FIXED! Spyhunter not booting properly...

[AtariRx]

Don't know if it is even remotely possible that someone would be able to diagnose this via the forum, but I have a Spyhunter upright that seems to be having ROM errors. Often times it will not boot up when turned on (only get grey screen), other times it will boot after several minutes, and on rare occasions it comes up right away. Once it is on, sometimes the game resets itself (as if re-booting) and other times crashes completely during gameplay. My only real maintenance skills involve cleaning contacts and dust removal, but any ideas would be appreciated. Furthermore, if anyone is in the central Connecticut vicinity and would be willing to service the machine, please let me know your estimated costs to do this.

 

Thanks...

Edited September 22, 2007 by AtariRx

[mr.bill]

Don't know if it is even remotely possible that someone would be able to diagnose this via the forum, but I have a Spyhunter upright that seems to be having ROM errors. Often times it will not boot up when turned on (only get grey screen), other times it will boot after several minutes, and on rare occasions it comes up right away. Once it is on, sometimes the game resets itself (as if re-booting) and other times crashes completely during gameplay. My only real maintenance skills involve cleaning contacts and dust removal, but any ideas would be appreciated. Furthermore, if anyone is in the central Connecticut vicinity and would be willing to service the machine, please let me know your estimated costs to do this.

 

Thanks...

 

 

Pretty hard to help you on this one. Bally midway has 2 main problems. Bad power and bad ribbon connectors. Don't even touch your ribbon connectors... (connects the boards in the board stack) If you have not messed with them recently, they are possibly ok. Suspect power problems first.

 

When the game is working, do you see AC wave in the screen?( hard to describe, but it looks jittery with bands rolling thru the picture)

 

Has the game ever been worked on? Is it 100% original? Someone may have already hacked in a switching power supply. If not, does it have battery acid damage on the power supply board? (look for a tootsie roll size battery leaking acid on the power supply board)

 

A picture would really help.

 

More than likely its cold solder joints on the power supply board. If you have a soldering iron, you might be able to fix it. If not, your going to have to find a friend with skills or hire someone.

 

What you might want to do if you think your up to it is go to this site

www.arecadeshop.com

click on the parts link.

scroll 1/2 way down and click on mcr power supply conversion kit. $75

 

That would probably solve your problem. If you think you can handle the install, you should try it. The hardest part will be attaching the 2 wire taps to the power.(those 2 purple/blue wires). That will bypass the power supply board and convert you over to a switching power supply.

 

But if someone already hacked in a switching power supply, you might not want to do that kit.

 

Also you still might have to replace the big blue caps in the bottom of the cabinet built into the transformer. Thats where you will have your AC wave problem. Arcadeshop also sells the transformer caps, but I think that might be a bit too dangerous for you to try to change.

Edited July 6, 2007 by mr.bill

[AtariRx]

Before I go any further, I wanted to say thanks. You have already given me some good starting points.

 

When the game is working, do you see AC wave in the screen?( hard to describe, but it looks jittery with bands rolling thru the picture)

I would describe it as a slight pulsing. Does that make sense?

 

Has the game ever been worked on? Is it 100% original? Someone may have already hacked in a switching power supply. If not, does it have battery acid damage on the power supply board? (look for a tootsie roll size battery leaking acid on the power supply board)

 

I have never worked on it, but I've only owned it for about 10 or 11 years. I don't know anything about its history before that.

 

A picture would really help.

 

Here are some pics; my desperate attempt to pick out the problems. I shot some video too, but it seems I'm not able to upload that type of file on AA. I have one close up of a resistor (?) that looks like it may be fried. Just about everything else on the board checks out okay. The ROM error LED blinks.

 

 

More than likely its cold solder joints on the power supply board. If you have a soldering iron, you might be able to fix it. If not, your going to have to find a friend with skills or hire someone.

 

What you might want to do if you think your up to it is go to this site

www.arecadeshop.com

click on the parts link.

scroll 1/2 way down and click on mcr power supply conversion kit. $75

 

That would probably solve your problem. If you think you can handle the install, you should try it. The hardest part will be attaching the 2 wire taps to the power.(those 2 purple/blue wires). That will bypass the power supply board and convert you over to a switching power supply.

 

But if someone already hacked in a switching power supply, you might not want to do that kit.

 

Also you still might have to replace the big blue caps in the bottom of the cabinet built into the transformer. Thats where you will have your AC wave problem. Arcadeshop also sells the transformer caps, but I think that might be a bit too dangerous for you to try to change.

 

I'm willing to try any suggestions, so long as they don't involve the monitor itself. I can do basic soldering, changing out resistors, etc, but I don't have a whole lot of electrical engineering knowledge. If someone points and tells me what to do, I can usually do it.

[djpubba]

Another common thing to go wrong with Spy Hunter is the reset circuit on the power supply. You can easily test to see if this is the problem by manually resetting the game when you get the grey screen. If it comes up with a manual reset, that is definitely the problem and I can explain how to fix it.

 

There is a reset switch hidden on the main boardset but an easier way to do it is to tweak the tilt switch on the cabinet if it's working. The tilt switch is on the coin door. It's the funky leaf switch with the weight on the end. Just flick that weight so the two leaves make contact and it'll reset the game. I'll check back to see if you had luck.

 

Edit: Oh, hey, I see the reset switch on the PCB in one of your pics:

 

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?a...st&id=80467

 

It's the red switch on the far right marked SW4. You can just press that instead of triggering the tilt switch and see if the game boots up.

Edited July 7, 2007 by djpubba

[AtariRx]

I tried the reset switch and it didn't help. There is a second small red switch on one of the other boards, but all that happens when I press that one is the LED stops blinking momentarily. Nothing on the screen changes. Too bad... Thanks for the suggestion.

[djpubba]

Bummer! Well, probably the simplest next step is to replace the old power supply with something modern:

 

http://www.arcadeshop.com/pics/mcr-ps-adapter-kit.jpg

http://www.arcadeshop.com/parts.htm

 

Even if your game wasn't broken, it'd be a good idea to install one of those as preventative maintenance.

 

If that doesn't fix the problem, then your main boardset is the cause and you can send it off to be repaired or buy a known good working one. They aren't too expensive. Check eBay and rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (with groups.google.com if you don't have a usenet program). If you don't find a boardset advertised, try posting a WTB on rgvac.

 

Good luck.

Edited July 9, 2007 by djpubba

[Ernesto Corvi]

I would start by lifting very carefully one chip at a time, and re-seating them. Make sure you don't bend any pins in the process, and that the chips seat properly and make good contact. While you're at it, check the solder joints on the boards for anything that looks like it's loose.

 

I actually have a few questions for anybody that owns a real Spy Hunter arcade machine.

In most of the remakes (ie: www.midway.com), there's a humming engine sound while you're playing. I was wondering if this sound was present on the real arcade machine, and if it is, which speaker is it coming from? The SSIO (sound effects) speaker, or the CSD (music) speaker?

Also, which sounds are played during the attract mode sequence?

 

Listening to MAME won't do. I need to hear it first hand from a real arcade owner.

 

Thanks,

Ernesto.

[mr.bill]

here is something you might want to check first. Make sure the grounding strap is going to all the boards and that the ground pin is not broken off on your power plug. mcr games can be a pain about the ground strap.

 

From what I see in your cabinet, it looks pretty much 100% original. The power supply had been sent into betson for repair at some time. The battery is still there and it can sometimes be a problem. Does not look like its leaking yet. That burn resistor might actually be normal. I think its sometimes has a different type of resistor there (like the white square ones above and below). They normally run very hot. But that looks like it might be a little too much burn.

 

I would recommend you buy the adapter kit from arcadeshop. It completely replaces that board. That might just solve your problem and its going to be ez to do. It will be unplug the old board, plug in the new one, tap the power (to the monitor power cable is usually easiest), and mount the new power supply.

 

Someone probably worked on your boardset at some point in time. 2 of the ribbon connectors have been replaced. 2 are the old style and are possibly a pain(the paper thin ones are the old ones). Try to find 2 replacements. As I said try not to mess with them(swap the power supply first). Worst case scenario I think you can use ide cables. I think there will be extra pins, but it will work in a pinch. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT MISS A PIN OR PLUG IT IN 1 PIN OFF!!! Your board can get really messed up!!

 

If you are going to try to reseat the chips, your going to really have to take the boardset apart. The top board is input and sound the other two are the cpu and rom. but before you go an pull the board stack apart. Check the main power(the lone one that plugs into the back)that plugs into the board. Its pretty easy for pins on the board to develop cold solder joints. That could explain random reset. If you don't know what a cold solder joint looks like, ask. If you are thinking of keeping the original power supply, pull it and also check it for cold solder joints. you might want to check some of the other board for cold solder joints. I have seen that problem on the audio amplifer board too.

 

Sooner or later your probably going to have to replace the 2 big caps in the transformer in the bottom of the cabinet. If you hear hum in the background and/or if you see the black bar rolling through the screen it going to have to be a lot sooner!! The real question is do you think you can handle replacing the caps. Its not too hard, but those caps can be charged up. So you have to be careful. If not pay someone to do it for you(but buy the caps yourself as the proper ones are hard to find).

 

Also while your at it, you monitor is original. Sooner or later it will need to be recapped and/or need a new flyback($30 in parts). So you might want to think about that. One day that flyback is just going to blow. If your has a lot of screen burn you might want to buy a new monitor. they are either stopping/or have stopped making 19" monitors. A new monitor is going to set you back $200-$250. Your biggest problem will be that you need a vertical monitor! I am not sure if betson sells a vertical frame. You would have to ask. Normally I would say buy one from crazy hugo on ebay. But ask him first if he has a vertical. If not you will have to swap the frame and that might be a bit much for you.

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-19-BETSON-IMPERIAL...1QQcmdZViewItem

 

Personally, I would buy all the caps and monitor rebuild kits from this other guy bob roberts. They are cheaper and might be higher quality. Bob sells the mcr cables. He does not sell the mcr power adapter kit arcadeshop sells, as he sells a rebuild kit for the old power supply. See this link.

http://therealbobroberts.net/midway.html

 

Here is bobs link to his web page for the rest of the parts:

http://therealbobroberts.net/

 

If you don't want to rebuild the mcr power supply, then I would buy the mcr kit from arcadeshop. Yes, you can buy all the caps and monitor rebuild kits from arcadeshop, but they are cheaper from bob roberts.

 

 

Bummer! Well, probably the simplest next step is to replace the old power supply with something modern:

 

http://www.arcadeshop.com/pics/mcr-ps-adapter-kit.jpg

http://www.arcadeshop.com/parts.htm

 

Even if your game wasn't broken, it'd be a good idea to install one of those as preventative maintenance.

 

If that doesn't fix the problem, then your main boardset is the cause and you can send it off to be repaired or buy a known good working one. They aren't too expensive. Check eBay and rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (with groups.google.com if you don't have a usenet program). If you don't find a boardset advertised, try posting a WTB on rgvac.

 

Good luck.

Edited July 14, 2007 by mr.bill

[AtariRx]

...

 

I actually have a few questions for anybody that owns a real Spy Hunter arcade machine.

In most of the remakes (ie: www.midway.com), there's a humming engine sound while you're playing. I was wondering if this sound was present on the real arcade machine, and if it is, which speaker is it coming from? The SSIO (sound effects) speaker, or the CSD (music) speaker?

Also, which sounds are played during the attract mode sequence?

 

Listening to MAME won't do. I need to hear it first hand from a real arcade owner.

 

Thanks,

Ernesto.

 

I'll be sure to answer that question for you as soon as I get my machine working again!!! I'm working on it... (See next post.)

[AtariRx]

It has been a really long time since I've had a chance to work on the game at all... Yard work can really be such a time drain. But in the meantime, I acquired another non-functioning Spyhunter upright which I am hoping I can canabalize for parts. I'm pretty much going through all the suggestions from prior posts and I'll work my way down from the easiest to the hardest.

 

 

here is something you might want to check first. Make sure the grounding strap is going to all the boards and that the ground pin is not broken off on your power plug. mcr games can be a pain about the ground strap.

 

Found one spot that was missing the ground attachment, so I added it on.

 

 

Still no luck. Figured that would be too easy.....

 

From what I see in your cabinet, it looks pretty much 100% original. The power supply had been sent into betson for repair at some time. The battery is still there and it can sometimes be a problem. Does not look like its leaking yet. That burn resistor might actually be normal. I think its sometimes has a different type of resistor there (like the white square ones above and below). They normally run very hot. But that looks like it might be a little too much burn.

 

Compared it to the resistor in the other machine and it definitely looks fried.

 

From my original machine:

 

From the new one:

 

The next few items I'll try if I can get anything else to work. Actually, I'll probably go ahead and do that eventually since its only a matter of time even with a repair job.

 

I would recommend you buy the adapter kit from arcadeshop. It completely replaces that board. That might just solve your problem and its going to be ez to do. It will be unplug the old board, plug in the new one, tap the power (to the monitor power cable is usually easiest), and mount the new power supply.

 

Someone probably worked on your boardset at some point in time. 2 of the ribbon connectors have been replaced. 2 are the old style and are possibly a pain(the paper thin ones are the old ones). Try to find 2 replacements. As I said try not to mess with them(swap the power supply first). Worst case scenario I think you can use ide cables. I think there will be extra pins, but it will work in a pinch. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT MISS A PIN OR PLUG IT IN 1 PIN OFF!!! Your board can get really messed up!!

 

If you are going to try to reseat the chips, your going to really have to take the boardset apart. The top board is input and sound the other two are the cpu and rom. but before you go an pull the board stack apart. Check the main power(the lone one that plugs into the back)that plugs into the board. Its pretty easy for pins on the board to develop cold solder joints. That could explain random reset. If you don't know what a cold solder joint looks like, ask. If you are thinking of keeping the original power supply, pull it and also check it for cold solder joints. you might want to check some of the other board for cold solder joints. I have seen that problem on the audio amplifer board too.

 

I don't know what cold solder joints look like. Sounds like an easy fix, though. I'm assuming I would just have to re-solder them? Yeah, if you can help explain that would be great. I'm really not very technical, but I can generally follow directions.

 

Sooner or later your probably going to have to replace the 2 big caps in the transformer in the bottom of the cabinet. If you hear hum in the background and/or if you see the black bar rolling through the screen it going to have to be a lot sooner!! The real question is do you think you can handle replacing the caps. Its not too hard, but those caps can be charged up. So you have to be careful. If not pay someone to do it for you(but buy the caps yourself as the proper ones are hard to find).

 

Could I just replace the whole bottom section if the one on the donor machine is still functional? Same would go for the monitor, which I was told worked perfectly when the machine crapped out.

 

Also while your at it, you monitor is original. Sooner or later it will need to be recapped and/or need a new flyback($30 in parts). So you might want to think about that. One day that flyback is just going to blow. If your has a lot of screen burn you might want to buy a new monitor. they are either stopping/or have stopped making 19" monitors. A new monitor is going to set you back $200-$250. Your biggest problem will be that you need a vertical monitor! I am not sure if betson sells a vertical frame. You would have to ask. Normally I would say buy one from crazy hugo on ebay. But ask him first if he has a vertical. If not you will have to swap the frame and that might be a bit much for you.

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-19-BETSON-IMPERIAL...1QQcmdZViewItem

 

Personally, I would buy all the caps and monitor rebuild kits from this other guy bob roberts. They are cheaper and might be higher quality. Bob sells the mcr cables. He does not sell the mcr power adapter kit arcadeshop sells, as he sells a rebuild kit for the old power supply. See this link.

http://therealbobroberts.net/midway.html

 

Here is bobs link to his web page for the rest of the parts:

http://therealbobroberts.net/

 

If you don't want to rebuild the mcr power supply, then I would buy the mcr kit from arcadeshop. Yes, you can buy all the caps and monitor rebuild kits from arcadeshop, but they are cheaper from bob roberts.

 

 

Bummer! Well, probably the simplest next step is to replace the old power supply with something modern:

 

http://www.arcadeshop.com/pics/mcr-ps-adapter-kit.jpg

http://www.arcadeshop.com/parts.htm

 

Even if your game wasn't broken, it'd be a good idea to install one of those as preventative maintenance.

 

If that doesn't fix the problem, then your main boardset is the cause and you can send it off to be repaired or buy a known good working one. They aren't too expensive. Check eBay and rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (with groups.google.com if you don't have a usenet program). If you don't find a boardset advertised, try posting a WTB on rgvac.

 

Good luck.

 

Thanks a lot again. This info has been very helpful. Its just a matter of time before I figure this out and get the game room back into full swing again. Here are a couple images from the blown out power supply board on the donor game. Plugging it in actually causes fire at resistor C109 (visable at the bottom of the second pic... NOT good!) Looks all crispy on the end. The white 15w resistor next to R211 also looks fried.

 

[AtariRx]

Thanks to everyone who offered their advice!!! My Spyhunter is now up and running again. If anyone needs parts, I have a partially stripped cabinet that I haven't figured out what I'm going to do with yet.

[mr.bill]

Thanks to everyone who offered their advice!!! My Spyhunter is now up and running again. If anyone needs parts, I have a partially stripped cabinet that I haven't figured out what I'm going to do with yet.

 

what did it take to fix it? Just a bit curious.

 

As for your 2nd cabinet, take what you can and make the best one possible. The 2nd cabinet looks nice enough to save, so maybe pass it along to someone else.

 

JUst to answer a question you asked, yes, you can swap the transfomers assemblys out of the bottom. But even if the other one works, your not going to gain too much. They are both just as old. Eventually the caps in it will fail. So keep that in mind with your long term plans.

 

cold solder joints look like cracks in the solder. If you look at the pins(back of the board), the solder looks like a little mountain around the each pin. Cold solder joints look like crack at the base of the mountian. When they are really bad, you can wiggle the pin and see the pin move with the solder still stuck to it (Basically it unglues from the trace on the board)

[AtariRx]

I really didn't do that much... As you may have figured out, I'm pretty damn far from being an electrical engineer. First I replaced the plug, since the ground prong had been clipped off. Then I added another grounding wire on the inside since one was missing. Next I placed the two power supply boards side by side and pulled anything that looked crappy off one board and replaced it with parts from the other. Soldered everything up nicely, reattached all the wires, put all the screws back into place, turned it on, and it worked. I still plan to replace the power supply at one point, but now I can put if off for at least a little bit.

 

I also tried the rebuilt power supply board on the donor game and that one worked too, but the monitor came up very very dark, almost to that point that I couldn't see the graphics. Very few colors, mostly brown tones. Anyone know what that could be? The sound effects and controls all seemed to be working fine. It would be nice to just have to replace the power supply on the other one as well to have two fully functioning Spy Hunters... just in case one dies again.

[djpubba]

I had that dim monitor problem on a Stargate. It turned out to be soot covering the screen. ;D

 

If it's not soot, did you try turning up the brightness? On most monitors, that'll be the knob called "screen" which is usually on the flyback (which is the big black thing the suction cup wire is attached to).

[AtariRx]

I tried playing with the knobs. Didn't make much of a difference. I think it may have something to do with the wiring coming off the board because when I jiggled that it did make the picture a little brighter. Maybe the contacts just need to be cleaned? Always a project to work on...