Hello from Utah!

dottedquad

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Hi from Utah. Sorry I've been on for a few weeks and didn't realize this introduction board existed.

I've been enamored with arcades ever since the Showbiz and Chuck E Cheese days as a kid. I especially remember seeing Dragons Lair for the first time in the foyer of a Fred Meyers of all places and just how magical it seemed.

As a teen I loved Hard Drivin' and Race Drivin' though I don't know if I'll ever pursue owning one.

I used to work in video games and have a few titles for the DS I've worked on and one for the PS2.

I've also worked in film in the Bay area, and have a few small credits in a few big animated movies. There was a guy that worked at that studio that had converted his whole basement into an arcade and I looked at pictures he'd share and think that would be so cool.

Recently I'd been into retro computers and had repaired a couple of 1084 monitors, and playing a little with my Mister FPGA and wanted a proper home for it. And suddenly found a 4 slot neo geo big red show up on Facebook marketplace. I saw it as a generic jamma cabinet, but now I've kind of come to love it. Though I don't love how on the brink it's KT-2725 monitor is. I picked up another empty shell Dynamo HS-something that was labeled Metal Slug. But all it had was a bare MVS 1 slot board and no monitor. I've been trying to build a Frankenstein k7000 out of parts. My plan is to have one 4:3 and one 3:4 and run Misters in both.

LCDs are nice for games nowadays, but these old arcades just don't feel right unless they are on a proper CRT.

Dream list:
Dragons lair (of course)
Asteroids
Marble Madness
TMNT
Ghouls and Ghosts
Poseidon
 
Just since it was in Utah too, was this the 4 slot you got? Looked like a great bargain.

 
@lithy Yeah that was the exact one. I've tried but still haven't fixed that board problem yet, though I still have hope. Luckily, I've been able to use the 1-slot MVS I got from the other cabinet. The monitor was really dim in the photos, but it ended up being a lot more bright once it had been on for a while and you had a real game playing.

I don't know if you are from Utah too but there was an invoice inside that showed that it had originally been in the double-dome Century Theaters on 3300 S. I used to work right across the street from that theater, and probably saw this exact
cabinet.
 
I'm not in Utah, probably fortunately for my wife or I would have tried to grab it at that price if it was anywhere close, even as spares (I already have three 4 slots... :p), but the sides look to be in great shape. Hopefully the monitor just needs some light reconditioning and you can get it usable for what you want.

On the 4 slot, I believe the board error says Video RAM. Is that right? What have you tried so far? Could be as simple as getting a couple new RAM chips, they do fail, but also look for any battery corrosion in the area, the 4 slot has it in a critical spot where it can leak and damage traces. I don't what you know what you have access too, but you could also look into burning or getting a diagnostic bios, it could give some further insight as to which RAM is having an issue.

One last thing, any chance I could bug you to share a pic of the date and serial number on your cab when you have a moment? I had messaged the seller but he sold it before getting a chance to do it. I'm just collecting them for information. Date is on the wood when you open the control panel in marker, the serial number is the little silver sticker on the upper right on the back of the cab, should say KC-XXXX
 
I'm not in Utah, probably fortunately for my wife or I would have tried to grab it at that price if it was anywhere close, even as spares (I already have three 4 slots... :p), but the sides look to be in great shape. Hopefully the monitor just needs some light reconditioning and you can get it usable for what you want.

On the 4 slot, I believe the board error says Video RAM. Is that right? What have you tried so far? Could be as simple as getting a couple new RAM chips, they do fail, but also look for any battery corrosion in the area, the 4 slot has it in a critical spot where it can leak and damage traces. I don't what you know what you have access too, but you could also look into burning or getting a diagnostic bios, it could give some further insight as to which RAM is having an issue.

One last thing, any chance I could bug you to share a pic of the date and serial number on your cab when you have a moment? I had messaged the seller but he sold it before getting a chance to do it. I'm just collecting them for information. Date is on the wood when you open the control panel in marker, the serial number is the little silver sticker on the upper right on the back of the cab, should say KC-XXXX

Sure thing. Looks like 9/18/90 and KC-5973:

PXL_20250820_001255923.jpgPXL_20250820_001225581.jpg
 
I'm not in Utah, probably fortunately for my wife or I would have tried to grab it at that price if it was anywhere close, even as spares (I already have three 4 slots... :p), but the sides look to be in great shape. Hopefully the monitor just needs some light reconditioning and you can get it usable for what you want.

On the 4 slot, I believe the board error says Video RAM. Is that right? What have you tried so far? Could be as simple as getting a couple new RAM chips, they do fail, but also look for any battery corrosion in the area, the 4 slot has it in a critical spot where it can leak and damage traces. I don't what you know what you have access too, but you could also look into burning or getting a diagnostic bios, it could give some further insight as to which RAM is having an issue.

One last thing, any chance I could bug you to share a pic of the date and serial number on your cab when you have a moment? I had messaged the seller but he sold it before getting a chance to do it. I'm just collecting them for information. Date is on the wood when you open the control panel in marker, the serial number is the little silver sticker on the upper right on the back of the cab, should say KC-XXXX
So on the mvs 4 slot board, I've replaced those two video srams with cxk58267am-10l. Sloppy looking job but a don't think there's any bridges and it seemed to tone out okay. (But I haven't been methodical with a datasheet/schematics)
I've clipped out the battery and there was no sign of leaking or corrosion.
When I start, I just get a full screen of color, but what color it is depends on whether I have the original ROM, unibios, or diag rom. But I don't get any helpful error messages or sounds.
I've verified that there's activity on the CPU with an oscilloscope, it's seemingly executing code, and I've methodically toned out every line from the CPU to the bios rom.
What I think I need to do now is really methodically tone out all the lines from those srams to the destination, I think most go to a big square chip nearby.
 
Welcome to KLOV from the Bay Area! What film projects did you work on?

I also recently acquired a big red Neo geo but your looks to be in better shape cosmetically, albeit mine works.
 
So on the mvs 4 slot board, I've replaced those two video srams with cxk58267am-10l. Sloppy looking job but a don't think there's any bridges and it seemed to tone out okay. (But I haven't been methodical with a datasheet/schematics)
I've clipped out the battery and there was no sign of leaking or corrosion.
When I start, I just get a full screen of color, but what color it is depends on whether I have the original ROM, unibios, or diag rom. But I don't get any helpful error messages or sounds.
I've verified that there's activity on the CPU with an oscilloscope, it's seemingly executing code, and I've methodically toned out every line from the CPU to the bios rom.
What I think I need to do now is really methodically tone out all the lines from those srams to the destination, I think most go to a big square chip nearby.

Thanks for the pics.

I'm not very experienced on the board repairs, not sure I've seen anything before with solid screen colors. Usually if it's stuck in a watchdog reset you'll see the blocks of color on screen but not a solid screen color. Anything coming through the speakers?

I do have schematics (got lucky in a pile of eBay paperwork last year), yours should be the MV-4 rather than the later MV-4F.


Good luck!
 
Welcome to KLOV from the Bay Area! What film projects did you work on?

I also recently acquired a big red Neo geo but your looks to be in better shape cosmetically, albeit mine works.
Toy Story 3, Cars 2, Brave & Monsters University. I worked mainly on software for authoring hair styles and integrating hair and cloth simulation.

Yeah I would really like to get that 4 slot board up and running. That why I've been lucky to get the 1 slot from the other cabinet. At least I can can do the carts one at a time.
 
Toy Story 3, Cars 2, Brave & Monsters University. I worked mainly on software for authoring hair styles and integrating hair and cloth simulation.

Yeah I would really like to get that 4 slot board up and running. That why I've been lucky to get the 1 slot from the other cabinet. At least I can can do the carts one at a time.
Sweet! Pixar!

Just a heads up. Your Neo Geo 1 slot pcb is Jamma, but your 4 slot pcb is not... the multi slots have a a game switching feature and audio differences with the pinout.
 
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