Blast City Club

[Broker Of Evil]

I've been tinkering with my set up, mainly just playing with the VGA cable, and now I have a dark video issue over the JAMMA video. The VGA video is still very bright, and seems just fine. Video coming over Jamma is really dark. What have I done?

 

[Jassin000]

I want to give my control panel a nice scrub down to get rid of some of the gunk in it. Saw the following disassembly guide at AO:

http://forum.arcadeotaku.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=15049#p194650

The poster urges not removing the bottom of the control panel without first removing the monitor due to the lower CP supporting the monitor bracket. Does this really mean I can't take the CP off to clean it without removing the monitor? Wasn't planning on messing with the monitor just yet so I was hoping there was a second opinions on this?

Even if this is true (and honestly I don't believe it) I've had my entire CP off many many times to fit the cab sideways thru doors without ever removing the CRT. I guess you could remove the CP and put the bolts back in as a temporary hold just while cleaning.

I've never fully split the body/shell apart, Chempop did... Maybe he can share some information about how accurate that otaku post is (again I think its BS).

 

[Chempop]

Read that whole (AO) thread, the person saying that the bolts were support for the monitor later realizes that his lower monitor bracket was missing 4 screws. So yeah, disproven.

 

[grendelrt]

Did some little project stuff this weekend.

Original 2 slot shell


Repainted and boarded


Set inside, need to add a bracket to the side for safety buts its ok for now


The jump to stereo sound was huge, definitely worth it.

 

[cornerstone]

I've been tinkering with my set up, mainly just playing with the VGA cable, and now I have a dark video issue over the JAMMA video. The VGA video is still very bright, and seems just fine. Video coming over Jamma is really dark. What have I done?

Flip the resolution dip switch 1 (SW1) to the up position. The manual states it can be either way for jamma. I don't know what it does technically, but I had that issue after testing the vga and accidentally flipping SW1 fixed it.

 

[skate323k137]

VGA is .7vpp where as JAMMA video is much stronger than that. For a monitor to accept both VGA and JAMMA video levels it would either have to amp the VGA signal or attenuate the JAMMA signal.

 

[codecrank]

I've been tinkering with my set up, mainly just playing with the VGA cable, and now I have a dark video issue over the JAMMA video. The VGA video is still very bright, and seems just fine. Video coming over Jamma is really dark. What have I done?

this will happen when your Monitor's vga cable is still hooked up to something. If that's the case, power off the cab, disconnect the vga, power on the cab. The vga "card" of your other system is acting as a load.

 

[kuze]

Any tricks on removing a stuck ball top from a stock Blast City arcade stick? I was able to swap out the player 2 balltop without any issues at all, but the player 1 one is seriously stuck. It almost seems like it may have been glued in place. I'd rather not replace the whole stick simply to change the balltop color so it matches with my new buttons.

Already tried getting some WD40 up in the area under the balltop where it threads to the shaft. Tried using vice grips on the shaft to hold it in place....nothing. Also tried using a bit of sponge between the screw and my screwdriver on the bottom of the stick, to try and leverage some extra friction. Not really sure what else to try at this point, it's super frustrating after one was so easy to change out.

 

[Jassin000]

Any tricks on removing a stuck ball top from a stock Blast City arcade stick? I was able to swap out the player 2 balltop without any issues at all, but the player 1 one is seriously stuck. It almost seems like it may have been glued in place. I'd rather not replace the whole stick simply to change the balltop color so it matches with my new buttons.

Already tried getting some WD40 up in the area under the balltop where it threads to the shaft. Tried using vice grips on the shaft to hold it in place....nothing. Also tried using a bit of sponge between the screw and my screwdriver on the bottom of the stick, to try and leverage some extra friction. Not really sure what else to try at this point, it's super frustrating after one was so easy to change out.

Pull the "C" shaft pin on the bottom of the stick, remove the actuator and spring, then pull the whole shaft out. I would just fully replace the shaft, but you could try to bench vice it, then vice grip the ball for a POWER twist.

 

[codecrank]

Pull the "C" shaft pin on the bottom of the stick, remove the actuator and spring, then pull the whole shaft out.

then just give to Chem, he'll suck that ball right off in no time.

 

[Lemony Vengeance]

then just give to Chem, he'll suck that ball right off in no time.

 

[Chempop]

 

[codecrank]

 

[Kid Panda]

 

[kuze]

Pull the "C" shaft pin on the bottom of the stick, remove the actuator and spring, then pull the whole shaft out. I would just fully replace the shaft, but you could try to bench vice it, then vice grip the ball for a POWER twist.

Thanks man. I removed the stick entirely and I'm just going to replace the shaft. Now that I can look at it easier, I can see there's rust/corrosion up in the threading of the shaft and apparently some type of adhesive.

 

[skate323k137]

I never keep the sticks that come on a used cab, I always replace them. It's cheap peace of mind.

 

[grendelrt]

Question on the coin chute. I know it worked before being sent to me, but I can't get it recognized by my 2 slot mvs. I checked bios dip 2 which doesn't even show on my hard dip screen like I have seen in other pics. When I hit the test button in the cp it adds credits. The jamma adapter I am using looks like it is wired the same as mvs for credits. Any advice of what else to check?

 

[Broker Of Evil]

this will happen when your Monitor's vga cable is still hooked up to something. If that's the case, power off the cab, disconnect the vga, power on the cab. The vga "card" of your other system is acting as a load.

Thanks bro. Worked like a charm.

VGA is .7vpp where as JAMMA video is much stronger than that. For a monitor to accept both VGA and JAMMA video levels it would either have to amp the VGA signal or attenuate the JAMMA signal.

Yeah, I had it where dip 1 was down, dip 2 was up, and dip 3 was down, thinking the VGA dip would do the trick, but once I unplugged it, and plugged it back in, worked like a charm. So relieved to see I hadn't broke anything, that I played all the way through Double Dragon. Again, thank you for the knowledge.

Now, where do I need to put my MM to test the voltage? I have seen a bunch of different answers.
Essentially the metal CP around the test, demag, service, and monitor dips is shocking me slightly whenever I touch the metal edge. All of the grounds looked in place, two on the CP, and one in the bottom of the cab. Kinda trying to both find out if I need to adjust the PSU, or if there's something else going on.

 

[skate323k137]

For testing the voltage of the 5v? I check at the jamma edge and set it to about 5.1 to account for a little voltage lost on the way to the chips. The best way is to check 5v on an actual IC or ROM that's on the board and get it to 5.00, but setting it to 5.1 (but no higher) at the JAMMA edge has always served me well.

Regarding the shocks, set your volt/ohm meter to OHMs (basically to check for continuity). Check the continuity between the ground pin of your AC cord you're using to one of the ground points in the CP for example. Basically, make sure the ground wires are actually all continuous and making it to the plug that you're plugging into your wall socket / stepdown. You should get a reading very close to 0 ohms when you check.

 

[codecrank]

Essentially the metal CP around the test, demag, service, and monitor dips is shocking me slightly whenever I touch the metal edge. All of the grounds looked in place, two on the CP, and one in the bottom of the cab. Kinda trying to both find out if I need to adjust the PSU, or if there's something else going on.

I'm guessing that
1) your cab in not using a 3 prong power cord OR/AND your house is old and doesn't has 2 conductor wiring in the walls.
2) your cab is sitting on concrete and you're not wearing shoes with rubber soles when you get shocked

with the cab powered on, take your MM, set it to AC , hold one probe with your fingers and put the other probe on the metal under the control panel ( or any other ground ), this is show you how much juice flows through you when you get zapped

 

[Stellarola]

Anyone interested in a Blast City in Kentucky? PM me.

 

[Broker Of Evil]

For testing the voltage of the 5v? I check at the jamma edge and set it to about 5.1 to account for a little voltage lost on the way to the chips. The best way is to check 5v on an actual IC or ROM that's on the board and get it to 5.00, but setting it to 5.1 (but no higher) at the JAMMA edge has always served me well.

Regarding the shocks, set your volt/ohm meter to OHMs (basically to check for continuity). Check the continuity between the ground pin of your AC cord you're using to one of the ground points in the CP for example. Basically, make sure the ground wires are actually all continuous and making it to the plug that you're plugging into your wall socket / stepdown. You should get a reading very close to 0 ohms when you check.

Removed my MVS, propped the loom connector up on some plastic, powered on the blast, put the ground on pin 1, and touched the positive to both pin 3 and 4, I got 5.14 on both, steady. The 12v read 11.9. Here's my PSU:

I'm guessing that
1) your cab in not using a 3 prong power cord OR/AND your house is old and doesn't has 2 conductor wiring in the walls.
2) your cab is sitting on concrete and you're not wearing shoes with rubber soles when you get shocked

with the cab powered on, take your MM, set it to AC , hold one probe with your fingers and put the other probe on the metal under the control panel ( or any other ground ), this is show you how much juice flows through you when you get zapped

GET OUT OF MY HEAD, CHARLES. New house, but we have ground issues in the garage. The cab is indeed on a concrete floor, and I always play without shoes. What kind of weirdo plays Breaker's Revenge with footwear on?

 

[Jassin000]

What kind of weirdo plays Breaker's Revenge?

Fixed that for you.

 

[codecrank]

Fixed that for you.

thought the same

 

[Broker Of Evil]

thought the same

Fixed that for you.

Clearly two guys who don't know the difference in barefoot gaming.