How to ID what cabinet i have brought?

[pommie2000]

Ive just purchased a cocktail cabinet that while advertised as scramble and displaying scramble instructions it only had 1 fire button and the joystick bezel was definitely not scramble.
The machine doesn't work yet and im int he process of trying to diagnose the problem.
It also appears that the bezel where the joystick is located has at some point been changed, so there might have been a 2 button game as some point.

My questions

1. How is it possible to identify the PCB? The only label on the side of the PCB i found says KT-2304-2
2. Is there anyway to identify what the original cabinet was? (Everything is in Japanese)

The cabinet is from Australia.
Couple of pictures attached.

Thanks for any help

[HaRuMaN]

GYRUSS!

http://files.flipperspill.no/Support/Arcade/Manuals/G/Gyruss_PinOut.pdf

[pommie2000]

Wow that was quick! Thanks mate.

Is the PCB Gyruss, the Bezel or both?

Thanks again.

[HaRuMaN]

PCB looks to be Gyruss... and the control panel may be as well.

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

Damn.. I was just abotu to post "maybe gyruss?"

Ninja'd.

[opt2not]

A Japanese Gyruss Cocktail??
Lets see some cabinet pics!

[pommie2000]

I also noticed it had some additional switching power supply, not sure if this was added later but it looks like the tube and PCB are powered separately?

Cheers

[pommie2000]

More pics....

[TOK]

PCB looks to be Gyruss... and the control panel may be as well.

By the control panel markings, it looks like the original stick was a two way. No idea what it was, but it didn't start life as Gyruss. Maybe some kind of Space Invaders clone.

[Jigenjuke]

Hey there, you guys are all correct.  The cabinet started its life out as a Japanese Space Invader machine that was placed in coffee shops here in Japan.  I tried to find an original picture of a cabinet and was able to come up with a few as well as a working 1/6th scale replica.

Here they are.  Great find by the way.  They typically run about 2500 dollars here in Japan as so few still in existance.

[pommie2000]

Thanks for the info.

I would love to keep it in the original state it was created. Is there any way to be 100% sure what the PCB is?

I have posted more picture of the cabinet but they are in Japanese if anyone can translate?

Thanks again

[Malenko]

1st says "attention...cut...something...avoid electricity source...something about switch parts"
2nd  is just the stamps on when the machine was inspected.
3rd is kinda cut off...i can't really make out much but the same attention note from the first one about the electricity source...and something about make sure that the setting is normal
bleh i need to work on my japanese
4th pic said it's for indoor use and the other little button, don't know what that says

the pic with the inspection stamps is where the serial number would've been


as translated by my GF Bonnie, who is fluent in Chinese but not so much in japanese =)

[pommie2000]

Thanks guys for all your help, fantastic community.

One last picture, which states the cabinet is manufactured by Konami, but from what i read, the original space invaders was made my Midway.

Still a little confused.

[pommie2000]

OK well, i took the PCB out and sure enough this machine has been frankenstined at some point. The wiring loom had been chopped up in places and there was an unused edge connector.
The PCB has "GY-B2-2" Could that be a code for Gyruss?

More pics attached.

[Jigenjuke]

OK Pommie here we go,

The first pic you posted in Japanese is basically a service warning.  Before replacing parts in this unit make sure that it is unplugged.

The second is a cabinet inspection stamp.  Showa 54 is the 54th year of the Showa era which means that this CABINET was last inspected in 1979 before it left the factory.  It could not have left the factory as Gyruss as Gyruss was released in 1983. 

The third indeed does refer back to the first pic you posted, however this is also telling the tech to make sure the power is connected after the switch settings have been applied (maybe dip-switch settings?)

The forth picture top sticker refers as Malenko says to this unit being for indoor use only, the second sticker is marking a main ground connection.

The Konami sticker is a little of a mystery.  Konami entered the video game business in early 1979.  This being said with the inspection sticker being from 1979 the only game this cabinet could have contained when it shipped from the factory would have been a game called Space Wars.  A link to screen shots and cabinet shots is below.

http://www.konami.co.jp/ja/corporate/history/product.html

I also found a little better pic of an original Konami Space War cabinet.

Don't be futzed about the control panel being different.  I don't think that the control panel you have there is an original Space War controller.  I think that the controller you have is from a Japanese Space Invaders machine Many of the original cocktail cabinets here in Japan were Frankensteined in order to fit games from other manufacturers here in Japan.  It's really sad.  Arcade machines here in Japan also started as upright stand up cabinets but soon went to sit-down cocktails and finally the Candy Cabs and Viewlix you see today.  It is virtually impossible to find an original stand up Arcade Cabinet here in Japan.

Anyway, I hope the info helps.  I can't tell you if the PCB is a Japanese Gyruss with out more pics.  If there is any writing in Japanese at all on the PCB I think that I may be able to help you.

Jigenjuke

Anyway here is another pic. 

[pommie2000]

Hey thanks for the info, interesting read. The PCB has been confirmed as a bootleg Gyruss board and im in the process of trying to get new ROMS flashed.

Again thanks for the explanation.

[Jigenjuke]

Hey, no problem.  It's pretty cool that you may have one of the original first 3000-5000 cabinets that rolled out of Konami's Video Game Factory here in Japan.  Where did you get it?  Is there a serial number anywhere?

Jigenjuke

[pommie2000]

Well another turn of events.... I posted the ROMS details to a fellow gamer on aussiearcade.com he he now doesn't think it is a Gyruss board based on the ROM types.

Ive attached the mother and daughterboards and listed the ROM label information. If anyone can ID this it would help with this mystery.

Motherboard

ROM No. 1,2,3,6,7,8,10
F    JAPAN
MBM    2764 -30
8324    V93    AB


ROM No. 9
M5L    2764k
   *230N
   JAPAN


ROM No. 5
M5L    2764k
   83230
   JAPAN

Daughterboard

ROM No. 11
M5L   2764K
8327C5
JAPAN

ROM No. 12
M5L   2764K
8327A4
JAPAN

ROM No. 13
M5L   2732K
832403
JAPAN

*= unreadable


Quote from another forum:-

"It's not a Gyruss, the ROM pattern is wrong and sizes are wrong.

The daughtboard on these Konami sets is the CPU board containing both Z80 CPUs and the executable code. Gyruss has 4 x 64kbit eproms giving a total of 256kbit of executable code, this board has, 2x64kbit and 1x32kbit giving a total of 160kbit executable code. Unless its a horribly cut down version (highly unlikely as they just ripped off the code so why spend time on it) this can't be Gyruss. "

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

pretty darn close to me:

[pommie2000]

OK Pommie here we go,

The first pic you posted in Japanese is basically a service warning.  Before replacing parts in this unit make sure that it is unplugged.

The second is a cabinet inspection stamp.  Showa 54 is the 54th year of the Showa era which means that this CABINET was last inspected in 1979 before it left the factory.  It could not have left the factory as Gyruss as Gyruss was released in 1983.  

The third indeed does refer back to the first pic you posted, however this is also telling the tech to make sure the power is connected after the switch settings have been applied (maybe dip-switch settings?)

The forth picture top sticker refers as Malenko says to this unit being for indoor use only, the second sticker is marking a main ground connection.

The Konami sticker is a little of a mystery.  Konami entered the video game business in early 1979.  This being said with the inspection sticker being from 1979 the only game this cabinet could have contained when it shipped from the factory would have been a game called Space Wars.  A link to screen shots and cabinet shots is below.

http://www.konami.co.jp/ja/corporate/history/product.html

I also found a little better pic of an original Konami Space War cabinet.

Don't be futzed about the control panel being different.  I don't think that the control panel you have there is an original Space War controller.  I think that the controller you have is from a Japanese Space Invaders machine Many of the original cocktail cabinets here in Japan were Frankensteined in order to fit games from other manufacturers here in Japan.  It's really sad.  Arcade machines here in Japan also started as upright stand up cabinets but soon went to sit-down cocktails and finally the Candy Cabs and Viewlix you see today.  It is virtually impossible to find an original stand up Arcade Cabinet here in Japan.

Anyway, I hope the info helps.  I can't tell you if the PCB is a Japanese Gyruss with out more pics.  If there is any writing in Japanese at all on the PCB I think that I may be able to help you.

Jigenjuke

Anyway here is another pic.  

Im still not sure about the origin. If you look at picture 3,4 and 5 that i posted, you will see that the control panel doesnt stick out at all. The space wars cabinet picture definitely had a control panel that stuck out? Were there different control panels maybe?

Im now in a bit of a dilemma, as i want to restore the cabinet but i dont know what game to base it on? The Gyruss cocktail as were many others looked quiet different.

Ive posted one last picture of some kind of lease number if that helps in any way?

P.S The board is definitely a bootleg of Gyruss and im in the process of getting new ROMS flashed.

Cheers

Just to add, i picked it up in Australia.

[Jigenjuke]

Well Pommie, If you want to restore it to it's original glory then I would suggest going for a Space War board set and control panel.  I am pretty sure that one can be found on the Japanese Yahoo Auction site.  Most Japanese would look at your cabinet before powering up they would say that it is a Space Invaders cabinet.  Thus the bootleg Space Invaders control panel overlay currently proudly displayed on your cabinet.  I say go for the gold and install a SI board set.  Cabinets like yours often go for more than $2500 plus here in Japan even if they are not an original Taito cabinet just because the board set is so rare here in Japan.

Have fun with it, take it apart sand blast the crap out of it repaint and refurbish it to mint condition and play it till your fingers bleed.   

Jigenjuke

[pommie2000]

Hi Jigenjuke,

If i thought there was any chance of getting a working Space Invaders PCB i would definitely restore it as a SI cab.
Ill keep my eye open for a space war PCB , but to be honest that wasn't one of the games i used to play and it doeskin really appeal.
( i only just realised that the wooden control panel can be taken out and replaced with a protruding one like that from Space Wars)

One thing i will definitely be doing is restoring everything in as much detail as i can!

Thanks again for you advice.

[Jigenjuke]

Yeah, I hear you.  The SI board sets are becoming more and more rare.  I find that every once in a while one will pop up on ebay.  If you are interested I can look here in Japan and see what I can come up with.  While working cabinets are quite expensive the board sets are not too much so (go figure).

Hmmm I take that back.  I found quite a few just by doind a web search but they seem to be in the 45,000 to 55,000 yen rank which is about $500-580 US dollars.  Hmmmm that kind of make things a little spendy.  I have seen quite a few of these cabinets with a Scramble board set installed.  I quite enjoy playing scramble.  There is a board set on Ebay now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Stern-Scramble-Arcade-Circuit-Board-PCB-1981-Works-/320636978361?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aa77404b9

I think that would make a great restoration project, as your cabinet held the game at one time.  I agree with you about Space War.  It just wasn't very exciting.  If you want put a Konami game into the cabinet you might think about these...

http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9883
There is one on ebay now
http://cgi.ebay.com/SUPER-COBRA-arcade-video-game-board-59-/150543888512?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item230d1d7080

Actually after looking for a little bit I found your exact cabinet.  It was not Frankened out.  It was originally a SPACE KING released by Konami in 1978.  Pretty cool.  Follow the link and scroll down.  You will see your exact cabinet.  If you could find a board set for that it would be pretty cool.

http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9671

Jigenjuke

[pommie2000]

Woooow You found it 

That's awesome mate, thanks a million.

Ill dig around now to see the probability of getting a PCB.
KLOV Quote "Very Rare - There are no known instances of this game owned by one of our members." 

Failing that, my own personal favourites which would suit would be Moon Cresta, Phoenix or Dig Dug but yeah i gotta hold out to see if i can restore it back to the original format.

You know the cab still has the original joystick and buttons too 

[Jigenjuke]

Yep all original hardware except the boards.  If you want me too I will see if I can find the board here in Japan.  I think that the bootleg SI clones should not be too expensive.