Leaderboard

Some pictures of the machine completed

Hi all, I think I mentioned these devices a few weeks back so I thought I'd purchase a few and have a play. If you're not aware these devices can emulate ROMs and come in all the sizes and will do masked ROMs too although I haven't got there yet. Amazing so far and so many things I haven't tried yet. They are about a tenner each but the time and effort they save it's a no brainer. The devices can be flash programmed in seconds so no waiting 20-30 mins to erase ROMs and re-burning when you're testing patches to code. Then plugging them in to test and finding they don't work! (yep we've all been there) Once installed in the ROM socket they can be re-programmed in situ via USB. Here's a pic using an MPU3 card... Also big and smaller brothers. They do devices for larger chips but I don't need them as yet. Another advantage of these is you can save multiple images which can be selected by the jumpers so changing code can be done in seconds. Of course in the case of MPU3 & 4 you can't put them in the case as it's not deep enough but that's fine just for testing purposes. Another advantage is you can put the whole image on one device and patch the CS lines to the empty sockets (not tried this as yet) but it's all explained in the blurb. I needed to use these due to trying to defeat the CHR and CRC check as burning traditional ROMs was taking all day. It can now be done in seconds. I'd like to thank John Parker for his assistance with this and taking the time to explain it. Cheers John you are a squire and a gentleman sir. For the guys out there that like hacking ROMs for changing the gameplay, I think these devices will be a godsend. It does also mention in the blurb you can change bytes on a running system, not tried that either but it's all terrific stuff.

I remember 18 months ago when i bagged a Winsprint for £50(buy it now). It was a Sunday evening and i had arranged to pick it up on the Monday evening. That was one nervous 24 hours. There is nothing like that feeling when you have loaded it in the van and are just driving away.

So the real VFD came in to the workshop as dead, and it was. These devices are quite pricey and I did warn the owner it might not be repairable. However trusty soldering iron in one hand and meter in the other I dived in casting caution to the wind. It has 3 electrolytic caps, 2 x SMD and one through hole. Both SMD caps were effectively open circuit but all three were changed to 105° types. Once these were done and the device powered up the screen was still blank so I needed to drive it with something. Looking up the spec sheet it showed that the SIN/TO pin, if grounded, would switch to test mode and by jove it did, displaying the whole character set. Sending it back for testing expecting a glowing report proved a bit premature. The device was still dead and the machine would only boot up without the VFD connected?? When it arrived again at the workshop I swear it was poking it's tongue out at me. Anyway not to be outdone it was time for a bit more researching. Next to no info on the web, no diagrams or fault repairs on Youtube. So first step was to find out why it was stopping the board from booting. This VFD connects to the 14 way DIL connector via the little PSU board. The only wire which goes directly from the VFD to the board is the BUSY link. I assume this is used to slow the main board logic when it needs to print lots of text to the screen. When this connection was removed everything burst into life! Checking with a meter showed it to be permanently HIGH. Here's a pic of the board so you can see what I was dealing with... Did the BUSY line go direct to one of the LSI chips because if it did that was goodnight Vienna! Trying to trace tracks on this was no easy task either but the BUSY line did appear on the O/P of IC2. This was a single OR gate and the output was stuck high. Checking the I/P showed a nice waveform but nothing on the O/P. I managed to find some replacements on Ebay at a reasonable price and slipped in a new one and bingo, nice waveform on the O/P and with the BUSY link re-connected everything burst into life. You have to take precautions when reworking these boards due to the proximity of other components and plastic parts. Best thing for this is Kapton tape to shield the bits you don't want melted.

Finally got this done! Had a fair bit to do and it took a while to get the small glass that smashed re made as well as the missing button decals, it’s came out really well, I will tell the story with pictures first job the base and structure of the cab

Then the frames were painted in a matched ral colour

Chips and dings to the wood grain cabinet were filled and painted to Match as best I could get

Some fucking scummy dealer. It will all come out in the wash, will be up for sale for £££££ soon once they've paid someone a fortune to fix it for them! 🤣

Let's hope they haven't gone to the bakery

Well this is another one I picked up yesterday, conversation from exchanges unlimited i believe,, had a count up on the rear lamp mask some bulbs holders are not used but it seems to add up the to the exchanges unlimited,, ?? Does anyone remember this machine ?

if like me you have a 4 pound HIT THE TOP MPU4 machine but it has the capped 4 POUND nudge roms (version 2.0) i have taken the 3 pound version 1 where the game is a million times better and changed the jackpot (proparly) to 4 pounds so you can play the better game inside the 4 pound display glass. HIT OR MISS is offered everygame and not capped to being occasional. and all nudges come out if you win the HIT and not just the amount needed for the win and you can save them back in again. Fantastic version of it and it still meets percentage. This is a 256k one file i use for one ROM but you can split it. if you cant then message me and i will do it JAMES 8 - - HIT THE TOP - v1 -ALL CASH - 4 POUND JACKPOT - beta 1

I think at this stage i would looking to try and get both mpu`s on a test jig to confirm or not wether they are working on all inputs and outputs, as Bob said there is no documention for these add ons and unless you trace every wire out manually you are shooting in the dark somewhat. You could have a faulty mpu that will work in one machine and not in another. Dont give up on it, i know how frustrating it can get.🙂

I love it Ron, what a fantastic job you have done 👏 I need to give mine a bit of love as well, when I get the time! fancy doing another one 😅

The newly made small glass was fitted along with the missing button decals

As sort of expected, they’ve been stood in damp. luckily, super 7’s is the best of the 3 and after a couple of new platforms and castors it’s solid and in need of a huge clean. the clubber, was only ever bought for its Sru parts inside… and to be scrapped. the big banker, well… the cab is very bad and very wobbly… yeah, it can be saved - weighing up weather it’s worth the effort and parts for its value after all time sorting base… These are the issues people never see…. Everybody sees the £156, nobody sees the £200 to get them to me, the work the parts bla bla bla and most importantly the time. 3 members on here have enquired about buying already, and a previous buyer has too… worth it? Probably not… but that’s the gamble A nest in the bottom, and a base that caved in when machine weight was on it.. screws will be countersunk and wood painted… castors washers etc etc. trial fit always first.

Cheers pics to come in the plenty

That makes sense now, I also never noticed the quantity of 3. Fair play mark I wanted to buy them and had a good 10 mins to ponder I hope they are saved and put back out there. i have had a few lucky buys over the years the latest being razzle dazzle for 50 quid! And £120 to get it here. its great there is still stuff out there to be saved

The reason the seller has cancelled the sale is because it's you! The reason he's cancelled people you know is because they are trying to get stuff for you. I have done the same, as don't want anything I'm selling to go to you. It must happen to you a lot 🤣

Ah glad you got sorted

Sorry Phil, only got a green start collect button

No other mpu4 machines Nick! I will try another hopper disc, I'm guessing I should see 24v at the hopper permanently and it's switched on via the relay? If so will check on that too. Thanks Ronnie

Hi Ron, so the way you describe the fault as a pound jammed in the opto would also be a faulty hopper opto. It could be registering the Jam as is its simply never seeing the infra red LED. When the £1 passes it breaks the infra Red LED 'beam'. If the LED is never there its always stuck like a Jam. As I say if any of the plugs ever go on wrong in the hopper the opto LED will frazzle.

Ronnie if you have any other mpu4 machines you can try your mod4 s in those perhaps ?

This is something I come across all the time ie lack of documentation on how later additions to a tech are not available. The only way to get to the bottom of these things is to trace out all the associated wiring and document it, at least then others can cast an eye over it and perhaps make more informed suggestions. I do find this fascinating as I've never worked with hoppers (all too new ). I'm sure you'll crack it Ronnie. Bonne chance as they say in France.

https://ebay.us/m/NvtCkI too far from me

I do get that outlook, but without parts - all I’m doing is offering an empty fucked shell which I now need to keep dry, and be around for it to be collected. With all the dreamers and timewasters out there, it’s dead time and effort. I’m very very busy most days, out and about; not just machines 24/7. Last thing I want is to be restricted (likely in middle of day) to give something for free, with a strong possibility of a no show. However, I do always notice a weird trend…. Here’s an example. A FREE EMPTY CAB - people act like flies round shit. A complete cab, with £300 of parts inside - listed for £300, ….. much harder. Find the logic 🙈 I have given away empty cabinets before, but when they’re this rotten, and so little desirable it’s a different story.

Ah ok missed that in the details that’s the right colour then

Cheers ronnie . Its says on the details that it s ral 7001

For the black I used dulux exterior masonry black only because I had a big tin from a diy job lol

The whole cab was cleaned inside and out and any bits not right replaced such as tube level sensor rubber bands etc

1984

[I have the datapak ticked in my layout and they work ok. but here's a few more roms to try... rhrt14 additional roms.zip

These seem to run OK in MFME. Hope they help RHRT14.zip

I remembered an old thread about this, found it was 2019! Might be of some help: https://www.fruitemu.co.uk/ib/topic/21442-bfm-cops-n-robbers/#comment-328340

Here... this plug isn't polarised. I seem to remember if its ever been on backwards the opto is going to be not opting any more... Have you tried another hopper? Sometimes they are full of fluff and old grease seizes them up. Can you manually rotate it? The errors could be legit

You loved that little paragraph in that manual didn’t you …🍋

It's to do with the rise of "unscrupulous individuals" at the time! 😉

I’ve been noticing this a lot lately you have machines from 1984 with mechs from the late 90s on them,I have a cash zone which should have the original ms115 fitted from 1990 that has an me126dfx fitted….ms115 seems virtually extinct..

Fair enough I stand corrected..

Pin 5 (IC23) is at ground anyway. Pin 4 comes off of IC24 pin 6. The diagram is wrong here as it shows pin 3. So being as it's used as a timer it should change state after a few seconds, I think low?

Below is the function chart for the 138 which might give you more of a clue as to what the inputs / outputs are doing and their function. Below is some information on the hopper, something i would try if i had the machine in front of me (probably out of desperation is disconnect the supply to the hopper (pin 1 only 24v) and see if it trys to boot any further. It may or may not but worth a try for how long it takes. I have just done a board here with very mild battery damage, just a clean up. Put it back in the machine and all ok apart from the seven segs were all missing one segment and the last three were not working at all. Back out removed and tested associated ics (all ok ). Put it back in to probe it and bugger me worked and has continued to do so. Thats what i hate. Still seems like it is some contamination and or leaky component causing it.

Sorry to hear this,, the sys80 looked a rare one,, I have all the parts and could of helped you along the way ,

That’s shit! I have been there too with a silly price lineup. Someone must have offered him a grand or something

very familiar! I made one up for someone to help them that had one missing, it was temporary to prove the machine worked, it did and nothing more was ever heard about it! this was my veroboard version lol April 2013, temporary was permeant lol (another thing i never got any money for doing)

I won them and now I’m getting all the bollocks that there now not available somebody else won them and not me!! After getting the collection address everything….what a fucking carry on..