No score display Williams Flash

[Creech]

Creech,

I've always been keen for one, as i thought they would be a good project - but never knew too much about them - i saw this advertised at a garage sale and went straight over.  We had to come back 1.5hrs later with the trailer and the lady said about 15 or 20 people ad wanted it since.  She and her husband were far from handy at fixing things and said they never used it...so good luck to me!!

Yep, everyone deserves a bit of luck some time. Yesterday was your turn. Well done!

[Strangeways]

Creech,

I've always been keen for one, as i thought they would be a good project - but never knew too much about them - i saw this advertised at a garage sale and went straight over.  We had to come back 1.5hrs later with the trailer and the lady said about 15 or 20 people ad wanted it since.  She and her husband were far from handy at fixing things and said they never used it...so good luck to me!!

That is a great story, and something to remember in the future, as this machine won't be last you will pick up ! Well - Not for $40.. 

Just looking at the problem, and while waiting for Gavin's advise - have you reseated the connectors going to the Master Display unit ? That's the big display.

Also, the 40 pin interconnect is notorious for causing all sorts of weird problems on Williams machines - while you are waiting, you can gently remove the driver board from the head and then refit... It the problem changes, them that's the first thing I'd work on..Replacing the connectors..

[robm]

Yep,

I think i'm already hooked on this pastime - i've learned so much in just a day about these machines - was initially blown away by the technology and workings.  I've always been keen for a bargain but this one will have to be up there with the best of them

After my initial fix of separating the main and driver boards - i went through and reconnected all plugs and gave each a light clean - am working on adjusting the flippers at the moment as well

[Retropin]

Sorry mate - should have made myself clearer - we are meant to be on the driver board NOT the CPU. We can ignore the CPU for now. We need to see if signals are doing what they are supposed to via the driver board

[robm]

OK, my dopey fault - you did mention the driver board, and i didn't notice...

The switch inputs, IC 15 and 16 are all as you suggested - with high's around 4.86v and lows of 0.06v

The outputs however IC 17 and 18 are the complete opposite of your recommendations ie:

Measured

1L   2H
5L   6H
12H 13L
8H   9L

Thanks

[Retropin]

Sounds like the PIA is gone - normal state should be high in and low out for the buffer chips.

If you are getting the readings you are without any switch closures then i recommend replacing the PIA and going from there

[robm]

OK thanks for that - is that the main PIA (IC18)  on the MPU or the PIA switch matrix (IC11) on the driver board?

Are these things you can get from Jaycar or is it best to order online? - if so, any suggestions.

Thanks heaps

[jyebow]

Hey robm,
congrats on the $40 Flash @ a garage sale. I've been doing the garage sales for years & only ever seen one pin! & yep I bought it, but was alot dearer than $ 40. I did buy a card machine at a garage sale once , ended up selling it to fund my 2nd pin. So I guess I've had some luck too. Keep us posted on your progress.
cheers Steve.

[Strangeways]

OK thanks for that - is that the main PIA (IC18)  on the MPU or the PIA switch matrix (IC11) on the driver board?

Are these things you can get from Jaycar or is it best to order online? - if so, any suggestions.

Thanks heaps

I'm not sure the local guys carry 6821 PIA.. Maybe someone has one spare ?

[Retropin]

yeh - switch matrix PIA on driver...if we clean up the driver then we can go from there.

I dont have any 6821's spare - if you order some from GPE or jameco then order a few, you can never have enough of these

[robm]

OK, I had a brainwave (or delayed thought..) through the night - the fact that player 1's display only showed 0 instead of 000000 was an issue, i assumed (correctly it seems!) that scores were at least in multiples of 10 - therefore the 0 showing wouldn't work.  Swapping displays, i found that the error must be on the main display board, since changing a 'good' display (000000) with player 1 also caused it to show 0.

I then looked through the manual and worked out how to play multiplayer (i said i was only new to this) and with great joy discovered that players 2,3 and 4 all score perfectly!!!

So, now i shall try and isolate the problem of the missing 5 digits for player one on the main display board....

Thanks for the help again

[Retropin]

Certainly good news!

So scores DO register when a switch is closed - the only issue is that Player 1 scores are missing digits??

We can certainly fix that.

But... The outputs on the PIA on driver are not correct, unless you had some switches that were closed.
IF this is an issue it will become evident later down the track as you iron out any other niggles that may be present,

Let me recap.... ALL scores work correctly APART from player 1?



Check the solder joints on this and resolder them all, its common for these to crack and lose signals,

Failing that, the only ic  that is for Play1 is IC13, its the only IC that is isolated to Play 1,

But id be looking at the soldering first

[stuba]

yeh - switch matrix PIA on driver...if we clean up the driver then we can go from there.

I dont have any 6821's spare - if you order some from GPE or jameco then order a few, you can never have enough of these

i get 6821's from here for $3.92. bit cheaper than the US guys with the dollar at the moment...

http://www.futurlec.com.au

just search for 6821 - i can't direct link the component, bloody java..

[MartyJ]

I think they are the same as what was on my Sys11B board....If thats the case I have a new one (spare) I'll send if you PM me your details (for nicks!).  You'll have to get a socket from Jaycar or similar.

[Retropin]

Great offer Marty. It might not be needed - need to ascertain that no switches were closed at time of testing the switch outputs.

But if switches were in same state when input chips were tested then the PIA is a touch confused as ALL outputs from PIA should have read the same ( outputs on PIA = inputs on switch column drive)