Robotron goes blind after a while

[Griffin]

My ongoing relationship with my temperamental Robotron continues.

For a while it started doing the random reset thing which is common enough, I checked my power and made adjustments to make sure I was getting a solid 5v at the RAM chips. I know that eventually I'll need to get the boards a proper service.

Over the weekend a new behavior started, after about an hour of the game being on, the screen would go blank. I wasn't able to pull the cab to inspect at the time in order to see if I still have HV on the monitor or if it went into HV shutdown. A quick mash on the buttons confirmed the game was still running in some fashion. A quick power cycle and everything comes up, is fine for about 10 mins and then a blank screen again.

At this point I haven't done enough testing to see if it's board or monitor related.

Wondering if anyone else has seen this behavior before, especially knowing that my boards were being a tad glitchy prior to this.

 

[TheYeti]

Are you using Trifurcon connectors anywhere inside this machine?

 

[Griffin]

Are you using Trifurcon connectors anywhere inside this machine?

All the header connectors look to be pretty old, I'm sure they probably need to be replaced. No obvious burn or anything nasty like that though

 

[TheYeti]

All the header connectors look to be pretty old, I'm sure they probably need to be replaced

At a minimum, I would replace all power molex connectors with Trifurcon connectors.

Then eventually make it a goal to replace all the connectors inside the game with Trifurcon.

I don't know much...but I do know those original connectors were not very good. A flat connector against a round post doesn't make a lot of surface area contact.

 

[tstone]

Same thing happened to me when I accidentally saw Nancy Reagan topless one time.

 

[TheYeti]

one time.

Only once?

 

[Griffin]

At a minimum, I would replace all power molex connectors with Trifurcon connectors.

Then eventually make it a goal to replace all the connectors inside the game with Trifurcon.

I don't know much...but I do know those original connectors were not very good. A flat connector against a round post doesn't make a lot of surface area contact.

Yeah I'll redo all the headers, pins and housings. I think the last time I did 0.156 headers was on my Addams Family pin back in the day.

 

[mecha]

My ongoing relationship with my temperamental Robotron continues.

For a while it started doing the random reset thing which is common enough, I checked my power and made adjustments to make sure I was getting a solid 5v at the RAM chips. I know that eventually I'll need to get the boards a proper service.

Over the weekend a new behavior started, after about an hour of the game being on, the screen would go blank. I wasn't able to pull the cab to inspect at the time in order to see if I still have HV on the monitor or if it went into HV shutdown. A quick mash on the buttons confirmed the game was still running in some fashion. A quick power cycle and everything comes up, is fine for about 10 mins and then a blank screen again.

At this point I haven't done enough testing to see if it's board or monitor related.

Wondering if anyone else has seen this behavior before, especially knowing that my boards were being a tad glitchy prior to this.

View attachment 854506

you probably should share what monitor you have in there

 

[Griffin]

you probably should share what monitor you have in there

Ahh sorry, rebuilt G07 from Tron Guy

 

[Mattspad]

Ahh sorry, rebuilt G07 from Tron Guy

You need to check when the game is playing blind does the crt have any neck glow, check the b+ as well. I'm thinking you have monitor trouble, the game either runs and produces video (could be garbage) or it doesn't run at all. Contact Tron Guy he'll get you fixed up then, he's a really good guy helps a lot of people here.

 

[Griffin]

You need to check when the game is playing blind does the crt have any neck glow, check the b+ as well. I'm thinking you have monitor trouble, the game either runs and produces video (could be garbage) or it doesn't run at all. Contact Tron Guy he'll get you fixed up then, he's a really good guy helps a lot of people here.

Yes Dylan is great, he has helped me out many times. Agreed, I need to pull the game out and see what is happening at the monitor during the blind activity, hopefully I can get to it over the weekend and get more details to work off of.

 

[Scott C]

Do you have another monitor to test with? If so, this would give you the quickest results. Either the game continues to display or it doesn't, after the 10 minutes. If it displays, then you've ruled out the game PCBs, cabinet, power, etc. Conversely, you could run the installed G07 monitor for the 20 minutes with a TPG.

Scott C.

 

[Griffin]

Do you have another monitor to test with? If so, this would give you the quickest results. Either the game continues to display or it doesn't, after the 10 minutes. If it displays, then you've ruled out the game PCBs, cabinet, power, etc. Conversely, you could run the installed G07 monitor for the 20 minutes with a TPG.

Scott C.

Yep agreed, I haven't had any time to start troubleshooting steps as my daughter had her birthday party in the Arcade last weekend, once I pull it out of the lineup I can start testing various pieces.

 

[Scott C]

Awesome arcade! The one cabaret is Tempest.

Scott C.

 

[mecha]

@Griffin when it blacks out wiggle the video plug. then using your ninja skills tap the TPG in and see if it comes back. you should kill all birds with this stone.

otherwise, obligatory "I wish I was there"

 

[Griffin]

@Griffin when it blacks out wiggle the video plug. then using your ninja skills tap the TPG in and see if it comes back. you should kill all birds with this stone.

otherwise, obligatory "I wish I was there"

Will do, who wants to bet the battery on my TPG is dead again because I forgot to turn it off the last time I used it?

 

[Griffin]

Awesome arcade! The one cabaret is Tempest.

Scott C.

And the one cocktail is Warlords.

 

[Griffin]

This looks like a heat issue. I pulled the cab out and left it running with the back door off. It's was perfectly fine for a good few hrs.

I've put a fan in the cab, put the back door back on and slid it back into the lineup. Will see how it goes.

 

[mecha]

This looks like a heat issue. I pulled the cab out and left it running with the back door off. It's was perfectly fine for a good few hrs.

I've put a fan in the cab, put the back door back on and slid it back into the lineup. Will see how it goes.

what's getting hot?

 

[Griffin]

Don't know yet. My guess is the monitor chassis as the game does seem to play blind when it turns off.