Star Tech Journal

13
STAR.TECH JOURNAL/APRIL 1983
Monitor: "Popeye" employs the Sanyo 19" Color raster-scan
monitor. It is mounted horizontally, not vertically, as in
"Donkey Kong". It receives its power (100 AC) from the
isolation transformer at the bottom of the game. The color and
sync signals are connected to the monitor via a 6-pin ribbon
cable. The sync is a composite signal (horizontal and vertical
combined) with a separator circuit incorporated in the monitor.
There are 2 fuses, as well as a test switch, located on the monitor
chassis. This test switch, when toggled, will cause vertical
collapse resulting in a thin line running the length of the monitor.
The B+ voltage is adjustable, but usually no adjustment is
necessary (pot is factory sealed). The monitor adjustments are
easily made, with the brightness, horizontal, and vertical pots all
located and identified on the left bottom side of the monitor.
1/0 and Options: All inputs from the control panel and coin door
enter the CPU board. The player inputs all pass through a
buffering network and then enter 74LS240s in locations 2P, 3P,
and 4M. All previous static problems with "Donkey Kong" and
"Jr." have apparently been solved with the new system. Kicking
the front door no longer awards any free credits.
The options for the "Popeye" game are very good. Settings
for the number of Popeyes, game difficulty, bonus Popeyes,
attract music and various coin/ credit combinations are available.
The one that caught my attention was the game difficulty option.
With today's game players, this option is a must. There are two
separate switch blocks to adjust, Switch block 1 and 2. Both can
be accessed through a square hole cut in the Board Cage -
(good idea).
Each of the following tests will be performed: audio test, RAM
test, ROM test, option display, and switch test. To advance
through each test, press any switch on the operator panel. During
the audio test you will hear a beep sound. The RAM, ROM, and
option switch tests will be displayed on the monitor. During the
switch test a beep sound will be heard each time any one of the
player controls are operated or stuck closed.
FIHRE I: SELF TEST
ROM
ROM location-1----.. 7A
on the PCB
7B
(CPU PCB)
7C
7E
RAM
location
--+----~
TEST
OK
OK ------Passed
OK
NG •------11-Failed
RAM TEST
7H
NG------+- Failed
System Audio
(Figure 2)
The audio is produced on the CPU board by an audio processor
chip (AY-3-3910) location 7L. The signal is mixed and
preamplified by the resistor-transistor network going to the
processor. The preamplified signal is fed to the monitor where
final amplification takes place. The signal then goes to an
Impedance matching transformer and from the transformer to
the speaker.
FIGURE Z: SYffll AUDIO
CPU
Board
Audio Amp
(In Monitor)
Imped.
Match.
Trans.
COIN
OPTION SWITCH
A
B
C
OFF OFF OFF
POPEYE
DIFFICULTY
BONUS
MUSIC
VERSION
D
OFF
3
2
1
1
1
Speaker
Board Set
Volume Pot
Notes: 1. Audio signal exits at pin W and ground of the edge connector.
2. Audio amplifier board is located on left side of the monitor and can be
easily removed from the monitor for test or repair.
3. Volume pot is located next to the monitor pots.
4. Impedance matching transformer is located below the audio amplifier
board in monitor.
Self Test
(Figure 3)
"Popeye" comes with a welcome self test feature. To enter the
test, the operator must hold in the service switch (located on the
front door) and toggle the game off, then on. The easiest way is to
go in through the back door, holding in the service switch with
• one hand and turning the game off, then on again with the other.
When you look in the back of"Popeye" you will not see a logic
board or boards, but a steel mesh cage that houses the logic
boards. This cage is for FCC regulations regarding radio
interference. Taking a closer look, you will see that Nintendo has
gone to a standard 44-pin edge connector, another fine improve-
ment. This edge connector is attached to a small board or shield
cover that is screwed to the logic cage. When the 6 Phillips head
screws are removed, the shield cover can be pulled off. Be careful
because the shield cover has a wire harness and edge connector
which connects directly to the logic board. This shield cover/
harness combination can be bypassed when troubleshooting the
logic system. Both edge connectors are keyed to prevent
plugging them in backwards. Remove the logic boards from their
cage and you find one CPU PCB and one Video PCB. Both are
connected together by 3 plug-in ribbon connectors Pl, P2, and
P4. Pl and P2 transfer logic information and P4 carries the 5
volts and ground.
Continued on next page.