Author Topic: My Centipedes arcade game is showing a white screen. (Read 10930 times)

allensingley · « **on:** March 25, 2009, 05:37:43 pm »

If you need more information, just ask the type of info you need and I will give it to you.

CheffoJeffo · « **Reply #1 on:** March 25, 2009, 05:40:45 pm »

The smartass in me wants to say "I don't need any info -- it isn't my cabinet.", but perhaps that is too smartassed for an introduction.

So .... welcome!

First question is, does it play blind -- if you put a coin in and press Start, can you hear the game playing ?

allensingley · « **Reply #2 on:** March 25, 2009, 05:41:42 pm »

Give me one second to find out...

allensingley · « **Reply #3 on:** March 25, 2009, 05:44:35 pm »

It does not play any sound but the screen does flicker a bit more...

CheffoJeffo · « **Reply #4 on:** March 25, 2009, 05:51:53 pm »

I don't have a Centi, so I'll need to check the manual (and cook dinner for the family), so give me a couple of hours.

In the meantime, can you give us any history for the game (e.g. it was working yesterday and isn't today; just bought it and it has never worked for me) ? Do you have a multimeter ?

allensingley · « **Reply #5 on:** March 25, 2009, 06:00:17 pm »

Okay here is the history...

I met this guy who was about to burn his centipede game...

So I asked him if I could have it. He gave it to me and I hauled it to my house.

I have extremely basic electronic repair skills so I can't exactly fix it myself without getting instructions.

He said it worked a coulple of months ago.

Anyway when I went to turn it on the first thing I noticed is that the part of the plug that has the ground wasent there. I didint know if it fell off or if it was ment to be like that... well I didint want to plug it in but my roommate did it anyway and insisted it didint matter.... All it did was get a flickering white screen.... I put quarters in like you told me to and it flickered...

It came with manuals and instructions and everything you can ask for enclosed in it. I didint read them yet... I didint think It would say how to fix it in there....

anyway theirs the history...

allensingley · « **Reply #6 on:** March 25, 2009, 06:02:14 pm »

AANNNDDD I dont have a Multimenter

CheffoJeffo · « **Reply #7 on:** March 25, 2009, 06:17:53 pm »

Cool, nice job saving her from the funeral pyre !

You definitely will want to have a multimeter -- it may sound like a PITA, but it will be your single best friend in working through your problems and you don't need to drop a ton of cash on one -- I bought mine on sale at Radio Shack some years ago and it serves me well.

Another question came to mind -- when you drop a coin in, do the lights on the volcano buttons (the buttons on the left side of the control panel demarking Start 1 and Start 2) light up ?

I'll grab a copy of the manual, serve dinner and then come back to ask some questions pertaining to "TEST" mode, which may or may not help us out.

EDIT: Don't type and cook at the same time ...

allensingley · « **Reply #8 on:** March 25, 2009, 06:27:25 pm »

omg dude im sorry i just took a look at my arcade game and my roomate came in and said the fuses might be the problem and took them out. There are no markings on the fuses saying where it goes so I dont wanna risk putting them back.

The player lights light up when I turn the system on.

Im going to buy some new fuses and a multimeter next time I go out and have some cash at the same time...Which can take weeks cuz my roomate just started his job.

Can you please give me a few more pointers and can I PM you when I get my multimeter and fuses?

EDIT: I can replace the fuses.

EDIT EDIT: and ps. Thanks... but I couldent save the poor pinball remains in his fire pit... -sniffle-

mchay · « **Reply #9 on:** March 25, 2009, 06:33:28 pm »

It's a good thing to keep a problem solving process in a thread like this, and out of PMs - so other people in your situation could look for troubleshooting ideas here.

allensingley · « **Reply #10 on:** March 25, 2009, 06:43:00 pm »

okay but what if it would take me awhile to get back in touch.. wouldent the thread die

im not used to these kinds of forums

CheffoJeffo · « **Reply #11 on:** March 25, 2009, 06:45:46 pm »

No worries -- just don't put the fuses back in until we get a look at a manual and see what should go where.

If this thread falls off the main page, definitely PM me and we will resurrect it.

allensingley · « **Reply #12 on:** March 25, 2009, 06:47:35 pm »

Okay

And okay thank you

allensingley · « **Reply #13 on:** March 25, 2009, 09:37:35 pm »

I need to go to sleep right now and I need to go to school tomarrow until about 3:00 central.

I will read over the manual while I am supposed to be learning...

Anyway see you tommarow I hope.

Kevin Mullins · « **Reply #14 on:** March 25, 2009, 10:00:18 pm »

Quote from: allensingley on March 25, 2009, 06:27:25 pm

The player lights light up when I turn the system on.

Were they steady on or are they blinking ?

And as Cheffo mentioned, read up on getting it into TEST mode. (it's just a switch near the coin door)

May need to go through and do some unplugging and plugging back in and such to check contacts.

Also be sure to be familiar with what they call the ARII board. (Audio/Regulator board)
You may be referred to look at it.

Quote from: allensingley on March 25, 2009, 09:37:35 pm

I will read over the manual while I am supposed to be learning...

Eh, it's still learning ain't it ?

And no, this thread won't just die or disappear. But you may have to search for it in order to respond to get it back to the top. So please respond here when you get ready to get dirty.

RayB · « **Reply #15 on:** March 26, 2009, 12:08:28 pm »

Tell your roommate to keep his hands off your machine.

allensingley · « **Reply #16 on:** March 26, 2009, 04:06:53 pm »

Okay I'm back.

I have been reading up on it and I think maybe the fuses in the monitor can be a problem.

Would that make the screen only white.

And I cant go into test mode if the screen is only white

and the player lights are steady

SirPeale · « **Reply #17 on:** March 26, 2009, 04:31:27 pm »

White screen is actually a good sign that the monitor is working. For now, we'll rule that out, especially since it won't play blind.

There is a power supply board called an AR II. Probably mounted on the side of the cabinet. Do you see any burn marks on it?

Fuses should all have ratings on them, eg 1A 250V. Imprinted on the metal caps on the ends. in addition, the manual /should/ have what fuse should go where.

In the future, when testing fuses, test them /one at a time/ and don't pull them all at once.

My guess thus far? Some kind of board issue.

allensingley · « **Reply #18 on:** March 26, 2009, 04:36:53 pm »

Hold on...

The power supply is actually at the bottom...

There is no burns that I can see anywhere.

Would you like me to take pictures of all the boards and stuff, all the inside in other words?

Level42 · « **Reply #19 on:** March 26, 2009, 05:23:09 pm »

Behind the power supply on the bottom there is a PCB. This is the AR-II board. You can recognize it by the very big metall cooling body on it.
It contains power regulation and sound amplification. That's what Peale means:

allensingley · « **Reply #20 on:** March 26, 2009, 05:29:29 pm »

no there is no burn marks on it of any kind.

Although in the manual one of the previous owners seems to have circled some pictures of some parts on the PCB

RayB · « **Reply #21 on:** March 26, 2009, 07:21:26 pm »

He should turn the Screen knob down so that instead of a white screen, he sees barely a bit of grey.

allensingley · « **Reply #22 on:** March 26, 2009, 07:40:58 pm »

How do I go abput doing that?

Kevin Mullins · « **Reply #23 on:** March 26, 2009, 09:51:02 pm »

Bottom knob on the big black transformer with the big red lead coming out of it.
Top one is FOCUS, bottom one is SCREEN. (and they are usually labeled)

Kevin Mullins · « **Reply #24 on:** March 26, 2009, 09:54:20 pm »

Quote from: allensingley on March 26, 2009, 04:06:53 pm

and the player lights are steady

That sounds like a board issue for sure.

Quote from: allensingley on March 26, 2009, 04:06:53 pm

I have been reading up on it and I think maybe the fuses in the monitor can be a problem.
Would that make the screen only white.

No.
Since you have a white screen, assume the monitor is working like Peale mentioned.

SirPeale · « **Reply #25 on:** March 27, 2009, 12:14:25 am »

Quote from: RayB on March 26, 2009, 07:21:26 pm

He should turn the Screen knob down so that instead of a white screen, he sees barely a bit of grey.

If his screen has lines going thru it instead of just white, I'd suggest that. This sounds like a board issue. I wouldn't touch the monitor at all at this point.

Level42 · « **Reply #26 on:** March 27, 2009, 02:57:50 am »

Yep, buttons lit=CPU not running.


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