Why are test-mode switches missing on so many games?

jehuie

Well-known member

Donor 2011
Joined
Sep 8, 2007
Messages
10,947
Reaction score
1,672
Location
Martinez, California
Why are test-mode switches missing on so many games?

It seems like I get a lot of games where the test switch inside the coin door is missing. Even if the rest of the game seems to be relatively unmolested. It seems especially prevalent on Atari games. Why would people remove those and just leave wires hanging so often?
 
On Atari machines, the harness had wiring for a test switch on the coin door and for a switch beside the coin door depending on the particular brand of coin door installed.
 
i have a sneaking suspicion ops robbed them to use on other games too (as in after they were done with the game it was robbed)
 
On Atari machines, the harness had wiring for a test switch on the coin door and for a switch beside the coin door depending on the particular brand of coin door installed.

Ok I'm going to feel really stupid if I go out there now and they are all there....
 
When games break down, Frustration builds and people tend to abuse the test switch thinking it has something to do to cause the machine not to work.

Sometime it get clipped out because of some tech view point which is that, if they make it harder for the owner to repair their own machine, they will not use the repair tech services.

Sometimes owners will clip them out because the switch get flipped on purpose by employees being passive aggressive to the owners.

I just replaced on not too long ago. The credit switch was clipped and the test slide switch was smashed.
 
Weeeeelll, in the case of my Asteroids Deluxe it was exactly as Ken said. The American version of the switch is right there where it's supposed to be. I just saw the two wires hanging there and assumed it was removed. We all know what happens when we assume.....
 
Atari started it all.

When a particular shipped with an "Owl's Eye" coin door, the test switch (a slide switch) was mounted beside the door in a bracket with the volume control.

If a machine shipped with a Coin Acceptors, Inc. (a.k.a. "Coinco" ) coin door, the test switch (a miniature toggle switch) was mounted on the coin door. The bracket with the volume control beside the door would have an empty slot where a slide switch would have been installed. The wires were there just dangling. Believe me, I uncrated many brand new Atari games back in the day and this is exactly how they were.
 
Back
Top Bottom