Star Tech Journal

Issue: 1983-December - Vol 5 Issue 10

5
STAR*TECH JOURNAL/DECEMBER 1983
AMOA '83 continued from page 4.
Action, a color raster game available as a
dedicated game, retrofit kit for T aito games or
as "The Deluxe Kit" to convert any color
raster game. Laser Grand Prix is a "Pole
Position" type game (Fuji Speedway) done
with laserdisc (Pioneer 8210) and computer
generated graphics. (Taito reps said plans
called for further testing and at this time they
were uncertain whether they would manufac-
ture this driving game.) The company also
showed Big Spiker a volleyball video (color/
raster) and Exerlon ( color/ raster), both from
Japan.
DIGITALCONTROLS/Countercade. (Cowboy
Casino, Fax, Pro Sports). Countercade is a
state-of-the-art countertop cabinet that accepts
interchangeable software. New games, called
Game Brains, fit into the Countercade body
as modular, plug-in components. It also has the
built-in capacity to use a laserdisc game system
and a voice feature. Countercade has a 360
degree swivel base, a 13-inch full color monitor
and a high-impact, waterproof plastic cabinet.
UNIVERSAL/Mr. Dot's Castle. This company
introduced the sequel to their best-selling
conversion kit of this past year.
FUNAI ESP/Inter Stellar. A laserdisc (Pioneer
8210) space shoot-em-up game with excellent
graphics but questionable game play was a
creditable entry from this Japanese company.
STATUS/Laser Shujjle. They're everywhere!
A laserdisc (Pioneer 8210) video draw poker
game. Different characters take turns taunting,
teasing, urging, etc., as you play. Good actors
in the film and a definite attention-getter.
ROWE/Video Music Entertainment Center,
OBA 1/5 Acceptor. Rowe showed their version
of a video/music center - this one uses
videotape. The company also demonstrated
their OBA 1 /5 BIil Acceptor, a recently
released mini bill acceptor which fits nicely
into any video game. This acceptor will be
available shortly on most games.
NAMCO!Shootaway, Cosmo Swat. Getting
a lot of play at the show was Shootaway-the
large arcade projection target game that has
been in production for at least 5 years.
Accompanying this piece was its sister model,
Cosm le Swat - same basic game, but now the
player shoots down aliens with a cosmic ray
gun.
CINEMATRONICS/Drogon'sLair, SpaceAce
From the company that brought the world the
first successful laser game came more of the
same. The only game at Cinematronics' booth
was Dragon's Lair. The big story, however,
was behind the scenes as distributors had a
chance to see the first conversion, Space Ace,
in a private showing. Almost every distributor
was impressed and a few remarked" best game
of the entire show!" The game will be available
January '84 with the release of the conversion
kits set for April/May '84. The kit will include
a new laserdisc, program EPROMs and artwork.
BALLY MIDWAY
SERVICE BULLETINS:
* DISCS OF TRON: UPRIGHT/ENVIRONMENTAL DIFFERENCES* GRANNY AND THE GATORS: DIODE CHANGES
* BALLY PINBALL TEST FIXTURE UPDATES
DISCS OF TRON: UPRIGHT/ENVIRON·
MENTAL DIFFERENCES
Game: Discs of Tron
Subject: Talking Sound (Voices)
The talking sounds are only in the environ-
mental games.
The upright model shows a test for talking
sounds but has been eliminated in game play.
The logic boards are interchangeable
between environmental and upright games.
GRANNY AND
CHANGE
THE GATORS:
DIODE
Game: Granny and the Gators
Subject: Diode Change
An IN4148 diode was inadvertently installed
in series with the power paddle lamp on the
control panel assembly in the Granny and the
Gators games with serial numbers l 00 to 466 .
This diode has insufficient current capabilities
for this application. To prevent damage to the
lamp driver SCR, Q20, an IN4004 diode,
should be installed in series with the power
paddle lamp on the control panel assembly.
If you have any questions regarding this
diode change, please contact the pinball service
department at 800/323-3555.
BALLYPINBALL TESTFIXTUREUPDATES
Game: Pinball and Video/Pinball Circuit
Boards
Subject: Test Equipment Requirements
The following information should resolve any
test equipment requirements for recent Bally/
Midway pinball or video/pin circuit boards.
Owners of the original Bally test equipment
(Brown Foxes) can modify their testers with
the following:
l. To update your MPU board tester for Baby
Pac-Man, Grand Slam, Goldball, etc.,
order procedure number F0-900-31.
2. To test the combo board (used in vid/pins)
on the solenoid driver and lamp driver
testers, you should order procedure
F0-900-26 with cables A9 I 7-00038-0003
(lamp section) and A917-0038-0004
( solenoid section).
3. To test the High Voltage combo board ( used
in economy pins) on the solenoid driver and
lamp driver testers, you will require proce-
dure F0-900-35 with cables A917-00038-
003 I (solenoid section) and A917-00038-
0032 (lamp section).
The Squawk & Talk tester can be modified for
testing the Vidiot and Vidiot Deluxe with
Cheap Squeak boards by ordering:
l. Procedure F0-900-3, F0-900-28, F0-900-14
2. Cables A917-00038-001 l, A917-00038-001 l
3. EPROMs E-801-16, E-801-14, E-801-15
Once this modification has been made, the
Vidiot board can be tested with procedure F0-
900-27 and F0-900-32 with cables: A917-
00038-0008, A917-00038-0005, A917-00038-
0007.
The Vidiot Deluxe/Cheap Squeak com-
bined test can be performed with cable
A917-00038-0008 listed above and kitA917-
00040-0000.
When using the new TE-790 Multiboard
tester:
l. The combo board can be tested with proce-
dure F0-900-30 and cable A917-00038-
0002.
2. The High Voltage combo board should be
checked with procedure F0-900-34 and
cable A917-00038-0027.
Should you require any further information on
test set capability, please contact Bally on their
toll-free number, 800/323-3555.
MOVING? QUESTIONS?
JNTERESIBD
Your address label contains your subscriber account number in the top right.
We can more readily change your address or answer your questions if we
know this number. If you are moving and don't have your label, just fill out the
information below and we'll update your account.
IN
OLD ADDRESS
NEW ADDRESS
Your name _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Your name _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Company _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Company _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Address, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Address, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
City/State/Zip, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
City/State/Zip, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Account# (if known) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
ADVERTISING?
S*T J reaches over 4,000
service shops with a readership
of over 12,000 operators,
distributors, technicians and
manufacturer suppliers. Your
message gets read more than
once ... again and again. For
more information call Paul at
609/662-3432.
6
STAR*TECH JOURNAL/DECEMBER 1983
NEWS BITS
NEW-TONE ELECTRONICS , INC.
QUALITY REPLACEMENT
SEMICONDUCTORS
AVAILABLE FOR THE
ELECTRONIC GAMES
INDUSTRY,
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING
MANUFACTURERS:
• ATARI
• BALLY
• CINEMATR0NICS
• EXIDY
• GOTTLIEB
• SEGA/
GREMLIN
• MIDWAY
• STERN
• WILLIAMS
AVAILABLE FROM YOUR LOCAL
NTE DISTRIBUTOR
Rush me a FREE Electronic Games
cross reference Guide #CR10
COMPANY NAME
YOUR NAME
TITLE
ADDRESS
CITY
STATE
ZIP CODE
PHONE NO .
CLIP AND MAIL TODAY TO :
NEW-TONE ELECTRONICS, INC.
DEPT G1 / 44 FARRAND STREET
BLOOMFIELD , NEW JERSEY 07003
WE
REPAIR
EVERYTHING
FAST!
Board
Specialists
Video Games
Domestic & Foreign
Technicians
formerly with Bally
Send your
repair work to:
REPAIRS
UNLIMITED
3479 Parkway Center Court
Orlando, FL 32804
305/295-8827
NEW GAME CARTRIDGES ARE REPROGRAMMABLE
* * * SUPERLAmCES
BOOST SEMICONDUCTOR CAPABILITY
LIGHTWEIGHT PIEZO FILM CHALLENGES CERAMICS
NEW GAME CARTRIDGES ARE REPROGRAMMABLE
Video game cartridges that use electrically programmable read-only memory (EPROM)
can be reprogrammed for new games. In the past, cartridges have been distributed in fixed
read-only memory chips. Because most games are popular for only a few weeks,
manufacturers have faced major problems of inventory planning and control; they must
make enough cartridges if a game is hot, but must not overproduce flops. PC Telemart
(Fairfax, VA) will use EPROM; a $20 cartridge can be reprogrammed for a new game at
roughly a $10 charge. The programming service will be available only through dealers,
who will obtain the programs through a telephone link to the company's central database.
PC Telemart plans to sign up chain stores as dealers and will seek contracts for game
distribution with computer companies.
SUPERLATTICES BOOST SEMICONDUCTOR CAPABILITY
A new class of semiconductors, exhibiting better electrical and light-producing properties
than conventional materials, is under development at Sandia National Laboratory in
Albuquerque. The new devices are grown in many extremely thin alternating layers of
crystal to produce a "strained-layer superlattice" (SLS). Fine layering (less than 300
angstroms) allows close pairing of physically unmatched crystals, as the atoms of each
succeeding layer align by elastic strain with those of the layer below; having to match the
atomic spacing of paired materials currently limits the variety of semiconductors
produced. Thin layers also help cut losses that occur in bulk crystal devices. Because the
distances between layers are shorter than the electron mean free path, the electrons
generate photons without giving up energy to the crystal lattice as vibrations (phonons).
SLS semiconductors act as direct photon emitters, even though made of indirect
materials; they are brighter, more efficient light producers that hold promise of being
tailored to their intended use by varying layer material or size.
The Sandia team grows SLS crystals by using molecular beam epitaxy and metal
organic chemical vapor deposition, neither yet a mass production process. Commerical
devices are at least five years away, predicts Roger Chaffin, manager of Sandia's Device
Research Department However, simple diodes have been made, and efficient light
emission has been measured New devices are likely to evolve along lines not served by
conventional materials such as silicon. There will be more emphasis on optoelectronics,
where brighter light-emitting diodes in a variety of colors are hoped for. There is even talk
of a laser diode that would emit green light, a wavelength much shorter than is now
attainable.
LIGHTWEIGHT PIEZO FILM CHALLENGES CERAMICS
A flexible, lightweight piezoelectric polymer that converts mechanical force to electric
signals and vice versa is at the heart of several new devices in communications, sound
transmission, and health care. The polyvinylidene film ( called Kynar by producer
Pennwalt Corp., King of Prussia, PA) develops ten times more voltage output for a given
force than heavy, brittle piezo ceramics of the same thickness.
The Navy is studying the film for use in new hydrophones and as a passive sonar
system. AT&T has also tested the polymer for use in a new touchtone telephone
keyboard. Other promising applications under study include microphones, impact printer
monitors, tone generators, speakers, robotic tactile sensors, respiration monitors, and
"crib death" alarm systems.
The film is made in thicknesses of6-750 microns. For a single 9-micron sheet, a IO-
volt input produces a 0. 3 micron expansion or contraction per centimeter of film length.
Much larger deflections are obtained with two-layer (bi-morph) construction.
CINEMATRONICS'
DRAGON'S LAIR INTERMITTENT JOYSTICK
By Rod Towns, 7-Eleven Food Stores, Hendersonville, TN
SYMPTOMS: Players complain that they make the correct move but Dirk dies.
Most common complaint is that he would not move left.
THE TEST: Using an ohmmeter, place one lead on the grounding tab of the player
panel. With the other lead, probe the grounding wire starting at the player #1 or #2
switch and follow the wire around the panel to the left move switch, testing as you
go. A rising resistance indicates the cause of the problem. Note that the switch for a
left move is the last in the circuit and shows the most resistance to ground.
If the resistance does not rise, leave one lead on the grounding tab and place the
other on the left move switch. Jiggle the player panel and observe the meter for
intermittent continuity.
THE FIX: Trash the terminals and solder the ground wire directly to the tabs.

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