Main Restorations Software Audio/Jukebox/MP3 Everything Else Buy/Sell/Trade
Project Announcements Monitor/Video GroovyMAME Merit/JVL Touchscreen Meet Up Retail Vendors
Driving & Racing Woodworking Software Support Forums Consoles Project Arcade Reviews
Automated Projects Artwork Frontend Support Forums Pinball Forum Discussion Old Boards
Raspberry Pi & Dev Board controls.dat Linux Miscellaneous Arcade Wiki Discussion Old Archives
Lightguns Arcade1Up Try the site in https mode Site News

Unread posts | New Replies | Recent posts | Rules | Chatroom | Wiki | File Repository | RSS | Submit news

  

Author Topic: Century electronic Dart board  (Read 6118 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Mark W

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5
  • Last login:April 09, 2021, 09:58:39 am
  • I want to build my own arcade controls!
Century electronic Dart board
« on: April 01, 2021, 01:24:00 pm »
I found an old thread on this site which featured Ken Layton. He is a guru with these dart boards. So if he is listening or if anybody else knows about these vintage dart boards please chime in.
I recently bought a early 80’s century idea board. When plugged in nothing happens. Ken talks about these power supplies are crap. Can’t disagree with that! I have not found a wiring diagram. I did find on board which sits between the transformer and the capacitor has a burned up solder component called J1. I’m not sure what went there but it’s gone now. I will post pictures and would like to know about this Peter cheau power supply Ken talked about. Any help would be appreciated thanks

mourix

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 294
  • Last login:Yesterday at 07:39:15 pm
Re: Century electronic Dart board
« Reply #1 on: April 02, 2021, 06:04:01 am »
Definitely try googling the parts seperately. Like the power supply model number. Measuring voltages is step one.

PL1

  • Global Moderator
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9390
  • Last login:Yesterday at 07:39:08 pm
  • Designated spam hunter
Re: Century electronic Dart board
« Reply #2 on: April 02, 2021, 07:04:20 am »
I did find on board which sits between the transformer and the capacitor has a burned up solder component called J1. I’m not sure what went there but it’s gone now.
On schematics and PCBs, J = Jack.
- Fixed part of a jack + plug connector pair.
- Typically a female socket, but could be male pins.

Just spitballing since I haven't seen a schematic or pics yet, but there's a good chance it was the power input jack for that PCB.
- It probably burned up because of the heat generated by a poor-quality, high-resistance connection.


Scott

PL1

  • Global Moderator
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9390
  • Last login:Yesterday at 07:39:08 pm
  • Designated spam hunter
Re: Century electronic Dart board
« Reply #3 on: April 02, 2021, 07:34:21 am »
would like to know about this Peter cheau power supply Ken talked about.
I assume you're referring to this thread where Ken mentioned the possibility of using a Peter Chou power supply to replace the poor quality original power supply if someone can find a schematic of the original.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,122218.0.html

The Peter Chou PSU is an arcade-style switching power supply.




Scott

Mark W

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5
  • Last login:April 09, 2021, 09:58:39 am
  • I want to build my own arcade controls!
Re: Century electronic Dart board
« Reply #4 on: April 02, 2021, 02:14:39 pm »
Thanks for the replies. I wanted to post some images to give more contacts to the issue. Now that I cleaned off all the dust from some Smokey tavern I can. I can read the voltages on the transformer but I’m not sure where to go from there. I spent over 100 bones on this thing which is way more than I should have for something that doesn’t turn on. So in the end I just can’t put too much money in it.

Mark W

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5
  • Last login:April 09, 2021, 09:58:39 am
  • I want to build my own arcade controls!
Re: Century electronic Dart board
« Reply #5 on: April 02, 2021, 02:21:51 pm »
Here is some more images

Mark W

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5
  • Last login:April 09, 2021, 09:58:39 am
  • I want to build my own arcade controls!
Re: Century electronic Dart board
« Reply #6 on: April 02, 2021, 02:25:48 pm »
As well as some from the under side.

Mark W

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5
  • Last login:April 09, 2021, 09:58:39 am
  • I want to build my own arcade controls!
Re: Century electronic Dart board
« Reply #7 on: April 04, 2021, 09:47:50 pm »
Great news! After going over everything and clean and clean I started testing voltage. Right off the bat I found the switch was bad. I replaced it and the transformer starter to hum. I put a jumper wire around the J1 missing component and the whole dart board sprung to life.
The only thing left is to find a working target board. I will post a picture of the manufacturer. If anybody knows where to get one of these or how to fix it I would appreciate it.
Thanks again
Mark.

Havok

  • Keeper of the __Blue_Stars___
  • Trade Count: (+17)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4522
  • Last login:October 22, 2023, 09:14:44 pm
  • Insufficient facts always invite danger.
Re: Century electronic Dart board
« Reply #8 on: May 19, 2021, 02:05:14 pm »
That's the tough part with these older dart games, and can be somewhat hard to find. What you need is a replacement matrix; that's what senses the darts as they hit the board. It's a network of membrane switches that is able to detect where the hit is without a large number of electrical connections to the ECU. I have a similar problem with my Arachnid 6000. Mine doesn't sense hits to the number one spot. At least I can play Cricket, so it's perfectly usable until I do find a replacement. When one does pop up, they typically go for around $100 though. I always seem to be broke when one does!

The company seems to still be in business, you might want to try and contact them: http://www.memtron.in

You could also try creating an automated search on eBay to notify you if one becomes available. Good luck!

Ken Layton

  • Guru
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7061
  • Last login:October 12, 2021, 12:25:59 am
  • Technician
Re: Century electronic Dart board
« Reply #9 on: May 19, 2021, 10:53:30 pm »
The company (I.D.E.A. ) that made Century Dartes has been bought and sold several times over the years. The company progression is this:

IDEA -> Valley (the pool table company) -> Shelti

Over 30 years ago, we had maybe 4 of the Century Darts machines on the route. I remember schematics did come with the machines. The power supply was definitely the weakest part of the machine.