I shall call him Mini Tron...(project)

pookdolie

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So, this is what I'd consider to be my first real "project" game. I got it for the following reasons:

*I like Tron, and I like cabarets
*I know there's quite a few resources for Tron parts and restoration help
*I plan on having a new film party in December, and I'm having company that, like me, will totally geek out on it. :D

So, let's consider the technical issues of the patient. Here's what I know so far.

*When I first got it home, turned it on, game booted up with a picture/gameplay with no visual errors. Sound, however, degraded after a few minutes to the point where there's popping from the speakers when no game is being played, incorrect sounds during gameplay, and flickering marquee lights when you shoot the tank, or during other events. Original owner thought this could be fixed via a sound board...

*Open her up - ribbon cables on game PCB look bad. Now I know what you people have been talking about re: Tron ribbon cables! I play with them a bit, and re-seat connection on the power board. Turn it back on: now get a blue screen with some game elements still visible - game plays, with worse sound than before. Oops.

*Monitor has good color (it did before I messed with the PCB / power boards), and the image is sharp, but the image seems a little large. I notice that someone broke a piece off the plastic monitor shroud at some point, and I'm assuming it's so the CREDITS could still be seen `cause the image is too big. Have yet to try adjustments, though...

*No coin mechs, but she'll coin up via the switch for the mech & the service button. Volume control works. Controls work and feel fine.

Next, some pictures...
 
Picture 1: Electrohome GO7 monitor (for cabaret)

Picture 2: Beast's belly. Is there anything that looks out of place?

Picture 3: Where's the home for this guy? And a loose connector (that still plugs in, though).

Picture 4: Who made these - Keebler elves?

Picture 5: The PCB...
 

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Picture 6: Upon turning it on...

Picture 7: Monitor and image border...

Picture 8: Another look

Picture 9: Full monty

Picture 10: Inside tag

So, I've sourced parts, and I'm prepared to start gathering stuff. But, where should I begin? What should I try first?
 

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Tron

The sound issues on a Tron are fairly easy to diagnose believe it or not. There are 2 seperate sound channels. If you are loosing both channels simultainiously. It is most likely a fuse holder or the dual amp board not getting power. Possibly the audio return wire from the medium power supply. There is 2 sound chips on the SSIO one for each sound channel. Not likely both would fail at the same time. The sound will work reguardless of the condition of the ribbon cables since it is controled on the sound board and the in and out board. Same board (SSIO) Clean or replace the fuse holders on the brick and it will most likely fix the sound and the marquee light issue.
 
Pics

Just looked at your pics. The loose connector on the medium powersupply is the audio return. Most likely the sound issue.

The green and yellow wire is a earth ground. There is pretty much one running to everything on a Tron so just look what does not have one connected.
 
you should get some ribbon cables before you do anything. If you aren't getting the proper power or connection to each board everything else should be disregarded.

my opinion.

oh and what did you jehuie that guy down to on ebay? I was looking at it.
 
Thanks for the responses, guys.

Just looked at your pics. The loose connector on the medium powersupply is the audio return. Most likely the sound issue.

It *seems* to be holding in there well. But is there a way to tighten it without replacing connectors on the harness / power supply itself?

The green and yellow wire is a earth ground. There is pretty much one running to everything on a Tron so just look what does not have one connected.

Ah, so this part of the ground should be running to a component and not a grounding screw or point? Okay - I'll look.

you should get some ribbon cables before you do anything.

I'll be buying some essentials, and those will be one of `em.

I took it at the asking price. I'd wanted one for awhile, and a doable project machine specifically.
 
you should get some ribbon cables before you do anything. If you aren't getting the proper power or connection to each board everything else should be disregarded.

definitely agree. also, on the same point, make sure your wiring connections to the amp board are solid. a lot of people talk about the amp chips, etc, but i've had wires that had broken off and were just shoved in the connector causing issues before.
 
definitely agree. also, on the same point, make sure your wiring connections to the amp board are solid. a lot of people talk about the amp chips, etc, but i've had wires that had broken off and were just shoved in the connector causing issues before.

I'll double-check these. The harness looks in reasonably good shape, but there's 1 or 2 areas with black electrical tape that are worth scrutiny...plus the hidden "shoved in there" thing.
 
Went to Bob Roberts' site for the cables. Totally lost...where are they? Can someone point me to his email addy?
 
Went to Bob Roberts' site for the cables. Totally lost...where are they? Can someone point me to his email addy?

On the parts page, about 3/4's of the way down:
Tron, et al MCR 4" SCSI cables - 5 dual row(25/50) $15.00

Just search for "tron" and you'll find them soon enough.

His email address is right on the main page. Click "Contact Bob".

-Ian
 
On the parts page, about 3/4's of the way down:


Just search for "tron" and you'll find them soon enough.

His email address is right on the main page. Click "Contact Bob".

-Ian

Thanks!

I plan on cleaning / messing with fuse holders and various other stuff this afternoon; I'll post any progress or...um...regress. :D
 
Re-cap - I started with this (image #1, below):

*Bad, incomplete sounds (which the seller had a problem with, too)
*PCB and graphic glitches
*Lights flickering, popping from speakers
*Machine resetting after five minutes or so

So, I had one hour to mess around with Tron before I'd have to leave it alone until Monday or Tuesday. I figured I'd do the simple stuff first:

*Re-seated connectors on everything
*Separated the PCB boardsets, reseated the sound chips, pressed the rest in firmly, and made sure the crappy ribbon cables were on right (one looked like it was slipping)
*Pulled the fuses and then put them all back in
*Bent a couple of things on the small board mounted on the side of the cabinet
*Took a 1983 quarter out of the cab which might have been touching stuff

In other words, a very technical, intricate undertaking [/sarcasm]. ;)

Powered on, got image number 2, below. Perfect sound, no power glitches, ran for a half hour with no problems.

Well hell, that's better! Next is to see if I can adjust the image on the monitor to fit inside the bezel...
 

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There's a white battery on my power supply board. It looks like it wants to leak. It has some very slight corrosion around it, but hasn't damaged anything. Yet.

It looks evil. What's the best way to be rid of this bad egg?
 
Battery

The best thing to do is cut the thing off the board and throw it away. Then install a NVRAM on the game board to retain the high scores and settings. Or you could get a lithium battery kit from Riptor or Bob Roberts.
 
The best thing to do is cut the thing off the board and throw it away. Then install a NVRAM on the game board to retain the high scores and settings. Or you could get a lithium battery kit from Riptor or Bob Roberts.

Gotcha.

Is there a good write-up on how to install the NVRAM? Or a kit? I'm doing searches in here and finding not much (could be my search skills, though)...
 
Battery

Excellent, thank you.

BTW, the old battery seems to be saving my high scores - machine goes days without being played, and they're all still there. It'll almost be a shame to snip it. ;)

I have heard from several people in "the know" that the existing battery on these boards needs to be removed ASAP. I have seen several Midway medium power supplies that have been acid dammaged beyond repair because of battery leakage. After saying this, I do have a couple of MCR games that are running the origional battery and they are leak free and still retain the high scores and settings. They do make me nervous honestly though. I keep a pretty close eye on those 2.
 
I have heard from several people in "the know" that the existing battery on these boards needs to be removed ASAP. I have seen several Midway medium power supplies that have been acid dammaged beyond repair because of battery leakage. After saying this, I do have a couple of MCR games that are running the origional battery and they are leak free and still retain the high scores and settings. They do make me nervous honestly though. I keep a pretty close eye on those 2.

Same here. I'm gonna watch it like a hawk.

I'm getting my new ribbon cables from Arcadeshop today. Does anyone have any installation tips?
 
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