Just an FYI that it isn't too hard to test Vidiot boards for basic function on a bench. The Pinrepair site has instructions on how to do it with just a 12V power supply. Might help sell these or get more money for them if they pass.

http://www.pinrepair.com/bally/babypac.htm

Testing the Vidiot Board "on the bench".
The Vidiot board can be tested without the rest of the game and on the work bench. All that is needed is 12 volts DC. Ideally it would be nice to have a video game monitor and speaker too, but it's not completely necessary. Here's the connectors needed to boot the Vidiot board outside of the game.

VJ3 - Power & ground (12 pin .156" molex connector):
Pin 1,2 = 12 volts DC
Pin 7,9,11 = ground (all three pins must be connected to ground)
VJ4 - Video (optional, 12 pin .156" molex connector):

Pin 2 = ground
Pin 3 = sync
Pin 5 = green
Pin 7 = blue
Pin 11 = red
VJ5 - Speaker (optional, 2 pin .156" molex connector):

Pin 1,2 to speaker.
Be sure to check the power voltages with your work bench test rig: Use the test points on the Vidiot board.

TP6 = 12 volts DC
TP3 = Ground
TP2 = +5 volts DC
TP5 = 8.2 volts DC

With power connected, the Vidiot board should flash ten times (flash codes are shown below), and the studder/abbreviated Pacman tune should play during bootup (assuming a speaker is connected to J5). After the ten flashes, pressing SW1 will bring up the either the Communications test (with no Xmit/Rec info), or the color bar test. If the Communications test comes up, press SW1 again for the color bar test. Of course both of these test are useless unless there is a video monitor connected. Pressing SW2 will play a short electronic space sound and the LED will flash two times.
 
I've been looking for a few months mine is only giving me 4 flashes, I have the oppertunity to send it to Marvin3m so its not like I don't have one! If it was tested working I would have already bought it for 150.00 but mine looks cherry too and it doesn't work. I've dumped new roms etc with no luck. Good luck with ur sale I hope u get your asking price. How many granny and the gators do you think are still around? I mean production #s were low back in the days, I'm pretty sure the vidiot deluxe was only used for GntG.

Joe(acejedi)
 
I get 4 flashes in the game with the other boards hooked, my bench is only set up for baby pac man. I've swapped all the other boards into baby pac and they work fine! My problem is defintly the VD board, I've even swapped out the TMS processor chips no change! There is a eprom that's on the board that is a direct solder to the the board chip that may have special bally code specific to GntG and the there is no checksum or info online. That may be bad? I don't know I've worked on mine with no sucess so its probably gonna get sent to Marvin3m! Its too bad there is no way to test yours. Where did you get your VD board from? Like I said these were only from Granny and I don't think they made very many granny's most people have never seen a working one.

Joe(acejedi)
 
GrannyandtheGators002.jpg


Here's mine. Just need to work on my Baby to sit next to it!
 
I'm jealous! I want my GntG to work. My vidiot boards boot on the bench no problem. I have a bench set up just or baby pac man, it uses everything including the monitor. I even have a thrashed playfield to check the solinoid driver board.
 
Tried that and didn't get anything. And asked a few people about this and was told it doesn't work. Which is a bummer as it's a pretty easy test.

I performed that test on a Vidiot I have here and it worked. Not sure what I did differently. I got all 10 flashes on the board which is going in my second baby. Anyway, good luck on the sale.
 
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I performed that test on a Vidiot I have here and it worked. Not sure what I did differently. I got all 10 flashes on the board which is going in my second baby. Anyway, good luck on the sale.

that works most of the time. Still doesn't tell you for sure if its communicating properly with the mpu though. The only way to really test them is in a machine, or with the full harness and mpu and full complement of switches and joystick, with a nice long burn in. The sockets on them are horrid and often times even though you get 10 flashes, will act up once they heat up.
 
that works most of the time. Still doesn't tell you for sure if its communicating properly with the mpu though. The only way to really test them is in a machine, or with the full harness and mpu and full complement of switches and joystick, with a nice long burn in. The sockets on them are horrid and often times even though you get 10 flashes, will act up once they heat up.

Yeah, by no means is it conclusive and that was what I was trying to indicate with my basic function comment in the original post. It is probably nothing more than a POST, but still provides some indication as to the boards condition. I do believe getting 10 flashes is better than none. ;)
 
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