Rob was also kind enough to lend me a Ms.Pac Plus board (because I mentioned my current board was waiting for eproms to be reprogrammed). This enabled me to test the cab for the monitor work ahead.
The weather had cleared nicely so, let's get to work !
Well I first had to figure out how to remove the monitor. Pretty weird set-up IMHO. Compared to the (earlier) Galaxian set-up I think this cab's monitor mounting is a lot more clumsy to remove, but OK I figured it out.
I do have to say that the way the lower (black) monitor bezel is mounted is really much better than on the Galaxian style cab.
Anyway, when I removed the dark plexi I was in for a shock: I knew that there was some clear burn-in, but I didn't expect it to be THIS bad:
Not a single doubt in my mind that this cannot stay like this. My first goal was the try and exchange the tube. I measured the yoke resistance but regretfully the spare tubes I have around (from TV sets) are of a completely different resistance. Replacing ONLY the tube (and transplanting the yoke) is a possibility, but SO much harder.
And then, there was still this around in my gameroom:
Thanks to Rob I got this brand new in box/ NOS Kortek monitor for an excellent price. I have been very stupid not responding earlier because he initially had more of them for sale and we all know how rare and unavailable these are in Europe.
So I unpacked it to see if I could use it in the Ms.Pac cab:
Mmmmm, some minor differences
MAN it is sweet to see a monitor, completely fresh, not a trace of dust, everything shiny and crisp.....
Of course I had to move the metal parts (the two bars and the metal plates that hold the inner bezel) over to the new monitor.
The metal plates that hold the bezel were very easy: They fit perfectly ! I was very happy with that because the original monitor is specced as a 19" and the Kortek as a 20", but of course the tubes are identical in size.
The support bars were a little less easy. Although the Kortek has some pretty wide holes, the bar's mounting holes (where to bolts go) were still a bit further apart. So with the help of my Dremel, I widened them just enough to fit the bars.
The rachet-set that Spyridon had so kindly sent to me from the US was REALLY handy now !!! All the US sized bolts on the Ms.Pac cab were a breeze to handle now !
I even used the metric parts for loosening the Kortek's bolts to install the bezel holder metal parts.
Anyway, here's the Kortek ready to be put in the cab:
And in she goes !
