Star Tech Journal

Issue: 1983-July - Vol 5 Issue 5

3
STAR*TECH JOURNAL/JULY 1983
NEWS BITS/
DEPT. OF LABOR SERVICE INDUSTRY GROWTH REPORT
NEW TUBE FAMILY
Department of Labor reports growth In service Industry
The Technical Monthly
for the Amusements Industry
P.O. Box 1065
Merchantville, NJ 08109
609/662-3432
JULY 1983
VOLUME 5, NO. 5
Publisher/Editor
James Galore
Administrative Assistant
LT. DiRenzo
Art/Advertising Coordinator
Paul Ehlinger
Circulation Promotion
Linda Geseking
The following statistics are from the U.S. Department of Labor, as cited in the May
17 issue of U.S. News & World Report.
In 1980, there were approximately 83,000 individuals engaged in the occupation
of"TV, radio repairer". Over the decade from 1980 to 1990, this group is expected
to grow by 28% or more.
If we adopt a conservative figure of 28%, this figures out as 23,240 new jobs. If
the population of the United States is assumed to be (roughly) 300 million people by
the year 1990, then this represents 77 new jobs per million Americans.
What th,ese statistics do not say is that the narrow role of"TV, radio repairer''
cannot meet their range of consumer electronics servicing demands that are
emerging throughout the 1980s - especially videotape recorders, home computers,
video games and the like. Clearly, the 77 new jobs per million Americans figure is
too low.
Additionally, the "repairer'' is finding himself less and less able to cope with the
increasing complexity and diversity of consumer electronics products. A large
fraction of the new jobs are - and will be - for those who view themselves as
technicians, not repairers.
(Source: ES&1)
New tube family
Always on the lookout for features to make to~of-the-line sets more salable, TV set
makers have modernized a sure-fire old approach - a change in color picture-tube
size and shape. This year will see the introduction of the first members of a new
family of picture tubes. They'll have sharply squared comers and flatter faces,
presenting a pleasing aspect in a set Because the comers have been extended, the
new tubes will be designated 14, 20, and eventually 26 inches, replacing the former
13-, 19-, and 25-inch tubes. The first such tubes will come from Japan, to be
followed by American-made versions. The new size nomenclature runs head-on
into a long-held superstition of American TV set manufacturers that no even-
numbered tube size has ever succeeded.
Layout
Dale Meloni Graphics
Contributing
Technical Writers
Todd Erickson
Don Becker
Mark "Bear'' Attebery
Julius Robins Ill
Mario Hudson
STAR•TECH JOURNAL, July 1983.
Vol. 5, No. 5. Copyright 1983 by
Star•Tech Journal, Inc. All rights
reserved. Star•Tech Journal is
published monthly. Address inquiries
to: P.O. Box 1065, Merchantville,
NJ 08109. Phone: 609/662-3432.
Subscription rates: USA - $40.00.
Canada-$45.00. Othercountries-
$70.00. Please remit payment in
US funds. Advertising rates avail-
able upon request. All manuscripts
become property of Star•Tech
Journal. No partofthisJournal may
be reproduced without permission.
Contents of the articles herein are
verified as much as possible.
However, any reader using this in-
formation does so at his/her own
risk. Star•Tech Journal accepts no
responsibility for its advertisers'
activities.
ABWY
ELECTRIC SWITCHLOCKS GET UL LISTING
A new high security switchlock developed by
ABLOY Security Locks is now UL listed. The
UL listing is based upon a battery of tests
ranging from functional reliability to attempts at
picking and physical attacks. In another inde-
pendent laboratory test the lock has also resisted
all attempts to drill through the lock face with a
carbide tool. The lock is available in three
operating styles consisting of a single key pull,
double key pull and momentary contact
In this new lock design, the housing is made
of chrome-plated hardened steel along with a hardened steel front disc to resist
physical attack. It also makes use of a highly reliable subminiature basic switch by
Micro-Switch. The main functioning parts of the lock are 11 rotating detainer discs,
with patented pick-resistant features. The detainer discs work like tumblers on a safe
and are independent of springs which may wear out, rust, or freeze up.
The rotating detainer disc principle was originated by ABLOY almost 70 years
ago. This locking method provides over 360,000,000 different possible keying
combinations with extensive masterkeying arrangements for specific customer
needs. Keys can be keyed alike, keyed different, or masterkeyed.
Applications for the new ABLOY UL Switchlock include alarm systems,
computer terminals and access controls of all types - wherever there is a need to
protect against unauthorized access during or For complete information on the ABLOY UL Listed electric switchlocks,
contact Customer Service, ABLOY SECURITY LOCKS, 5603 W. Howard
Street, Niles, IL 60648. Telephone: (312) 647-9655. Telex: 283 495.
4
STAR*TECH JOURNAL/JULY 1983
NEW-JONE ELECTRONICS, INC.
QUALITY REPLACEMENT
SEMICONDUCTORS
AVAILABLE FOR THE
ELECTRONIC GAMES
INDUSTRY,
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING
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• ATARI
• SEGA/
• BALLY
GREMLIN
• CINEMATRONICS • MIDWAY
• EXIDY
• STERN
• GOTTLIEB
• WILLIAMS
AVAILABLE FROM YOUR LOCAL
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cross reference Gulde #CR10
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TITLE
ADDRESS
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STATE
ZIP CODE
PHONE NO.
CLIP AND MAIL TODAY TO:
NEW-TONE ELECTRONICS, INC.
DEPT. G1/44 FARRAND STREET
BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY 07003
WE
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Board
Specialists
Video Games
Domestic & Foreign
Technicians
formerly with Bally
Send your
repair work to:
REPAIRS
UNLIMITED
119 Robin Road
Altamonte Springs, FL 32701
(305) 339-6601
ATARI POLE POSITION FRONT GLASS PANEL
* * * ATARI
DIG DUG AND XEVIOUS CONTACT POINTS
SEGA SIT DOWN STAR TREK START BUTTON
* MELTEC BOOM BALLS TROUBLE AREAS
By Todd Erickson, Summit Amusement, St. Paul, MN
Atari Pole Position Front Glass Panel
The sit down Pole Position has what I consider a very dangerous condition - the front panel
unscrews from the back of the game. If the panel is pushed from the back or falls open, the front
glass will fall out and break! This happened to one of my employees while servicing the game. If
you want to save the glass rather than purchase a new one, open the panel from the front. If
Atari had made a small groove in the side of the cabinet to support the glass, this would have
never happened.
Atari Dir, Dur, and Xevlous Contact Points
A few months ago I recommended replacing the contact points on these games with 45 degree
cross bars. This worked fine for awhile, then it was back to the same old intermittent problem
( only not as• consistent). My Dig Dug boards had been modified as Atari suggested with 1 k
resistors. My new Xevious started having the same intermittent contact problems.
Every operator knows how to install contact points on Atari games. Wrong! You have a
50% chance of installing them incorrectly . .. The problem is the slip-on connector and lug end
of the contact. The lug of the point has a dish shape. If the open end of the connector is slid into
the dish, the connector may be too loose. Reversing the connector will ensure a tight fit.
Installed improperly, they will never be tight. If eel these connectors are of poor quality and are
difficult to install.
Saga Sit Down Star Trek Start Button
Due to the fact that the background is dark and the start button is black, it is difficult to locate
the start button in a dimly-lit arcade. To cure this, I shorted out the switch. This way, the game
will start immediately as soon as the coins are deposited This will also decrease the amount of
time a player loiters before starting play.
Meltec Boom Balls Trouble Areas
"Everything is different except the fun" claims Meltec about their new Boom Balls. This unit
was first released in January of this year. The service is the same as the old production. I
received no parts breakdown for the game or any instructions on the ticket dispenser. After
operating the game for about 30 days, the top cannon fell off one of them. It had been attached
with three 8-32 screws. The holes were almost big enough for quarter-inch bolts. I replaced 8-
32 screws with quarter-inch by 20 bolts.
The coin mech assembly is an outdated design used many years ago. They're nothing but
trouble. It should be replaced with a double unit having lit buttons. The ticket bezel is not
labeled. Customers try to put money in that. The whole door the coin mechanism is mounted in
is removable, but this is also the service door. This door can be tipped upside down and all
money can be removed. There should be a service switch inside this area. With the amount of
trouble with the game, a service light would also be helpful. This ticket area is locked by itself.
The money and tickets should be locked up together away from the service area. This would
help prevent pilfering. The ticket dispenser has been a complete disaster. It is made by
Deltronic. There should be a button to make the ticket dispenser motor run. An LED should
signal a pulse from the circuit board. I was using rolls instead of boxes of tickets. Again, no
documentation from Meltec to tell me different.
There are no sides for the Boom Balls to prevent people from stealing the balls. Mel
McEwan, president of Meltec, told me that they should be supervised at all times so this
doesn't happen. I would like to see an arcade where you can pay someone to stand by the
games at all times, and still make money. Some kind of shield in front of the cannon would also
be helpful. After talking to a large operator, he told me he was looking for a net to put around
the game. The balls are expensive and only available from Meltec!
The air system is another problem. The air comes into the unit low. Mel says you should
have a refrigerated dryer on the unit. As of now, I don't feel it' s necessary. The cost is about
$500 and requires another $150 to run them for a year. The air goes directly to two small
valves as it enters the machine. The directions say you should assemble the unit using Teflon
tape and not pipe compound. Meltec uses pipe compound Any dirt going into the valve may
cause trouble. A filter should be installed immediately before the air enters the valve. The 4-
way valve is way too small and troublesome. Mel told me to have stock available on this valve
because they will fail. He was right! I have purchased regulator/filters and a new 4-way valve
assembly for the game. •
The new Boom Balls is basically a good unit that was never debugged All the things I have
mentioned can be corrected and made quite reliable. The electronics of the game have been no
problem at all. The earnings have been good With an expenditure of around $100 per game,
the game should work properly. Here's hoping the ticket dispenser will work properly with the
correct tickets. I will be following up these problems and updating you with solutions in
upcoming issues of the Journal.

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