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STAR*TECH JOURNAL/SEPTEMBER 1983
BALLY SOUTHWEST'S TECH SHOP
tit]
TECH
SHOP
PROFILE
Left to right: RUSS FERGUSON, Service Manager. JOHN NEWMAN:
(PC boards, music amps, home units) Four years electronic technician
U.S.N. F'our years tiench tech, Analog Seismograph Computer. Ten
years field engineer, Analog and Digital Seismograph Equipment.
Eleven years bench tech, video, juke box and pinball boards. CLARENCE
JAMES: (Jukeboxes) Thirteen years experience with jukebox and
pinball machines. MARCELOAILLON: (Video Tech) Graduate of Devry
Institute of Technology in Chicago, IL. Two years PCB experience with
Rock-Ola Mfg. Corp. in Chicago before coming to Houston. JACK
KIRK: {Vending) J"wenty-five years full line vending mechanic. MIKE
ROMERO: (PCB Video Tech) Ten years in electromechanical games,
and electronic vipeo, pinball and jukeboxes. STEVE CRAFT: (Video
Tech) Nine years1n electronics. Began with Naval electronics schooling
and continued with learning in Video Studio Component repair (VTRs,
cameras, etc.). Entered video game industry with Premier Distributing
in Houston.
ST J: Russ, what is your technical background and experience?
RF: I've had two years as an aircraft electrical specialist, two years as a
and periodic maintenance by operators will cut failures and downtime.
Prepare a maintenance schedule and stick to it
computer programmer in the Air Force, nine years experience as a field
and bench technician on video,jukebox, pinball and arcade games. I was
also a carnival technician for a year.
ST J: How can the manufacturers improve their products?
RF: Consider the repair problem. Make components accessible for
ST J: What types of repairs and services does your shop perform?
RF: We perform repairs on all/ega/ videos, whether or not the customer
purchased the equipment from us. We service all-make pins. We
specialize in Rock-Ola and AMI Jukes, but not exclusively. We have
done most of the legal video conversions, including total cabinet
refinishing, and offer total PCB repair. Our full line of vending repair
includes cigarette machines, bill and coin changers, coffee brewers, and
refrigerated units. This rounds out our repair line and allows us to offer
total repair capabilities to our customers.
testing and easy removal. Atari's Amplifone Monitor is a good example.
Each board is positioned for easy testing and can be removed without
pulling the tube.
ST J: Do you have any suggestions for the operators?
RF: When calling for repair assistance, be prepared with as much
technical information as possible and have schematics handy if possible.
Be ready to write down the information given.
ST J: Do you have any specific parts problems?
RF: Poor quality in rebuilt CRTs ( arcing, bum spots, etc.). Perhaps this
ST J: Besides in-house servicing, do you offer street service?
RF: Only if it's practical (distance, time, etc.) and only on new game
is a local problem as we have not been satisfied with the quality of.
various tube rebuilders.
warranty. Generally, I keep a number of reliable, independent service
companies' phone numbers handy for those, who by necessity, require a
service call.
ST J: What improvements can be made to remedy this problem?
RF: We have found that a new tube can be purchased for about 20%
ST J: Is there one frequent problem common to all amusement
machines?
RF: Voltage regulators. Faulty or misadjusted regulators cause many
"freaky" or intermittent problems generally thought to be board
problems. This is especially common in freezing screen problems.
ST J: What types of test equipment do you use?
RF: We use the Atari Pat 9000 tester, the Falcon Video Simulator,
Bally and Gottlieb Pinball Test Jigs, and the Atari Cat Box.
ST J: What about troubleshooting equipment?
RF: We have the Hewlett-Packard 100MHz Scope, Leader 25MHz
Scope, Huntron Tracker (very useful), Non-Linear 15MHz Portable
Scope, BBC-Metrawatt DVOMs, and the Crim Electronics Video
Pattern Generator.
ST J: What types of repair/rework tools do you use?
RF: We use the Pace PPS-6 Desoldering Station, Weller controlled-
temperature Solder Stations, Ungar Heat Gun, and the Pace CIR-KIT
Board Repair Kit
ST J: Is there any type of test equipment that you would like to see
more than having one rebuilt, giving us 90% fewer headaches.
ST J: How long has your company been servicing at this location?
RF: Since 1977.
ST J: Are there any areas that you, as manager, plan to improve upon?
RF: Having already improved board handling and repair procedures,
safety procedures, and machine turnaround time, we are hoping to
physically enlarge our shop to accommodate new test equipment and
more units to repair.
ST J: How does this shop compare to any other you've worked for?
RF: It's nice to work in a shop where everyone knows their job and does
it with minimal supervision. The camaraderie of the service organization
is apparent in everyday work situations and is reflected in their job
efficiency.
ST J: Is there anything that sets your operation apart from the rest?
RF: The professionalism exhibited by our technicians is of great value to
our customers. Even with the large volume of repair performed, ·average
turnaround is one day and the percentage of machines returned with the
same problem is negligible.
designed?
RF: I'd like to see a board tester with an easy-to-jumper game plug that
would facilitate working on boards not run across often enough to keep a
separate test jig in stock.
ST J: Do you service any other type of electronic equipment?
RF: As of now, only Atari home games.
ST J: How can maintenance of the games you service be improved?
RF: It's often stated, but cannot be stressed enough, that preventative
joysticks, etc.) and a still more modular approach to field service with a
portable tester for standard modules.
ST J: What do you predict for the future of this industry- service-wise?
RF: Continued industry-wide standardization of hardware (switches,
If you would like to have your shop profiled, write StarltTech Journa( PO Box 1065, Merchantville, NJ 08109, or call us at 609/662-3432.