Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Everything Else => Topic started by: Spyridon on August 02, 2007, 04:43:57 pm

Title: Best place to learn about repairing arcade games?
Post by: Spyridon on August 02, 2007, 04:43:57 pm

I'm in the process of building my first MAME cabinet (by the Book of course) which got me interested in owning original arcade classics.  My question is where is the best place to learn how to fix non working games (PCB's, monitors, etc.) as these can be purchase and possibly repaired much cheaper than buying a working game.  I'm a complete beginner with electronics, so I need to start at step 1.

Any helpful points of direction are appreciated.

Title: Re: Best place to learn about repairing arcade games?
Post by: ChadTower on August 02, 2007, 04:45:05 pm

Randy Fromm's videos and book.

Title: Re: Best place to learn about repairing arcade games?
Post by: Havok on August 03, 2007, 08:25:26 am

Agreed...

Linky (http://randyfromm.com/amusements/arcadeschool/)

Title: Re: Best place to learn about repairing arcade games?
Post by: Jeff AMN on August 03, 2007, 10:00:46 am

I agree that Randy Fromm is the authority here, but I've learned plenty just from these boards and the KLOV forum. Obviously you only pick up tidbits here and there from forums, but over time you start to feel more and more competent with your projects. I learned how to do a cap kit here and it turned out great.

Title: Re: Best place to learn about repairing arcade games?
Post by: shardian on August 03, 2007, 10:22:36 am

I attend the Ken Layton school of arcade tech. ;D

(IOW, post a description of the problem and wait for Ken to show up)

Title: Re: Best place to learn about repairing arcade games?
Post by: Ken Layton on August 03, 2007, 11:41:38 am

Randy Fromm's material is written and directed towards those with little knowledge or skill with electronics and thus are easy & simple for the average person to understand and learn.

Star Tech Journal has tons of stuff also, but is directed towards professionals and is written that way. If you don't already know what they talk about then their stuff is going to go over your head.

For beginners I would strongly suggest purchasing Randy Fromm's videos and "Big Blue Book" (and other books too).

Title: Re: Best place to learn about repairing arcade games?
Post by: ChadTower on August 03, 2007, 11:43:05 am

And you're going to want to read/watch them multiple times because it's not all going to sink in in one shot.  It takes a lot of time and repetition to really get the concepts as an overall picture.

Title: Re: Best place to learn about repairing arcade games?
Post by: FrizzleFried on August 03, 2007, 01:30:33 pm

I've been learning in my garage.  I also employ the Ken Layton method.  Post a problem and wait to hear the solution from Ken!   :applaud:

Title: Re: Best place to learn about repairing arcade games?
Post by: grantspain on August 03, 2007, 02:50:45 pm

start by learning how to use a multimeter,it will fault find down to component level with the correct knowledge

Title: Re: Best place to learn about repairing arcade games?
Post by: RayB on August 05, 2007, 06:24:50 pm

www.arcadecontrols.com


Ha ha ha