Spy Hunter Behavior

[cdjump]

Thanks... I'll check when the wife gets home... watching the baby right now...

Also, I am still having issues with POPPING when the lights flash/come on... I posted about it in the REPAIR forum if you think you can help... please check it out...

Thanks!

EDIT: Here is a direct link: http://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=116331&page=2

there's not much left except the logic chip itself. I had one that did that, and i ended up replacing the chip, but, it had a light stuck on.
I probably have a spare here, i'll have to look and see.
Fwiw, unless everything is just perfect, you'll hear it just a bit regardless, but it shouldn't be loud enough to be annoying.

 

[FrizzleFried]

I'm thinking its the resister at R19... the one on the board is actually missing part of the ceramic coating... but I don't know squat about resisters or whether I could drop something other than a 2.2 1w in there...

 

[cdjump]

measure it with an ohmmeter and see what it reads. If its open or higher than it should be, then i'd suspect that could be the problem.

 

[FrizzleFried]

It measures 1.8 when the meter is set at 200 (so it beeps).... I am guessing it should read 2.2?

 

[cdjump]

1.8 isn't necessarily bad - it could easily be reading in parallel with something else on the board. You could desolder one leg and see what it reads, but i doubt thats the culprit. I'll see if i've got a spare around here and dig the schems out tomorrow. I suspect there's a ceramic or mylar cap on there that could be causing it as well. Just have to look and see though.

 

[FrizzleFried]

Here is a video showing the pop issue... turn up the audio a bit and you'll also notice the additional audio distortion/"buzz" when the lamp is lit.... this happens for all lights except the marquee lamp...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAzBpOi45ew

It may be hard to tell, but it's enough of a "pop" that it maxes the speakers travel... you can "feel" bass pop sound coming from them.

 

[demogo]

Frizz,

Having watched your video, some of that is normal behavior. Mine makes a thumping sound when the lights flash too -- I think all Spy Hunters do this.

I'll fire my game up tomorrow and pay close attention and let you know.

Having said that I can't turn the volume up right now to gauge how loud it is relative to the other game sounds so I can't comment on that.

 

[FrizzleFried]

Frizz,

Having watched your video, some of that is normal behavior. Mine makes a thumping sound when the lights flash too -- I think all Spy Hunters do this.

I'll fire my game up tomorrow and pay close attention and let you know.

Having said that I can't turn the volume up right now to gauge how loud it is relative to the other game sounds so I can't comment on that.

A small "pop" may be normal... this isn't small... this is the loudest sound of the game... and the "buzz" in the background when the light is lit is simply unacceptable. This isn't normal... I an assure you of that... it's the loudest sound of the game.

 

[Shavenyak]

A small "pop" may be normal... this isn't small... this is the loudest sound of the game... and the "buzz" in the background when the light is lit is simply unacceptable. This isn't normal... I an assure you of that... it's the loudest sound of the game.

My SH is in storage at the moment but that is definitely not normal. I am curious though, what would cause that.

 

[FrizzleFried]

I read a recommendation to wire a 4700 25v cap in the 12v line to eliminate hum... not sure if that would help, but I am going to try it. The 12v line runs about 12.89v and since it's on a switcher, it can't be adjusted separately from the 5v line...and even with the 5v line at it's lowest setting...it still plays... but 12v is still at like 12.7v...

 

[cdjump]

two things you can try, but no guarantees, as i kinda suspect this is related to the switcher adapter.
1. Reflow the header connections on both the lamp driver board and the amp.
2. recap the amp.

Also, check the +12v coming off the switcher, i'm curious as to what its reading. CleverlyJ's satan's hollow had a buzz in it like that and his 12v was high from the switcher. Adding a 7812 to keep the +12 down to +12 helped his. So that might be something to consider. Either that or running the lamps +12 from a completely different source.
Another possibility is to add a noise supressor - something like this -
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260530308800
I had a similar buzz in my PP's caused by using a 12v fan, and the noise supressor helped bunches with it.

 

[cdjump]

I read a recommendation to wire a 4700 25v cap in the 12v line to eliminate hum... not sure if that would help, but I am going to try it. The 12v line runs about 12.89v and since it's on a switcher, it can't be adjusted separately from the 5v line...and even with the 5v line at it's lowest setting...it still plays... but 12v is still at like 12.7v...

the big cap on the lamp driver is exactly that. 4700 uF, 25v cap, and its wired directly into the +12 line right at the lamps. You did replace it right?

 

[FrizzleFried]

Yes... I did replace the 4700 on the lamp board...

 

[FrizzleFried]

I just downloaded the Spy Hunter adapter board docs from Arcadeshop. For Spy Hunter and Environmental Discs of Tron they recommend a switcher with a 4AMP 12v supply... I am pretty sure the switcher in the cab is a HAPP model with a 2AMP 12v supply... do you think that may be the issue?

I THINK they mean the sit down Spy Hunter though...as it has an additional amp for the back speakers I do believe (like EDOT).

Also... I notice there are two spots for power to come in to the board...

Could I wire a separate switcher running 12v to the same board using the other "tab"?

 

[cdjump]

then you'd have 2 sets of buzzes to contend with. Well, maybe.
Take your ohmmeter and see if the +12 connections are connected. If they are, then i'd not run 2 switchers, as if the voltage isn't exactly the same, one will draw all the load anyway and send current through the other one to try to get its voltage up to the same as the higher one.

 

[MikeyDee]

1. yes, if you go to slow in high gear the engine stalls, and you stop. to restart shift back to low until your speed gets back up.

2. Peter Gunn plays at the beginning and then stops. Then begins playing again after you exit a weapons van, and continues until you crash.

Actually, the Peter Gunn theme plays when you enter the weapons van. It continues top play until you crash.

 

[demogo]

A small "pop" may be normal... this isn't small... this is the loudest sound of the game... and the "buzz" in the background when the light is lit is simply unacceptable. This isn't normal... I an assure you of that... it's the loudest sound of the game.

OK, I'll buy that.

Just be aware that when you do run this down and some of the pop sound remains that *THAT* is normal.

BTW, have I told you yet that switchers in Spy Hunters suck? If not, I've been remiss.

 

[FrizzleFried]

OK, I'll buy that.

Just be aware that when you do run this down and some of the pop sound remains that *THAT* is normal.

BTW, have I told you yet that switchers in Spy Hunters suck? If not, I've been remiss.

Well, I'd have no problem dropping an original PS back in this bad boy...it's not been hacked so it would be plug n play... got one for sale?

PS: What makes running a switcher in this machine "suck"... if you could be more specific, that would be great (unless this popping issue is a known switcher issue that is).

 

[demogo]

I have a spare power board but I don't want to sell it.

They do pop up here from time to time - I'd recommend keeping your eyes open for one. They typically go for about $40-$45 in good working condition.

I like the original power boards because the switchers introduce a noticeable hum in the game audio. No one has ever definitively shown why and there are several switchers that claim to not cause this problem with SH (the ArcadeShop switcher being one) but they do still cause the problem.

I bought an Arcadeshop switcher right after I bought my game and it hummed as badly as the one it came with. I put a linear power board back in and the hum faded into the background until it was barely noticeable.

I've never heard of the issue you're reporting so I don't know if it's tied to the switcher in your game or not.

BTW, did you ever nail down the values you were getting back from the user input screen for the gas pedal?

 

[FrizzleFried]

BTW, did you ever nail down the values you were getting back from the user input screen for the gas pedal?

Alright... while on the calibration page I get 0B to 27... on the controls page I get 00 to 1A...