Defender Experts, little help please ?

[markymarky99]

Hi, I got my project DEFENDER up and running, everything is great but there's no RED color.  It's NOT the monitor as it works perfect with other games.  Does anyone know what CHIP on the Defender board controls the RED output on the game ?  If so, where would I find a replacement chip ?  Thanks,  DEFENDER still rules after 25+ years !

[RetroACTIVE]

Hi, I got my project DEFENDER up and running, everything is great but there's no RED color.  It's NOT the monitor as it works perfect with other games.  Does anyone know what CHIP on the Defender board controls the RED output on the game ?  If so, where would I find a replacement chip ?  Thanks,  DEFENDER still rules after 25+ years !

Its not quite that simple... you may need to use an o-scope to find it... could be a ttl device or output transistor...
Or... you could shot-gun all of the parts that "red" pass through... hoping to get it..

Did you check the red connection from the board to the monitor chassis?  The classic "Is it plugged in?" question I know... but still worth asking 

[CheffoJeffo]

Did you check the red connection from the board to the monitor chassis?  The classic "Is it plugged in?" question I know... but still worth asking 

It isn't that silly a question ... I got my Joust cocktail from a man who is widely considered the Williams Guru ... he (and others) couldn't figure out what the hell was wrong with the cab with it occasionally dropping red.

I rebuilt all of the interconnects and problem has never reoccured.

Sometimes it really is the little stuff.

 

[RetroACTIVE]

Did you check the red connection from the board to the monitor chassis?  The classic "Is it plugged in?" question I know... but still worth asking 

It isn't that silly a question ... I got my Joust cocktail from a man who is widely considered the Williams Guru ... he (and others) couldn't figure out what the hell was wrong with the cab with it occasionally dropping red.

I rebuilt all of the interconnects and problem has never reoccured.

Sometimes it really is the little stuff.

 

I really like working on Williams boards... they are easy to follow and pretty easy to fix... however since they are built like pinball machines ...there are a ton of interconnects all of which usually are the culprits of bad behavior. 

[markymarky99]

Hi again, thanks for the input on finding the CULPRIT for the RED issue .   One other small problem, I don't have a manual.  At start up, the game runs through it's TESTS, says all is well, but then I have to STEP THROUGH about 29 different game options before it will BOOT the actual game.  Is there a dip setting on the board or something on-screen that can be done so that the game just FIRES RIGHT UP from start up ?  Thanks again.

[CheffoJeffo]

One other small problem, I don't have a manual. 

That is not a small problem ... that is a BIG HONKING problem ... the Williams manuals are good for troubleshooting.

And it's not like there aren't eleventy links in the wiki ....

[Fozzy The Bear]

Hi again, thanks for the input on finding the CULPRIT for the RED issue .   One other small problem, I don't have a manual.  At start up, the game runs through it's TESTS, says all is well, but then I have to STEP THROUGH about 29 different game options before it will BOOT the actual game.  Is there a dip setting on the board or something on-screen that can be done so that the game just FIRES RIGHT UP from start up ?  Thanks again.

OK! Here's your answer, from my copy of the manual:


**************************************
POWER TURN ON
With power first applied, a sound is produced, general illumination comes on, and random
patterns appear on the CRT as the game sequences through RAM, ROM, and battery checks.
The game then comes up in game over. Messages are displayed for RAM or ROM failures;
refer to Power Up and Reset RAM/ROM Tests. If the game comes up in Bookkeeping, turn the
game OFF and back ON.
a. If the game now sequences through the tests and then comes up in game over, the
bookkeeping totals have been reset to zero.
b. If the game still comes up in bookkeeping, open coin door and turn the game OFF and
ON. The game will now sequence through the tests and come up in bookkeeping. This is an
indication of battery failure and the game has reverted to factory settings. To return to
game over:
1. Set switch to MANUAL-DOWN.
2. Depress ADVANCE to display Function 28.
3. Set switch to AUTO-UP and depress ADVANCE.

********************************************

So! we can be suspecting a dead battery on the motherboard......

That said, you can get all the manuals you need from:
http://arcarc.xmission.com

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

[RetroACTIVE]

So! we can be suspecting a dead battery on the motherboard......

That said, you can get all the manuals you need from:
http://arcarc.xmission.com

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

Most definitely the case... also check to make sure your battery holder is not corroded... which will cause a significant if not total drop in voltage to the CMOS ram... (which is where your factory settings are kept).

Don't forget... this could also be a bad CMOS RAM... or a failure in the logic that determines state of memory protect interlock switch.  I've seen boards with up to all three of these failures simultaneously. 

...bottom line is you will need some tools to troubleshoot this... 

[markymarky99]

HI, I want to thank everyone.  Turns out the MONITOR had lost it's RED , not the DEFENDER board.  WHEW,, that was getting frustrating.   I had popped in a very good monitor from a JOUST machine.  Thing is, with old monitors, stuff can crap out at anytime, can't assume they'll work the same once you unhook and move them I guess.  ALL IS WELL, Defender is playing great, nice and colorful,,, YOU GUYS ROCK!

[TOK]

Defender is 100 times better than Joust. You did the right thing. 

[RetroACTIVE]

Turns out the MONITOR had lost it's RED , not the DEFENDER board.

This is another common problem... its common practice to re-flow the headers on monitor chassis when they are re-capped/re-furbed... years of heat cycles/connecting-disconnecting can cause solder failures along the connectors.  This may be a simple fix... don't pitch your monitor.

Glad all worked out!