TECH: Very strange CENTIPEDE problem w/trackball

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

Ok, here is the set up:

Sold a Centipede upright a few years back to a guy. Get a call last
summer that the TB is not moving left/right. Replace the TB with new
unit and swap out main PCB just to be safe. Get a call this weekend
(about a year since last repair) and the TB is not moving left/right.
Up/down is fine.

Replace the L/R opto. No change
Hook up a switcher to run the +5. No change
Swap out the POKEY. No change.
Took out the main harness from my personal Centipede and put in the bad
cabinet. No change.
Swapped out the cp hanress. No change.

Now here is the kicker. The PCB in question works just fine in my
Centipede.

I'm at a loss. I have never seen a problem like this.

Any suggestions?


-Stephen

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

Stephen Beall wrote:
> Ok, here is the set up:
>
> Sold a Centipede upright a few years back to a guy. Get a call last
> summer that the TB is not moving left/right. Replace the TB with new
> unit and swap out main PCB just to be safe. Get a call this weekend
> (about a year since last repair) and the TB is not moving left/right.
> Up/down is fine.
>
> Replace the L/R opto. No change
> Hook up a switcher to run the +5. No change
> Swap out the POKEY. No change.
> Took out the main harness from my personal Centipede and put in the bad
> cabinet. No change.
> Swapped out the cp hanress. No change.
>
> Now here is the kicker. The PCB in question works just fine in my
> Centipede.
>
> I'm at a loss. I have never seen a problem like this.
>
> Any suggestions?
>
>
> -Stephen
>

The cabinet in question has a brand new Happ TB on it.

I did get the TB to move L/R for a brief second. It seems that if I
replace the opto board while the game is on, it works fine. Once I power
it off then back on, the L/R function does not work.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

Replace the audio/regulator board !

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

xyvectorguy wrote:
> Replace the audio/regulator board !
>

No change with different AR board.


-S

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

check the trackball harness.. especially the connection points at the
molex housings. clean your edge connectors (sand). crossing fingers.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

Stephen Beall wrote:
> xyvectorguy wrote:
>
>> Replace the audio/regulator board !
>>
>
> No change with different AR board.
>
>
> -S
>
>

I replaced the L/R opto with a NOS pcb I had in my stash.
The TB is working now.

Why did 3 previous opto pcb's go bad?
The original new opto pcb took a year to go bad, replaced with a used
one and that lasted about a day (9/16/05). The third one went bad right
after I replaced and powered the game off/on (9/22/05).

I then replaced the POKEY and the TB worked fine with the 3rd opto board
but then it went bad again afer I powered off/on (9/23/05).

I dunno.


-S