Star Tech Journal

Issue: 1997-December - Vol 19 Issue 10

December 1 997
STAR*TECH JOURNAL
To: STAR TECH JouRNAL
DoN'r THROW THOSE OLD STEERING
WHEELS AND DAYTONA GEARBOXS AWAY!
FRoM: HAPP CoNTRolS
In relation to the article in your Novem-
ber 1997 "Troubleshooting Gun Games
Gun Problems: Symptoms/Solutions".
We have a number of concerns regard-
ing this article. There are a couple of er-
rors in this tech bulletin. We do under-
stand that this is somewhat of a generic
article covering Optic Gun PCBs other
than ours but a majority of the informa-
tion stated in the article seems to target
our boards.
First of all the value of the inductor
(choke) is 5.6mH not 5.2mH as stated in
the body of the text. The actual color
code on the inductors used on our PCBs
is wide silver, green, blue, red, narrow
silver, not yellow, brown, violet. This
would yield a value of .470mH instead of
5.6mH. Further on all the PCBs we have
ever looked at as returns from customers
we have never seen the leads on this de-
vice actually break off. This has been
noted as happening on the Optic Sensor,
but not the inductor.
Second on all the inductors I have ever
measured using a DMM (Digital
MultiMeter) I got a resistance reading
(ohms) in the range of 43 to 73 ohms, not
22 to 26 as stated in the article. The only
true indicator of the inductor being open
is if you show a resistance reading in the
range of 100,000 ohms or higher.
llfl-~-MtcROawm::H
AC'IUATClflS)
. ...1,,._--lilD0t.l!AINMBLY d)
_ _ _,,I
~D.-..--FU981!A~.
• . _ ..... !'Yl"'l!P\U
~
RU88l!JII RW/ •
"'--IOTI0M ASSIMU' 8Rl?AlaNQ Hl!FE
cu
Third as is the case with most electronic
equipment it is always best to replace ex-
isting parts with an exact replacement.
In a couple areas in this article they are
recommending replacements with non-
standard parts. Not only can this result
in erratic or non operation it will void
any warranty which might apply to this
device.
Some of the modifications may work for
Optic Gun PCBs used by other OEM
manufacturers, but I would not recom-
mend some of these for the Happ Optic
Gun PCBs.
Les Gottschall
Electronics Supervisor
... author's response on page 20.
December 1 997
STAR .... TECH JOURNAL
REVITALIZE YOUR VIDEOI
With
STAR*TECH
Journal's
VIDEO
BRIGHTENER
Increase your profits by increasing the
brillance of your video monitor!
Game play will be enhanced and the
colors will once again be vibrant.
Reclaim those old and faded
video monitors by installing a
S*TJ VIDEO BRIGHTENER!
... continued from page 19
To: Happ Controls
From:Jomac Amusement Repair
I have received a copy of your letter relating to the STAR TECH
journal article (Troubleshooting Gun Games. Nov'97, Vl9, #9}, it
seems as though you might have almost taken offence to this
article.
After having reviewed my original sketch of this article, it seems
that in the reprint there was a couple of errors in the inductor
section {e.g.: The colors of the bands and secondly where it is
written correctly as the numbers 562 I typed in the value of
5.2mH instead of 5.6mH not that 5.2 is even a preferred value
that can be purchased!}.
& EASY INSTALLATION
1 1" ro 36" MONITORS
FOREIGN & DOMESTIC
SAFE
I have also been back out to the workshop to measure the re-
sistance of all the various chokes we use with the following
results (using 2 different Fluke DMMs}:
• Inductor marked wide silver, green, blue, red= 23.1 ohms
• Black inductor marked 562 = 42 ohms
• Compact inductor 6x8mm marked 562 (which, please note,
is supplied by your major distributor in Australia, Leisure and
Allied Industries or Avel Pty, Ltd.} measures 22 ohms on one
meter and 22.6 on the other.
Firs ALL
Extends /if e
of weak or
dull monitors
and TVs!
Works on all
makes&
models!
Guaranteed
This was not my choice of replacement parts, but the parts that
are supplied to us as Happ spare parts and replacement parts
for your guns.
The modification of changing Rl, 68k to a lk resistor is also
now recommended by the above mentioned company for a
more sensitive gun. Maybe your issue of warranty is some-
thing you should take up with your distributors, or you could
even make sure that if you nominate a supplier, that they carry
your exact replacement parts you say are so important.
Clear Precise Directions For:
• Wells Gardner
• Masushita
• Nanao
• Disco




Electrohome
Hantarex
Sanyo
Eygo
After checking back through our last financial year trading
records it is worth noting that we have repaired or modified at
least 85 of these guns (Happ guns that is} not OEM guns!
Directions Also Included For:
Sony, Hitachi, GE & Toshiba
------------------
Ship __ STJ Video Brighteners
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@ $24
Name: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Company_____________
Address _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
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: City/State/Zip__________ :
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Please add $4 slh USA. Other countries add $9 via Air.
Star Tech Journal, POB 35, Medford, NJ 08055.
Ph: 609/654-5544. Fx: 609/654-1441.
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~------------------~
0 Prepaid
0 COD (USA only)
In all of these guns, we have performed all the modifications
listed in the STAR TECH Journal with 1000/o success! We don't
have a problem with the Happ guns after these mods have
been done.
Please remember, this is all we do. We repair and supply parts
and tech support to almost the whole of Western Australia and
whilst we have a few minor problems with your guns, we rec-
ommend and supply them as replacements to all our custom-
ers, because they are simply the best gun on the market -with-
out question! Please also note, the fact that we seem to target
the Happ board is mainly because they are almost every where
now, and rightly so.
Regards,
Joe McNicol

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