*($^*)$^ Rockin Bowl-O-Rama - No Video

ArcadeTechGW

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I'm into another game - The pedestal version of Namco's Rockin Bowl-O-Rama.

When I first powered this one up, the motherboard was faulted, so it was back to Namco for a $600 replacement. The power supply was iffy, so I swapped in a good PS, and confirmed the motherboard was fubar.

The motherboard came back, I re-make all the connections, and everything works, except I'm playing blind. The monitor (LCD) glows, but I get no display.

I worked with the folks at Namco in Chicago, and they asked me to try a different DVI monitor (tried, no video there either, with a different cable even), then to try a VGA monitor (which worked), so they said I have a bad video board.

Two weeks later, I have a new Radeon video board. I ground myself and install the board power off, and fire up the game.

I'm still with no video.

My suspicisions: Namco didn't disable the onboard VGA board, or didn't enable the DVI.

Has anyone run into this? I'm asking Namco for suggestions, but I think I could hook up a VGA monitor and keyboard, and F10 into the BIOS to set the function I need set in a pinch.
 
Go figure - it was the monitor

How often do LCD monitors go bad? This one did - the CCD lamps worked, but the monitor was totally kaput.

Wonder of wonders, I found the exact monitor I needed used on eBay for $100, which sure beat the $600 the OEM wanted for the same thing new.

I put it in tonight, powered up the game, and viola! It's back up and running.

So, if your CPU is working, but you can't get the monitor to work on Rockin Bowl-o-Rama, the chances are good that your LG monitor has gone bad.

Thread complete - Moderator - close this one.
 
One minor thing, just to get the chronology correct: After getting the new video board, before posting, did you try the system with another DVI monitor and/or cable? I'm going to assume not, and that you worked out the problem by doing so after your original post, is that correct?

Thanks for the repair info - this WILL benefit someone eventually!
 
These machines are the absolute worse computer based arcade games ever made.
The hard drive, mobo, IO board, and quite possibly the video card are all married together
so if one fails you need to send the whole damned thing to Namco for a $600 repair.

I had a similar problem to yours, but it was a loose connector inside the LCD monitor.

My best recommendation for anyone with this machine ...

IMMEDIATELY CLONE THE HARD DRIVE (or flash stick if it uses one).

If the drive becomes corrupted but still works, you can restore the earlier image
and avoid an expensive Namco service call.

JD


I'm into another game - The pedestal version of Namco's Rockin Bowl-O-Rama.

When I first powered this one up, the motherboard was faulted, so it was back to Namco for a $600 replacement. The power supply was iffy, so I swapped in a good PS, and confirmed the motherboard was fubar.

The motherboard came back, I re-make all the connections, and everything works, except I'm playing blind. The monitor (LCD) glows, but I get no display.

I worked with the folks at Namco in Chicago, and they asked me to try a different DVI monitor (tried, no video there either, with a different cable even), then to try a VGA monitor (which worked), so they said I have a bad video board.

Two weeks later, I have a new Radeon video board. I ground myself and install the board power off, and fire up the game.

I'm still with no video.

My suspicisions: Namco didn't disable the onboard VGA board, or didn't enable the DVI.

Has anyone run into this? I'm asking Namco for suggestions, but I think I could hook up a VGA monitor and keyboard, and F10 into the BIOS to set the function I need set in a pinch.
 
Repair scheme

Here is what I found:

Unit dead - no power.

Tested computer power supply with PC Doctor II - failed.

Installed new power supply - computer was dead.

Returned board to Namco for $600 repair. PC that left had a hard drive.

Board returned from Namco - no more hard drive, now has a Jump Drive.

Powered up - no video output. Cold cathode lamps working. Game played blind (you could hear the pins drop as part of the first self test).

Tryed DVI monitor - no output on video card.

Namco asked if I had the "Red" board on the back of the monitor - I did - Namco sent out a new "Green" board, that has to be used with new CPU / jump drive. Installed new green board, powered up.

Same results - No video image. Cold Cathode Lamps working. Game played blind. Tried DVI monitor - no image. Tried VGA monitor - had video!

Contacted Namco - Namco sent a new video card

Same results - No video image. Cold Cathode Lamps working. Game played blind. Tried DVI monitor - no image. Tried VGA monitor - had video!

Contacted Namco - Namco sent a whole new CPU and video card.

Installed.

Same results - No video image. Cold Cathode Lamps working. Game played blind. Tried DVI monitor - no image. Tried VGA monitor - had video!


Purchased HDMI to DVI cable. Used laptop with RBOR system, tried to pipe video from my laptop to monitor.

Same results - No video image. Cold Cathode Lamps working. Game played blind.

Priced new screen from Namco - $600 (hmmmm...new CPU $600, new monitor $600....is there a pattern here?)

Found used screen, same model on eBay for $100 with shipping.

Installed new screen. Tested system SAT.

What's the chances that the screen AND the CPU would fail at the same time? I mean, really? It's got to be one in 10,000, or one in a big surge.

Or perhaps, small Aliens took up residence in the machine, and got tired of the buzzing of the cold cathode lamps....nah!

I may have missed a few steps in there. I know I carted in DVI and VGA monitors several times, and talked with Namco and the game designer - you can't get DVI output on a regular DVI monitor (or at least the one I used) with this game for some reason. They never did say why - I'm just glad it's over.
 
<snip>
talked with Namco and the game designer - you can't get DVI output on a regular DVI monitor (or at least the one I used) with this game for some reason.

Ahh, there's the thing - when testing these, we must be careful to use a compatible DVI monitor.

How utterly annoying, and so glad that you got it back in operation.
 
hi
i read this thread with interest because i will soon have a namco bowl-o-rama
i just know that there is no graphic card, and the screen is out of order, i hope there are no more problems
since this game is a pc, am i obliged to put the same graphic card and the same screen or can i use others ?
thanks for reading
fred
ps : sorry for my poor english, i'm french
 
hi
i read this thread with interest because i will soon have a namco bowl-o-rama
i just know that there is no graphic card, and the screen is out of order, i hope there are no more problems
since this game is a pc, am i obliged to put the same graphic card and the same screen or can i use others ?
thanks for reading
fred
ps : sorry for my poor english, i'm french

and this is your first post, Welcome to KLOV.
 
yes, i do what i don't want people do : first post => question and second post => presentation !!

and this one is the third one :)

Not a problem, I just don't know much about that game or problems with it. I did like the start of the thread and that is what caught my eye, the cuss word at the start.

There are many good and knowledgeable people that will give good help here.
 
You definately need the right video card. It is available and will work separately. You'll need to contact Namco Tech Support to get it, and then you'll have to purchase it through Betson.

It's a standard video card - I'll pop the back on the unit that I service in the near future, and try to read the model number off it. The game is too twitchy for me to even try to remove it - if I can't read it, well, I can't read it.

The Namco part number is RB05-11498-01, PCB, DVI RECEIVER REV 1.1

www.betson.com / 800-386-7040.
 
thanks for your answer
i found the manual, and on the parts list i foud : part number rb05-11525-00 pcb, video card, saphire/ati 100573
i'll begin to search one on ebay or other site
when i see the prices on namcoparts.com waouw !!!
power supply atx 120 $ !!!!
today my game is pick-up i'm waiting for it, when my game arrived i'll posted some pics
thanks
fred
 
Since I run my arcade repair as a business, I have an account with Betson. If you need parts and they give you any trouble, I can order them for you and drop ship them to your location. I would ask that you pay for the charges - I won't "upcharge" you beyond what the price of the parts and shipping would be.

The part number I gave you is the latest one. The manual gets a bit dated, since computer parts go obsolete fast.

Did you check your power supply with a computer power supply tester? I found that the motherboard on my unit was bad. The power supply was bad too mind you, but even with a new power supply, the motherboard was dead.
 
Re: Namco parts prices. Yep, they are pretty steep, but if you want your game to work, they kind of have you by the short hairs, if you know what I mean.

The game is very picky about what it will work with - I know that much.
 
I still don't have my cabinet yet, i hope in a couple of days

Thank you for your help with parts of this game if have to order i will see with you

Thanks again

Fred
 
God, I hate this damn game.

I have a spare flash drive laying around if someone wants it cheap. Cost $175 from Betson.

I had a GT converted bowlarama. Started having problems with it. Replaced flash drive. Worked for another 5-6 months. It died. Called Namco:

N: sounds like your flash drive

Me: I just replaced this 6 months ago. So I have to spend another $175 on a part on the same part I paid for 6 months ago?

N: Yes

Me: the game hasn't even made $175 since the last drive! Whatever, send it.

The game was still dead with the new drive, so I put the old one in and sent it to the auction. So, I have a new, untested flash drive if anyone's interested, since I will never own this game again.

Mike
 
I finally have my new toy, but I can't open it before my birthday !!!

2 weeks ........ so long

I have a good news, the last friday I saw a friend who is working for an arcade seller, and when I said that I'll soon have this machine, he told me that he own an original screen and the graphic card for this game

bor01.jpg
 
I can't wait for my birthday and I open my gift

since there is no graphic card, I install another one and a new lcd screen (my graphic had no dvi input)

the pc started but stop to this screen

imagebrjl.jpg


I put ACPI=off and reboot, the ACPI line disapered but the screen still block on "Red Hat nash version 4.2.15 starting"

I think is because it is not the correct graphic card

what do you think about this ?

thanks
 
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