Ghosts N Goblins Flashes on screen?

OIB1981

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My Ghosts N Goblins board runs fine but every now and then it flashes a color that looks like coin bonus but all over the screen. Anybody have any idea what this could be?
 
My Ghosts N Goblins board runs fine but every now and then it flashes a color that looks like coin bonus but all over the screen. Anybody have any idea what this could be?

Mine does that too, and I have seen it mentioned elsewhere in repair logs and stuff, might be possible that it's just the way it is??

I find it usually happens around the up and down moving platforms on the second level, would you agree?
 
Yeah once I get to around the House of Big Men it starts doing it. So close to where your's is. Level 3 and 4 pretty bad about it to. It keeps up from there. I'll have to get a video of it.

*****Update****

Got a video. This is me holding my Cell Phone under my chin. Hard enough to play this game impossible with one hand.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y-id_-RnxQ
 
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HEY!

I was able to get a vid. of the odd flash(s) on my iPHONE and upload it to YOUTUBE for everyone to see. :)

I marked the flash points in the vid. so you can skip to it. :D

Let me know what you guys think. :)

Thanks,

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GHOSTS N GOBLINS ODD FLASH #1.MOV



Odd flash(s): 03:02, 04:36, and 07:44.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDJ-uly3OuA

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GHOSTS N GOBLINS ODD FLASH #2.MOV



Odd flash(s): 00:24, 03:06, 06:22, and 07:04.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR8yhJ2iO24
 
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My board also has this problem, doesn't happen as often as Tyranix's pcb though. I will say that the parts of the levels where flashing occurs on my board all happen on Tyranix's board too.

I'm not sure if it's just the camera or if it's the setup that the board is running on, but the picture appears to distort during the flash in Tyranix's vid. The picture flashes pretty cleanly on my pcb and the flashes only last 1/2 second. The moments of flashing are pretty separated too, once or twice in level 2 and in level 3. Can't recall it flashing in levels 4 and 5. Haven't made it through level 6 before.

In short, the occurrence is mild enough on my board to where it doesn't bother me, others don't mention it or acknowledge it while playing either. I just like to think of it as "lightning".
 
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I'll have to try my GnG out also. I haven't played so far in that i've seen many flashes.
 
Yeah it always start around the house of big men for me. At this point I'd like to meet somebody who board doesn't do this.
 
What you are seeing are glitches in the Scroll RAM area of the board. There are some 74LS245 latches on the CPU board and on the bottom board (I won't say "video board" since a lot of video functions are on the CPU board too!) that send signals back & forth.

These boards are VERY fickle with their timing. I wouldn't touch it until it gets far worse...

Edit: The chips in question were 13F, 14E, and 14F along with the 2k x 8 SRAM (24 pin one) on the bottom board.
 
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What you are seeing are glitches in the Scroll RAM area of the board. There are some 74LS245 latches on the CPU board and on the bottom board (I won't say "video board" since a lot of video functions are on the CPU board too!) that send signals back & forth.

These boards are VERY fickle with their timing. I wouldn't touch it until it gets far worse...

Edit: The chips in question were 13F, 14E, and 14F along with the 2k x 8 SRAM (24 pin one) on the bottom board.

Mine's working great. Thanks Again, RJ
 
Thanks CM! :)

-----------------

So far, I've received two PMs from other members who about the flash problem.

I've also asked them also post about their observations, here, in the thread too---so everyone else can see too.
 
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Met with mainman this weekend and shotgunned the GHOSTS board. :)

mainman replaced the 74LS245 logic chips at 11F, 12F, 13F, 14F, 14E, 10H, 11H, 5N, and 6N. And he also replaced the ram chips at 7A and 7H.

Bottom side: http://s1210.photobucket.com/albums...Goblins/?action=view&current=GhostsSG1Bot.jpg
Top side: http://s1210.photobucket.com/albums...Goblins/?action=view&current=GhostsSG1Top.jpg

Needless to say, we had a blast. :)

But, no joy. :(

The GHOSTS board plays exact;y the same as before--still with glitches. :(

Would like some more ideas on what to try next, please. :D
 
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Follow the schematics... There are more 74LS245s that are connected to that data bus.
 
Ok CM,

All the 245s have been replaced on the board--The big black custom 85H001 chip got re-flowed (for good luck)--And mainman check summed all the EPROMs in his ROM burner against the MAME files. The ROMS check ok. But GHOSTS still GLITCHES.

Starting to notice a pattern here: The game likes to glitch when there is a lot of horizontal and vertical and/or diagonal activity on the screen--mostly vertical and diagonal action though. The game does not like to glitch when these there is only a lot of horizontal action.

So, what's next?

Ideas anyone?

-------------------

Old board pic.s, but with new part locations marked.

Top pic.: http://s1210.photobucket.com/albums...Goblins/?action=view&current=GhostsSG2Top.jpg
Bottom pic.: http://s1210.photobucket.com/albums...Goblins/?action=view&current=GhostsSG2Bot.jpg
 
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Ok CM,

I'm starting on the COLOR MIXER page (A-2-8/8), and using the PROM chip located at 2E as a reference point.:

Right after the 2E PROM, I replaced the three 153 chips @ 3F, 3E, and 4E; and the five 363 chips @ 6B, 8B, 6C, 7C, and, 8C.. And, right before the 2E PROM, I replaced the 20 chip @ 1F, the 00 chip @ 7F, the 273 chip @ 1E, the 174 chip @ 4F, and the 174 chip at 1H. Tested game: Game glitches; however, the game seems to glitch less. :)

The chip @ 273 leads the Scroll Rom page (B-2-9/9) and the Scroll Video Ram Page (B-2-8/9). On the Scroll Rom page, replaced the six 194 chips @ 4A, 4B, 4C. 4D, 4E, and 4F; and the 157 chip at 3F. Tested game. No, change: Game glitches. On the Scroll Video Ram page, replaced the 174 chip @ 6B and the 273 @ 6A. Tested game. No, change: Game glitches.

The 174 chip @ 1H leads to Line Buffer I (B-2-5/9) and Line Buffer II (B-2-6/9) and Object Rom (B-2-4/9). Had some extra 194 chips, so I replaced the four 194 chips @ 1K, 2K, 3K, and 4K; and the the 257 chip @ 5K. (found on the Object Rom page). Tested game: Game glitches.

The 174 chip @ 4F leads to the Character Generator Rom (A-2-7/9) and the Character Video Ram (A-2-6/8). On the Character Generator Rom page, I replaced the two 194 chips @ 10D and 11D, and the 157 chip at 10C. Tested game. No, change: Game glitches. On the Scroll Ram Page, I replaced the 174 chip @ 8F. Tested game. No, change: Game glitches.

Noticed that the Memory Map / Out Put page (A-2-2/8) leads directly to the Color Mixer page (A-2-8/8), after the PROM, and indirectly to the Color Mixer Page through the Character Video Ram page (A-2-6/8), Replaced the 139 chip @ 9K, the 138 chip @ 3D, and the 259 chip @ 9B. Tested game. No, change: Game glitches.


Tob board: http://s1210.photobucket.com/albums...oblins/?action=view&current=GhostsSG2Top2.jpg
Bottom board: http://s1210.photobucket.com/albums...oblins/?action=view&current=GhostsSG2Bot2.jpg
 
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Had some spare time today so, I pushed the theory that data is not getting to that PROM and replaced a few more chips.

On the CHARACTER GENERATOR ROM (A-2-7/8), I replaced the two 86 chips @ 9D and 9E, and the 174 chip @ 8E. Tested game. No, change: Game glitches.

On the CHARACTER VIDEO RAM (A-2-6/8), I replaced the three 273 chips @ 8H 9F, and 9H; and the three 157 chips @ 3H, 4H and 5H; and the 32 chip @ 6F; and the 04 chip @ 5F. Tested game. No, change: Game glitches.

On the LINE BUFFER 1 (B-2-5/9) and LINE BUFFER II (B-2-6/9) pages, I replaced four 257 chips @ 6L, 7L, 12L, and 13L; two LS 273 chips @ 6M and 13M; and the LS21 chip @ 14L Tested game. No, change: Game glitches.
 
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Had some spare time today so, I pushed the theory that data is not getting to that PROM and replaced a few more chips.

On the CHARACTER GENERATOR ROM (A-2-7/8), I replaced the two 86 chips @ 9D and 9E, and the 174 chip @ 8E. Tested game. No, change: Game glitches.

On the CHARACTER VIDEO RAM (A-2-6/8), I replaced the three 273 chips @ 8H 9F, and 9H; and the three 157 chips @ 3H, 4H and 5H; and the 32 chip @ 6F; and the 04 chip @ 5F. Tested game. No, change: Game glitches.

On the LINE BUFFER 1 (B-2-5/9) and LINE BUFFER II (B-2-6/9) pages, I replaced four 257 chips @ 6L, 7L, 12L, and 13L; two LS 273 chips @ 6M and 13M; and the LS21 chip @ 14L Tested game. No, change: Game glitches.

Wow! Didn't know you were still workin' on this. If you figure this out, you'll have made a HUGE discovery for KLOV.
 
How many of those 74LS245 chips did you replace on the main board?

I replaced all of them that were tied together and I wonder if you missed one.
 
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