Play Meter

TECHNICAL TOPICS by Randy Randy Fromm Fromm by doubt,measure measure between between the the ground ground doubt, pin on the wall socket and and aa cold cold on the wall socket pin water pipe, or some other knownknownother some or pipe, water [See Technical Technical to-be-good ground. ground. [See to-be-good Topics for December '76] Topics for December '76] Everything isis ready ready and and you're you 're all all Everything set for the big test. Plug it in, turn turn in, it Plug test. big the for set on the the switch switch and and... ...nothing nothing haphapon O.K. because because pens. The The socket's socket' s O.K. pens. yourdaughter's daughter'selectric electric curlers curlersworkworkyour ed on on itit this this morning. morning. Panic Panic sets sets in, in, ed "This thing doesn't work!" you "This thing doesn't work!" you scream . Then Then you you remember remember the the scream. interlock switch on the back door. door. back the on switch interlock You try try pushing pushing the the switch switchin in and and You the Steeplechase springs to life. the Steeplechase springs to life. But your your finger finger tires tires of of holding holding in in But the button. button. You You try try pulling pulling the the the button out out instead instead and and lo lo and and button behold, the button stays out and the behold, the button stays out and the game stays on . You've made your game stays on. You've made your about video video games! games! first discovery discovery about first The monitor has warmed up and and The monitor has warmed up now displays a handsome picture of now displays a handsome picture of the horses horses and and rides, rides, all all multi-colmulti-colthe ored and and in in neat neat rows rows across across the the ored screen. (Admit it. It was the screen. (Admit it. It was the colored screen that sold you, wasn't colored screen that sold you, wasn't it?) You Youinsert insert aa quarter quarter and and the the call call it?) to the the post post sounds. sounds. The start start to The buttonis is pressed pressed and and away away you you go. go. button few games are played and the A A few games are played and the game is ready to fulfill its intended game is ready to fulfill its intended purpose in in life. life . With With the the back back purpose re-affixed and the cash box locked re-affixed and the cash box locked tight, you're you 're ready ready for for the the coins coins to to tight, start to to flow flow into into your your new new addition addition start to the the family. family . to It is, of course, course, wise wise and and prudent prudent It is, of to read thoroughly the owners' and to read thoroughly the owners' and manual packed packed with with many many of of service manual service the games currently being distribthe games currently being distribmanuals now now uted. The best best manuals uted. The available are those published by available are those published by Inc. and and by by Kush Kush 'N' ' N' Stuff. Stuff. To To AtariInc. Atari date, highly highly informative informative and and educaeducadate, tional manuals are available for tional manuals are available for GT10, Crash'n' Crash'n' Score, Score, Tank, Tank, Wheels Wheels GT10, and Wheels Wheels Il, II, Steeplechase, Steeplechase, I I and Stunt Cycle and others. In fact, fact, all all Stunt Cycle and others. In the new Atari games should come the new Atari games should come with detailed detailed instruction instruction books. books. If If with you need a manual, ask your distribyou need a manual, ask your distrib- he doesn't doesn't have have it, it, he he utor. IfIf he utor. should be be able able to to order order itit for for you. you. should all the the inforinforThese books books contain contain all These mation about the adjustments and mation about the adjustments and options available with the game. options available with the game. Such things things as as playtime, playtime, volume, volume, Such per coin coin (or (or coins coins per per play!) play!) plays per plays and extended extended play play adjustments, adjustments, and all be suited to your your may (and must) may (and must) all be suited to own location location for for the the maximum maximum own income from from your your game. game. The The books books income also contain contain valuable valuable service service inforinforalso mation and design notes. mation and design notes. Do you you know know for forinstance instance that that the the Do Atari games, games, Gran Gran Trac Trac 10 10 and and 20, 20, Atari have two tracks? And that actually actually have two tracks? And that the second second track track isis pre-programmed pre-programmed the with the the first first and and can can be be called called up up with with aa player player actuated actuated switch? switch? It's It's with an extremely extremely easy easy thing thing to to add add to to an your game, and it has increased the your game, and it has increased the of the the game game 25 25per per cent cent when when it it take of take has been on site for a while with just has been on site for a while with just one track. track. This This isis just just one one of of the the one that you will not-so-secret secrets not-so-secret secrets that you will discover when when you you enter enter the the wonwondiscover derful world world of of video. video . derful Part |I of of aa two-part two-part series. series. Part Continued in next month's Update. Continued in next month's Update. Calendar Calend ar March 11-12 11-12 March Amusement Music Operators Amusement Music Operators Association, regional seminar. Association, regional seminar. Denver Airport Hilton, DenDenver Airport Hilton, Denver, Colo. ver, Colo. March 11-13 11-13 March Music Operators Operators of of Michigan, Michigan, Music annual convention. convention. Kalamazoo Kalamazoo annual Center, Kalamazoo, Mich. Center, Kalamazoo, Mich. March 18-20 18-20 March Wisconsin Music Merchants Wisconsin Music Merchants convenAssociation, spring Association, spring convention. Olympia Hotel and Spa, tion. Olympia Hotel and Spa, Oconamawoc, Wisc. Wisc. Oconamawoc, PLAY METER Congratulations! So So you've you've Congratulations! made the big move and bought your made the big move and bought your first video game! Which one is it? first video game! Which one is it? Wheels? Gran Gran Trak Trak 10 10 or or 20? 20? Tank? Tank? Wheels? Or maybe maybe you've you've played played itit all all the the Or way with a Gunfight or a Seawolf? way with a Gunfight or a Seawolf? Whateveryou've you've got, got,itit represents represents aa Whatever big investment investment and and you you are are no no big doubt a little concerned about what doubt a little concerned about what to do do with with itit ifif and and when when aa failure failure to occurs. occurs. Don't worry! worry! You You don't don't have have to to Don't arm yourself with all kinds of sophisarm yourself with all kinds of sophislike oscilloscopes oscilloscopes ticated equipment equipmentlike ticated and frequency meters. These all all These meters. frequency and very impressive when your look look very impressive when your mother visits visits you you at at work, work, but but mother they're not really necessary for 90 90 for necessary really not they're per cent cent of of the the things things that that fail fail in in a a per you must must arm arm yourself yourself game. What you game. What with is some knowledge and and aa lot lot of of is some knowledge with common sense. Logic is logical! logical! is Logic sense. common It's easy easy to to work work with with and and can can do do It's amazing things for you if you make amazing things for you if you make effort to to understand understand aa little little bit bit an effort an about what what makes makes itit tick. tick. about Anyway, Dick Dick has has just just dropped dropped Anyway, off your game and you're really off your game and you're really anxious to set it up and try it out, so anxious to set it up and try it out, so let' s get get to to it! it! Well, Well, II see see that that it's it's let's from Atari Atari so solet's let's open open the the box box and and from see what's inside. Ahhh! OOOhhh! see what's inside. Ahhh! 000hhh! It's aa Steeplechase! Steeplechase! Since Since your your It's arcadeisisnext nextto racetrack, track,itit should should to aarace arcade takein in some some good good money; money; and and reallytake really since we don't want to miss a day of since we don't want to miss a day of income from from the the machine, machine, let's let's be be income careful about about setting setting itit up. up . careful we do anything else, let's let's Before Before we do anything else, make sure we have an adequate make sure we have an adequate source of of power powerfor forthe the game. game. In In all all source cases, American games are set up for cases, American games are set up for 117volts volts A.C. A.C. It's It's extremely extremelyimporimpor117 tant that the A.C. power to the game tant that the A. C. power to the game be adequately adequately grounded: grounded: the the entire entire be computer board board and and the the television television computer to the ground wire on on chassis are tied chassis are tied to the ground wire If your ground is floating the game. the game. If your ground is floating (and I've I've measured measured floating floating grounds grounds (and as high as 100 volts!), you can cause as high as 100 volts!), you can cause to the computer extreme damage extreme damage to the computer board, not not to to mention mention the the shock shock board, to the player. If you are in hazard hazard to the player. If you are in