The Gravitar Conundrum...

awarner

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When I was looking to find a machine to convert to my ZVG project, I came across a very reasonable deal on a Gravitar. The deal came about after the ZVG project started. The seller and I were both convinced that it was a dead game and the deal was still good as long as I got some life back into the monitor. I bought it and it sat in my work area for 2 weeks and I just never got back to it. Finally, I plugged it in and it was all dead. I checked and a fuse was bad. Replaced it and it was still just as dead. I had a spare ARII and when I replaced it, it came on for a second and died. Next was the power cord. I had made a new one for my ZVG so I had the old one sitting there. I plugged it into the power brick and the machine came up. ALL THE WAY! I replaced the transformer in the marquee light and the coin door bulbs and everything works. Cool, right? Here's the thing, as much as I like the game, the cabinet is pretty rough (lots of water damage, broken around the control panel, paint spilled on top), and Gravitar plays perfectly on the multi. I need to have a spare 6100 monitor on hand but I don't really need the game. Can I sell a working Gravitar without a monitor? I think it's a great part-out candidate, but I know public opinion about parting working classic games and I agree with you. Opinions?
 
I have 3 color vector games, a Tempest, a Star Wars (Amplifone - but the 6100 would work) and my ZVG multi. If I loose a monitor for whatever reason, I'd like to have a spare I can throw in. I made the mistake of selling a spare I had and when one of my games died, it sat there for weeks until I got around to fixing it.
 
Well, you asked so here goes. I think gutting a working game for the LUXURY of having a spare monitor is a waste. You can find working spare deflection boards or HV cages or send yours out for repair if it fails.
 
Well, you asked so here goes. I think gutting a working game for the LUXURY of having a spare monitor is a waste. You can find working spare deflection boards or HV cages or send yours out for repair if it fails.

I'd have to agree. It makes no sense to part out a working game just to have a spare monitor.
 
Just keep the game... then you have a "spare monitor" sitting right there ... in the game ... with the added benefit of a game attached to it.

;)

Seriously though... I love having multiple games running 6100's. If one goes out... and it's in a game I like more than the other, I'll move a monitor over until i have a chance to work on the first one to get it back up and running.
 
Well, you asked so here goes. I think gutting a working game for the LUXURY of having a spare monitor is a waste. You can find working spare deflection boards or HV cages or send yours out for repair if it fails.

Unfortunatly, I paid less for the whole game than the cost of a good working monitor. Sending one of mine out for repair and waiting weeks makes a lot less sense to me than having a working monitor to swap in if I need it. Buying MORE stuff makes even less sense to me since I have what I need.

I might just offer it for sale without the monitor and see what happens and go from there.

Any other ideas?

Al
 
Is the monitor in the Gravitar rebuilt or just working ? If it's original and you end up using it and it fails ( and it will let's face it) then what ?

It makes perfect sense to send out a broken monitor for rebuilding instead of sticking in a tired one that is prone to fail. You are just prolonging the inevitable.

Anyway, sounds like you had your mind made up and didn't get the answer you were looking for.
 
I wouldn't kill a Gravitar just to have a spare monitor. A spare monitor might increase your 'up time' in the arcade, but you still end up having to fix as much stuff in the long run. If you absolutely need spares, just pick up some spare boards somewhere.

I don't mind it when one of my games goes down and it takes me a little while to fix it. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. When a game has been out of commission for a while, I usually end up playing it more than usual when it comes back online.
 
Is the monitor in the Gravitar rebuilt or just working ? If it's original and you end up using it and it fails ( and it will let's face it) then what ?

It makes perfect sense to send out a broken monitor for rebuilding instead of sticking in a tired one that is prone to fail. You are just prolonging the inevitable.

Anyway, sounds like you had your mind made up and didn't get the answer you were looking for.

I can rebuild the monitor and I will before I shelf it. That's not a problem. Hopefully someone will buy it without the monitor. Parting is the last option for me - I just wanted to hear your thoughts on selling an otherwise working game without a monitor.

I have an ad on the For Sale section, pics are available along with a video of it running.

Thanks to all!

-Al-
 
If you can rebuild that one then why would you have to send another one out if it failed ?

Nothing you say makes sense. Sucks when good games fall in the wrong hands.
 
If you have a situation where you need your games running 100% of the time then, yes you need a spare monitor..

If not, then no you don't need a spare.. The tube is not going to fail. The frame is not going to melt. Track down a spare deflection board and hv cage. Fix them and you can have your games up in no time if they fail.
 
I'm sorry for starting this post. I promise, it won't happen again. The game has 72 hours to be purchased, and if it isn't - I'm taking an Axe to it!!!

Just kidding...

I'll do my best to keep it intact. It still has a place in the collection until its sold. It is funny how many requests I've had for various parts already. I really only bought it for the monitor and I really expected it to be really dead. Getting it working was my mistake I guess.
 
if you are not willing to save the cab then let someone else save it,i have a bosconian that was realy bad with water damage i made do and repaired the bottom and did some work on the side,it still looks a bit swollen but hey,it was better than trashing it,at least its still an whole cab.
:)
 
I've only trashed one game in the past 5 years. A local pawn shop had a Double Dragon sitting outside and the asked me to take it away. It was too far gone for anyone to fix. The wood had swelled and it was already falling apart. When I tried to smash it with a sledge hammer - the hammer went through it, it didn't separate the boards. Wild.
 
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