Ultimate Newbie Question Ver. 2.0 HELP Saint (or other all knowing being)

[Big Ben]

O.K. time for ultimate arcade noobie question version 2.0:

Say that I got an old pac-man cabinet and things kinda sorta worked and I wanted to make it like new with everything working. Please explain what I'd do with all of these PCB's and/or Jammas (I really don't know what I'm talking about). And wiring or what not. Please point me in the right direction. And if you are pointing me in the direction of the site keep in mind that I've looked at most of them that I could not understand what they were saying. PLEASE HELP. I know I may sound stupid but please help me. I know someone will help me most of y'all are good guys. Thanks again.

-Ben

[forbiddenlyrics]

I would go and download all the documentation you can find on your cabinet, from klov or another manual site (I really don't know any others). Then start reading through and understanding what PCB's do what and how your cabinet was originally wired. Get it working on the inside first then start restoring the outside.

[Big Ben]

Thanks that helps a little bit, but I'm still in the dark...

[dirt]

the only way to learn to fix games is to do it. that means alot of reading and asking questions. dont be afraid to ask questions but you must first read all you can so you can explain exactly what you need help with. just saying "what should i do to fix my game" doesn't explain what is wrong with your game. it is really not that hard to fix games. i taught myself by reading everything i could on the subject even though i am not someone who is a "reader", meaning i don't read books for enjoyment i'd rather watch the movie. but my desire to not have to pay the local repair guy $75 an hour overroad my dislike for reading.


dirt

[Big Ben]

Ya, but what did you read to gain all of the knowlege you need to know. If there is a book let me knwo please.

Like I know that a PCB is very important but how to I attactch things to that to make it work?

[dirt]

the way i did it was when i ran into a problem i did a search here: http://groups-beta.google.com/group/rec.games.video.arcade.collecting and i used the past posts from byoac and the klov forums. randy fromm sells or used to sell how to books on video game repair, i have never used them but i have heard they are top notch.


dirt

[Big Ben]

ok thanks ill check it out 

[RayB]

Maybe you are too much of a newbie.  If I gave you a piece of wire, a battery and a light bulb, would you be able to get the light bulb to light up? If I gave you a switch, would you be able to also make the lightbulb turn on and off with the switch.

This much will tell us how "basic" your knowledge needs to start at...

[AlanS17]

What's not working with this hypothetical pac man?

[TheVengeance]

O.K. time for ultimate arcade noobie question version 2.0:

Say that I got an old pac-man cabinet and things kinda sorta worked and I wanted to make it like new with everything working. Please explain what I'd do with all of these PCB's and/or Jammas (I really don't know what I'm talking about). And wiring or what not. Please point me in the right direction. And if you are pointing me in the direction of the site keep in mind that I've looked at most of them that I could not understand what they were saying. PLEASE HELP. I know I may sound stupid but please help me. I know someone will help me most of y'all are good guys. Thanks again.

-Ben

My suggestion to you would be to READ THE BIBLE!

[Big Ben]

Yes I can do the light bulb thing (since 4th grade) but saints book is good and stuff for using interfaces and pc arcades. But what I want to do is not a pc arcade.

[RayB]

OK, so you know basic wiring. That's a start. I would say since you are speaking hypothetically at this point (you did say "say if I WOULD get a pacman...") I would suggest that you just go for it and get a cabinet! Go from there. It's just too difficult to try to teach/learn without a physical frame of reference.

Get a machine, and you'll find that some of it suddenly becomes obvious. And then the rest, well, we'll have a much easier time helping you learn what you need to.

~Ray B.

[Stingray]

Your questions are too vague for any of us to be able to offer any real help.

an old pac-man cabinet and things kinda sorta worked and I wanted to make it like new with everything working

What's working? What isn't what happens when it powers up?

Like I know that a PCB is very important but how to I attactch things to that to make it work?

What "things"? What game is this for? Is it pre-JAMMA? Is this a board that's in a cabinet or do you just have a bare board and you want to know what else you need to get it work?

There are so many things that you're not saying that no one is going to have any idea of what the actual problem is, much less how to solve it. We need details of what exactly you have and what exactly the problem is before we can offer any better advice than just telling you to read up.

-S

[Big Ben]

OK I see what all of yall mean but could someone please explain to me the basics of a PCB? (kind of a different question from the origianal) Also how to use one and where to put which wires where. Soldering needed? Stuff like that. Also same type of stuff for a jamma kit I'm still in the dark about those even after going to all websites I could find.

Again thanks for all the help,

-Ben

[AlanS17]

I'm just trying to speak plainly here so don't take offense if it sounds over-simplified. I'm trying trying to be explicit.

The PCB is the game board. It's the brain of the game. There is usually one main connector on one end of the board that most (or all) of the wires connect into. This is called an "edge connector" because it's on the edge and it's a connector.

The massive plug that goes into it is called the "wiring harness" because it's a harness that holds the vast majority of wires going into the board. These wires contain power, audio output, video output, and leads for all the switches in the control panel/coin door/etc. Sometimes a game has too many controls or special power requirements so not all the wires will feed into the harness. For this there should be an extra plug or two on top of the board.

There is a basic standard for the majority of games made in probably the last 20 years called the JAMMA (Japanese Arcade Machine Manufacturers Association IIRC) standard that calls for a unfiorm edge connector and harness. That way games can be interchanged by just pulling one out and putting a different one in. Anything older than that will have a custom edge connector and harness.

There shouldn't be any soldering needed if you have a compatible board and harness. Everything just plus in. Otherwise, adaptors can be built or bought if you need to convert from one harness to another. There should never be a need to solder onto the board, itself.

How's that for a start?

[RayB]

BUY ONE for starters. It will all become more obvious if you go from there.

[Big Ben]

AH Alen... your a lifesaver. I feel so much better now. Thanks alot it sounds a lot more doable now.

Thanks again,
Ben

P.S. Now help me with my coin mech problem on my current machine 

[Ed_McCarron]

If I gave you a piece of wire, a battery and a light bulb, would you be able to get the light bulb to light up?

Priceless.  I need to remember that - it'll come in handy with my real job.  Nothing worse than talking to an 'electrician' on the phone that doesn't know the diff between series and parallel.

[xonix_digital]

AlanS17 absolutly qualifies as "(or other all knowing being)".
Bravo on the breakdown.



-=XD=-

[AlanS17]

Oh, there are plenty of people around here who probably know plenty more than I do. I've just done my homework.  One other thing, though... Since you specifically mentioned Pac Man...

That one isn't JAMMA compliant.

I'm living testimony to the wealth of knowledge available on these boards, though. I've been around longer than most here, but I knew absolutely nothing about arcade machines before I came here.