Well I bought game #2 yesterday A Missile Command buried in a tool shed.

CameronMcC

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Well I bought game #2 yesterday A Missile Command buried in a tool shed.

I bought my first machine last October, a Donkey Kong that was working. #2 is an Atari Missile Command. It was buried under some junk in a outdoor shed. Cabinet was dry. Everything seems to be there. Back door was coming off and the space under that was disconnected from the rest of the cabinet but laying inside. Cabinet was solid and in fair condition. Marquee and Bezel are in good shape. Whole thing was filthy.

I got it for cheap and then had to put it in storage at a friends place as we're currently shopping houses and i didn't want to haul a busted game upstairs. I haven't got to even plug it in yet. Wanted to give it a good cleaning up before that.

Already know that the bearings and rollers are going to need replacing. Not sure on the optic pcb. I know a multi kit is out, and thought about snagging that. Also thought id grab a big blue for the power supply, as my understanding is you can't get a switching power supply for this one.

So before i jump in on this any deeper does anyone have any suggestions or things i should look out for?
 
How to bring up an unknown-condition Atari game for the first time:


Unplug the game board and monitor before powering it up the first time. Also, put the dipswitches on the game board into freeplay mode (find and download the manual online, to see how to set the switches).

Before powering anything, inspect the inside of the cab. Look for mice nests, chewed wires, or anything else electrical that doesn't look right. Also, test the fuses on the power brick (the big transformer at the bottom of the cab) using a DMM (i.e., remove each fuse, test it for continuity with a DMM, and make sure it is the correct amp rating, which should be indicated on the brick.)

If all checks out ok, leave the game board and monitor unplugged, and power the cab on.
Measure the +5V DC on the AR-II board (using the AR's +SENSE and GND test points) with the game board unplugged, and adjust it to 5.00V using the pot on the AR.

Also, measure the AC voltage on the 10.3V DC test point on the AR (yes, measure AC on the DC test point). If the AC voltage is less than 0.500V, your big blue is fine.

If either of the above are not ok, do not proceed further, and report back here.

Else, power the cab down, plug the game board in, and power back up. (Leave the monitor still unplugged for now.) Measure and adjust the +5V on the game board's 5V and GND test points (not the AR), and fine tune again to 5.00V using the pot on the AR of needed.

Once the 5V is dialed in, you should see the start button flashing, and you should be able to start a game and hear the sounds, if everything is ok. (i.e., the game should play blind, without the monitor plugged in.) If not, report back here.

Else, power down, plug in the monitor, and power back up, and hope you get a picture, and no smoke. (And if not, report back here.)
 
So before i jump in on this any deeper does anyone have any suggestions or things i should look out for?

Check your voltages. on the Power Supply and the PCB. Missile Command needs a good +5, -5 and +12V to operate correctly as it uses 4116 RAM.

Check the edge connector and see how loose it is. I've replaced mine because the connector was loose and broken.
 
Before powering anything, inspect the inside of the cab. Look for mice nests, chewed wires, or anything else electrical that doesn't look right.

Appreciate all that good advice. There was one big mouse nest in the bottom corner made out of pink insulation. pulled it out and about a dozen dead spiders.
 
we need pics confirmation or it didn't happen ;)

ps: i just want to see.

Actually in my haste to get it loaded up I didn't get any photos of it in its original hole, or after i pulled it out. Snagged one of me and my daughter after loading it up. Ill get some more when i get it back out to start the repairs and post it..

R12PP5s.jpg
 
Appreciate all that good advice. There was one big mouse nest in the bottom corner made out of pink insulation. pulled it out and about a dozen dead spiders.

No joke about that stuff, get a good face mask with the side filters off amazon or something (don't bother with those white face mask things they're crap) and vacuum it out right away. I'm guessing you'll remove things from it to start repairing, etc, but that cabinet will need a good round of cleaning from the sounds of it, including a round of bleach.
 
Legit post here:

How to bring up an unknown-condition Atari game for the first time:


Unplug the game board and monitor before powering it up the first time. Also, put the dipswitches on the game board into freeplay mode (find and download the manual online, to see how to set the switches).

Before powering anything, inspect the inside of the cab. Look for mice nests, chewed wires, or anything else electrical that doesn't look right. Also, test the fuses on the power brick (the big transformer at the bottom of the cab) using a DMM (i.e., remove each fuse, test it for continuity with a DMM, and make sure it is the correct amp rating, which should be indicated on the brick.)

If all checks out ok, leave the game board and monitor unplugged, and power the cab on.
Measure the +5V DC on the AR-II board (using the AR's +SENSE and GND test points) with the game board unplugged, and adjust it to 5.00V using the pot on the AR.

Also, measure the AC voltage on the 10.3V DC test point on the AR (yes, measure AC on the DC test point). If the AC voltage is less than 0.500V, your big blue is fine.

If either of the above are not ok, do not proceed further, and report back here.

Else, power the cab down, plug the game board in, and power back up. (Leave the monitor still unplugged for now.) Measure and adjust the +5V on the game board's 5V and GND test points (not the AR), and fine tune again to 5.00V using the pot on the AR of needed.

Once the 5V is dialed in, you should see the start button flashing, and you should be able to start a game and hear the sounds, if everything is ok. (i.e., the game should play blind, without the monitor plugged in.) If not, report back here.

Else, power down, plug in the monitor, and power back up, and hope you get a picture, and no smoke. (And if not, report back here.)
 
No joke about that stuff, get a good face mask with the side filters off amazon or something (don't bother with those white face mask things they're crap) and vacuum it out right away. I'm guessing you'll remove things from it to start repairing, etc, but that cabinet will need a good round of cleaning from the sounds of it, including a round of bleach.

Will do that for sure. Its currently in a storage shed at a friends. Waiting to move into a new space before doing the real work on it.
 
Hello, Levi from Ontario, Oregon here! Did you happen to get back to this project? I'm curious if you made any strides? I myself have an Atari game, space duel. It has been a pain but I'm determined!

Levi
 
Seriously, Andrew, you should write a book about all of your arcade knowledge. Just random stuff, loosely sorted. Maybe with some stories mixed in.

I would buy that in a second.

:D

How to bring up an unknown-condition Atari game for the first time:


Unplug the game board and monitor before powering it up the first time. Also, put the dipswitches on the game board into freeplay mode (find and download the manual online, to see how to set the switches).

Before powering anything, inspect the inside of the cab. Look for mice nests, chewed wires, or anything else electrical that doesn't look right. Also, test the fuses on the power brick (the big transformer at the bottom of the cab) using a DMM (i.e., remove each fuse, test it for continuity with a DMM, and make sure it is the correct amp rating, which should be indicated on the brick.)

If all checks out ok, leave the game board and monitor unplugged, and power the cab on.
Measure the +5V DC on the AR-II board (using the AR's +SENSE and GND test points) with the game board unplugged, and adjust it to 5.00V using the pot on the AR.

Also, measure the AC voltage on the 10.3V DC test point on the AR (yes, measure AC on the DC test point). If the AC voltage is less than 0.500V, your big blue is fine.

If either of the above are not ok, do not proceed further, and report back here.

Else, power the cab down, plug the game board in, and power back up. (Leave the monitor still unplugged for now.) Measure and adjust the +5V on the game board's 5V and GND test points (not the AR), and fine tune again to 5.00V using the pot on the AR of needed.

Once the 5V is dialed in, you should see the start button flashing, and you should be able to start a game and hear the sounds, if everything is ok. (i.e., the game should play blind, without the monitor plugged in.) If not, report back here.

Else, power down, plug in the monitor, and power back up, and hope you get a picture, and no smoke. (And if not, report back here.)
 
+1000

I'll edit this later to remove the bloated quote when I'm on desktop

Seriously, Andrew, you should write a book about all of your arcade knowledge. Just random stuff, loosely sorted. Maybe with some stories mixed in.

I would buy that in a second.

:D
 
How to bring up an unknown-condition Atari game for the first time:


Unplug the game board and monitor before powering it up the first time. Also, put the dipswitches on the game board into freeplay mode (find and download the manual online, to see how to set the switches).

Before powering anything, inspect the inside of the cab. Look for mice nests, chewed wires, or anything else electrical that doesn't look right. Also, test the fuses on the power brick (the big transformer at the bottom of the cab) using a DMM (i.e., remove each fuse, test it for continuity with a DMM, and make sure it is the correct amp rating, which should be indicated on the brick.)

If all checks out ok, leave the game board and monitor unplugged, and power the cab on.
Measure the +5V DC on the AR-II board (using the AR's +SENSE and GND test points) with the game board unplugged, and adjust it to 5.00V using the pot on the AR.

Also, measure the AC voltage on the 10.3V DC test point on the AR (yes, measure AC on the DC test point). If the AC voltage is less than 0.500V, your big blue is fine.

If either of the above are not ok, do not proceed further, and report back here.

Else, power the cab down, plug the game board in, and power back up. (Leave the monitor still unplugged for now.) Measure and adjust the +5V on the game board's 5V and GND test points (not the AR), and fine tune again to 5.00V using the pot on the AR of needed.

Once the 5V is dialed in, you should see the start button flashing, and you should be able to start a game and hear the sounds, if everything is ok. (i.e., the game should play blind, without the monitor plugged in.) If not, report back here.

Else, power down, plug in the monitor, and power back up, and hope you get a picture, and no smoke. (And if not, report back here.)
This should be a sticky.
 
Fun to see this pop this morning. This cabinet was stored at a friends for a time while i was moving from apartment into a house. I brought it into the garage and did some clean up on the control panel and replaced the trackball. It sat in a state of disrepair as i was working on other projects. I finally let it go a few months ago to a person in Georgia via a facebook marketplace sale. I had plans to replace with a cabaret version that didn't come to fruition. Still need a trackball game in my game room. Im out of room in there with a pretty good stack up of projects in the garage too. Never enough room.

This was the first game pick up i took my daughter with me. This was game pick up #2 and since then my record shows ive picked up 28 cabinets total, kept more than half of them. Moved a few others along swiftly.

Need to check in on the buyer and see if he got this one restored already.
 
This should be a sticky.

Ha. What led you to dig up that post? Just curious if you remembered and searched, or stumbled on it randomly.

I could repost it as a separate thread, so at least it would be easier to find. I don't know if most people know what stickies are these days, let alone read them.
 
Ha. What led you to dig up that post? Just curious if you remembered and searched, or stumbled on it randomly.

I could repost it as a separate thread, so at least it would be easier to find. I don't know if most people know what stickies are these days, let alone read them.
I was searching for Atari power supply info and it came up in similar threads. Bingo. Yeah, I don't know if people read stickies any more but that particular response is so jam packed with exception information it should be enshrined someplace.
 
since we're talking Missile Commands and the thread is (was) a bit necro'ish, kind of a side question ...

when is someone going to bootleg the Braze MC kit? no disrespect to Brazington, as i have and enjoy many of their kits. but there seems to be a lot more MC talk on KLOV over the past 12 months, and WTBs for the kits have jumped since the Braze kit disappeared. i have a lot of respect for those running stock games with working mechs, but some of us lazy schlubs need the kits.
 
since we're talking Missile Commands and the thread is (was) a bit necro'ish, kind of a side question ...

when is someone going to bootleg the Braze MC kit? no disrespect to Brazington, as i have and enjoy many of their kits. but there seems to be a lot more MC talk on KLOV over the past 12 months, and WTBs for the kits have jumped since the Braze kit disappeared. i have a lot of respect for those running stock games with working mechs, but some of us lazy schlubs need the kits.
I actually bought a kit for the project that never got installed. Holding it for when i buy another one.
 
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