Refurbishing my Centipede

[ckong]

@level42 – I did the self test check, and there are 3 beeps (which is repeated a few times), which indicates a problem with the Ram chip at K7.

Here is a picture of the ‘scramble’ on the gamescreen.




By the way, the picture doesn’t show it very well, but the image is of a very good quality, good colors etc. Possibly a bit too bright, which is adjustable, but this monitor (chassis) has aged very well, 28 years !!! Of course it has been in storage for many years, but still. 

[ckong]

Just for fun, here is a picture of all the documentation which came with the cab. Even the plastic bag with a warning on it is in good condition. And the instruction sheet nailed on the inside of the backpanel is also pretty nice. I really like all these details. In fact, I'm starting to get very fond of this cab.




And where could these be for? Surely not original  



I really should stop posting, because I promised my wife to leave the cab as it is until the winter. So much house jobs to do.  

[Etienne MacGyver]

And where could these be for? Surely not original  

This is the cab where mark alpiger played on !

that things is for hang his weightlifting glove  

@2.27 he give the explanation  

[ckong]

 

crazy guy, but also very interesting.

[level42]

I asked the seller when I got them, they were there on more machines. It's for hanging up an ashtray...

If you're going to wait until winter...the board should be easy to fix. I've found the RAMs !
Do remember that the beeps only go to the _first_ chip that _may_ be bad.
So, you could have more bad RAMs. Also, it's not unlikely that if one of those RAM dies, the next one _could_ be around the corner.
I had that with my SW, but luckely I bought a full set of vector RAMs plus these are socketed instead of directly soldered like the RAM on the Centi board.

Not sure if you have any experience with replacing chips ? The method:
1) Cut of all the legs of the suspect chip, as close to the body of the chip as possible. You'll need some really tiny cutting pliers
2) Remove the body
3) desolder all the old pins. Use some new solder to get the old solder flowing
4) empty all the holes with a tin-sucker (hand pump is fine)
5) solder in a new ic socket or strips
6) check all the solderings for shorts (in doubt, use a mult-meter) and dirt
7) clean the soldering area with some alcohol and/or brush
carefully push in the new chip
9) play the game

I'd be happy to do this for you at cost of parts. Just let me know !

[gyruss]

Really, really nice cabinet! Also really cool to have the original documentation! You are builing quite a nice collection with classic cabs

[ckong]

Really, really nice cabinet! Also really cool to have the original documentation! You are builing quite a nice collection with classic cabs

I'm only starting yet, but the first two are pretty awesome indeed. On the other hand, I have been collecting classic PCB's for a while now, mainly the ones I played in the (early) eighties. I now am the proud owner of Pac-Man en ms. Pac-man, Phoenix, Gyruss, Moon Crersta, Donkey Kong, Crazy Kong, Pooyan, R-Type, Galaga, Galaga '88 and a nice bunch of Japanese SHMUP's, classic and modern. I like to play them in one of my Japanese candy cabs.

But nothing beats the feeling of playing a game in an original dedicated cab, that's why I started to get really interested in those classic cabs.

[ckong]

If you're going to wait until winter...the board should be easy to fix. I've found the RAMs !
...... I'd be happy to do this for you at cost of parts. Just let me know !

Thanks. I will accept your offer gladly and I will PM you about this. But there is no hurry, I know that you have a lot of projects for yourself to handle. 

[Superully]

But nothing beats the feeling of playing a game in an original dedicated cab, that's why I started to get really interested in those classic cabs.

you've discovered the stairway to heaven 

[ckong]

It’s raining outside, good opportunity to checkout Centipede’s trackball. It’s dirty, very dirty, heavy used and worn out. But the case is still intact. New axis (?), bearings and an off-white coloured trackball will do. And a bit of cleaning of course.









Added them to my shoppinglist (actually Level42’s shoppinglist)

[Superully]

those bearings are D-U-N-N-N.

regarding the trackball: although off-white is the original color, i'd go with normal white. suits much better in with the control panel!

[ckong]

those bearings are D-U-N-N-N.

regarding the trackball: although off-white is the original color, i'd go with normal white. suits much better in with the control panel!

I would like to have everything as original as possible, even if it is stylish not the best solution, but maybe I go for both so I can see the difference, they don't cost that much.

[ckong]

OK, I just completely finished the restoration of both Donkey Kong and Centipede. It took a bit of time, but I am pleased with the result:



  Just kidding, found this pic on the internet. But in a few months time a corner of my gameroom will actually look like that 

[ckong]

triggered by gyruss    I started to clean the outside of my cab also a bit today. I already did try it with hot water and dish cleaning stuff (dreft), but that didn't do much. Then I remembered I still have this somewhere:



It's a car interieur cleaning foam for leather and plastic. On the can it also claims that nicotine spots are removed. After I found the can I sprayed the side of the cab, waited a few minutes and rubbed the side clean with a towel. The result was very good, hardly any discolourisation left.





Unfortunately it doesn't restore damaged parts of the sideart  

[gyruss]

Wow, that looks really white!

What are you going to do about your PCB, are you going to fix it yourself?