Mystery Cab: "Turbo Star", Novomatic

[nilfisk]

So I picked up my first cab from Synonym9's roadtrips yesterday. It it labeled "Turbo Star", and seems to have been made by Novomatic, Austria. It's quite clean and fortunately unhacked on the inside (as it seems to be the case with most of the games he picked up from that place), and it seems to be some kind of Monaco GP clone.

It's using LCD Displays for score/time/credit, and it's a single board, utilizing 2 Z80s and one AY-3-8910 for sound. The monitor is an early HANTAREX model (looks similar to a MTC-90 chassis, but not identical. Please help, HANTAREX experts out there ). All ICs have a 1979 date code.

Any thoughts of what kind of game/bootleg/... this could be?

Anyway, Novomatic is still a big player in gambling/casino stuff, and coincidentally, their HQ is about 10 mins from my workplace, so I'm thinking about contacting them to see if they've got any documents on the game.

Cheers,

Martin

[synonym9]

Nice to hear that you are happy

So you think its rather a M-GP clone than a Turbo clone?

Do I understand you right that it is none of that non-CPU discrete logic board architectures?
If so it would be very desirable....

What makes you thinking that Novo itself made that clone?

As it appears to me are most of the games has been imported by Novomatics. I find the Novomatic-sign on many many games I have bought (also before the games from that vendor).

The vendor I have bought my Top-Skater from told me that Novomatics importet them all, that might be a reason why you always have many of the games you find....

For example, had a S.C.I. with Novomatics-stickers on the side and found another two (with the same stickers) at the certain vendor.

I know of a Galaxy Ranger ihn Austria, and found 2 more also at that guy.....

[nilfisk]

Even the PCB has Novomatic stickers on it, and there's a sticker by Novomatics "Cab QA Check" on the inside, so they seem to have been involved in the manufacturing process somehow (or they spent a lot of time on already QA checked, imported cabs, which wouldn't make sense, I suppose).

But as said, I'll probably call them tomorrow just out of curiosity.

[synonym9]

Martin, I just noticed that you have no exterior-picture from the Turbo Star.....let me look if I have one in my Roadrtrip ordner.


....... yes, I found at least one.....

[synonym9]

I also think now that it is a Novomatics-product.

As Novomatics being an austrian company it would perfectly match that they did´nt type Formula 1 but Formel 1....(the german version).

[nilfisk]

It was indeed made by NOVO, it seems. I contacted their head of engineering through a colleague of mine, who used to work for Novomatic until a year ago. He replied that cabs like this were just a by-product to their gambling stuff in the early days, and that all the paper work etc. is long gone.

[vernimark]

could you make some PCB pictures please?
I should have some infos but I have to compare some pics.

[nilfisk]

Hi Marco,

Thanks for your efforts! I've already compared the PCB to the pictures from your "Monza GP" restoration; I don't think it's the same game, the boards are different - but of course I may be wrong . No manufacturer markings on it, except "AA-20/80" on the backside.

Also, do you recognize the monitor/chassis model? As said before, it reminds me of a MTC-90, but it's still different.

Cheers,

Martin


Full Size: http://www.kersch.at/turbostar/pcb1.jpg


Full Size: http://www.kersch.at/turbostar/pcb2.jpg


Full Size: http://www.kersch.at/turbostar/pcb3.jpg


Full Size: http://www.kersch.at/turbostar/IMAG1556.jpg

[synonym9]

The PCB looks super-clean

[nilfisk]

The PCB looks super-clean

It's definitely been worked on before, though. Lots of scratches and semi-good solder joints near the power supply transistors, and a few patched tracks. But nothing major ...

[synonym9]

Have you already made a function test?

[nilfisk]

Yes, obviously. Both monitor and PCB are dead, but both are fixable, I'd say.

[vernimark]

hi,
definitely not related to olympia monza gp... 
I want to check another italan production called Imola Gp. I have the cab somewhere with the board inside. It's not a bootleg of Monaco but another remake so the board architecture is unique.

[nilfisk]

Yep, as said, this looks nothing like Monza GP.

Anyway, after further inspecting the cab today, I now know that I'll need a new flyback for that MTC-90 variant:


Original Size: http://www.kersch.at/turbostar/IMAG1566.jpg

I know chances are slim, but anyone out there with a spare one?

Also, that chassis seems to originate from a TV, it even has an (unpopulated) audio / amp circuit. Was this the case with all MTC-90s?

Cheers,
Martin

[nilfisk]

I also found some (very rudimentary) documents stuffed inside the coinbox, and just scanned them. They won't be of much help, but maybe can point out some similarities to other games / boardsets.


Original Size: http://www.kersch.at/turbostar/turbo_gesamt_1480.png


Original Size: http://www.kersch.at/turbostar/turbostar_manual_1_1024.png


Original Size: http://www.kersch.at/turbostar/turbostar_manual_2_1024.png