Paperboy Issues

FrizzleFried

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I just picked up a Paperboy project and there are a couple issues.

First off, the monitor is very dim. I suppose a cap kit is in order. It currently has a K4900 medium res model in it. Is there a specialized cap kit for it vs the low res model? Also, I DO have a K7000 medium res chassis on hand... I suppose the tubes aren't interchangeable between the two by chance?

Secondly... I am getting some corrupt sprites. Mostly sprites that "move" or do things (break dancer, all cars that travel across the screen (though the vertically running cars are fine), the fighting guys, etc). It even happens to the same sprites in the "paper" intro screen, etc! Any idea where to look?

Here are some pix... (enhanced to increase brightness to help)

PB_SCREEN4.jpg


PB_SCREEN3.jpg


PB_SCREEN1.jpg


PB_SCREEN2.jpg


PB_JUSTHOME.jpg
 
Looks like both of my sys2 cabs with the black sides. Ha ha.

You have a rejuvenator as I recall, right? I'd bet that's what it needs for the dim problem. Mine needed it and cleared up that problem completely. Particularly, the red gun was dim. It's great now.

As for a cap kit, IIRC it's just a standard 4900 cap kit, but you could double check with Bob. I think that's exactly what I did because I wondered the same thing.

And the sprites... Have you run through the diagnostics to let it do a rom test? Maybe a bad rom? I had a bad rom that was causing bad sound effects.
 
Paperboy

What is the tube number? There was a post on here recently that someone said that the med res 4900s have the same tube as the standard res 4900s. I have never heard this before. I looked at all 3 I have here and they are the 7000 monitors.
 
Standard 4900 cap kit for the med res 4915. The tube is the same for a standard res 4900 and a med res 4915.

You have game ROM issues causing your sprite issues.
 
My Championship Sprint monitor was dim so I did a cap kit. Once completed it was still dim. Update us if you do the rejuv and whether it works.
 
The power of a Rejuvenator just can't be expressed in words...

PB_SCREEN_BETTER.jpg


Now on to the bad sprite issue...

...I swapped all 4 6116's and unfortunately the problem remains the same. I suppose that eliminates the 6116's... now, which chips are the ROM chips? I suppose I should try to pull and re-seat them before anything but there are a TON of socketed chips...

I DID try to press down on them all of course... no help.

EDIT: I may as well throw out there that I am also experiencing a small audio issue. All sounds play... all voices play... but there is a distortion that sounds much like a radio dialing in between stations....from time to time... any ideas?

EDIT #2: Anyone know how to force the ROM TEST? According to the manual, you can click in to test mode from playing the game but it won't start you at the ROM test... and you'll never see it. It instructs to switch on test mode, turn off the cabinet, turn on the cabinet, and it will start with the ROM TEST screen. Unfortunately, mine does not do that. Mine starts in the MUSIC test (where it checks pokey, voices, sounds, etc) and I have no way to get to the ROM test. My guess is that my ROM problem isn't allowing me to access that screen?
 
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i woudn't say that swapping the 6116's definitely proves they aren't they problem. I had multiple 6116's bad. And your issue could be socket related, too.

As for your ROMs, did you pull them and clean them?
 
If I recall correctly, the ROM test that you describe is corect, no test if no issues.

Suggest that you try to look at traces.
 
Verify that the power supply is putting out the correct voltages. Both the A/R III and the switching power supply (if installed)

Also reseat power connectors J13 & J20 as they are notorious for burning up.
 
Both PSes are putting out proper voltage... 5.08 or so... reseated all connectors... pulled and re-seated all socketed chips... the issue remains... no change at all.

I have not cleaned the ROMS ...being there are 26 of them, that will take a bit of time... I'd hoped that pulling and re-inserting them would do SOMETHING ... alas... no difference.

I can play the game fine BTW...just those sprites are jacked...
 
Just dealt with a sprite issue on a Paperboy that was almost identical. Narrowed it down to a ROM issue. Wasn't able to nail it down to a ROM, Socket, or Bad trace because the boardset quit working.
 
Welp... being I have no way to check the ROM's... what options am I left with?

Buy a non-working boardset and hope to swap the ROMs?
 
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