__ a ____ CTAR*7ECH JOURM ...
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ON THE SERVICE TRAIL . ..
KITS, KITS, KITS
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THE BOTTOM LINE: MAKE YOUR BAME LOOK NEW
BY TODD ERICKSON, PRESIDENT, SUMMIT AMUSEMENT, ST. PAUL, MN
KITS, KITS, KITS
The industry has been invaded by kits. The big
manufacturing companies said they would
never go to kits, but they are now selling them.
The operator should be as careful buying kits
as when buying a dedicated game. He may kit
an older good game and end up with a poorer
game that what he started with! It will take
anywhere from one hour to over a day to put a
kit together.
CABINET CONSIDERATIONS
After selecting the kit you want to install, you
must choose the game that is to be converted.
With some of them, you don't have to make a
choice, like Nintendo. Their game is an easy
conversion. The original game was set up with
this in mind. With other games that are
"universal", you should choose a game that
has the monitor in the correct position. This
can save an hour or so of installation time and
are positive sync. The signal can be inverted
with a 7400 chip or the use of a monitor that
accommodates both type syncs. (This also is
a problem with Champion Baseball.)
If your kit needs several voltages, this may
also determine which game you use. Konami
games generally have similar pin connectors.
Time Pilot goes very easily into Tasmania.
It seems like kits are here to stay, at least
until a better idea comes along.
will eliminate purchasing extra glass. (Most of
the newer games have tempered glass for the
monitor.) Besureyou have ample room for the
controls. Remaking the control panel does
require a few tools. Williams Defender is a
prime candidate for a kit. The control panel is
wood. A new replacement panel should be cut
out. Wood bits are needed to make the proper
holes. If you're using a metal panel, you will
require a hole saw or chassis punch. The
panel on Wico's Champion Baseball kit is a
disaster1 (The game itself is excellent.) The kit
included labels for the buttons that could be
easily peeled off. The control panel should be
covered with clear plastic to prevent this.
Also, their instructions were wrong for the
color of the buttons.
THE BOTTOM LINE: MAKE
YOUR GAME LOOK NEW
I saw a Bally Midway Pac-Man Jr. recently that
looked like a disaster1 It had orange T-moldings,
blue artwork, and a very worn yellow cabinet.
The control panel had no black paint left on it.
What a great job; it looks like a job my 5-year-
old could do! I feel Bally Midway should have
included new T-moldings and possibly the
proper colors to coordinate the cabinet so it
has the appearance of a dedicated game.
TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Many Japanese games have negative sync to
the video monitor. Most of the American games
MURPHY'S
Once a job is fouled up, anything done to improve it only makes it worse.
NEW! ARCADE GAMES
SERVICE KITS
• Inexpensive attache or zipper case
• Specialized tool selection
Now in economical attache or zipper case,
a specially designed kit for in-the-field troub-
leshooting, maintenance and installation of ar-
cade games.
The attache case is constructed with a solid
wood frame and tough composition board
paneling and has a removable tool pallet.
The zipper case is made of tough black vinyl with an inside
flapped pocket, elastic strap tool holders, and a heavy duty zip-
per.
The kits come complete with more than 35 tools selected with
the assistance of experts in the arcade game industry. Included
are such specialty items as a DIP/IC inserter and a grounded outlet tester; plus hemostats, pliers, screw-
drivers, nutdrivers, soldering equipment and more.
For a free catalog of tool kits and test equipment or information on Arcade Game kit
prices, call or write today.
JENSEN TOOLS INC.
Cept. STJ
7B 15 So. 46th Street
Phoenix, AZ B5040
C602J 96B-6241