Author Topic: Opinion needed on a Ms. Pac (Read 12660 times)

ChadTower · « **Reply #40 on:** July 31, 2007, 11:30:35 am »

It's not a blown fuse. It never is, fuses don't blow that often without cause.

It could be something just as simple but every time you hear "blown fuse" you can translate it to either "I don't know the cause" or "I don't think you know what you're doing".

shardian · « **Reply #41 on:** July 31, 2007, 11:34:16 am »

If there is indeed a blown fuse, ask him to pull it and get the info. Take a new fuse with you and try it out. Like Chad said though, either the guy knows what's wrong, or he has no clue how the machine even works. That answer can lean either way.

Of course, you never know - maybe the cut-out switch is turned like that other guy posted a few weeks ago.

ChadTower · « **Reply #42 on:** July 31, 2007, 11:36:42 am »

The kill switch is definitely a more common "two second fix" death than a blown fuse. As is a loose power connector. I've seen plenty of cabs that "died when we moved it" just because something came loose and the people were too scared to even open the back.

Jeff AMN · « **Reply #43 on:** July 31, 2007, 11:39:05 am »

He claims the fuse was blown by his kids flipping the machine on and off too often. While I know kids tend to screw around with things, I'm still a tad sketchy on his reasoning. If I can get the other machine at $500 it might be worth the piece of mind to pay the extra. I'm not afraid to poke around in a machine or anything, but I don't want to start testing stuff out only to find a dead board or something like that.

ChadTower · « **Reply #44 on:** July 31, 2007, 11:45:13 am »

$350 is too much for a nondiagnosed Ms Pac. If you can get to it and narrow down the cause to a reasonable probability, then you have a starting point. For now you have to assume it's really dead and requires real board work.

If it were really a fifty cent fuse he'd replace it himself and double the asking price.

WunderCade · « **Reply #45 on:** July 31, 2007, 04:09:03 pm »

Chad is correct. You can bet it isn't a fuse, he'd replace it himself and sell it for even more. I just bought a complete $100 Ms. Pac., owner said "needs a new monitor". Got it home, monitor works great....the board was bad.

People will minimize to maximize.

Still, I ain't complaining at a $100 Ms. Pac (working or not), but paying hundreds of dollars for a non-working Ms. Pac is a really, really bad idea.

Take the working one.

Level42 · « **Reply #46 on:** August 01, 2007, 10:22:05 am »

Quote from: Jeff AMN on July 31, 2007, 11:39:05 am

He claims the fuse was blown by his kids flipping the machine on and off too often. While I know kids tend to screw around with things, I'm still a tad sketchy on his reasoning. If I can get the other machine at $500 it might be worth the piece of mind to pay the extra. I'm not afraid to poke around in a machine or anything, but I don't want to start testing stuff out only to find a dead board or something like that.

I'm not sure about Ms.Pac Man, but my Galaxian has the power switch all the way on top of the cab. Kids with the age to flick switches like that can't reach it.

2PacMan · « **Reply #47 on:** August 01, 2007, 10:34:47 am »

Just bring the fuses with you, tell the guy you'd like to look at the machine, and if it really is just a blown fuse, you'll buy it. Get there and test the fuses and replace the blown one(s) and see what happens.

Jeff AMN · « **Reply #48 on:** August 01, 2007, 03:31:18 pm »

Well I found out a bit more about the more expensive machine and now I'm really excited. The owner is an old lady that's had it in here home for a LONG time and it works perfectly (according to her). Apparently it was her son's machine and it's been there since he left for college back in the late 80s. I'm going out to look at it tonight and bringing my Yukon and a lifting buddy just in case.

Hopefully this turns into one of those cool stories that you always hear about when somebody stumbles into a classic with just a couple hundred plays in mint condition. That's probably not the case, but I'm sure hoping it is.

2PacMan · « **Reply #49 on:** August 01, 2007, 03:55:36 pm »

Good luck! I hope everything works out for you. If it does turn out to be in great shape, post some pics so we can all be jealous!

CheffoJeffo · « **Reply #50 on:** August 01, 2007, 03:57:56 pm »

Quote from: Jeff AMN on July 31, 2007, 11:28:22 am

Ok guys, do I buy a non-working Ms. Pac-Man for $350 or a working Ms. Pac-Man for $600 (I think I can get it for $500)? The non-working machine has been for sale for a couple of months and the seller claims it's only a "blown fuse." The $600 cab works flawlessly.

Ugh...

Anybody who doesn't replace a $0.10 fuse to make an additional couple of hundred bucks is a moron, so you pretty much have to discount anything they say (having said that, my Asteroids is perhaps the one purchase that I know of where the problem actually WAS a fuse ... silly op didn't check the schematics and used the wrong fuse).

Check the schematics and take appropriate fuses with you.

EDIT: Too late ... 2PacMan beat me to it and I didn't read far enough down the thread.

SirPeale · « **Reply #51 on:** August 01, 2007, 04:30:22 pm »

See, I'm on the other side of the coin. I'd buy the cheaper one assuming the cabinet is in good shape. Because I'd fix the boards.

vintagegamer · « **Reply #52 on:** August 02, 2007, 04:28:52 pm »

Jeff, you've been jonesing for a Ms Pac.. you don't want your dream to crash and burn.. spend the couple extra bucks and get the running one. You'll be glad you did!

VG

Jeff AMN · « **Reply #53 on:** August 03, 2007, 12:33:20 am »

Here it is! I'll probably make a new thread as I have a handful of questions, but for now I thought I'd show it off.

I ended up scoring it for $400, and boy was it a steal in my mind! This this looks GREAT! I'm not going to have to do much to get it looking close to new again. Those marks should come right off with a magic eraser and some effort. The paint looks better than any other I've seen in person. Sorry, the camera flash washes out some colors...

Boy, I sure look like a dork there. I can't wait until these are in my new game room next week!

vintagegamer · « **Reply #54 on:** August 03, 2007, 07:18:09 am »

Congrats! Hey, isn't that T-molding supposed to be blue?

And what do you mean "THESE"? Did you get the DK as well?

VG

ChadTower · « **Reply #55 on:** August 03, 2007, 09:39:16 am »

Yeah, that's pretty good for $400 working.

Chris G · « **Reply #56 on:** August 03, 2007, 06:26:11 pm »

Nice! That's a sweet coupla machines you got.

shardian · « **Reply #57 on:** August 06, 2007, 08:48:18 am »

OK everyone, I went and checked out A Ms. Pacman on Saturday. Not the one originally mentioned though

. I had a rummage sale Saturday and set out my Top Gunner to play and see if by some stroke of luck a sucker would come along and buy it for $250. (Side note, I STILL can't beat that damn game! Once you get to the final section, it doesn't let you continue, and it is damn impossible to get thru there unscathed.

)

Anyways, this one guy stops by and we chat for a while and he mentions someone down at the flea market has a Ms. Pac sitting in a trailer off the beaten path. I figure it is worth a look so I head on down there. I find the machine and it is a total POS on first look. Painted black, beat up, CPO stripped of CP, but the marquee and bezel were nice at least, oh and it was a Rally-X cab, not a Ms. pac. I asked the lady about it and she said it worked and she could plug it in. I asked her what she was wanting out of it and she said $600!!!!! I said nah and walked around for a while. I came back in a bit to ask them to go ahead and plug it in. I figured I could at least take some pics so I could make fun of it later.

When they plugged it in, it appeared to be resetting itsself right after testing over and over. The screen was blotchy while it was on for a few seconds. I figured it may be the heat (It was near 100 and it was sitting in a trailer all day) so I told the guy to take the back off and it may work. Guess what, he didn't have the key.

After we pulled it out of the trailer and left the coin door open for a bit, it did get at least 2 or 3 seconds into the title screen - enough for me to see it was a bootleg Super Pac Gal. At that point I was getting ready to walk away, and the guy asked me if I would still be interested in the current condition. I couldn't resist giving the guy a reality check, so I told him in the shape it was with possibly bad power supply/boards, I could only give him $50, $100 Tops. He said he appreciated the offer, but originally paid $800 for it! I think he was full of ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- myself. He had told me he bought it and 3 others (DK and 2 racing games), to fill up a spare bedroom for their son and now the son doesn't play them. So lets see...$800x4=$3200...yeah, riiiight. I figure he paid $800 for all four and was trying to rip someone off on the Ms. Pac to recoup fundage.

WunderCade · « **Reply #58 on:** August 06, 2007, 12:56:50 pm »

So, he passed on your offer?

Thinking he could score more than 100 bucks from some unknowing victim prolly.

Geezzz....some people.

ChadTower · « **Reply #59 on:** August 06, 2007, 01:59:51 pm »

What's wrong with the guy sticking to his price? Face it - if it was in decent shape, $100 was a low offer. Not a terrible one but it's not like sharidan waved full market value in the guy's face.

Darth Nuno · « **Reply #60 on:** August 06, 2007, 02:07:48 pm »

Quote from: Jeff AMN on August 03, 2007, 12:33:20 am

...

I ended up scoring it for $400, and boy was it a steal in my mind! This this looks GREAT! I'm not going to have to do much to get it looking close to new again. Those marks should come right off with a magic eraser and some effort. The paint looks better than any other I've seen in person. Sorry, the camera flash washes out some colors...

My God... $400

What Am I not living in USA ?

Almost impossible to found a Ms PacMan here, in europe

Anyway, congrats Jeff

polaris · « **Reply #61 on:** August 06, 2007, 02:25:26 pm »

Quote from: Darth Nuno on August 06, 2007, 02:07:48 pm

Quote from: Jeff AMN on August 03, 2007, 12:33:20 am
...

I ended up scoring it for $400, and boy was it a steal in my mind! This this looks GREAT! I'm not going to have to do much to get it looking close to new again. Those marks should come right off with a magic eraser and some effort. The paint looks better than any other I've seen in person. Sorry, the camera flash washes out some colors...

My God... $400 What Am I not living in USA ? Almost impossible to found a Ms PacMan here, in europe

Anyway, congrats Jeff

theres one on ebay uk at the mo but ive spoken top the border guards to stop you from coming to the uk and taking the good cabs home with you

Darth Nuno · « **Reply #62 on:** August 06, 2007, 02:39:30 pm »

Quote from: polaris on August 06, 2007, 02:25:26 pm

Quote from: Darth Nuno on August 06, 2007, 02:07:48 pm
Quote from: Jeff AMN on August 03, 2007, 12:33:20 am
...

I ended up scoring it for $400, and boy was it a steal in my mind! This this looks GREAT! I'm not going to have to do much to get it looking close to new again. Those marks should come right off with a magic eraser and some effort. The paint looks better than any other I've seen in person. Sorry, the camera flash washes out some colors...

My God... $400 What Am I not living in USA ? Almost impossible to found a Ms PacMan here, in europe

Anyway, congrats Jeff Whay
theres one on ebay uk at the mo but ive spoken top the border guards to stop you from coming to the uk and taking the good cabs home with you

LOL

I know... I watch that cab since last week... the auction ended this morning with no bid... £400 is too much money for it...

UK ... land of freedom ... Punks ... Red Bus ... and very expensive arcade games

shardian · « **Reply #63 on:** August 06, 2007, 02:47:32 pm »

Quote from: ChadTower on August 06, 2007, 01:59:51 pm

What's wrong with the guy sticking to his price? Face it - if it was in decent shape, $100 was a low offer. Not a terrible one but it's not like sharidan waved full market value in the guy's face.

The thing was a POS. trust me, $100 was a fair offer. Here is a pic of it now that I figured out how to get my new phone to interface with the pc.

ChadTower · « **Reply #64 on:** August 06, 2007, 02:51:17 pm »

Yeah that's a $100 cab.

Jeff AMN · « **Reply #65 on:** August 06, 2007, 03:23:31 pm »

Heh, I can still see the Rally-X sticker circle. I swear, the only thing that covers that up is another Rally-X sticker.

Hildy_42 · « **Reply #66 on:** August 06, 2007, 04:00:06 pm »

Does your ms pacman look like this though? http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/for/386489158.html

Now that is a good deal.

ChadTower · « **Reply #67 on:** August 06, 2007, 04:03:53 pm »

That looks like it has a TV Games ms pac in it.

shardian · « **Reply #68 on:** August 06, 2007, 04:11:15 pm »

Quote from: Hildy_42 on August 06, 2007, 04:00:06 pm

Does your ms pacman look like this though? http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/for/386489158.html

Now that is a good deal.

Those are cool little cabinets for games. Wade has made a kick ass simpsons out of one, and he has another sitting around awaiting a game that I've tried to talk him out of before

.
http://usergallery.myhomegameroom.com/gallery/album187

Wade · « **Reply #69 on:** August 06, 2007, 10:11:24 pm »

Yeah, $350 is too much for a dead MsPac, but $400 for a better than average example like that one is a pretty good deal.

Shardian isn't kidding about the location of that MsPac! My digital camera has a 12X zoom, maybe I should go snap some pics of it from the road to see how it looks (I've never tried to look closely), and prove we aren't BS'ing about the whole thing.

That mini on craigslist is slightly different than mine. Sometimes I forget I have the empty one because its in a room in my house I only go into occasionally. Since I have most of the parts needed to make a game out of it, I look forward to building it up eventually, but right now there are just toooo many things ahead in line.

I might do it like the Simpsons but put Simpsons art on one side and TMNT art on the other side, and a button to switch between the 2 games.

I'm no longer willing to spend much more than $100 for just about any MsPac, because they INEVITABLY pop up somewhere for next to nothing. Most people I know with a MsPac or Pac spent about $100 or less, and some of them are very nice examples! Remember, it's one of the most popular games of all time, so it's just a matter of time before another one comes along. This is a far cry from my attitude about 5 years ago, when I would spend a LOT more for a game in poor condition, because I was just starting a collection.

Wade

WunderCade · « **Reply #70 on:** August 07, 2007, 01:54:59 am »

Not to mention that is actually a Pac-man cabinet - look at the angle of the curve.

Quote from: shardian on August 06, 2007, 02:47:32 pm

The thing was a POS. trust me, $100 was a fair offer. Here is a pic of it now that I figured out how to get my new phone to interface with the pc.

shardian · « **Reply #71 on:** August 07, 2007, 09:48:25 am »

Quote from: WunderCade on August 07, 2007, 01:54:59 am

Not to mention that is actually a Pac-man cabinet - look at the angle of the curve.

Quote from: shardian on August 06, 2007, 02:47:32 pm
The thing was a POS. trust me, $100 was a fair offer. Here is a pic of it now that I figured out how to get my new phone to interface with the pc.

Duh. You are right. The sticker threw me off.

Jeff AMN · « **Reply #72 on:** August 07, 2007, 09:49:55 am »

Well, to be exact, it's actually a Rally-X...not a Pac-Man.

It's still a good cab for something like a Multi-Pac if Pac-Man isn't your thing.

shardian · « **Reply #73 on:** August 07, 2007, 09:56:57 am »

Quote from: Jeff AMN on August 07, 2007, 09:49:55 am

Well, to be exact, it's actually a Rally-X...not a Pac-Man.

It's still a good cab for something like a Multi-Pac if Pac-Man isn't your thing.

Nah, it is definitely a Pac-man. The coindoor is wrong for Rally-x - it is a pacman coindoor. The control panel is an unhacked pacman control panel, probably original. And the sticker is oval, not round like a Rally-x. Lastly, that was definitely Yellow paint showing thru the black here and there, not peach.

Jeff AMN · « **Reply #74 on:** August 07, 2007, 10:23:32 am »

Yeah, that's definitely oval. I thought the image was making the circle looked stretched. I figured it was a poor Rally-X to Pac-Man job, but I can see that you're right on that one.

shardian · « **Reply #75 on:** August 16, 2007, 02:00:23 pm »

For all of you dying to know, I stopped by and looked at the Ms. Pac. Unfortunately no one was home. And yes, I am still alive and unharmed.

torez · « **Reply #76 on:** August 16, 2007, 02:29:56 pm »

Yes, the door is Midway circa 1980-1981+. Omega Race has the same exact door (Pacman as well). Ms. Pacman has a different Midway logo on it.

shardian · « **Reply #77 on:** August 17, 2007, 08:27:19 am »

Ok I stopped by again after work and still noone was home. However, I did take some pictures, as the CPO was really bothering me. Refer to the picture below: has anyone else ever seen that CPO before? I haven't.
Other than that, the cabinet is in pretty good cosmetic shape. I have no clue about the insides.

RayB · « **Reply #78 on:** August 17, 2007, 02:03:25 pm »

Willis aftermarket overlay.

shardian · « **Reply #79 on:** August 17, 2007, 02:48:37 pm »

Quote from: RayB on August 17, 2007, 02:03:25 pm

Willis aftermarket overlay.

Really. So would Namco own the rights to something like this?


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