One way you might be able to isolate this problem is to warm up the monitor
before you turn on the game. Blast it with a hair dryer or some other heat
source for 10 minutes or so, but leave the game's motherboard alone. Let it
stay cold. When you think things are "game-nominal" warm enough, turn it on
and see if the graphics look okay or not. If they are, then the problem is
in the monitor. If they're not, it's something on the motherboard.
An X/Y oscilloscope can help here a great deal. Attach the probes to the
motherboard's X and Y outputs and see what the display looks like. Yes,
you'll see retrace lines, but you're familiar enough with the game to know
what you should get. If the graphics look okay on the 'scope but goofy on
the monitor, you've isolated the problem.
>From a statistical standpoint, monitors are more prone to failure than
motherboards. That's because they have more electrolytic capacitors and
temperature-sensitive components. Monitors also have a harder job to do.
They are more likely to develop bad solder joints (check for those, too).
Then again, I did work on a _Tempest_ motherboard just last week that had a
heat problem with one of the DAC chips. After warming up, the X axis went
to Helena Handbasket. I confirmed that with the use of freeze spray and the
tip of my soldering iron. So the problem could be anywhere.
Hope this helps. I know what it's like to work on a game out in the cold,
cold garage!
Matt J. McCullar
Arlington, TX
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Received on Sun Nov 12 20:41:15 2000
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