Re: Tech Tip - Cinematronics SPACE WARS monitor critical upgrade!

  First things first, i had a Solar Quest that did something quite
similar, when i measured the 5v on the game pcb, i was seeing 5.8v!
turned it down and its been solid since.

Got to cover all bases...

Andrew Welburn
http://www.andys-arcade.com

On 03/01/2013 07:06, Jonathan Koolpe wrote:
> While we're on the subject of Cinematronics monitors...
>
> I have a Star Castle on loan from a friend. It works fine but for one
> oddity:
>
> When the machine is first powered on, the vectors are very scattered and
> skewed...but usually after about 5-15 minutes, they "settle" down and
> the picture is fine...very clear and crisp in fact. My friend (the
> owner) said that this is the way this monitor has always been since he
> picked up the machine (from Zonn Moore no less :) ).
>
> But the other night I had the game on for a couple of hours, and the
> vectors never quite settled down all the way. The game was still
> playable, and the center of the screen was fine, but as your ship would
> move to the edges of the screen, the vectors would still break apart
> (for lack of a better description). The text on the score screen was
> also somewhat off even after the couple of hours.
>
> I'm thinking maybe it was the fact that it's winter and my garage is
> cold...but I'm in California (near San Francisco) so it's not that
> cold...say in the upper 40s when I had the game on the other day...
>
> I have never worked on a Cinematronics monitor before...is there
> anything I can try to possibly fix this problem?
>
> Jon
>
> > Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2013 21:30:19 -0800
> > From: pinball@telus.net
> > To: vectorlist@vectorlist.org
> > Subject: Re: VECTOR: Tech Tip - Cinematronics SPACE WARS monitor
> critical upgrade!
> >
> > Pat Danis wrote:
> > > Thanks John. Wasn't aware of that bulletin. I have 3 of these
> > > machines. I'll have to dig them out and check them at some point.
> > >
> > > Pat
> >
> > I imagine this advisory applies to both Cinematronics and Vectorbeam
> > monitors.
> >
> > While you are in there you may want to consider replacing the
> > electrolytic caps in the HV section (and probably all of the caps in
> > that monitor - what the heck). These are getting old, and can lead to HV
> > drive transistor failure.
> >
> > Note the original caps may even seem OK in static tests - I had used
> > both a ESR and Capacitor meter on these and they tested OK, but after
> > replacing them the HV worked as it should.
> >
> > Need to do some more tests on Friday when I get back to the shop as
> > there are interesting differences between the Vectorbeam and
> > Cinematronic monitors that I wish to report on to the group as a short
> > list of suggested upgrades.
> >
> > John :-#)#
> > >
> > > On 1/2/2013 1:08 PM, John Robertson wrote:
> > >> Been going through my Vectorbeam files as I am adding my NOS
> > >> Vectorbeam stock to flippers/catalog site and found this notice that
> > >> you guys may (or may not) be aware of:
> > >>
> > >>
> ---------------------------------------(quote)----------------------------------------
>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> SERVICE BULLETIN
> > >> CINEMATRONICS' SPACE WARS
> > >>
> > >> It has been brought to our attention that the windings of the high
> > >> voltage transformer located under the copper coloured (sic - writer
> > >> must have been a Brit or a Canadian! - JR) shield on the monitor
> > >> chassis P.C. Board have a breakdown temperature of 50 centigrade, and
> > >> the operating temperature under the shield sometimes reaches 70
> > >> centigrade causing a resistor to burn out.
> > >>
> > >> To rectify this problem, remove the monitor and add a 1/8 inch spacer
> > >> (two or three metal washers or one nut) between each side of the
> > >> shield and the P.C. Board, allowing more air to circulate and bring
> > >> the operating temperature down to tolerable levels.
> > >>
> > >> This change, which may be done on location, should NOT be disregarded
> > >> as repairs are costly and down time is worse.
> > >>
> > >> ------------------------------(end
> > >> quote)----------------------------------
> > >>
> > >> John :-#)#
> > >>
> > >
> > >
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> > >
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> > > ** Please direct other questions, comments, or problems to
> > > chris@westnet.com
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > John's Jukes Ltd. 2343 Main St., Vancouver, BC, Canada V5T 3C9
> > Call (604)872-5757 or Fax 872-2010 (Pinballs, Jukes, VideoGames)
> > www.flippers.com
> > "Old pinballers never die, they just flip out"
> >
> >
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Received on Thu Jan 3 04:38:28 2013