Tempest Repair

Robotron Jon

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I have a tempest that is non-working.

Both P1 and P2 lights are on but not blinking. Game does not play blind. Spotkiller is on. I have neck glow. Both LEDs are lit on game board. I tested +5 at on the game board test point and it was at 5.0. I pulled out the boards and did not see any bad solder at the interconnects.

Anyone have any ideas? Reseat chips?

Thanks.
 
Don't forget to check the header pins and Look for small ring like cracks in the solder. Use a flux and lead base solder to touch up the header pins if cracks are found.
 
I have a tempest that is non-working.

Both P1 and P2 lights are on but not blinking. Game does not play blind. Spotkiller is on. I have neck glow. Both LEDs are lit on game board. I tested +5 at on the game board test point and it was at 5.0. I pulled out the boards and did not see any bad solder at the interconnects.

Anyone have any ideas? Reseat chips?

Thanks.

Sounds like the PCB isn't booting. Try test mode and if that doesn't come up, bridge the WDDIS & GND test loops & try again. If you have clock + PROMs, you should get a test mode even if the board interconnect is bad.

Measure your +5v on the AC setting of your meter. If you have AC voltages present, replace your Big Blue. You want a bit more than 5.00v to compensate for voltage drop, more like 5.1v. Check the +5 rail on the far (opposite the edge connector) side of the board and adjust until you have a solid 5v there.
 
PM sent

If you have an eprom programmer I can send you some custom roms that bypass the vector state machine and can help you isolate the board problem to either the 6502 cpu side or the vg.
 
Do you have another cabinet to test the PCB in? Is your clock crystal broken off?

What games can you test this in? I have a couple of space duels.

I don't think the clock crystal is broken off. This game was working until a few months ago. It was on location in a Medical Marijuana dispensary waiting room. They had an arcade there. Must have been a lot of HIGH scores there I bet...he he.
 
What games can you test this in? I have a couple of space duels.

I don't think the clock crystal is broken off. This game was working until a few months ago. It was on location in a Medical Marijuana dispensary waiting room. They had an arcade there. Must have been a lot of HIGH scores there I bet...he he.

I believe it can only be tested in another Tempest machine because of the pinout. I'm in the same boat right now trying to figure out what is wrong with mine.
 
What games can you test this in? I have a couple of space duels.

I don't think the clock crystal is broken off. This game was working until a few months ago. It was on location in a Medical Marijuana dispensary waiting room. They had an arcade there. Must have been a lot of HIGH scores there I bet...he he.

You can only test it in another Tempest. Did you try any of the other things I suggested?
 
You can also test the board on the bench with the right input voltages and an oscilloscope but other than that you are limited to a tempest cab. The offer to test the board set stands if you feel like driving down to orange county.

Make damn sure you reflow those headers too. I fixed a G05 deflection board this evening by simply reflowing some really nasty header pins (see below). In the end, the monitor did not even need a cap kit installed.


G05_header_needs_reflow-url.jpg



_
 
You can also test the board on the bench with the right input voltages and an oscilloscope but other than that you are limited to a tempest cab. The offer to test the board set stands if you feel like driving down to orange county.

Make damn sure you reflow those headers too. I fixed a G05 deflection board this evening by simply reflowing some really nasty header pins (see below). In the end, the monitor did not even need a cap kit installed.


G05_header_needs_reflow-url.jpg



_

Nice image was that from a USB micro scope camera?
 
Joe, that picture was taking from a boom arm binocular microscope I have on my bench using the wide field lens. When I saw how bad the headers where on the G05 deflection board, I thought it an appropriate cautionary tale for all vector repair. ;-)
 
Joe, that picture was taking from a boom arm binocular microscope I have on my bench using the wide field lens. When I saw how bad the headers where on the G05 deflection board, I thought it an appropriate cautionary tale for all vector repair. ;-)

Plus one. Nice to see you up and about.
 
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