Switching Power Supply in Galaxian...

[modessitt]

So I'm trying to get this Galaxian Cocktail I picked up back from the dead.

I got the monitor working now, but am getting absolutely nothing on the screen (other than a glow when I turn the brightness up).

I'm wondering if I should just cut the wires going to the edge connector and attach them to the switcher or not. I know it's usually AC going to the connector, which gets converted to DC on the board. One site says to hook the switcher to the wires and crank the +5 all the way up to +6 or so, and let the board bring it back down.

Since someone pulled the old "aluminum foil around the blown fuse" trick, I'm not even sure the board works. Even if it does, the AC-to-DC section could have blown, and maybe I should attach my +5, +12, and GND straight to the board after that section? What are the best points to attach them if this is the best method?

Currently, I have about +6.79 coming in on 3 & C, and +3.45 on 4 & D, as well as +6.98 coming in on the +12 lines from the transformer.

 

[KenLayton]

Galaxian is virtually the same board as a Pacman. Use the Pacman-to-switcher instructions found on the net.

 

[modessitt]

I thought about that, but some of the Pac-Man switcher sites (twobits) say to solder to certain pads on the board, which I've done with great success before. Just wondering if I should solder before or after the AC-to-DC conversion section.....

 

[tta583]

I have a buddy that regularly does the DC in trick. Not that I have ever tried it...but I have been told it works with no issues even on location games.

What is it in on Pac and Galaxian. Like 6 and 14 AC in?? I want to say he does 5 DC on the 6 and 12 DC on the 14. Measure it where it comes out of the rectifier section then turn up the switcher till 5 and 12 make it out.

Your mileage may vary...I make no guarantee....

 

[mspaeth]

I thought about that, but some of the Pac-Man switcher sites (twobits) say to solder to certain pads on the board, which I've done with great success before. Just wondering if I should solder before or after the AC-to-DC conversion section.....

All you really need to do is jumper over the diodes for the 7VAC... or if you're going to only use the supply in that game, just crack it up to 6V or so, and it should be more than enough to regulate down to a clean 5.

 

[modessitt]

Well, decided to just bypass the diodes and just solder to the solder pads on the backside of the diodes. Cut the original power wires, and it works!

Still need to rebuild the monitor to freshen up some colors, although the rejuv did that pretty nicely.

Now, I just need to decide if I want to keep it a Galaxian, or turn it into a Multicade. I'm sure I could make a pretty good profit if I made it a 48-in-1 and sold it as a Christmass present. Then I could put new Galaxian Art on it and it would look great.

I'm not really a Galaxian fan (or Galaga) so I wouldn't want to keep it as a Galaxian (although I'm sure a Circus Charlie would look good in there...), and I know I could sell it as a Galaxian, but I could get so much more if it was a multi.

The only question would be whether a joystick would fit in that shallow angled control panel or not.

What do y'all think?

 

[Lindsey]

I'm going to go with 'not' personally... but I demolished my credibility in the last thread

I can't say that I've actually installed a joystick but I did put the body of a mico-switch joystick into the panel and said "hey... that's not going to fit". You might be able to make it work with a shallower leaf-switch based joystick or some kind of shallow micro.

I suggest you take a joystick and hold it up to the side of the panel to get an idea of the dimensions... I have a feeling you'll probably say "Hey... that's not going to fit". BUT I've been wrong before

 

[tta583]

Well, I like Galaxian so I say don't convert it. If you don't want it sell it as is since its working then convert some generic cab or something that is not complete.

 

[modessitt]

Oh, I don't mind selling it as a Galaxian cocktail, I just happen to know that getting a few hundred for it as a Galaxian doesn't compare to the $1000-1500 I could probably get for it as a Multicade when Christmas gets here.

Arcadeshop sells a custom CP for turning a Galaxian into a Ms. Pac or Pac (and I have working Ms. Pac boards) so it seems a joystick CAN be put in....

Now, if someone want to give me $1000 for a Galaxian cocktail with new art, then by all means....PM me....

 

[Lindsey]

I guess I should have said "not easily". Obviously anything is possible. This guy did it. He describes chiseling out the bottom of the panel to make the joystick fit. Just depends on how much work you want to do I guess.

http://www.brentsarcade.com/mspacman.html

 

[modessitt]

Hmm.. I think I remember seeing that. Although why it would have credit buttons on the side of the cab when all the games it mentions (Galaxian, Galaga, Pac-Man, Ms. pac-Man) had free play settings....

 

[Lindsey]

My guess would be that they were there when he got the game and didn't want to deal with the holes. Let me be the first to say EWWWW

Looks like they may be the buttons with the little men on them traditionally used for 1 and 2 player start buttons. Maybe not. I ended up with a huge bag of the 2 player type. I was thinking about doing a whole panel in them on a mame machine. Might look kinda weird... but unique.

 

[modessitt]

My guess would be that they were there when he got the game and didn't want to deal with the holes. Let me be the first to say EWWWW

Looks like they may be the buttons with the little men on them traditionally used for 1 and 2 player start buttons. Maybe not. I ended up with a huge bag of the 2 player type. I was thinking about doing a whole panel in them on a mame machine. Might look kinda weird... but unique.

A bunch of "2P" buttons would fit into the theme of Rough Rangers pretty well....considering the "gay" vibe of the art.....2 guys standing in close proximity.....

 

[Lindsey]

LMAO... now that was funny. I'm not one for the lol or omg stuff but that was damn funny.

I got them from an operator. I assumed the uneven number of 1 and 2 player buttons was due to the fact that the 1 player wore out a lot faster.