Author Topic: Got a Smash TV today $100 - what to do? (Read 3794 times)

Dervacumen · « **on:** November 29, 2006, 09:24:04 pm »

I purchased my first dedicated cabinet after finishing a MAME rig just a few days ago. It's a 25" Smash TV and works brilliantly except for sound which the seller told me worked fine until he put it in storage. Most of the joystick inputs seem to be dead right now, which I hope is a small matter.

Anyway, I'm wondering what the consensus is for:

A) restoring it
B) restoring it and adding a Total Carnage board
C) restoring it and adding MAME internals as a switchable doohicky.

I'm definately not going to gut this thing. I'd rather sell it as is than do that.

I've done a lot of reading on JAMMA and understand conceptually what its all about though I've not done anything like this before.

Thoughts?

Ps. it came with the requisite gum attached to the CP. But it's in great shape!

miles2912 · « **Reply #1 on:** November 29, 2006, 09:39:12 pm »

I never played Smash TV until I made a MAME cab and I have to say it is one that gets played a lot. Too much fun. If it was me I would restore it. Having a MAME cab in the arsenal makes the choice a little easier. I wouldn't MAME this one.

Post pics if you do restore.. and you can keep the gum

D-

torez · « **Reply #2 on:** November 29, 2006, 11:22:13 pm »

Yes, definitely keep the gum for that "real arcade feel."

HaRuMaN · « **Reply #3 on:** November 30, 2006, 05:58:39 am »

Quote from: torez on November 29, 2006, 11:22:13 pm

Yes, definitely keep the gum for that "real arcade feel."

My MK cabinet still has some gum stuck to it under the cp... lol.

shardian · « **Reply #4 on:** November 30, 2006, 07:18:14 am »

Well, what you should do is load it in a truck, drive it across country, and leave it sitting beside my garage door.

Seriously, that is a good score. I would love a smash tv.

Have you checked all connections (Jamma harness, sound board harness)? You should make sure everything is seated properly after transport. Also, print out a copy of the manual.
http://www.arcadedocs.com/vidmanuals/S/SmashTV.pdf

Glaine · « **Reply #5 on:** November 30, 2006, 10:17:09 am »

I'm bettin you mostly just need new mircoswitches for your joys though I'm just throwing that out there.

I'm not that big on Smash TV, but would still prefer it dedicated than a MAME for sure.

I've seen some folks with board-switching systems, which would be way cool for something like this. Best setup would be Robotron, Black Widow, Total Carnage, & Smash TV cuz you've already got that. Sounds pretty tricky unless you just keep all the boards in there and just switch em out with the Jamma connector, someone did that on here with a cab and most of the Mortal Kombat PCBs. But this is also assuming those PCBs would all be compatible on your setup. Would need to read up on that.

shardian · « **Reply #6 on:** November 30, 2006, 10:33:48 am »

The odds of almost all of the microswitches being bad is very unlikely. Either a ground fault, or one of the jamma harnesses is loose. Remember that this is jamma+ and has an extra harness.

Chunce DeLeone · « **Reply #7 on:** November 30, 2006, 01:30:10 pm »

There are no micro switches in a Smash TV....they are all 8-way Wico Leafswitch....Its one of the sickest control setups out there and should be restored and not sold or Mamed....
The Shafts/Joys are the same as Robotron just twice as many.....
I just got 4 Samsh TV joys off ebay that were barely touched, mint condition, even with some small tie wraps to keep the leaf in better, soldered grounds, totally Sycted to create my cab with a Smash TV Centric CP

Nice Pick UP!

jelwell · « **Reply #8 on:** November 30, 2006, 01:36:24 pm »

I like C. I've been thinking about adding a dedicated jamma or neo geo board into my MAME cabinet as sort of a "backup" for those days when windows, or whatever, just isn't working properly.

I definitely wouldn't add any buttons which would really limit it's MAME capabilities though.
Joseph Elwell.

ahofle · « **Reply #9 on:** November 30, 2006, 01:45:04 pm »

I vote for B (or A). Those are two great games that aren't usually authentically playable with your typical MAME cabinet.

flashiv · « **Reply #10 on:** November 30, 2006, 02:23:07 pm »

You have got to restore it. I love Smash TV. It would be a crime to MAME it out.

ArtMAME · « **Reply #11 on:** November 30, 2006, 02:40:23 pm »

Since you already have a MAME cab, I would say restore it. Smash TV is AWESOME!!! and if you can figure out how to put a Total Carnage board in there, that would be the coolest!!!

If you have trouble finding a Total Carnage board, another option would be to get a JPAC from Ultimarc and run MAME using most of the original components from the cab. Using the JPAC would keep the insides pretty much intact.

With the JPAC setup you could play all 3 double joystick games and do the:

Robotron/SmashTV/Total Carnage

Eugene Jarvis Trilogy Cabinet!!!...

_Iz- · « **Reply #12 on:** November 30, 2006, 03:16:52 pm »

Maybe the sound board controls the inputs (this is the case on several video games). Fix the sound board problems first and you may find it fixes the inputs.

Texasmame · « **Reply #13 on:** November 30, 2006, 03:41:45 pm »

Quote from: Dervacumen on November 29, 2006, 09:24:04 pm

I purchased my first dedicated cabinet after finishing a MAME rig just a few days ago. It's a 25" Smash TV and works brilliantly except for sound which the seller told me worked fine until he put it in storage. Most of the joystick inputs seem to be dead right now, which I hope is a small matter.

Anyway, I'm wondering what the consensus is for:

A) restoring it
B) restoring it and adding a Total Carnage board
C) restoring it and adding MAME internals as a switchable doohicky.

I'm definately not going to gut this thing. I'd rather sell it as is than do that.

I've done a lot of reading on JAMMA and understand conceptually what its all about though I've not done anything like this before.

Thoughts?

Ps. it came with the requisite gum attached to the CP. But it's in great shape!

Nice score! Smash is a pretty good game. I'd restore, no doubt about it.

markrvp · « **Reply #14 on:** November 30, 2006, 04:27:21 pm »

Restore it or sell it to a collector. SMASH TV is an A-List game.

Dervacumen · « **Reply #15 on:** November 30, 2006, 09:55:59 pm »

Quote from: shardian on November 30, 2006, 07:18:14 am

Well, what you should do is load it in a truck, drive it across country, and leave it sitting beside my garage door.

Seriously, that is a good score. I would love a smash tv.

Have you checked all connections (Jamma harness, sound board harness)? You should make sure everything is seated properly after transport. Also, print out a copy of the manual.
http://www.arcadedocs.com/vidmanuals/S/SmashTV.pdf

Wow! Thanks for the manual, I was going to attempt finding one today. You RULE!

I did reseat all the connections and they're okay. Unless I missed one.

Dervacumen · « **Reply #16 on:** November 30, 2006, 10:00:27 pm »

Quote from: shardian on November 30, 2006, 10:33:48 am

The odds of almost all of the microswitches being bad is very unlikely. Either a ground fault, or one of the jamma harnesses is loose. Remember that this is jamma+ and has an extra harness.

Can you come over here and work out the rest, too?

I found a grounding wire that was flopping around on a lead. Once I fiexed that most of the control faults went away. I still have the sound problem and a few of the directions seem goofy but I'll hopefully have a chance to look at them this weekend.

Dervacumen · « **Reply #17 on:** November 30, 2006, 10:04:07 pm »

Quote from: Chunce DeLeone on November 30, 2006, 01:30:10 pm

I just got 4 Samsh TV joys off ebay that were barely touched, mint condition, even with some small tie wraps to keep the leaf in better, soldered grounds, totally Sycted to create my cab with a Smash TV Centric CP

Nice Pick UP!

So YOU'RE the guy that got those....ERGGHH. Actually you're right, these controls are very nice. Right On!

I'm giddy with excitement.

Dervacumen · « **Reply #18 on:** November 30, 2006, 10:14:33 pm »

Quote from: _Iz- on November 30, 2006, 03:16:52 pm

Maybe the sound board controls the inputs (this is the case on several video games). Fix the sound board problems first and you may find it fixes the inputs.

I'm basically ignorant when it come to these things. Can you give me a couple of links to research and understand? This is my first delve into the world of JAMMA and JAMMA+ and though I *think* I understand the whole JAMMA standard I don't know how the sound board problems relate to the inputs.

Just learing and getting sucked in...

Derv

Dervacumen · « **Reply #19 on:** December 01, 2006, 01:32:00 pm »

15 minutes later everything works. There was a broken wire leading to the speaker. The sound is still a little funky - it get insanely loud if I turn the volume knob. I'll continue to investigate.

The original CP ground wire was disconnected from the CP, but fastened to it by a puny 22ga wire that was kinda like a jumper. Strange modification.

Once I fiddled with that (still just twisted together, so not really repaired yet) all of the CP inputs work. I need to adjust the leaf switches a bit.

I'm buying a few locks today to put in the coin door and back door. Then it's on to cleaning and touchup.

I think I stumbled upon a really good deal.

shardian · « **Reply #20 on:** December 01, 2006, 02:53:31 pm »

Quote from: Dervacumen on December 01, 2006, 01:32:00 pm

I think I stumbled upon a really good deal.

Slight understatement. (you bastard...)

ChadTower · « **Reply #21 on:** December 01, 2006, 02:56:55 pm »

Quote from: Glaine on November 30, 2006, 10:17:09 am

Best setup would be Robotron, Black Widow, Total Carnage, & Smash TV cuz you've already got that.

Black Widow is a vector game.

The volume pot is either dirty or cracked. That's what causes what you're describing with the volume. Replace the pot and you're good.

shardian · « **Reply #22 on:** December 01, 2006, 04:09:41 pm »

You can also get a spray cleaner that cleans electronic contacts to spray into the volume pot. I used it on the volume dial in a car once and it worked great.

ChadTower · « **Reply #23 on:** December 01, 2006, 04:54:02 pm »

That might work. Odds are that it's so old that replacing it is quicker than the amount of time you'll spend tweaking it and listening to crackly audio.

quarterback · « **Reply #24 on:** December 02, 2006, 01:19:22 pm »

Anybody see this auction:
"original Smash TV marque"
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230057688179

Dervacumen · « **Reply #25 on:** December 02, 2006, 06:01:02 pm »

I thought it might be the POT too so I unmounted it and took a look. Turns out the ground wire had come unsoldered and a previous owner just twisted the wire around the lead. It was jiggling around.

I resoldered it. Between that and a 1 inch piece of wire I soldered in place to reconnect the broken wire going to the speaker I ended up with a totally working game with a good monitor. So I played it for about an hour just to make sure.

Now if I can only get someone over here to play two players.

Dervacumen · « **Reply #26 on:** December 03, 2006, 12:15:04 am »

Quote from: ChadTower on December 01, 2006, 04:54:02 pm

...replacing it is quicker than the amount of time you'll spend tweaking it...

The Golden Phrase.

Unless you want to learn something. I like to tinker around - not because it makes this job easier, but because it makes the next one easier.

Of course my tinkering usually lasts until I start cussing and throwing things and needlessly breaking all the other stuff that was fine before I started tweaking. So there's probably a bit of wisdom there.

{Derv walks by and gives a soft jab for no apparent reason}

Kaytrim · « **Reply #27 on:** December 04, 2006, 06:09:25 pm »

Great Score

and quick repair. Now to restore it and keep it, don't even think to sell it. At least until several years have passed.


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