Dragon's Lair Fans - Arcade Lifestyle

General Chat => Technical Area => Topic started by: Muerto on August 06, 2014, 08:31:12 PM

Title: Star Wars
Post by: Muerto on August 06, 2014, 08:31:12 PM
I finally started working with my Star Wars, and it seems like I have a few problems :o ??? ::)
First of, the pictures is from my iPhone4, though it´s a good product (to some... lol) it dosen´t produce the best pictures, but I can assure that the picture is nice and crisp! although it need some fine tuning  :)

First of - Hardware errors..
Im guessing I need to switch a RAM and a ROM  :-[
(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/SWC/RAMerror.jpg)

Red out of order..
(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/SWC/Redoff.jpg)

Mathbox Tests..
Im guessing this has something to do with the RAM/ROM error??
(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/SWC/Mathboxtest.jpg)

Highscoreboard, no errors here...
(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/SWC/Intro.jpg)

The Select screen is quite nice, no errors in the Vector output..
(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/SWC/select.jpg)

But here the fun stops, Tie Fighters all screwed up, VG ROM error or??
(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/SWC/playerror1.jpg)

(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/SWC/playarror2.jpg)

Do I need the SW PCB overhauled, or is it something I can fix without a burner?
Title: Re: Star Wars
Post by: level42 on August 06, 2014, 09:48:06 PM
Just replace the indicated bad VRAM and all your problems will be gone. Please let me know what brand VRAMS you have on your board, if it's Toshiba, I have a bad feeling about those, I had two replace two already.

other boards with other brand VRAMS don't seem to show failures on them.

I have SHARP replacements.

You can try and swap two VRAMS to see if the problem moves with the chip, but it's pretty sure the test is correct.

That red test screen is normal, don't worry, that test screen is trying to make a vector monitor act as a raster monitor a bit, and it doesn't like it. It always looks like this.
Title: Re: Star Wars
Post by: level42 on August 06, 2014, 09:52:12 PM
Oh, I see matchbox errors too, don't remember if these are caused by the bad VRAM too, I don't really think so. anyway, first replace VRAM.

Title: Re: Star Wars
Post by: level42 on August 06, 2014, 09:52:59 PM
Oh and you need to degauss the monitor, color spot on the lower left corner.
Title: Re: Star Wars
Post by: level42 on August 06, 2014, 09:57:12 PM
The RAMs originally on the board were Toshiba 2016-10 RAMs. The replacements I got are Sharp 5016-15 types.

Bought them here:

http://www.arcadechips.com/product_info.php?products_id=215
Title: Re: Star Wars
Post by: Muerto on August 06, 2014, 10:43:38 PM
Thanks for the replys Andre! really appreciated it!! :spaceace:
Here´s what on the PCBs:

The 4P that has an error is a..?? brand, so replaced that with a 2016 from Japan... .. this type:
Actually the 3P is the dreaded Toshiba brand, and that still works  :o ;D :P
(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/SWC/nonameRAMS.jpg)

(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/SWC/ramcluster.jpg)

The original 1L is actually the same brand as the one iI found in my assorted chip stach, so Ill try to replace that one too
(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/SWC/1L.jpg)
Title: Re: Star Wars
Post by: level42 on August 06, 2014, 10:50:30 PM
I don't think you have a problem with the EPROM even though it's indicated, I remember the self test reporting a ROM error too when I had VRAM problems, but that message disappeared when I replaced the VRAM so that was related.

Well I still got 4 working Toahibas on my set :)

A uhm did replacing the 4P change anything ?
Title: Re: Star Wars
Post by: Muerto on August 06, 2014, 10:59:37 PM
Replaced the 4P, and re-seated 1L so there´s no errors now..
(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/SWC/noerrors.jpg)

However, when I first powered up today, the top 25% of the monitor didnt "work", but later it did...
Now the same problem occur, and I have no clue what´s causing it, maybe the tube need´s to be warm??
(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/SWC/topcut1.jpg)

(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/SWC/topcut2.jpg)

Though that image gives you water in the knees, there´s still something missing  :-\
(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/SWC/swtopcut.jpg)
Title: Re: Star Wars
Post by: level42 on August 06, 2014, 11:22:06 PM
Good, good !


If it's a WG6100, replace the four tantalum caps in the spot killer circuit with 1uF regular electrolytic caps.


Had the same issue in this thread:
https://www.dragonslairfans.com/smfor/index.php?topic=3579.msg77825#msg77825

Which I solved here:
https://www.dragonslairfans.com/smfor/index.php?topic=3579.msg78278#msg78278
Title: Re: Star Wars
Post by: Muerto on August 06, 2014, 11:33:00 PM
Tried re-seating all the RAMS/ROMS, and theres no errors, though, still a Matrix problem:
(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/SWC/matrixerrors2.jpg)

and no 6100 here, only Amplifone... and all the boards have been rebuit..
(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/SWC/ampliphone.jpg)
Title: Re: Star Wars
Post by: level42 on August 06, 2014, 11:42:40 PM
Is your spot killer LED Lighting up (a bit) when it's showing those dark area's ?
Title: Re: Star Wars
Post by: Muerto on August 06, 2014, 11:46:49 PM
With light on the Deflection PCB:
(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/SWC/spot1.jpg)

Off:
(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/SWC/spot2.jpg)

Is the diode the spotkiller diode??
Title: Re: Star Wars
Post by: Muerto on August 07, 2014, 06:05:17 AM
Asked on KLOV, and Slakmoe suggested it could be a cold/cracked solder in the y circuit on deflection board.
Now where I come to think about it, did´nt you have to re-solder you´re deflection pcb once??
Title: Re: Star Wars
Post by: level42 on August 07, 2014, 09:47:19 AM
Amplifones dont show half The solder problems like 6100s do but it's always possible of course.

Check the resistance between the soldering islands of both fuses that are nearest the heatsink. So, measuring the total resistance of fuse and fuse holders.
Title: Re: Star Wars
Post by: Muerto on August 12, 2014, 06:29:05 PM
After a fun weekend and receiving some new games, back to this problem.
There´s no more RAM/ROM errors:
(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/swc/swmartixerror3.jpg)

The missing 25% of the top of the picture is fixed, a little re-solder took care of that...
However, there´s a ton of errors in the Matrix.... (Neo told me himself :P)
And sometimes the value of the error changes...
(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/swc/swmartixerror10.jpg)

(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/swc/swmartixerror11.jpg)

And, it´s impossible to play a game....
(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/swc/swmartixerror1.jpg)

(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/swc/swmartixerror4.jpg)

(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/swc/swmartixerror5.jpg)

(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/swc/swmartixerror6.jpg)

(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/swc/swmartixerror7.jpg)

Any way to fix this other that replace some rams/roms (I hav a spare SW/ESB dual PCB, maby I could borrow some roms/rams from that)
Title: Re: Star Wars
Post by: level42 on August 12, 2014, 10:22:22 PM
I have no experience with those errors (knock on wood) but that might be an indication of a bad Analog Vactor Generator.

You could try re-seating it or if you have a spare board set try swapping them.

If diagnosed being the problem you can get a replacement here:
http://www.arcadeshop.com/avg/avg.htm
Title: Re: Star Wars
Post by: Muerto on August 12, 2014, 10:40:30 PM
Thanks for the reply Andre, ill try reseating it or swapping it if reseating isent helping... ill report back!
Title: Re: Star Wars
Post by: Muerto on August 12, 2014, 10:58:11 PM
Well, reseated and tested....  :-[
Swapped and tested....  :-[
Seems like I need to order a replacement.... damn....
(http://www.opdenkelder.com/muerto/SWC/reseat.jpg)
Title: Re: Star Wars
Post by: Muerto on August 13, 2014, 12:00:46 AM
Just ordered a Atari AVG (P/N: 137179-001), unfortunately it wont be here for the party :'( :'( :'(
Title: Re: Star Wars
Post by: level42 on August 13, 2014, 12:16:41 AM
Uh....I don't completely understand....did swapping over the AVG Fix the problem ?
I still see errors right ?

Title: Re: Star Wars
Post by: Muerto on August 13, 2014, 04:20:10 PM
Yeah, still errors - maybe I got 2 AVG´s that are producing errors - or none??  but Ill find out when I receive ArcadeShops version...
- but, between you and me, I thing the AVG´s are both good and there´s something else wrong...
Title: Re: Star Wars
Post by: Muerto on August 13, 2014, 07:42:59 PM
Yeeeeehar!!!!!! - Working flawlesssly again!!!
Changed all the VG RAM!!!

Thanks very much for your help on this Andre!!!!!! :spaceace: :spaceace: :spaceace:
Title: Re: Star Wars
Post by: Muerto on August 14, 2014, 05:18:31 PM
Hmmm, that didnt last long... New errors, only 2 this time though.... ???
Title: Re: Star Wars
Post by: level42 on August 15, 2014, 11:57:43 PM
maybe a socket(s) problem? However, i found out the hard way that old RAM chips from the 80s which haven't been used before sometimes last just a couple of hours or in fact are defective right away....
Title: Re: Star Wars
Post by: Muerto on June 03, 2015, 02:27:41 PM
Working flawless, needed a new AR2 to supply the correck voltage...
Title: Re: Star Wars
Post by: vernimark on June 10, 2015, 01:04:32 PM
I missed this thread last year, it is very interesting! Thank you!  :spaceace: