How to start on an Asteroids machine

[Thom]

I changed the 2N3055 transistor. I now have the following voltages on the A/R board:

At the +10.3v test point: 11.93v
At the +5v test point: 6.06v

When I turned the power on, I now have a red LED light up on the main board (I believe that it says it's "CR5"). A red LED flashes on for a second on the Monitor Deflection Board ("D507") - this one also flashes when I turn the power off. I also now have Player 1 and Player 2 lights on the control panel.

I'm also getting a faint image on the screen now! I've posted it on that same page as my other images:
http://www.thewhistleshop.com/misc/asteroids/asteroids.html

The image in the picture that I took shows better detail than I actually have on the screen right now; the screen image is actually VERY faint (except for the bright part right in the center).

Thom

 

[Dokert]

The image is the test screen, meaning that the game is in test mode right now.

Adjust R8 on the A/R to get the +6vdc down to +5vdc.

There is a brightness pot and contrast pot on the monitor deflection board. Adjust the brightness first to get a better picture.

When you have the picture looking good, reach inside the coin door and look for a tiny silver switch and change it's position to bring the game up.

 

[Thom]

The image is the test screen, meaning that the game is in test mode right now.

Adjust R8 on the A/R to get the +6vdc down to +5vdc.

There is a brightness pot and contrast pot on the monitor deflection board. Adjust the brightness first to get a better picture.

When you have the picture looking good, reach inside the coin door and look for a tiny silver switch and change it's position to bring the game up.

Dokert, you are a genius! I'm up and running now; great picture, coin returns work, buttons all work great, etc.

'Just one problem now - no audio. I know where the volume control is (inside the coin door); I turned it all the way counter-clockwise; still no sound at all...

Thom

 

[Thom]

One other thing I forgot to mention - I adjusted R8; 5.5 was the lowest that pot would take the voltage at the +5v test point.

Thom

 

[modessitt]

You should check to make sure a wire didn't come off the back of the volume pot, or off the speaker...

 

[Thom]

You should check to make sure a wire didn't come off the back of the volume pot, or off the speaker...

The wires on the volume pot and the speaker appear to be attached. Actually, I don't know how to "see" where the wires are attached at the back of the speaker (the speaker appears to be stapled in), but reaching up through the hole beside the speaker, I do feel that the wires are attached...

I've actually spent quite a bit of time tracing wires, etc.; I don't see anything that looks obviously out of place/dislodged.

Thom

 

[Dokert]

To access the speaker, you need to remove the marquee. Once the marquee is removed, you will need to remove 1 phillips screw on each side of the wood mounting board. Slide the mounting board toward you, and you will have access to the speaker.

 

[modessitt]

It's possible that the board could have a problem causing no sound. i fixed an Asteroids recently that the sound cut out on. replacing the caps on the game pcb took care of the problem...

 

[Thom]

Ok, I knew that went too smoothly...

'New problem - I put the lamp back into the coin return. When I turned the power on, I got a bit of a spark from the terminals on the bottom of the lamp's socket. Now I have no monitor. I still have the red LED on the main board, the 1 & 2 Players lights are lit, and the LED flashes briefly on the Monitor Deflection Board when I power it on and off.

I checked all the fuses that I know of - 'any ideas?

Thanks,
Thom

 

[Veeb0rg]

Ok, I knew that went too smoothly...

'New problem - I put the lamp back into the coin return. When I turned the power on, I got a bit of a spark from the terminals on the bottom of the lamp's socket. Now I have no monitor. I still have the red LED on the main board, the 1 & 2 Players lights are lit, and the LED flashes briefly on the Monitor Deflection Board when I power it on and off.

I checked all the fuses that I know of - 'any ideas?

Thanks,
Thom

First off, check the socket to make sure its not still shorted out. Then I'd start back at checking voltages on the AR board again.

 

[modessitt]

Check fuses again - on the power brick, on the monitor chassis, whereever...

 

[toolguy]

Ok, then I have a question. When I searched for bulbs I was looking for LED replacements for 1812 or 1815. That's how I found the ones linked above. How do you know I'm using a #47- it doesn't say that anywhere in my auction. When I search for 44 on ebay no led replacements come up. Is there an LED equivilant for a 44? I'd like a brighter bulb, but in an LED. Of course if I have to pay much more than $5 shipped for 2 LED's I'll pass.

Anyone have an ebay link or suggestion?

Actually I did the same with my first vid, Asteroids. I got a #44/47 from pinball life recently and I already had a 44/47 from Coin Taker. Put them both in the holders and the PBL 44/47 was not as bright. Both are made differently though, both are single LEDs... There is only one LED equivalent for the 44/47 when you order from most places and only one from pinball life. Unless you are told specifically, one has a brighter LED then the other.
I got my cointaker LEDs from the Expo show in Chicago for most of my pins, and I have not ordered since to get the same one I have, so I put standard #44 in the holders. My game is down now, otherwise I would take a pit and show you how bright they are with standard bulbs.

Here is cointakers link. All they have is LEDs, have many choices and have two types of 44/47, one or 4 LEDs per lamp.

http://www.cointaker.com/

 

[Thom]

Check fuses again - on the power brick, on the monitor chassis, whereever...

Thanks modessitt - you were exactly right; I must have missed one fuse (on the power brick) when I checked them. A quick trip to Radio Shack for the right fuse, and I was up and running again. I disconnected (and insulated) the two coin lamp holder leads for now, just in case.

But - yet another new problem now. When I powered up the machine, everything was fine (except still no audio). After a minute or two of play, the image on the screen started jumping around, there were lines all over the screen, the game ended prematurely, then the screen went dark. I shut it off, restarted, it looked fine. Then after a minute or two of play, it did it again.

Here's a pic of this new problem:
http://www.thewhistleshop.com/misc/asteroids/monitor_new_problem.JPG

Thom

 

[mhanlen1]

Actually I did the same with my first vid, Asteroids. I got a #44/47 from pinball life recently and I already had a 44/47 from Coin Taker. Put them both in the holders and the PBL 44/47 was not as bright. Both are made differently though, both are single LEDs... There is only one LED equivalent for the 44/47 when you order from most places and only one from pinball life. Unless you are told specifically, one has a brighter LED then the other.
I got my cointaker LEDs from the Expo show in Chicago for most of my pins, and I have not ordered since to get the same one I have, so I put standard #44 in the holders. My game is down now, otherwise I would take a pit and show you how bright they are with standard bulbs.

Here is cointakers link. All they have is LEDs, have many choices and have two types of 44/47, one or 4 LEDs per lamp.

http://www.cointaker.com/

Thank you foe the link. I was wondering how you would differentiant between brightness when almost all LEDs are labeled as 44/47 replacements -not one or the other. I guess when ordering them you'd send an email and ask.

 

[Thom]

But - yet another new problem now. When I powered up the machine, everything was fine (except still no audio). After a minute or two of play, the image on the screen started jumping around, there were lines all over the screen, the game ended prematurely, then the screen went dark. I shut it off, restarted, it looked fine. Then after a minute or two of play, it did it again.

Here's a pic of this new problem:
http://www.thewhistleshop.com/misc/asteroids/monitor_new_problem.JPG

Thom

I may have figured out the cause of the video problem I was having - I think that my Brightness and/or Contrast pots might just be dirty. I adjusted them some more; it appears to have fixed the problem (at least for now...). I'll pick up some Contact Cleaner on my next trip to Radio Shack, to make sure they're good and clean.

I still haven't figured out the audio problem. The speaker appears to be in good shape; all wires involved with audio appear to be attached and in good shape. I see test points marked "SPKR1" and "SPKR2" on the A/R board - can I use these to help troubleshoot this problem?

Thom

 

[KorbenD]

If they have it, get Caig FaderLube or CaiLube (same thing, name just changed). If they don't, get Caig DeOxit.

They work a lot better than regular contact cleaner.

 

[Thom]

If they have it, get Caig FaderLube or CaiLube (same thing, name just changed). If they don't, get Caig DeOxit.

They work a lot better than regular contact cleaner.

Thanks KorbenD; I ordered some "CAIG DeoxIT FaderLube".

'Turns out that I am still having the video problem - I don't know if maybe it was a coincidence that it worked properly for a while after I adjusted the brightness and the contrast this morning? Or maybe it's just that it had been unplugged overnight before it worked properly for a while this morning?

Anyway - here's another pic of the screen now:
http://www.thewhistleshop.com/misc/asteroids/monitor_problem_050410.JPG

Thom

 

[Dokert]

that is a game board problem

 

[Thom]

that is a game board problem

Thanks Dokert. Is it something that I can possibly troubleshoot/fix myself, or is it something that someone who knows what they're doing should do? If that's the case, can you recommend someone?

Thom

 

[Thom]

that is a game board problem

I cleaned the contacts on the large connector for the game board, and found a couple of the pins inside the connector that didn't look like they'd make good contact (I bent them out slightly). I just played a game for about 15 minutes - I had no video problems at all.

I still have no audio though. Is it possible to bypass the on-board amp and use my own amp (or powered computer speakers) to aid in troubleshooting this?

Thom