considering an Asteriods cab for restoration.. need opinions

[Crayola]

So I am picking up a couple cabs to restore. I found an Asteroids cab on eBay
close by. The seller has offered me $350. I might be able to get it for $300.
Its non functional but supposedly has all the parts. What do you think? Is it worth
taking the risk?

This is my first restoration.. so I am really looking for some seasoned
vetran advice.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140443027440

Crayola

[RayB]

"THE SIGNS LIGHT UP BUT THE MONITOR DOES NOT, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT ONLY THE MONITOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR THE GAME TO WORK AGAIN BUT WE CAN'T SAY FOR SURE. "

There IS a way to know for sure. Ask them:

1. When powered up, do the player 1 & 2 buttons light up? If so, are they both flashing?
--If both are flashing the board set has a problem.

2. If no, then ask them to coin it up (put in a credit by flicking the coin switch). Does the player 1 button light up?
--If 1 credit results in player one button flashing, then the game boards likely work.

3. Ask them to then press player 1 after coining up a credit. Do they hear game sounds? (volume might need adjustment to be sure)
--If yes, the game boards work and the problem is most likely just the monitor.

4. It could just be a fuse, in which  case you dont want them realising this, as they will jack up the price.

THere you go. # 2 and 3 are risky. They might realize the game works but just not the monitor in which case your ability to haggle is affected.

[CheffoJeffo]

+1 to RayB's advice.

FWIW, when I bought my Asteroids, it WAS a fuse (but I knew that since the fuse blew during auction preview when someone kicked the plug ... and, no, I didn't tell anybody that until after I had won).

[jennifer]

  Does the neck of the monitor glow [when turned on]?? 
  Nevertheless, buy it, save it, love it!!!!!
       

[Crayola]

Okay so I went for it at $300. I've been looking on ebay and craigs list and pretty much any cab in NJ is going for $200 plus. I got outbid on a non working joust the other day at $342.

I stopped by and saw the machine before bitting. The side art is in great shape and the cabinet is very clean. As far as I can tell everything is there and totally original. It has a couple scuff marks on the one corner from moving it. The bezel, Marquee are perfect and the CPO is in great shape. I'l probably replace ther CPO. Coin mech is in place. I plugged it in and just the coin mech lights.. nothing else. The inside is very clean. Its been owned by 1 family for the past 20 years in a basement. no water damage.

They told me the monitor stopped working about 6 months ago and then the machine
stopped lighting up/making sounds shortly afterward. I am hopeing its an easy fix.

I also bought a sweet Galaga today, Which is working

Since I am a total Noobie what would you do to start getting this running?
I assume start checking the output of the power supply and move on from there?

Where can I get docs/schematics/etc on this? Who would have parts for
this machine? What parts should be typically replaced to give it a nice
long life?

The side art on the one side seems to have some white paint speckled on it.
Its not obvious at first but when you compare it to the other side you can notice it.
Any idea how to get it off? A sort of selective paint removal?

I am picking it up Thursday so I'll start a restoration thread then with pictures.

Thanks,
Mike

[jennifer]

     Whoa, slow down.........  relax....... one, two three...
           Just get it home, you will be just fine.
        CONGRADULATIONS!!!!!!!!!

[saleem]

well if it dont play blind and if the monitor does not have neck glow then there is a problem with not just the monitor.

i aint no big expert but,one thing i have learned is power and testing power and voltages and it is probably one of the first major things you will have to learn as well as everyone else who gets into arcade machines.

so get equipp3ed with a decent multimeter!

atari are renowned for bad power supplies/power supply issues.i would start by getting the schematics for your machine (off internet) check the wiring and find out what wires carry what voltages and look at the power supply board schems and the transformer ones and starting from the plug work your way through the power grid.so from plug to transformer assembly,from transformer assembly to power supply board,from there to the other boards (game board) if your asteroids is anything like my missile command you will find you are going to have to replace a lot of caps and look for blown and shorted components.

who knows it could be small like a fuse or something major,until you look and approach it correctly you wont find out.

[CheffoJeffo]

Start at the Restoration page of the wiki:

http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Restoration

From there, you can find the documentation at ArcArc:

http://arcarc.xmission.com/PDF_Arcade_Atari_Kee/Asteroids/

There are also links on the Restoration page to Asteroids-specific troubleshooting sites, the VectorList archives, a video about repairing Atari edge connectors (Asteroids was pretty bad at burning these up) and articles about testing Atari Power Supplies and Regulators.

[RayB]

You could also luck out and find that it's a fuse and a bad power interlock switch.

PS: You mentioned replacing the CPO, but I think the original is silkscreened. If its in good condition you might prefer the authenticity of keeping the original.