High score save kit

[2PacMan]

I've been looking at these high score save kits for Super PacMan and other games.

Are these really as easy to install as these people claim...i know absolutely nothing about circuit board work, but these people claim anyone can do it.

Are these chips safe, or do i run the risk of ruining my game if i don't do it just right....are they worth the trouble??  It be cool to have if they really work.

[Rocky]

I just purchased the parts to do a few of these on my boards.

[2PacMan]

Yeah, let me know...i've never soldered anything before...but this chip on ebay i saw said they just snap into place...but i suppose you have to unsolder the old chip, huh?  I never thought of that.

Let me know how things turn out....i wish i knew someone around here that could help me out    This is my first game i've ever owned, and i'm so nervous about damaging it...arcade games seem to be pretty hard to come by around here, not many people are selling them.

[D_Zoot]

The process for high score save kits varies from board to board. 

On some game boards the chips that need to be changed to install other chips, or an add-on card are socketed.  So no soldering is required.  On other boards, chips may be soldered in place and would need to be removed and sockets installed for a high score kit.   There's no rule of thumb here, you would need to look into each game you wanted to do this to as the process is different for each game.

Now, if I recall.  To do the high score save on a Super Pac, two eproms will need to be changed, there are usually socketed to that's easy.  But I think one of the SRAM chips needs to be changed out as well with a new Dallas one.  These are *usually* soldered on the board.  You may want to find somebody with experience soldering to do that one.  IC's are not the easiest thing to get off a board and, if done improperly can damage the board.

Regards,
D

[2PacMan]

You are right...there are 3 chips you have to change....2 on one of the boards, and one on the video board.  And one of the chips does say "Dallas" on it.

After reading your post, i've decided to just forget about it for now....maybe someday i'll do it if i run into someone who knows about games that live by me.  I just don't want to run the risk or ruining a good running game just for a high score save.

Thanks again

[Dav]

I make some high score  kits, make trax is the most recent addition.  Mine are plug in boards, you just remove the z80 and plug it  into my board and plug my board into the z80 socket.  The only time there would be a problem is if your z80 is soldered.   There are any number of people that can socket your z80 for you pretty reasonably though.

Pacman is in development, I'm probably going to go with a plugin on to the test connector on the side, since the sync bus card is in the way of my plugin board.

[danny_galaga]

yes, i would suggest putting in a socket too if yu are not experienced with soldering

[Dav]

Did you read my post?  Have somebody do it.   There's any number of people that will socket a z80 for you for 20 bucks.

[D_Zoot]

Pacman is in development, I'm probably going to go with a plugin on to the test connector on the side, since the sync bus card is in the way of my plugin board.

He's got a Super Pac, not a regular or Ms. Pac.

[Dav]

Yes, I just do z80's right now.  My next pcb order I have a 6502 kit coming.  I probably won't do 6809.   Other than the exidy 440 series and namco sys 1 which already have nvram I don't think I own any 6809 boards.

BTW, I have kind of a port of superpac on pacman hardware.  Some pics http://members.tripod.com/~d_widel/games/superpac.htm   I had to scale the maze down because the screen is smaller.  It will run in mame as mspacmab.

[Rocky]

Well, I installed 2 high score kits tonight. Both work great

[2PacMan]

D-Zoot--

I live in Omaha, Nebraska.  Unfortunately, i don't think anyone on the board lives anywhere close to me 

I'm new to this whole arcade game fixing up stuff, i got my first game a little over a month ago, and i knew nothing about arcade games when i first started...but i've been doing alot of reading.....that's the problem, just reading.  I want to see someone in action.  I learn better watching other people do something first, then i can usually do it...I was thinking about asking one of the repair places if i could just sit in and watch them work on machines for a day or two so i could get some training on how to do this stuff, but they didn't seem real friendly, so i didn't.  After they fixed my game, i was asking them a ton of questions and i could tell they were getting annoyed with me (understandably), but i was just trying to learn.

If anyone lives fairly close to me and would help me install the high score save, that'd be great.

[Otraotaku]

aw... my marvel Vs capcom board is suicide free now if I added a High score save kit to I would be amazed... currently I took a Dry erase board and have using that for High Scores and drew a Marvel Vs capcom logo... but its the simple things that matter in life... Damn Capcom... damn them... >,<

[D_Zoot]

D-Zoot--

I'm new to this whole arcade game fixing up stuff, i got my first game a little over a month ago, and i knew nothing about arcade games when i first started...but i've been doing alot of reading.....that's the problem, just reading.

[2PacMan]

Thanks for the tips D-Zoot...i'm gonna keep learning

This hobby is alot of fun and addicting.  The only problem i seem to be having is the lack of resources.  Not necessarily monitary, but supply wise.  I need a new underlay and controller overlays, but no one has them. 

I suppose i started with a pretty obscure game in a Super Pac cocktail.  If i started with a Mrs Pacman, i'd have no trouble finding supplies.

And i'd love to add a Ms. Pac and regular Pacman to my collection, i have the money to buy them, but no one is selling them around me....i have to look before i buy, and i'm not paying 300.00+ in shipping.  I'm trying to fix up a game room of sorts in my house, and finding vintage pacman stuff to decorate with is pretty hard.

I'll just have to be patient i guess.

[Dav]

If you ever get down to kansas city I usually have a pacman or 2 for sale with the 96in1 multipac, I usually run bootleg boards though as I like them better.