Re: Asteroids Help

Found the second problem, was one of the 74LS193's (F5) this time. I recall
from when we used to fix these types of games, that TTL flip-flops and
dividers were the most common failures. Again, the logic comparator found
the problem in a pretty short time, once the RAM/ROM were verified, and the
trick about the 7442 having pin 1 lifted to separate the sections.

I was looking through the signature section for Tempest and would like to
adapt that to the Asteroids, but they are getting easier to fix as I get
practice. Not having worked on these for ten years or so gets one a bit
rusty...now I feel like tackling the other half dozen Asteroids boards I
have sitting in stock. This is getting to be fun again!

John :-#)#

At 08:28 PM 5/27/00, Matt Rossiter wrote:
>Ok, here's a little addition to Peter Fyfe's document so that people with
>later
>board sets don't get too confused. I'll make note of any other revisions
>I find.
>
>This is for board set A034986
>
>AB0 - C2-9 - UUUU
>AB1 - C2-12 - FFFF
>AB2 - C2-7 - 8484
>AB3 - C2-14 - P763
>AB4 - C2-5 - 1U5P
>AB5 - C2-16 - 0356
>AB6 - C2-3 - U759
>AB7 - C2-18 - 6F9A
>AB8 - B2-18 - 7791
>AB9 - B2-14 - 6321
>AB10 - B2-9 - 37C5
>AB11 - B2-5 - 6U28
>AB12 - B2-7 - 4FCA
>
>John Robertson wrote:
>
> > There are two different versions of the game board, one has a "missing" row
> > of ICs at row 8. Just subtract the number from the IC to get the correct
> > one for the schematic, for numbers above X8. e.g. K9 = K8, however, K7
> = K7.
> >
> > I also find the the program IC's are in reverse order, with the -43 being
> > closest to the CPU on the "missing 8" board and furthest on the original.
> > Hmmm... There are about five versions of the page 1 schematics as well! I
> > have most of them, and eventually will get around to sorting out the
> > differences-unless someone here has the time...
> >
> > Found one problem on an Asteroids board yesterday, game would "work" with
> > the pin 1 lifted on the 7442, and turned out the "Stop" signal wasn't
> > tripping, was a bad 74LS161 for that.
> >
> > Now I have one that tries to draw a vector (single line in the center of
> > screen - Y axis) and watchdog is timing out. Game will "play" with pin 1
> > lifted (7442), but Stop, Start, Go etc. seem to be OK. 9010 claims memory
> > is good, Logic Comparator not helping. Need to make a signature sheet for
> > this circuit - like the one for Tempest!
> >
> > John :-#)#
> >
> > At 02:18 AM 5/27/00, Matt Rossiter wrote:
> > >Y'know, I just noticed that the 3 asteroids boards I have are laid out
> > >differently
> > >than the schematics show. Which is probably why I'm also seeing different
> > >signatures than the document. These boards are all marked with the serial
> > >number
> > >A034986 -05. Since the address bus is different - are there specific
> roms or
> > >anything about this board that I should know about?
> > >
> > >Matt
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >John Robertson wrote:
> > >
> > > > We have tried those signatures and they seem correct. Our board is just
> > > > beeping and resetting as well...ROM, RAM all test fine on the Cat Box.
> > > > Trying to figure out the feedback loops from the vector
> generator-HALT and
> > > > STOP appear to be running correctly but I don't have sigs for them.
> Must
> > > > find a working board to generate more sigs...
> > > >
> > > > John :-#(#
> > > >
> > > > At 10:58 PM 5/25/00, Matt Rossiter wrote:
> > > > >Has anyone gone through this signature analysis procedure? I'm not
> > > sure if
> > > > >there are some typos in the documentation for C2 and B2 or if my
> > > Address lines
> > > > >are really screwed up. For example, I'm actually getting 8484 at
> C2-9 and
> > > > >UUUU
> > > > >at C2-7. The documentation has them reversed. There are a few others
> > > > >that are
> > > > >reversed, but I'm using a dead Asteroids board -so it could just
> be me.
> > > > >
> > > > >Would anyone with a working Asteroids board want to confirm that
> with me?
> > > > >
> > > > >The documentation is here -
> > > > >http://www.gamearchive.com/video/manufacturer/atari/vector/signatures/
> > > > >
> > > > >Great documentation though. Makes my life easier.
> > > > >
> > > > >Matt
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >John Robertson wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > > Dang, serves me right for not checking GameArchive...there it is in
> > > living
> > > > > > B&W. Thanks!
> > > > > >
> > > > > > John :-#)#
> > > > > >
> > > > > > At 12:47 PM 5/24/00, you wrote:
> > > > > > >Has any one updated a service FAQ for Asteroids in the last while?
> > > We are
> > > > > > >looking for signatures if possible...
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >John :-#)#
> > > > > >
> > > > > > John's Jukes Ltd. 2343 Main St., Vancouver, BC, Canada V5T 3C9
> > > > > > Call (604)872-5757 or Fax 872-2010 (Pinballs, Jukes, Video Games)
> > > > > > http://www.flippers.com
> > > > > > "Old pinballers never die, they just flip out."
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > >
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> > Call (604)872-5757 or Fax 872-2010 (Pinballs, Jukes, Video Games)
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  John's Jukes Ltd. 2343 Main St., Vancouver, BC, Canada V5T 3C9
  Call (604)872-5757 or Fax 872-2010 (Pinballs, Jukes, Video Games)
  http://www.flippers.com
         "Old pinballers never die, they just flip out."

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Received on Sun May 28 01:31:17 2000