Looking to purchase this... what is your opinion?

[mybrainhurtz]

Found this for sale and this is what the guy says about it...

"Its an original Stern Super Cobra arcade game. Game illuminates but no action on screen. "



I am looking for a good project cabinet but am a newbie with the arcade internals... does this seem like its a pcb problem or a monitor problem... I know its hard to tell with the limited information given, but I figured I would ask your opinions since you are all more knowledgeable than I am

Unfortunately I have no way to tell what model the monitor is... all I know for sure is that its an original monitor that came in Super Cobra... I checked klov to see if there was any tech info on monitors used in this cab but there was none.

Thanks for your help, and I am ducking now for all of the oncoming "stupid newbie" comments...

[grantspain]

it could be a power supply fault,does the guy get game sounds when he credit the cab?

[Ken Layton]

Yeh, find out if the game plays 'blind', i.e. makes sounds/trips coin counting meter when a quarter is inserted and goes into game play when the start button is pushed. If it does then the monitor needs work.

If it does not, then there are two major problems to look at: Stern games of this vintage were well known for burning up the connectors on the power supply board thus no power to the game board. The other problem is dirty edge connector (usually the 5 volt and ground pins) on the game board not allowing power to pass to the gameboard.

Might even be a blown fuse on the power supply board which would mean a bad component (usually shorted) on the power supply board. Remember that this game is now 25 years old and the electrolytic capacitors on the power supply (and monitor) are long overdue to be replaced.

[mybrainhurtz]

thanks guys!!! i will see if i can get any info from him about playing blind, etc...

[mybrainhurtz]

Well I got some info back from the guy and he said that there is no sound when he puts in a coin or anything... so it looks like some investigating is going to have to be done when I get the machine.
Thanks for your help guys... I am sure this wont be my last post

[Thenasty]

how much did he want for it ?

If he says, $50.00, just grab it anyways.IMO.

[grantspain]

remember to get yourself a multimeter to check the voltages and fuses,you don't want to spend 2 weeks and $$ replacing parts just to find  out a fuse has blown