High Score Batteries - What do you guys do?

[tblake05]

Hello!

I just bought a really nice vs. unisystem mario brothers from Fabes23.

Does anyone know what the 2 (AA) batteries do on the control board? I want them out of there in the worst way. It's not a matter of if they leak, but when the leak.

Is there any purpose other than maintaining power to the 2764 EPROM in 1D(or 6D) for high scores?

Does anyone know off the top of their head of a pin for pin non-volitile replacement of the 2764 (of course will need programming). I'll do some searching around the net as well. Just thought I'd check here first.

I'd like to try this.....(without the batteries) and hang onto the original 2764.

Vs Super Mario Bros High Score Save and Freeplay

Thanks!

 

[mcdermd]

Replace them with lithium batteries and they won't leak.

 

[Laschek]

Eproms don't need to be powered to hold their memory, usually batteries are used to power RAM chips after switching off the game.

 

[HudsonArcade]

The battery only powers the 6116 at 8L.
Replace it with an NVRAM.

 

[tblake05]

Perfect! Thats exactly what I was looking for. Do you recommend a certain type of NVRAM?

 

[PassivePac-Man]

Perfect! Thats exactly what I was looking for. Do you recommend a certain type of NVRAM?

For a 6116, I would replace it with a Dallas DS1220 ram. Get multiple, as they're all old, and some won't work.

Also, welcome to the forums! I'm probably not too far from you

 

[tblake05]

Thanks!!!!! You guys rock! Everyone's so willing to help!

~ though I could be mistaken, the ram in 8L isn't a 6116...: I forget what the schematic called it.

I'll have to pull the board out again and see which one it really is an report back.

am I really that old that the updated non volitile ram chip to replace the old volitile ram is also obsolete.

passivepac-man, where about are you in MN? I'm about 1 hour west of mpls in Wright county.

 

[dalaibl0445]

In the event that you replace batteries in your Williams games (my Robotron board) the arcadeshop sells battery mod kits for $10. Pretty simple install.
Need to do Joust next.
Best of luck.

 

[mattosborn]

For a 6116, I would replace it with a Dallas DS1220 ram. Get multiple, as they're all old, and some won't work.

Don't buy Dallas. Get new ST M48Z12 instead.
For Vs boards however, I'd still go with lithium AA batteries instead.

 

[tstone]

I use Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries in all mine.

They last forever, won't leak, and don't require any mods.

No need to overthink this.

 

[parism]

Don't buy Dallas. Get new ST M48Z12 instead.
For Vs boards however, I'd still go with lithium AA batteries instead.

Matt, would it be easier to not mess with battery backed NVRAM and get the 6116 FRAM substitutes floating around for the pinball guys?

When I was working on adding NVRAM to Outrun, I tried the Dallas ones which worked for a few days and then they simply died. I switched to FRAM and it's all good for months now...

Just a thought.

p

 

[mattosborn]

Matt, would it be easier to not mess with battery backed NVRAM and get the 6116 FRAM substitutes floating around for the pinball guys?

The FRAM chips are far less compatible. If they work, great, but often they don't.
BRAM works everywhere a standard SRAM would. Buy fresh chips and you won't have a problem.

 

[G-P-E]

The Maxim (Dallas Semi) DS1220 and ST M48Z12s are the same thing but Maxim is much more proud of their product based on price. The M48Z12s run about $9 each and the DS1220s run about $14 each. As Matt said, buy new parts only. Never buy these from ebay or chinese websites such as alibaba -- you'll often end up with parts that already have dead or close to dead batteries.
Full part numbers = DS1220AD-150+ and M48Z12-150PC1. These are 150nS parts, can also get these faster if needed.
Note that these are still battery based. The battery is internal to the device - lithium coin cell that I have seen last as long as 20 years. If they do leak, the leakage is contained due to the memory being sealed.

Lithium batteries mentioned several posts don't last forever and often do leak when they get old. But they do last much, much longer than niCad or alkalines.

 

[HudsonArcade]

The FRAM chips are far less compatible. If they work, great, but often they don't.
BRAM works everywhere a standard SRAM would. Buy fresh chips and you won't have a problem.

There are only a handful of situations where FRAMs won't work.
Problem is the majority of the clowns selling adapters to make a quick buck didn't do the legwork to know what designs cause issues.

 

[ArcadeTechGW]

I just replace them every year or so. No problems so far with that approach.