Multi Williams sound

joseph77

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I have a Multi williams board (the clay cowgill kit) that the sound has stopped working on it. Game play is fine just no sound. When you select a game to play from the menu it makes a little sound like it wants to come on but does not. Not real familiar with these boards, any ideas on where to start?
 
Hi;
Did you verify voltages at the boards?
Have you tried reseating all the connections, daughter boards etc?
Jeff
 
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Bringing this thread back as I still have a sound problem. Had new roms burned and still did not fix it. I do get end of the game Robotron sound when I push the sound test switch-it will play over and over. What else can be done to this?
 
Hey Joe, did you try a different sound board? (can't remember if you have multiple Williams games...)

I've had a few bad 6808/2s, memory chips, and PIAs in the past and any of those could have similar symptoms as to what you're saying. If you're going to be heading down this way and you know it's your sound board acting up I think I have a working one here I'd swap with you.
 
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Hey Jeff, unfortunately I sold all my spare Williams parts to help fund other stuff. What is strange here is that when playing say Robotron and while you press the sound test switch sound will come on in the form of the Robotron end music when you put your initials in. This will play over and over again until you reset the game. When starting back up it is back to no sound. Burning new roms did nothing.

Hey Joe, did you try a different sound board? (can't remember if you have multiple Williams games...)

I've had a few bad 6808/2s, memory chips, and PIAs in the past and any of those could have similar symptoms as to what you're saying. If you're going to be heading down this way and you know it's your sound board acting up I think I have a working one here I'd swap with you.
 
You can try swapping in a different processor(6808 or 6802) as a shotgun attempt. The PIA and memory chip are probably soldered in.

Have you checked the basics like voltages, fuses, and solder joints? You can also check pin 40 on the processor to see if it's pulsing(which is bad).
 
You can try swapping in a different processor(6808 or 6802) as a shotgun attempt. The PIA and memory chip are probably soldered in.

Have you checked the basics like voltages, fuses, and solder joints? You can also check pin 40 on the processor to see if it's pulsing(which is bad).

Checked the fuses and did repair a couple solder spots that looked iffy. I did notice a jumper to the pin for the reset line was just hanging. Soldered that back in with the same results. I have to start checking the voltages tommorrow. So you think it could be isolated to the sound board?
 
I've owned that kit and it is finicky. All the headers on the Williams boards need be clean. Your power supplies also need to be rock solid. By rock solid I mean freshly capped with good header and cable contacts.

This was working at some point for you correct?

Reset line is vital. Also check the ribbon cable that attaches from the CPU daughter card to the sound daughter card to be sure you don't have any loose or broken lines. Playing with the kit often causes the hot melt glue (used to re-enforce the wire) to come loose and then the wire(s) easily break off.

The sound board also has to be configured properly (jumper configuration per Clay's instructions). However if it was working then your
probably good there ;)
 
Yes this was working great for quite some time. I put a new switcher in for the power supply. I did notice the glue has come undone but the wires look to be soldered in, at least looking at it from the solder side. I have not taken the glue off yet to see if there is a broken connection under it. Will check that tonight.

I've owned that kit and it is finicky. All the headers on the Williams boards need be clean. Your power supplies also need to be rock solid. By rock solid I mean freshly capped with good header and cable contacts.

This was working at some point for you correct?

Reset line is vital. Also check the ribbon cable that attaches from the CPU daughter card to the sound daughter card to be sure you don't have any loose or broken lines. Playing with the kit often causes the hot melt glue (used to re-enforce the wire) to come loose and then the wire(s) easily break off.

The sound board also has to be configured properly (jumper configuration per Clay's instructions). However if it was working then your
probably good there ;)
 
So you think it could be isolated to the sound board?

Could be. Seems you're not getting a good test when you press the test button... almost sounds like it's watch dogging since it's repeating the same sound over and over and over again.

Who know though... without being there looking at it it's hard to say.
 
When you have Clay's sound rom in there with the daughter card I'm not sure the test button will cause the default test sound you would expect.

Plus the test button really only tests the audio amp and the D-A circuit for one specific sample. It does not test gamut of what is selected through the PIA as the game uses it.
 
Yeah, just pressed the sound board test button on Robotron and Joust and small snippets of sounds just repeated and repeated and repeated. ;) How absolutely annoying!

Not sure why I thought it was more of a test than that. :dunno:
 
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