Robotron = Nogotron

pookdolie

Permanently Banned for excessive trolling.
Joined
Oct 8, 2009
Messages
7,935
Reaction score
96
Location
California
I was playing on the 8th level. I shot the last enemy in the upper right corner - the "change level" screen & noise came up for a brief second...then the dreaded rug pattern. The change level sound went into a loop, and the carpet alternated between it and a screen with red lines (black background).

Turned the machine off. Turned it back on; carpet & then red lines. Back and forth, over and over.

Code on digital readout: 1, 2, 1...1, 2, 1...then sometimes 2, 0, 1...

I also found this (see attached picture). Dunno if the pin was burned before.

Nice of the machine to bail me out before the dreaded 9th level, but now I can't get to level 1. Any ideas?
 

Attachments

  • Robotron.jpg
    Robotron.jpg
    90.2 KB · Views: 77
Very common, you have a power supply issue. You will need to replace that connector and pins as well as the header that it goes to. The board looks pretty original and could probably stand a cap kit too.
 
Very common, you have a power supply issue. You will need to replace that connector and pins as well as the header that it goes to. The board looks pretty original and could probably stand a cap kit too.


Agreed. That would be the first place to start. Never try to diagnose board issues when there are potential power supply issues.

ken
 
I stand corrected, that connector doesn't mean jack shit when you have a switcher installed.

Test the voltages of your pos switcher, and report back.
 
Last edited:
Good catch. I was focused on the arrows and missed the big black monolith in the upper right.

Get out you meter and check your voltages coming off the switcher. Then pack up that power supply board and the heat sink and ship them to Dokert or me to get them fixed so you can get that Peter Chung POS out of that poor defenseless Robotron.

ken
 
"Exact" corner shots on ending certain levels can cause programming glitches. Or so I've heard.
 
Thanks in advance for all of your help, guys.

I'd like to have the original power supply equipment running this mini. The seller set it up with a switcher I'm guessing because he didn't want to fix the original stuff.

Now, if I send the power supply pieces out for repair, will I have to make any additional repairs to effectively "delete" the switcher in order to plug it all together? I'll take more pictures of the current switcher setup...
 
Thanks in advance for all of your help, guys.

I'd like to have the original power supply equipment running this mini. The seller set it up with a switcher I'm guessing because he didn't want to fix the original stuff.

Good call to ditch the switch! :)

This will also help with the periodic CMOS resets that plague Williams games running off of switchers.

Now, if I send the power supply pieces out for repair, will I have to make any additional repairs to effectively "delete" the switcher in order to plug it all together? I'll take more pictures of the current switcher setup...

Post photos of the way the switcher is attached. That will determine how much rewiring will be necessary to reconvert it.

Most likely what will be needed is a new connector wired to match the original power supply output connector. That can be built as part of the rebuild of the power supply. Then you would just need to identify the correct wires on the connector and match them to the wires on the switcher and wire-nut them together (or solder and heat shrink them together).

ken
 
Are you guys sure this is a power supply problem? I really think he's got something else wrong, especially since it's already got a switcher in it.

Before you go rebuilding the original supply and trying to rewire it, check the switcher's outputs and verify the voltages are correct. If they are, then that's not your problem at the moment. Honestly, I know how much you guys love those old linear supplies... but if it's working with the switcher, why mess with it?

-Ian
 
Are you guys sure this is a power supply problem? I really think he's got something else wrong, especially since it's already got a switcher in it.

Before you go rebuilding the original supply and trying to rewire it, check the switcher's outputs and verify the voltages are correct. If they are, then that's not your problem at the moment. Honestly, I know how much you guys love those old linear supplies... but if it's working with the switcher, why mess with it?

-Ian

Switchers fail too. He needs to verify the voltages on the switcher before proceeding to T/S any farther. When the diagnostic codes shift back and forth, the usual bad part is the power supply.
 
Switchers fail too. He needs to verify the voltages on the switcher before proceeding to T/S any farther. When the diagnostic codes shift back and forth, the usual bad part is the power supply.

This is true... but I see many fewer flakey switchers than I do linear supplies. Switchers tend to just fail flat out - but those crummy old linear supplies tend to limp along with unstable voltages and AC ripple.

But yes, definitely verify voltages before replacing parts.

-Ian
 
Are you guys sure this is a power supply problem? I really think he's got something else wrong, especially since it's already got a switcher in it.

Yes.

If there are any other board level issues, they won't get sorted out until the power is stable. Whether it is the original switcher or a rebuilt linear. Stable power is required. Period.

Before you go rebuilding the original supply and trying to rewire it, check the switcher's outputs and verify the voltages are correct.

Already requested from Pookdolie:

Get out you meter and check your voltages coming off the switcher.

ken

As noted by Dokert switchers can fail. They also drift over time. Both events can cause the symptoms that have been described.

Honestly, I know how much you guys love those old linear supplies... but if it's working with the switcher, why mess with it?

-Ian

Original poster's request maybe...

I'd like to have the original power supply equipment running this mini. The seller set it up with a switcher I'm guessing because he didn't want to fix the original stuff.

Plus in the long run with a rebuilt linear, he won't have to worry about his high scores and settings getting overwritten randomly.

ken
 
Im so glad I pulled the crap switcher out of my Robotron. Now that the original Power supply is rebuilt. It should last another 30 years. Start with the PS and do it right.
 
Good catch. I was focused on the arrows and missed the big black monolith in the upper right.
ken

LOL monolith

2001_space_odyssey_fg2b.jpg
 
Okay - back with some more pictures.

It's going to become instantly obvious as to how much of a n00b I am with arcade machines, but that's okay. After poking around in here, I'm starting to think it might not be such a big job to get this thing running on an original power setup...see if you agree. If that's the case, then that's how I'm gonna go `cause, frankly, this is a very clean mini, and it deserves an original setup IMHO.

I haven't sicked the multimeter on it yet - that's next. Just give me some time to...er...buy one.
 

Attachments

  • robonew1.jpg
    robonew1.jpg
    98.4 KB · Views: 36
  • robonew2.jpg
    robonew2.jpg
    80.3 KB · Views: 36
  • robonew3.jpg
    robonew3.jpg
    97.1 KB · Views: 33
  • robonew4.jpg
    robonew4.jpg
    89.3 KB · Views: 39
That is a very nicely done Arcadeshop switcher. The 2 black wires will go away altogether. They were tapped into the monitor power wires that are violet with yellow stripe. The original linear power supply connector is still there and intact.

You will need to repair the connector for the power brick that goes to the power supply, the connector that goes from the heat sink to the power supply, and rebuild the linear power supply.

I would do the whole thing for $60 shipped.
 
Back
Top Bottom