Magic Sword CPS-1 - screen position problem

[ifkz]

I bought a known problem CPS1 board, Magic Sword, and I've done a bit of troubleshooting to it. I found a couple of bent touching pins and jumpers that were in the wrong places. I also reseated all socketed chips. I have another mostly working CPS1 board and I verified the bottom board is okay (the one with the JAMMA edge connector).

Here's the issue, it seems to have a screen wrapping problem. All objects are displayed correctly, full sound, etc. The image is simply pushed too far to the right and it wraps around. It is not a monitor problem, all other game boards are okay, including the other CPS1 board. Very odd.

Can anyone help? Or did I just flush some money down the drain???

 

[ifkz]

I've done a lot of Google searching since my first post.

I also got my meter out and buzzed around and found no other issues.

The CPS-1 repair logs I've found are all related to the A sound/Jamma bottom board. It seems if the B or mini C boards have issues, the fix is to find another copy of the game

If anyone has some other repair logs to read, please post here.

 

[ifkz]

I found one for sync from our own channelmaniac. Something to look into later:

Tip: Troubleshooting Sync Problems

If the CPS1 board works, but has no sync then this will apply. This will not apply if the game is not otherwise working OK.

The sync pulses are generated by the custom chip on the C board. Pins 118 and 116 on the C board carry the signal to pins 13 and 12 of the 74LS08 on the B board, directly under the C board. This chip ANDs the signals and the output pin, pin 11, connects to resistor R28 (on the smaller SMT style A board), then on to the sync pin of the JAMMA connector.

If the board is missing sync, first check for damage on R28 (220 ohm) and continuity to pin 11 of the 74LS08 on the B board. If those are good then check for pulses on pins 116 and 118 of the C board. If the pulses are there on BOTH pins and missing from pin 11 of the 74LS08, then replace the 74LS08. If one or more pulses are missing and the pins stuck low on 116/118 of the C board then reflow the custom chip on the C board. If that fails to fix the sync problem then replace the faulty C board.

 

[Womble]

Doesn't sound like a board fault, or a monitor fault, certainly not a sync problem. Just adjust the H position pot on the monitor chassis.

 

[ifkz]

I tried this and I found I can move the screen around slightly and get the 1up and 2up sides where they should be, but I still have a vertical black bar that obscures the main characters in the center of the screen. I was able to play the game for 40 minutes last night in this broken state.

Another repair log says I should try retouching the board interconnect solder points for both the B and smaller C board, I'll try that and re-post along with a screenshot. It said they can get brittle overtime and I believe it. Some of the solder points look really oxidized, I'll get those too. It won't hurt anything at this point.

 

[Womble]

Blindly retouching solder joints is generally a bad idea, akin to going round an engine tightening every bolt you can see.

Post a picture of the fault, it sounds like a bad C board issue to me tho.

Did you buy this board as faulty?

 

[ifkz]

Well, considering my skills, I've got to start somewhere easy. I do have a beeping logic probe, but I don't know how to use it. The retouch is slow going, a lot of these pads are oxidized I've found. Yes, I walked into this board knowing it was bad, probably paid too much but I had to try..

Here is a pic of a normal CPS1 game

Here is Magic Sword, same monitor settings

 

[ifkz]

Well, you are correct Womble, I threw the tiny C board into another CPS1 game that was close to the same chip and the problem traveled with the board. I buzzed around the board with my meter, but I could not find a fault. I guess I need to find another Magic Sword C board and I'll be in business Getting closer!

Posted a little note in the wanted section here. Maybe a member will have a junker and take pity on my mostly working game.

 

[Womble]

I have seen C boards with the pins mashed to one side causing dry joints, and it is worth checking that there are no pins lifted on the main custom.

There are only 3 types of C board I think so finding a replacement shouldnt be too problematic I have one off a Strider that was a complete rust bucket but that C board is in pretty bad nick too.

 

[ifkz]

Yep, the C board is my problem. A replacement will have to come from another Magic Sword, only this board and Street Fighter II (JPN ver) used this particular CPS-B#

A page with all of the CPS-B# and their boardsets:
http://www.arcadecollecting.com/info/cps-b_numbers.html

I went 'round the board last night, beep testing all points on the top board, no luck. I also went around the custom with a push pin to see if any legs were loose, no luck either. I can only conclude I have a bad custom, everything else checks out I just need to find a nice member with a good C board, or a trashed complete set.

 

[modessitt]

Well, I only have one Magic Sword boardset, although I have a bunch of SFII boards of various types...

 

[ifkz]

I looked at the C board a little bit after work today. I ran it though a couple of additional beeps, but no luck. The chip is DL-0411-10008, I'll be happy to bring the boards for any local troubleshooting. Still looking for a replacement that will be cheap and would likely work. I'd hate to have a broken board just because of this one part.

Now, time for a funny picture:

 

[ifkz]

Found an untested C board from a member here, thanks nuterpacman. Will see if it works when it arrives.

 

[ifkz]

Oh well, this C board was duff too. I'll bet that most CPS-1 problems are related to a bad C board chip. This one also beep tested okay. Until I can find a replacement that's good, this will go into my soak box. At least I know everything else is good on this board set

 

[tyranix95]

You can use a "C" board from either another MAGIC SWORD board or another Street Fighter II: The World Warrior (Japan, ROM ver. 911210) board.

CAPCOM used the same custom graphics chip to build both these games.

Hope this info helps.

tx95

-----

P.S. I'm looking for a STRIDER parts board. I need a working ST-11 Mask ROM for my STRIDER board. It's the BIG BLACK 40 Pin MASK ROM in socket #8. Please let me know if you've got one. Thanks.

 

[ifkz]

I wish I could find another working C board. It looks more and more like a working C board is around $50 and I get the A and B boards for free

 

[tyranix95]

Yeah, the ROM board has the game code; so, the little "C" board usually goes with the ROM board.

Most people will NOT split the ROM board and the "C" board and sell these two boards separately--unless one or the other board has gone bad.

But, most people will split the top ROM & "C" board from the bottom "A" or SYSTEM board and sell these two boards separately.

The good thing is that untested, not-working, scrap, and parts CPS game boards are really inexpensive (shipped).

 

[ifkz]

Yep, except I've already been down that road twice and I still have a broken board. It is unfortunate, but shipping starts to outweigh the cost of a replacement board even though this one is so close to working again. But if I find a CPS-1 game with a bad A board, I'll be set