Re: cinematronics monitors

Rest assured that when everything is working properly, all levels of
brightness for the vectors are very visible and quite sharp. If you are
having problems with focus and with setting the brightness levels, I suspect
that your high voltage supply box is needing some rework.

The HV supply has several outputs. First is a 90 VDC that feeds the
brightness circuit. Next is a 400 VDC that controls focus. Next is 16 kV
for the anode. I would suspect C31, C33, C34 but I suggest a full re-cap of
the Keltron HV box.
See my parts list here
http://www.biltronix.com/arcade_electcomp_01.html#Star_Castle_Monitor_Keltron_HV_box
If you have the skills to install a cap kit, then you can order the parts
listed here and rebuild your HV box. While your at it, why not rebuild your
chassis also. There's a list for that also right below the HV list.

Check these pages out:
http://www.biltronix.com/star_castle_3.html
 http://www.biltronix.com/star_castle_4.html
http://www.biltronix.com/star_castle_5.html

Be aware that there was a run of bad Amprex CRT's used on Star Castle.
Check the label on the back of the CRT. If it is Sylvania, you're okay. If
it is Amprex, you're probably screwed. It's possible too that your Armor
Attack now has a monitor that was originally shipped in a Star Castle so
check them both.

Also, check the wires that run from the CRT socket. You see those fat
things molded around the wires about mid-length? Those are resistors and
they usually go bad. Their value is not really critical. In my Star
Castle, I replaced them all with 1k 1/2W axial resistors and covered them
with about 3 layers of heatshrink tubing. I've never had a problem with
them since.

Also, in case this will help, Atari games such as Asteroids, Asteroids
Deluxe, and Battlezone use the same CRT type and they are directly
interchangeable so if you have an old GO5-801 monitor lying around, you can
use that tube.

William Boucher
----- Original Message -----
From: "andre" <livnfree_can@yahoo.com>
To: <vectorlist@vectorlist.org>
Sent: Sunday, May 31, 2009 1:42 PM
Subject: VECTOR: cinematronics monitors

>
> Got my first 2 cine games.. a Star Castle and an Armor Attack. Both had
> extremely dim monitors even though cranked up full on the brightness. I
> swapped in a different crt on the AA (start on that one first) and got the
> brightness back. But vectors were very out of focus. So I slowly turned
> down the brightness until the bright vectors are clear and in focus..
> trouble is, at that point all the low intensity vectors are too dim to be
> seen. I get a 'sorta' happy medium where I can see the low ones, but the
> bright vectors are not crisp enough for my liking. is this the way these
> always are or should I try a new crt? The crt I just tried out is another
> used AA one.
>
>
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Received on Sun May 31 19:51:50 2009