No sound on Playchoice 10

gamingsince80s

New member
Joined
May 9, 2011
Messages
117
Reaction score
0
Location
Ohio
Hello All! I am a complete Newb to owning a classic arcade cab. I was at a guy's house looking at a pool table that he had for sale and noticed he had some sort of Nintendo arcade game. He said he would sell it to me and I expected him to want about $250 for it, but he said $50 so I had to buy it. he even plugged it in and showed me that the video worked but not the audio.

when I got it home I played with the volume control and I get a buzzing sound out of the speaker and the sound level follows the volume control up or down. I unplugged the systema and sprayed some QD electronics cleaner on the sound board and the volume control dial, but still no sound.

Someone told me to check for a blown fuse, but from what I have read the PC-10 doesn't have an audio amp fuse. Does anyone know how to diagnose and fix this problem? I was thinking of pulling the sound board and replacing the caps on it, but didn't know if this might possibly lead to a fix or not.

I have attached a crappy pic from my cell phone that shows my stellar temporary arcade stool. LOL
 

Attachments

  • Playchoice10.jpg
    Playchoice10.jpg
    99.7 KB · Views: 61
Here are some pics of what I am working with
 

Attachments

  • IMG_5995.jpg
    IMG_5995.jpg
    91.2 KB · Views: 78
  • IMG_5997.jpg
    IMG_5997.jpg
    93.4 KB · Views: 67
  • IMG_5999.jpg
    IMG_5999.jpg
    96.8 KB · Views: 57
rebuild the sound amp pcb on the monitor. Bob Roberts sells a kit for it.
 
Here's some info that Arcadegreg PM'd me. Thought it might help someone in the future with the same problem

Do you have a meter to read voltage? If not, you'll need one (VOM is idle). You should have 120VAC (blue and white wires) going into black transformer in the audio section. The transformer will step down the voltage for the black audio board (BAB). The BAB will have two pins labeled S+ and S-. Those pins should read 12VDC. That 12VDC supplies the volume control board where it meets the signal (Grey and Black) wires from the game board and converts the voltage and signal into the sound for the speakers. Check these two voltages first (the 120VAC and 12VDC). Judging by the static noise your hearing when the game is running that leads me to believe your probably getting the 120VAC to the transformer, and there is probably something wrong with the audio board or volume control board. These are simple replacements/fixes, so no worries.

If the capacitor is blown it will look like a coke can that is poofed out, or there will be dried liquid that oozed from the cap.
 
And another PM. I hope this will benefit someone else also.


I need to see it to make sure it is still factory audio board, transformer, and volume control board. Also, I want to check the wiring, so take some pictures and add them to your thread.

In the mean time, do you have any spare computer speakers that you can trash? You could try parts changing the speakers, but I doubt it will fix it. However, every blue moon you'll find a speaker with a defective voice coil, so if you have some speakers that are lying around, then strip the wires to them and wire nut them in place of the original. This would just rule out the speaker, but as previously mentioned it is most likely one or both of the boards. I buy really cheap ones at Walmart to keep as spare, because sometimes the speakers to the games I get will have punctures in the diaphram or as mentiond bad coils.
The link below is an example of the speakers I buy:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Logitech-S...eaker/10992450

If everything checks out with the pictures and speaker, then the capacitors most be low. Even though capacitors look to be in good physical condition you don't know their true value, until they are removed and tested them with a meter. If your going to do that you should have replacement for them. The link below is a "cap kit" for the Nintendo audio board that arcadeshop sells for $10. They also sell refurbished Nintendo audio boards for $30, but I have never bought one so make sure before buying that it is a direct plug-in-play for the Playchoice.
 
Well it looks like the caps need to be replaced; I hooked up an auxiliary speaker and still just had the buzzing sound coming out of it.
 
Well it looks like the caps need to be replaced; I hooked up an auxiliary speaker and still just had the buzzing sound coming out of it.


its not the speaker, you need to make sure you have audio getting to the amp. If the buzz (which I assume is just the noise floor) gets louder, the amp may be ok. To check the map, try attaching your iPod (or some pre amp level signal) to it. Id's disconnect it from the game first and start the iPod volume at 0. I suspect no incoming audio to the amp.
 
close-up pics
 

Attachments

  • IMG_6002.jpg
    IMG_6002.jpg
    91.7 KB · Views: 55
  • IMG_6009.jpg
    IMG_6009.jpg
    92.1 KB · Views: 59
The sound is now up and working!! It is soooooo much more fun to play the classic Nintendo games with that good old 80s and 90s game music!

My friend and I replaced every capacitor on the sound board and volume control board that I could find locally. When we put it back together and the first time I heard the volume working I had a bigger grin on my face than a kid in a candy store!

I owe a BIG BIG THANKS to ArcadeGreg who was very knowledgeable, told me what to look for and helped me out through the whole process.

Hopefully this thread will help someone else out one day.
 
anyone able to say how to repair a sound problem right off the motherboard ? the mainboard has Light to No sound at all. why? what could be done to trace it and fix? Ebo0 has a board that I sent that is now no sound or light.
 
anyone able to say how to repair a sound problem right off the motherboard ? the mainboard has Light to No sound at all. why? what could be done to trace it and fix? Ebo0 has a board that I sent that is now no sound or light.

Check these
1.Missing 12VDC
2. Sound Amp at 1E
3. Broken or bad caps
4. 2A03*
 
Back
Top Bottom