Galaga

72gto

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Donor 6 years: 2017, 2021-2025
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Hope everyone is surviving the hurricanes everywhere. For those of still fortunate to be at this, I hope I have an easy one.

I have a Galaga standup that I just bought two days ago. Seems not to have been tampered with much. When I dragged it home and powered it on for the first time I got a solid blue screen (with no self test). Checked +5 voltage, all good. Plugged it in a few times while reseating various plugs between the board and the monitor. Something did the trick and I thought I was in the clear. However, after unplugging it four or five times and then plugging it back in, it has repeated the problem at least three times. The back of the cab has an interlock and I've not had enough hands to hold it and move things around and see what's happening on the screen but twice I simply unplugged the harness cleaned the edge connectors with an eraser, and plugged the harness back it and it has then booted properly. I can't imagine that cleaning it again is actually doing anything. A pic of the screen is attached. That's what it did on each occasion.

Also, an unrelated problem. I've been forced to unplug it because the power switch on the top of the cabinet doesn't seem to function. The switch looks to be a momentary plunger switch with only about an 1/8 inch of travel. (Until I looked through the manual, I assumed it was a volume switch). I don't see how this thing could possibly control the circuit. I've attached a pic from above and below. Is this the proper switch? It doesn't appear that it is loose or have any way to add additional travel and pushing it does nothing.

I have a switch that functions that way on the side of a Lethal Enforcer cab and would love to have it function so that the cord isn't being handled daily. No way I'm leaving a 40 year old machine plugged in until I know it won't burn the house down.
 

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  • galaga power switch bottom.jpg
    galaga power switch bottom.jpg
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Hope everyone is surviving the hurricanes everywhere. For those of still fortunate to be at this, I hope I have an easy one.

I have a Galaga standup that I just bought two days ago. Seems not to have been tampered with much. When I dragged it home and powered it on for the first time I got a solid blue screen (with no self test). Checked +5 voltage, all good. Plugged it in a few times while reseating various plugs between the board and the monitor. Something did the trick and I thought I was in the clear. However, after unplugging it four or five times and then plugging it back in, it has repeated the problem at least three times. The back of the cab has an interlock and I've not had enough hands to hold it and move things around and see what's happening on the screen but twice I simply unplugged the harness cleaned the edge connectors with an eraser, and plugged the harness back it and it has then booted properly. I can't imagine that cleaning it again is actually doing anything. A pic of the screen is attached. That's what it did on each occasion.

Also, an unrelated problem. I've been forced to unplug it because the power switch on the top of the cabinet doesn't seem to function. The switch looks to be a momentary plunger switch with only about an 1/8 inch of travel. (Until I looked through the manual, I assumed it was a volume switch). I don't see how this thing could possibly control the circuit. I've attached a pic from above and below. Is this the proper switch? It doesn't appear that it is loose or have any way to add additional travel and pushing it does nothing.

I have a switch that functions that way on the side of a Lethal Enforcer cab and would love to have it function so that the cord isn't being handled daily. No way I'm leaving a 40 year old machine plugged in until I know it won't burn the house down.

That switch looks like it's stuck in the down position?

The blue screen indicates you are getting something, power wise. You need to check the voltages at the PCB and see what the 5V is at.

Galaga Boards are finiky and have crappy sockets, resistor packs, etc...

Start by checking you have proper power, then go from there.

EDIT: BTW, the Interlock switch should have a "Pull Out" for ON as well as "Push In".

Missed the part about the edge connector first time. Replace the Pins in the Edge Connector.
 
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Thanks Arcadenut. I did commit the cardinal sin of checking voltage at the power supply (and not the board). I would have never caught the trick on the interlock -- very good tip. Do I really want to mess with the edge connections regardless, or only if the voltage is a problem. I assumed the latter.

Unrelated, saw your site. Incredible arcade collection!
 
Thanks Arcadenut. I did commit the cardinal sin of checking voltage at the power supply (and not the board). I would have never caught the trick on the interlock -- very good tip. Do I really want to mess with the edge connections regardless, or only if the voltage is a problem. I assumed the latter.

If it was me, I would replace it/fix it as it's proven to be a problem in this case. It's a PITA, but worth it when you're done. If the voltage drops from the PS to the PCB, it's usually a bad connection in the edge connector.

Unrelated, saw your site. Incredible arcade collection!

Thanks :)
 
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