How to become an arcade technician?

[newsheriffintown]

Are there any good resources, schools, etc. that can help someone with ZERO background in electronics learn how to maintain arcade machines? Our local mall has a new owner and is trying to do things to bring the mall back, including free rent for new tenants. One of those new tenants is a lady who has never even plugged in an arcade machine before, probably has played very few if any in her lifetime, and who has set out to open an arcade on her own. Most of the machines she bought were from Craigslist or Facebook market place, many needing work. She bought a machine I had listed and it didnt take me long to.figure out that she didn't have a clue about these things. She wanted to hire me to help her set everything up and be the guy who keeps everything running. I told her that I had a special place in my heart for malls and arcades and people with a dream. I volunteered to help her getting the doors opened, but told her that I've got way too much going on and no time for another job. I don't think she has the budget to pay me anyway, or anyone else for that matte..

Over the last couple of months I got things patched up and she has finally opened the doors. Every week, sometimes twice per week, she has called with problems. Twice games have been simply unplugged. She doesn't even know how to put a credit in a machine, and couldnt do anything more technical than that. I told her that if she is going to survive, she is going to have to learn to work on these things. Everything I learned came from RGVAC, KLOV, and from trial and error. This obviously took a few years.. she needs a crash course asap..

I have alot going that requires my attention at home. I have rental property and also maintain an arcade in my church for the youth group. I have extended family who constantly rely on me to keep their stuff going. I got up this morning, spent 3 hours helping my father get his zero turn running and moving stuff in the yard, 2 hours working on a skeeball and air hockey at the church, and 2 hours at the mall working on superbikes, x men, and some redemption game. Meanwhile I've got games backing up at the home arcade needing repair and a countless number of other things needing my attention. So, I am.going to need to have a conversation with her about the fact that I still Don't have the time to work as a technician.
Other than to tell her everything she needs to know is somewhere on the internet, is there some other way to get her educated in a hurry?

 

[andrewb]

She isn't in a good position. There's no 'fast' way to learn everything you'd need to know to be an effective tech.

If she can't or doesn't want to invest the time necessary to be able to do this, then her choices are pay someone who can, or she shouldn't be trying to run an arcade.

Sorry if that sounds blunt, but better for her to learn this now, then after she's underwater and loses a larger amount of money. I'm saying that out of concern for her, and in her best interests.

If she does want to learn, she should go watch a ton of youtube vids about electricity basics (SAFETY first and foremost, how to use a DMM, measure voltages, etc), all of which you can search for on youtube.

Then start watching a ton of arcade repair vids, and reading sites with the basics. She's going to need to become obsessed with it, if she wants to learn fast. Things like John's Arcade are good for noobs, but not exactly compressed into short vids. But the info is there, and on other folks' repair/restore channels here. (I think we have a thread with links to peoples' channels.)

It's relatively easy to learn how to test voltages, identify monitor vs game board issues, and swap boards out for good ones (which is basically what a typical 'tech' used to be). However today, you really need to be able to do board-level troubleshooting, if you're going to expect to keep a fleet of classics running, and not pay anyone else to help you figure things out. Frankly, that is something even I would find challenging to do solo, and I repair boards and monitors daily.

At the end of the day, the best she might be able to hope for is to be able to do general diagnoses, and remove/install boards, and then have a group of reliable repair people available that she can send boards out to, and then reinstall herself. And that is going to cost her money, which she should have a budget for, and expect to spend every month.

I don't know anyone running a public arcade who does everything 100% by themselves, as a single person. Everyone either has a partner or employee who can do the lower-level stuff, and/or they send stuff out to board/monitor repair people. And unless she really has a passion for this stuff and a willingness and ability to self-teach, she should really consider if this is the right gig for her.

 

[Dr. Willy]

I'm going to come off sounding like a dick here but if she has the cash to throw at those machines (non working or otherwise) then she has the cash to pay someone to fix them as needed. You did your Good Samaritan deed by helping her out as much as you can and getting the doors open. If this is a business she truly wants to succeed then she will find a way to make it work.

Everyone I know who has learned has leaned through struggles and trials. I don't think their is an easy way or otherwise.

 

[ScumBum]

See if there is a local KLOVer in your area that is looking to make some extra money and has the time to maybe help her .

Or have her post a help wanted AD on craigslist .

 

[kspiff]

Solid long-term business planning there.

 

[Hydreigon]

An incentive to fix arcade machines because you dislike seeing a defective component or would like the machine to work the best way possible.

 

[KenLayton]

She could take one of Randy Fromm's classes.

 

[newsheriffintown]

Thanks for the suggestions. I agree that she is not in a good place. I guess that's why I keep coming when she calls. Unfortunately she was already very deep in this before I met her, and i even told her the first day and several times since then that she wasnt going to make it if she didn't have a tech working for her or if she didn't learn how to do it herself. So far with the frantic frenzy to get everything going, followed by the good response from the community and a packed out place, she hasnt had the time or otherwise avoided dealing with it other to mention that she's going to have to pickup the pace about learning to fix them.

I keep telling her that she's gonna have to do something about it, that I don't have the time to keep my own stuff working, much less hers. I just know when I finally decide to quit being nice guy and tell her I'm done the place will close right behind it because there is no one else in my area that can or will work on these things.

Randy fromms arcade school would be awesome if it wasn't on the other side of the country. But I'm gonna pass his website along. I forgot all about his DVDs, that might be the ticket. But I haven't been able to get her to buy power supplies, sensors for the ball games, or other misc stuff she needs, so I know it will probably be impossible to convince her to spend the money on dvds, and she really needs the parts more than the DVDs at this point.

I will keep the thread posted as to how this all turns out. She gonna either have to swim or sink

 

[Cashdog]

She could take one of Randy Fromm's classes.

What I was thinking

 

[joeycuda]

What I was thinking

5 minutes into the class, rolls eyes "f this $hit"

 

[VidyaGamez]

Thanks for the suggestions. I agree that she is not in a good place. I guess that's why I keep coming when she calls. Unfortunately she was already very deep in this before I met her, and i even told her the first day and several times since then that she wasnt going to make it if she didn't have a tech working for her or if she didn't learn how to do it herself. So far with the frantic frenzy to get everything going, followed by the good response from the community and a packed out place, she hasnt had the time or otherwise avoided dealing with it other to mention that she's going to have to pickup the pace about learning to fix them.

I keep telling her that she's gonna have to do something about it, that I don't have the time to keep my own stuff working, much less hers. I just know when I finally decide to quit being nice guy and tell her I'm done the place will close right behind it because there is no one else in my area that can or will work on these things.

Randy fromms arcade school would be awesome if it wasn't on the other side of the country. But I'm gonna pass his website along. I forgot all about his DVDs, that might be the ticket. But I haven't been able to get her to buy power supplies, sensors for the ball games, or other misc stuff she needs, so I know it will probably be impossible to convince her to spend the money on dvds, and she really needs the parts more than the DVDs at this point.

I will keep the thread posted as to how this all turns out. She gonna either have to swim or sink

Doesn't sound like shes poised for success. Don't really understand the mindset behind sticking your head in the sand and refusing to do something about such a big looming problem. One day half of her games are gonna be down and nobody will want to visit

 

[Ghostlyguy]

If you love it, let it go.

 

[behrmr]

The thread title should be "How not to become an arcade tech" or "How not to run an arcade". I'd feel sorry for her but obviously she has no idea what she's doing and I would question why she's doing it. She is going to suck the life right of you. Tell her to hire a tech or close the doors and that as of tomorrow you charge $50/hr plus trip charges and a 2 hour minimum.

 

[AlexZander]

If she is not willing to learn how to maintain and repair the games, or higher a technician. Recommend she sells all her games, then contact a route operator to fill her location with games. They can split the cash brought in and the route operator can worry about maintaining the games. Any reputable operators in your area?

 

[RiddledTV]

My 2 cents based on what you described:

I understand why you want to help. It sounds like you're a nice guy.
I don't understand why it sounds like you're volunteering your time for free when you explain that you don't really have any free time.

This lady is running a business, and charging people to play games. By giving her free support, your donated time is going directly into her pocket.
From everything you describe, it sounds like she needs to hire a technician. By filling this need, you're enabling a problem that you've clearly already identified. Please consider that volunteering your time is likely to the detriment of things that are a higher priority to you.

If this business isn't sustainable, stop trying to save it.

 

[maberle]

Block her number. Stop all communication.

What kind of psycho opens a business they know nothing about?

Whatever kind of crazy she has, it will drag you down if you keep going back there.

 

[ElectricDreamz]

i can almost see the ghost of Tech Noir Pizza faint in the distance ...

 

[brmorr]

Does she pay you anything? Only do service calls on games broke that charge her the minute you leave the house and return.

Make sure it's going rate. She will do this for a while until she realizes a full time tech onsite would be cheaper or do it herself.

 

[piscian18]

I'm still an advanced beginner, but I learned everything I know from Jason and the arcade repair tips guys and maybe some of Johns videos. I actually feel like Jason does a really good job of explaining things in lay mans terms. There's still some things I don't really quite get like troubleshooting width caps and the HOT transistor, but if the goal is to at least get her familiar with the basics of the cabinet the arcade parts repair tips guys and Jasons stuff were a great resource for me.

I'd really like to attend the school, but I'm literally sitting here studying for my DOCSIS and Cisco certs don't have any space in my schoolin for more schoolin.

 

[TheYeti]