Smash TV - repair project

[Vongoosewink]

Smash TV porn

Here are some pictures of the Control Panel, as requested by Broodwich.

The first 3 are the CP and joysticks, the last 2 are underneath -- the first looking at the bottom of the CP (It's flipped upside down), and the last with the CP held up with the camera looking down into the inside of the cabinet.

Hope these help! Keep in mind I haven't even cleaned this game up yet, so it is a bit dusty -- just trying to get it to work first!

 

[Vongoosewink]

I had the same issues with my PCB and it ended up being the U99 chip. Here is a pic of what mine was doing.

That sounds like the same problem. About half the time when I turn the game on, I get a 'Custom Chip U99 is bad' error message. The rest of the time the ROM checks say everything is OK, but the game still has graphic errors.

Here are a couple pics. The flash went off on the error message, so it is hard to read the screen, but if you look you can just see it.

I've also loaded a couple pictures of the game screen showing the graphic errors. It looks about the same as what happened to jwe's board. Hey jwe, how did you get it fixed, or did you replace the whole board. U99 is not a socketed chip (in fact, it looks gigantic with about a hundred pins!)

 

[Broodwich]

Thanks for the pics!!! you didn't by any chance catch my other thread and notice the volume pot resistance while you were there? (or bring it home).

Looks like your U99 is pissed in this pic

 

[Vongoosewink]

So following Broodwich's advice, I pulled the board and spent a couple hours pulled all those ROMs and reseating them. No change, I can't reseat U99 as that one is soldered in there.

I also investigated the harness a little closer. Check this out, one of the wires that leads to the Monitor has no insulation, and it looks like the wire was too short to properly reach between the Monitor board and the jamma clip. So when it was plugged in, the wire pulled loose from the clip. Whoever worked on this just pulled a single thread of wire from the bundle and fed it into the clip. I'm not an expert on wiring, but I'm pretty sure this is not normal, right?

I pulled this out and rewired it with an extra wire from a trashed Jamma harness. It took a while, but it seems to be working. Of course, this did not fix the game, but I was pleased to figure out the wiring on this stuff.

 

[Broodwich]

So following Broodwich's advice, I pulled the board and spent a couple hours pulled all those ROMs and reseating them. No change, I can't reseat U99 as that one is soldered in there.

I also investigated the harness a little closer. Check this out, one of the wires that leads to the Monitor has no insulation, and it looks like the wire was too short to properly reach between the Monitor board and the jamma clip. So when it was plugged in, the wire pulled loose from the clip. Whoever worked on this just pulled a single thread of wire from the bundle and fed it into the clip. I'm not an expert on wiring, but I'm pretty sure this is not normal, right?

I pulled this out and rewired it with an extra wire from a trashed Jamma harness. It took a while, but it seems to be working. Of course, this did not fix the game, but I was pleased to figure out the wiring on this stuff.

wow what the hell is right. good catch finding that tho, not sure what the person repairing it was thinking. unfortunately i don't know how or anyone that works on these boards as of right now but hopefully someone here will chime in. i'm hoping for your sake that there's just a bent pin or broken trace somewhere that you can repair yourself . your cab looks fantastic btw.

 

[jwe]

That sounds like the same problem. About half the time when I turn the game on, I get a 'Custom Chip U99 is bad' error message. The rest of the time the ROM checks say everything is OK, but the game still has graphic errors.

Here are a couple pics. The flash went off on the error message, so it is hard to read the screen, but if you look you can just see it.

I've also loaded a couple pictures of the game screen showing the graphic errors. It looks about the same as what happened to jwe's board. Hey jwe, how did you get it fixed, or did you replace the whole board. U99 is not a socketed chip (in fact, it looks gigantic with about a hundred pins!)

The U99 chip is a socketed chip and can be replaced. I replaced mine and everything cleared up. Finding the chip took some time but I found it on the group.

 

[Vongoosewink]

The U99 chip is a socketed chip and can be replaced. I replaced mine and everything cleared up. Finding the chip took some time but I found it on the group.

Oh, I thought it was the great big square one! I'll have another look on the board.

 

[Vongoosewink]

The U99 chip is a socketed chip and can be replaced. I replaced mine and everything cleared up. Finding the chip took some time but I found it on the group.

YEAH! I'll buy THAT for a dollar!

I just inspected the board again. It looks to me that my U99 is soldered in there, but heck, maybe I'm wrong? After a while messing with it, I gave the U99 & board a good squeeze on all 4 corners, and the last corner I felt a little 'snap' of the board seating all the way in. Looked at the screen, and... SCORE! No more bad sprites!

I just need to load this back into my Smash TV game, and I'll be in business! Yeah!

Thanks jwe, rep sent your way!

And now, for the pictures... (never mind the bezel, I was testing it in a Magic Sword cab.)

 

[Broodwich]

SAWEET!!! i just pulled my smash board out and was about to post that it is definitely socketed, and it was strange because in one of your other pics it looked like your U99 was "Green". making me think maybe there was some dust under it, not thinking maybe it wasn't fully seated.

I actually fixed my super loud volume issue with my board just now, that's why i pulled it out.

It's a good day for Smash TV fans!

 

[mecha]

SAWEET!!! i just pulled my smash board out and was about to post that it is definitely socketed, and it was strange because in one of your other pics it looked like your U99 was "Green". making me think maybe there was some dust under it, not thinking maybe it wasn't fully seated.

I actually fixed my super loud volume issue with my board just now, that's why i pulled it out.

It's a good day for Smash TV fans!

I might attempt this with mine later. it's not generating any RAM errors however I never got a Custom Chip error with this board. I pulled one of those socketed U99s on a Y-unit board, and I think it was the Smash TV board... highly doubt I'd fuck with my High Impact Football one. lol

 

[Broodwich]

it's worth a try mecha, i knew something was funky when in 1 pic Von got the custom chip error, and red u99 while in another it was green and good to go.

I f'n love this game, now to get Total Carnage

WOOOOOOO!

 

[Vongoosewink]

SAWEET!!! i just pulled my smash board out and was about to post that it is definitely socketed, and it was strange because in one of your other pics it looked like your U99 was "Green". making me think maybe there was some dust under it, not thinking maybe it wasn't fully seated.

I actually fixed my super loud volume issue with my board just now, that's why i pulled it out.

It's a good day for Smash TV fans!

A good day indeed! Big money! Big prizes! I love it!

About the U99, yeah, half the time when I ran through the start-up ROM checks, U99 checked out green, the other half came up error. But it never worked, either way. I think it just didn't have a solid connection.

I gotta say, even though this was a simple fix for you guys who are experts at this (just a power supply swap and ROM re-seating), it is a big achievement for me, with basically no background in electronics. It sure feels great to have fixed my first game -- that's one saved from the scrap heap. Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to go play some Smash TV!

 

[mecha]

everybody gotta start somewhere. lol

your non-insulated video wire is more than likely your video ground with a shield around it. I noticed this in a supergun I built using an NBA Jam harness... that's just how Williams/Midway did it back then. it's no hack. they changed it on later games, probably in the MK2 and later era.

or maybe it's hacked. I can't tell from your picture unfortunately.

 

[jwe]

YEAH! I'll buy THAT for a dollar!

I just inspected the board again. It looks to me that my U99 is soldered in there, but heck, maybe I'm wrong? After a while messing with it, I gave the U99 & board a good squeeze on all 4 corners, and the last corner I felt a little 'snap' of the board seating all the way in. Looked at the screen, and... SCORE! No more bad sprites!

I just need to load this back into my Smash TV game, and I'll be in business! Yeah!

Thanks jwe, rep sent your way!

And now, for the pictures... (never mind the bezel, I was testing it in a Magic Sword cab.)

No problem. I'm glad you got it working, it's awesome when some fixes are not that complicated. Smash TV is an awesome game have fun. Now I need to get a Robotron board in mine and i'll be set.

 

[therealmogwai]

excellent thread..
im going home to fix mine!