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

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.


If he really doesn't want to make them anymore, someone else will make an equivalent at some point. Braze did things to make his kits harder to copy directly, but the kit itself isn't anything that can't be independently created by someone else (and it would be even easier to make one without his anti-copying mechanisms). It's just a matter of modifying the code to use the serial EEROM instead of the onboard EAROM, and then making a plug-in PCB. Nothing that multiple people here aren't technically capable of. It's more just a matter of finding the time (and/or monetary motivation) to do so.

I really don't see why Braze doesn't just license or sell the ability to produce them to someone else. But I haven't talked to him about it to know why he isn't.
 
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.)

I know I'm speaking to you in the other thread, but I came here to thanks for this post I am following.
 
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).

@andrewb Why put the game into free play mode...just to eliminate any potential coin-system related issues?
 
@andrewb Why put the game into free play mode...just to eliminate any potential coin-system related issues?

Yes, just for simplicity. It's just the easiest way to get the P1/P2 LED's flashing for most games.

If you have coinup issues, you can always figure that out later.
 
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@andrewb Why put the game into free play mode...just to eliminate any potential coin-system related issues?
I would guess that is the reason. Testing the coin inputs can be done once the game is working but not needed to get the game working.
 
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.)
I followed this for my centipede as well got me a bit closer to a working game but I'm currently starting from step 2 again with voltage checks I replaced 2 fuses they should be 4 amp but couldn't find any and ordering some for now I put 5amp in. But curious what is next if not getting the voltage in steps because I was tweaking monitor adjustments because I saw the game but 3 repeats of Atari 1980 so figured some kind of sync or adjustment and only had the game on for 2 minutes before hearing a zap in the cab. Not sure where it came from so shut it down fast.
It did this one other time when I was putting wires to the volume pot and trying to get game to appear on the monitor but that's when I saw R29 resistor was toasted so I replaced that figured that was the pop noise then had the fuse blow that's when I replaced with previous mentioned fuses.
Now wondering where I should go from here also can't tell if the resistor next to r29 was affected or just got some discoloration from being so close to it .
Any advice I appreciate , I'm writing steps and a checklist in a notebook that's why I'm asking to make a full checklist
Thanks!!

Update I am getting just under to about 1v at the +5v sense test point... I used to have all good numbers I feel like I'm making this thing worse
 
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I followed this for my centipede as well got me a bit closer to a working game but I'm currently starting from step 2 again with voltage checks I replaced 2 fuses they should be 4 amp but couldn't find any and ordering some for now I put 5amp in. But curious what is next if not getting the voltage in steps because I was tweaking monitor adjustments because I saw the game but 3 repeats of Atari 1980 so figured some kind of sync or adjustment and only had the game on for 2 minutes before hearing a zap in the cab. Not sure where it came from so shut it down fast.
It did this one other time when I was putting wires to the volume pot and trying to get game to appear on the monitor but that's when I saw R29 resistor was toasted so I replaced that figured that was the pop noise then had the fuse blow that's when I replaced with previous mentioned fuses.
Now wondering where I should go from here also can't tell if the resistor next to r29 was affected or just got some discoloration from being so close to it .
Any advice I appreciate , I'm writing steps and a checklist in a notebook that's why I'm asking to make a full checklist
Thanks!!

Update I am getting just under to about 1v at the +5v sense test point... I used to have all good numbers I feel like I'm making this thing worse
Nevermind just found this in a different thread will start here from Andrewb

Yes, low +5V under load (but ok with no load) means a bad 3055.

Always replace the 2N3055's on AR's anyway, as most of them are original (check the date code), and they all have thousands of hours on them. (And when they go bad, it's a 50/50 chance of either sending low voltage to your game board, or sending 12V, which can damage the board.)

It's the one part that does the heavy lifting on the supply, so it's the most common thing to wear
 
A dad and his daughter on game quests. I held that honor myself for some time. Some of my best memories! Take her every time you can!!
 
A dad and his daughter on game quests. I held that honor myself for some time. Some of my best memories! Take her every time you can!!
My kids have aged up and don't show a ton of interest in the arcade games. They like that i like it. And they like showing it to friends who visit sometimes. The one in the photo jokes about how i have too many pac-mans. Its good memories.
 
@andrewb I replaced the 2N3055 today still getting 3.3v at the sense +5 test.. what would be next after that?
 
Is that without the game board connected, I assume? (That's how you should be measuring it for now.)

What is the voltage measuring on the 10.3V DC test point of the AR?
Yes all disconnected, just did the 10.3 test and was 14.5 v DC and 000.0 mv AC

Pushed a little hard on the connector too now sense is reading 5.5v
Time to add game board and monitor?
 
I would be suspicious if just pressing the connector on made that much of a difference.

You may want to check the pins and wiring on the AR connectors. And flip the AR over and check to see if there are any cracked joints on any of the Molex connector pins. Sometimes they were wave-soldered too quickly and didn't get as much solder at the factory as they need, so they can crack. Not super common, but I've seen it a few times. You'd want to reflow those.

Once you're sure you're getting a solid 5V, yes, ok to connect the game board and monitor. Run test mode and see if you get any errors.
 
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