Newbie with Robotron monitor won't power up?

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Just got a Robotron and the monitor won't power up. The boards seem good with code reader saying zero. If you press the sound board it cycles threw all the sounds and just keeps going. The guy I got it from a newbie as well said the monitor stopped working like 3 years ago and then he plugged it in for the first time in like 3 years and it all of a sudden it worked but then next day it went out again. The game has the original power supply and monitor which is a
Well-Garnder Model # 19K4901
I got a multi meter and tried following the steps to check the power supply from arcade tips/repairs but those instructions seem like there for a newer power supply than mine. The game powers up and all the boards and lights seem to work but the monitior won't come on. The back tube part of the monitor at the back of the game has a very weak and slight glow like its trying to power up or maybe its just dead. Also where should I get a overlay from arcade shop or mame marquees. I think I am just going to get a new style power supply from Bob roberts since there pretty cheap even with the adaptor so that will eliminate one problem for sure. Sorry for all the questions I am a COMPLETE newbie at video game repair
 
Just got a Robotron and the monitor won't power up. The boards seem good with code reader saying zero. If you press the sound board it cycles threw all the sounds and just keeps going. The guy I got it from a newbie as well said the monitor stopped working like 3 years ago and then he plugged it in for the first time in like 3 years and it all of a sudden it worked but then next day it went out again. The game has the original power supply and monitor which is a
Well-Garnder Model # 19K4901
I got a multi meter and tried following the steps to check the power supply from arcade tips/repairs but those instructions seem like there for a newer power supply than mine. The game powers up and all the boards and lights seem to work but the monitior won't come on. The back tube part of the monitor at the back of the game has a very weak and slight glow like its trying to power up or maybe its just dead. Also where should I get a overlay from arcade shop or mame marquees. I think I am just going to get a new style power supply from Bob roberts since there pretty cheap even with the adaptor so that will eliminate one problem for sure. Sorry for all the questions I am a COMPLETE newbie at video game repair

I would suggest holding off on replacing an original Williams power supply for a switcher at least until you have worked out the monitor issues.
PM Dokert for a 4901 flow chart. Follow the flow chart and report back if you get stuck.

Good Luck,

Saltbreez
 
So the original williams power supply is better than a switcher or is just better to leave it as original as possible or both? No idea what a flow chart is either but I will do a search?
Thanks
 
So the original williams power supply is better than a switcher or is just better to leave it as original as possible or both? No idea what a flow chart is either but I will do a search?
Thanks

A flowchart is a step by step guide to troubleshooting a monitor. It will definitely help get you going in the right direction, but being that you're new to game repair, it may not make a ton of sense yet. As far as the power supply being a switcher or the original Williams supply, I think it's more a matter of personal preference. You can get rebuild kits for many original power supplies to freshen them up. Switchers are fine replacements and you can even get adapters that will allow a switcher to plug in with the original wiring. I think what saltbreez meant is that you might have a monitor problem so there's no reason to mess with that power supply right now.

Have you tried to coin up the game and play it? Can you hear any sounds? If the game boards are dead then you very well may not see anything on the monitor at all. If the game "plays blind" then you almost certainly have a monitor failure of some type. The fact you see the neck of the monitor glowing is a good sign and means the monitor isn't totally dead (it may have issues). By the way, the neck glow isn't very bright and it's not uncommon to have to turn off lights to verify that you do have neck glow.
 
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Just got a Robotron and the monitor won't power up. The boards seem good with code reader saying zero.

I got a multi meter and tried following the steps to check the power supply from arcade tips/repairs but those instructions seem like there for a newer power supply than mine. The game powers up and all the boards and lights seem to work but the monitior won't come on.

Based on your description, the power supply is fine, it is just the monitor that is hosed. Not at all unusual for a 30 year old piece of equipment with a 5 year life expectency.

The original Williams ps works better than a switcher for Williams games. If you run them on a switcher, you run the risk of having the CMOS RAM (the battery backed up RAM that stores the settings and high scores) trashed. There have been a number of threads about why this is.

I would start with finding the brightness control and cranking it up, just to see if it has drifted low. If you are getting neck glow, the other potential issues (no AC power, cracked neck letting the vacuum out and burned out tube) are unlikely. It probably just needs to be recapped. There are several people that post here that can do it.

Your tagline doesn't say where you are, but if you post your location there may even be someone near you that can help out.

ken
 
The neck glow is very little and very low. The game does not play blind but the previous owner said when it would come on that it would say restore factory settings and that he would advance it and then it would work. When you press the sound board button it cycles threw all the noises and won't stop until you turn the game off. I guess I am just going to buy a Wells Gardner 4900 19" Monitor Chassis (Rebuilt)
Complete cap kit installed for $90 since the monitor is original and very old. Also when you press the reset button or what ever it is on the board is the led on the board that says zero supposed to cycle threw? mine just stays at 0. The three led lights on the board are all lit but the first one is a little dimmer than the other ones?
Looks like arcade shop is the only place with silk screened overlays in stock so I am going to get one of those and just leave the original power supply in. When the game turns on you can't hear the monitor power up like you could with the stargate I have at a friends house. I pulled the old batteys out of the board since I was scared of corrosion. Haveing no batterys in there won't affect operation of the game would it. I will do the lithium conversion when I get the game working
I am in the Bay Area CA about 5 minutes north of the Golden Gate bridge.
Thanks for EVERYONES help I appreciate it.
 
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The game does not play blind but the previous owner said when it would come on that it would say restore factory settings and that he would advance it and then it would work.

Inside the coin door are three switches. One is marked advance. You press that one until you get to the game mode (it's a lot easier when you can see what it is doing) or to go through the diagnostics.

When you press the sound board button it cycles threw all the noises and won't stop until you turn the game off.

It is supposed to do that.

Also when you press the reset button or what ever it is on the board is the led on the board that says zero supposed to cycle threw? mine just stays at 0.

The seven segment will stay at 0 once the boards power up successfully. Pressing advance (on the coin door) will put the game into ajdustment mode or test mode depending on the state of the test button (the middle button). Pressing the reset button on the MPU board (the large board) will reset the machine, the 7 segment should go off momentarily and then return to displaying a 0.

The three led lights on the board are all lit but the first one is a little dimmer than the other ones?

The power supply may need some work, but that can wait until you get a working monitor.

I pulled the old batteries out of the board since I was scared of corrosion. Having no batteries in there won't affect operation of the game would it? I will do the lithium conversion when I get the game working

No batteries will only cause it to reset the CMOS high score and settings. You will need to press the advance button inside the coin door to move to game play mode. At that point you should be able to coin it up and press the player one game and hear the game sounds.

I am in the Bay Area CA about 5 minutes north of the Golden Gate bridge.
Thanks for EVERYONES help I appreciate it.

You are in the heart of arcade geek country. Somebady should be able to help you with capping that monitor or possibly loan or sell you a new (refurbished) one. How about it? Any SF KLOVers want to lend a hand???

ken
 
Ok I got the monitor to turn on RANDOMLY but the screen is all white, no rug pattern, no color and no response from ANY siwtches in the door or the reset on the board. This shows I am total newbie/retard as well because what I thought was a zero on the board read out is actually a # 8 not zero. Sure seems like a lot of problems with the monitor not always turning on, the read out saying 8 and not resetting with or without the coin door buttons in manual or auto, the only thing that works is the sound board test button and once you press that is goes on forever no matter what button you press. So does this sound like a power supply maybe causing a lot of the problems. Anyone in the bay area want to make some money and fix this thing for me? I really don't want to order/throw parts at it and have that not be the problem. Any suggestions as to where to get a power supply or should I just go with the bob roberts one with the conversion so its plug and play even though its a switcher?
Thanks
 
I'm not the all-knowing, but I think if you have no signal going to the monitor it'll be an all white screen. no signal, meaning your board's not working right. I could be totally wrong here too, but that "8" you're getting on the status LED could just be the entire thing lighting up, meaning it's not really a status code at all, it's like garbage.

check your video wiring coming off the board. I think now the next step is checking the power supply, before you cook something.
 
This should be in the monitor section, but since you're a newbie... :rolleyes:

If it worked one day then didn't, then worked again, then didn't, I'd suspect either a problem with the power connector (loose pins) or cold solder joints on the chassis. Possibly even a loose neckboard.

I'd have the chassis rebuilt by somebody who knows what they're doing....
 
What/where exactly is the chassis and any recommendations on who to send it to? Also what kind of power supply would you go with and from who? One of the leds is dim so I was told that could mean the power supply is bad at 5 neg or something to that extent.
Thanks again for all the help
 
Somebody needs to be. What's the point in having a monitor thread if nobody uses it?

I can let this slide as he definitely has more problems that just the monitor.

If you can't do the work yourself, then I would suggest one person to look at your monitor chassis for you, and another (maybe the same) to check out your complete boardset (including the power supply).
 
Sorry about posting in the wrong forum it was my first post and I knew I had numerous porblems so I wasn't sure where to post it. So you think I should just send off my chassis and board set to have them tested and repaired. I think that is going to cost a lot so I might just put it into storage and call it a wrap until I get a bunch of extra money to fix it. I would like to send off my power supply and have it rebuilt to see if that solves any of my problems, anybody got any suggestions on where I should send it to? I was just going to buy a switcher but it seems like the original power supplys are better from all the comments and thread I have read
Thanks for everyones help its appreciated
 
I would like to send off my power supply and have it rebuilt to see if that solves any of my problems, anybody got any suggestions on where I should send it to? I was just going to buy a switcher but it seems like the original power supplys are better from all the comments and thread I have read
Thanks for everyones help its appreciated

I rebuild Williams power supplies for $20 + return shipping. I also sell rebuilt power supplies for $30 + shipping. You just need to let me know what style and whether it is for upright or cocktail (15 pin power connector or 12 pin power connector).

PM me for more details.

ken
 
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