Brian E. Brzezicki
Copyright 2013
Version 1.00 09/10/2013

Disclaimer
Use this at your OWN risk, do NOT sue me if it breaks your board... if your doing this your board is probably already broken though ;)

Game Board #1 1/2013

Problem:

    Board beeps 2 low and 2 high times

Troubleshooting/dianosis steps:

  1. Replaced memory that shoudl be replace via the operators manual, no change
  2. Removed POKEY, re-tested, everything worked without the POKEY
  3. installed new POKEY, game works!
Game Board #2 9/19/2013

Problem:

    Board beeps in different ways each time, coin counter keeps incrementing.

Troubleshooting/dianosis steps:

  1. Verified RAM memory regions with Fluke long test, all OK
  2. Pulled EPROMS, found game was asteroids version 2, but D1 was all 0xFF
  3. burned new 2716 @ D1
  4. Game works!
Game Board #3 11/15/2013

Problem:

    No video, game is dead

Troubleshooting/dianosis steps:

  1. Noted reset line is held low
  2. Noted no clock signal
  3. moved crystal, made cracking sound
  4. removed crystal. Bottom plastic casing was broken
  5. Installed new crystal, got pulsing watchdog and clock
  6. did long Fluke RAM check, all RAM ranges OK
  7. Tested POKEY and CPU in a centipede board that has ZIF sockets for various parts to test, POKEY was OK, CPU was bad, replaced.
  8. Found bad EPROM socket, replaced
  9. Retested on bench, game is no longer watchdogging
  10. Retested in cabinet, ame plays blind, screen appears for a second but all messed up.
  11. Noted a bunch of bad repairs in the AVG circuitry, will need to look into
  12. game still being repaired
Game Board #4 11/15/2013

    Problem: No video, game is dead

Troubleshooting/dianosis steps:

  1. Noted crystal was broken off, replaced
  2. Did long Fluke RAM test. Scratchpad RAM (0x0000 0x03FF) was good), found DCD error address bit 0x10 in vector RAM (0x4000 - 0x47FF) (address 0x4000)
  3. Desoldered all vector RAM (4 2114s in row 3) , added sockets
  4. Tested RAMs in a centipede board that has ZIF sockets for various parts to test, found bad 2114 RAM, replaced
  5. Tested POKEY and CPU in centipede board, OK
  6. POKEY socket looked bad, replaced.
  7. Pulled ROMS, noticed some where 2708s and 2732, the 2716s were from scramble not asteroids deluxe!
  8. Burned and replaced EPROMS with version 3 code
  9. Game still watchdogging on test bench, must be AVG state machine circuitry
  10. game still being worked on
Game Board #5 4/1/2018

    Problem: Game is not working, missing a 2112 RAM

Troubleshooting/dianosis steps:

  1. Replaced missing 2112 RAM - game is not resetting
  2. AM6012 was missing, replaced
  3. Game is playing blind, no video
  4. After further analysis, the game video is shrunk in the Y axis and is at the top most of the screen, just out of range, PCB adjustment POTS have no effect except to move the placement up more or down just enough to be seen
  5. TL081 and TL082 in the Y axis circuit (a12 and b/c12 were socketed swapped with new ones, no change, put back original
  6. Replaced CD4016 @ B12, that fixed it
  7. Certain game sounds are missing
  8. Replaced POKEY
  9. Game works