Interest Check: Omega Race PCB Reproduction

Pinball Wizard

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 20, 2010
Messages
3,084
Reaction score
407
Location
Baltimore, Maryland
This is a look at interest in Omega Race PCB reproduction. I'm itching for a project and I know there is/was demand for this.

If interested, would you guys like a completely redesigned board or a duplicate of the original, just with the battery relocated?

NOTE: Even if there is a bunch of interest, it doesn't mean that I will indeed make these, I am just seeing if it is worth my effort to pursue it at all.
 
It's definitely worth it. There are lots of cabs and parts out there but they are useless since there are very few working boards out there. I don't have a preference as to board type. I just want a good board. I have an Omega Race in my dining room that is dying for a new board. There have been lots of threads about doing this board and it never seems to get off the ground.
 
I'd be interested, depending on price of course. IMO, I'd redesign it, but still use the original sound board (since they're not too difficult to find working ones of them). I'd personally do the digital stuff in an FPGA, but obviously that's up to you how you'd want to implement it.

DogP
 
considerng the ram and sockets are shit, I would say redesign a drop in repacement.. Maybe something that could bypass the linear power supply.

I would buy one.. I have 3 UR's and would be looking to pass the other 2 along.. So maybe another two would want the board..


Depending on your price point, I would bet you could sell 50 - 100.
 
Last edited:
I would prob take one. As close to original as possible would be cool!!
 
Last edited:
As you can probably tell there will be HUGE demand if the price isn't too high, Omega Race is probably the most common game with the highest PCB mortality rate of any with battery issues, so obviously there's a lot of dead cabs waiting to be revived, I'm amazed nobody has tried to do this before.

If the majority of people aren't hung up on having the board original you might want to make it a redesigned multi-game if that's possible, then you'll also get orders from people whom already have working boards but want the extra features, as long as Omega Race looks, sounds and plays exactly like the original most of the purists should be happy.
 
Last edited:
Anybody want to disassemble their board for me and scan both sides? LOL I doubt that anyone will do that, but if I could get some good pictures of both sides that would really help.
 
That's what I figured, but I'm looking to see if maybe someone was interested in scanning it in. Or if someone wants to donate their board to me ;)
 
I'd be interested, depending on price of course. IMO, I'd redesign it, but still use the original sound board (since they're not too difficult to find working ones of them). I'd personally do the digital stuff in an FPGA, but obviously that's up to you how you'd want to implement it.

DogP

I like this route also. :beerchug:
 
Be sure and ping OmegaMan. He's posted a pretty detailed PCB repair thread, and may have some of what you need already.
 
For the purists sake, I think I am going to take the route of a remake of the original, with a change or 2. I understand that it will make it have more components but that is how I was leaning anyways and it seems like 50/50 on opinion approximately. I am now going to start researching some more details, but I do think this will pan out good.
 
Here's my input.

If you want to satisfy the purists, then do it by making a board that will fit the existing connectors.

Go ahead and whittle down the physical size of the board to save (drastically) on production costs.

Cheap really does sell.
 
I agree with kstillin. Im betting the board will be quite pricy for that many
square inches and all those TTLs. I have to believe the board could be
remade far cheaper and much more reliable. Design it like the jrok mw
board where it still uses a Z80 to run the game and FPGA the rest of the
chips.
 
Back
Top Bottom