Really weird picture anomaly on Missile Command

Vectorman

Well-known member

Donor 2011
Joined
Sep 20, 2005
Messages
1,567
Reaction score
132
Location
McLean, Illinois
(UPDATE: It's fixed now...thanks)

Guys,

I am completely stumped on this picture problem. I have a Missile command that is working perfectly except the picture kind of bleeds off to the right. It's tough to describe. It's like there are shadows...that's it. Like everything that draws on the screen casts a shadow off to the right.

I've tried: NEW monitor, different known working game boards, different known working A/R board, new isolation transformer. Nothing makes this go away.

The only thing I haven't tried is swapping the main power transformer. But I don't have another one- missile command has a unique power brick and I don't have an extra. Do you think that's where the problem lies?

has anyone else ever seen this problem?

Thanks for any advice you can give...

John
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0732.jpg
    IMG_0732.jpg
    101.7 KB · Views: 37
  • IMG_0733.jpg
    IMG_0733.jpg
    103.5 KB · Views: 28
Last edited:
NEW as in - just out of the box? Sometimes you see this due to:

a) older caps

b) poor monitor frame grounding

c) contrast/brightness misadjustments

d) bad connections on the video connector

Have you tried the original monitor with another game?
 
Thanks for the reply.

a) nope - new monitor just out of the box (and tried two others with fresh caps).

b) could be?....I'll check the grounding throughout the game.

c) Tried every adjustment known to man...can't be that.

d) Hmmmm...this could be. I guess the wiring is the same for all my tests. I'll check this.

Yes, I checked all the monitors in other games and then in this one...they look perfect in other games but same shadow effect in this game.

Thanks,
John


NEW as in - just out of the box? Sometimes you see this due to:

a) older caps

b) poor monitor frame grounding

c) contrast/brightness misadjustments

d) bad connections on the video connector

Have you tried the original monitor with another game?
 
Thanks for the reply.

a) nope - new monitor just out of the box (and tried two others with fresh caps).

What kind of monitor is it? Is it a Kortek? There was a whole run of bad ones that were displaying streaking in the video.

Also, a bad video ground will cause all manner of weirdness in the picture. Check your video connector on the wiring harness.

-Ian
 
Thanks for the reply.

Yes, I checked all the monitors in other games and then in this one...they look perfect in other games but same shadow effect in this game.

Thanks,
John

OK, you're down to the transformer block and the wiring harness.

Have you replaced the big-blue cap in the transformer block?

Take some deoxit and hit all of the pins on all the involved connectors. That can't hurt and it might help.

Is this an upright? If it's NOT the upright, I have a spare transformer block out of a cocktail that you are welcome to (the cocktail, cabaret, and sit-down all share the same transformer block - the upright is different).
 
What kind of monitor is it? Is it a Kortek? There was a whole run of bad ones that were displaying streaking in the video.

Also, a bad video ground will cause all manner of weirdness in the picture. Check your video connector on the wiring harness.

-Ian

It was a brand new Wells Gardner - but from their last run - I think it was like 19k7302...but since it didn't solve the problem I removed it and put in an older 19k7000 and saved the new monitor for something else.

I'll check the video ground.

Thanks,
John
 
OK, you're down to the transformer block and the wiring harness.

Have you replaced the big-blue cap in the transformer block?

Take some deoxit and hit all of the pins on all the involved connectors. That can't hurt and it might help.

Is this an upright? If it's NOT the upright, I have a spare transformer block out of a cocktail that you are welcome to (the cocktail, cabaret, and sit-down all share the same transformer block - the upright is different).

This is an upright. I don't remember it having a big blue....but if it does I probably tried replacing it (can't remember). I'll check.

I'll check all the connectors and make sure they're clean and making good connection.

I would still probably be interested in your transformer power brick for a future restoration.

Thanks for the help,
John
 
It was a brand new Wells Gardner - but from their last run - I think it was like 19k7302...but since it didn't solve the problem I removed it and put in an older 19k7000 and saved the new monitor for something else.

I'll check the video ground.

Thanks,
John

Well, technically that's not BRAND NEW as it was made a couple years ago, probably. Caps might have aged, especially if they used the bad caps...
 
Could be a bad cap or two in the video section of the board. If you have more than 2 monitors doing the EXACT same thing...thats enough to convince me, but then again it does look like it almost needs degaussing or something.

If you want to verify, see if you can extend the video wire to a monitor outside of the cab to test.
 
Last edited:
Ok, it's fixed! Sure enough, it was the ground wire going to the monitor. The molex connector had broken and it wasn't making connection at all. Now it looks perfect.

I can't believe how much time and energy I wasted on this problem.

Thanks very much guys - I couldn't have done it without you.

John
 
Back
Top Bottom