STAR*TECH
Journal
Enzo
August 1996
CD
1
s
Tech
Tips
"Hey Enzo, I can't find the self-test button on this Captain Fantastic!,,
Douglas 'Enzo' Mccallum • Shiawassee Technical Services • Lansing, Ml
BOWLING FOR DOLLARS!
Got some extra room on the bench and some free time? Check the local bowling alleys.
IDENTIFICATION
See if any of them are still using
the older Brunswick video scor-
ing system. This is the system that
displays the scores on large
monochrome (that's black and
white) monitors over each lane
and the scorers table has a pair
of little 12" monochrome moni-
tors.
LOOK FAMILIAR?
The overhead monitors are
Motorola M7000 types. This
monitor uses the exact same
chassis our video games used
before color took over.
Atari, Midway, and many others
used these monitors. These sys-
tems are fifteen years old anyway
and the monitors often need ser-
vice. This is easy money, boys.
The bowling center has to send
them back to Brunswick, and
generally they send the whole
monitor. This is expensive just to
ship. Brunswick charges an arm
and a leg, with a heavy additional
charge for advance replacement.
They aren't even especially inter-
ested in fixing them, they would
rather you updated to newer
equipment. And just between
"This is easy
money, boys. The
bowling center
has to send them
back to Brunswick,
and generally they
send the whole
monitor. This is ex-
pensive just to ship.
Brunswick charges
an arm and a
I eg ... ,,
you and me, they don't always
fix them so well, and the turn
around time isn't the best.
YOUR CHANCE
Now you come along. You are
local, you can offer prompt turn
around, you can make reason-
able charges (actually you can
charge a fair amount and still be
cheaper than Brunswick), you
can save them shipping. You
prob'ly do better work. The
Bowling center may already be
one of your locations. If not, who
do you think they will call when
they need an operator to come
in? Yep, it's you, the guy they
know who provides good and
timely service.
Service to these units is reason-
ably straightforward, you replace
a lot of caps. Sound familiar?
Some of the parts can be difficult
to find or can be expensive. Last
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