Addams Family Pinball Help!

Hey all! I have a few issues with an Addams Family that I need help with.

1.) I replaced the DMD display because it was missing segments, but I am still running into the issue of the whole display glowing. Could we be looking at a bad ribbon cable? Also, the fuses are under amped on the display board.
2.) I am totally stumped on this sound board rig. The red wire from this thing popped off and now the sound is SUPER loud. What even is this thing? Is it factory? I have added pics below.
3.) The battery holder was corroded, so I replaced it and it’s still not saving data. How are the batteries supposed to be positioned? Positive side up?
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#2 3 years ago

AEK

Pinball-DOOD

Pinside member

Bump for help!

#3 3 years ago

LTG

Pinside member

I'd check the power to each pin on the big connector on the DMD, if that is good. Then you might have an issue with the CPU, DMD driver board, or ribbon cables from CPU to DMD driver board to DMD.

You could have battery damage underneath the battery holder. And the battery holder could be bad. Use a meter and see if battery power is getting onto the board. All batteries should have the "+" end up.

No idea on the sound hack.

LTG : )

#4 3 years ago

???

freeplay3

Pinside+ Addict

The volume control is a new one for me too. My guess would be the coin door volume buttons were either not working or shorting out causing the volume to go up or down on it's own. They probably bypassed the door and put the control on the board for the volume control.

#5 3 years ago

???

freeplay3

Pinside+ Addict

Those ribbon cables and bridge look filthy. My guess is this sat somewhere for a while.

#6 3 years ago

AEK

Pinball-DOOD

Pinside member

Quoted from freeplay3:
The volume control is a new one for me too. My guess would be the coin door volume buttons were either not working or shorting out causing the volume to go up or down on it's own. They probably bypassed the door and put the control on the board for the volume control.

Ah gotcha, any idea where I should solder that red wire?

#7 3 years ago

AEK

Pinball-DOOD

Pinside member

Quoted from LTG:
I'd check the power to each pin on the big connector on the DMD, if that is good. Then you might have an issue with the CPU, DMD driver board, or ribbon cables from CPU to DMD driver board to DMD.
You could have battery damage underneath the battery holder. And the battery holder could be bad. Use a meter and see if battery power is getting onto the board. All batteries should have the "+" end up.
No idea on the sound hack.
LTG : )

Thanks! Will check!

#8 3 years ago

???

freeplay3

Pinside+ Addict

OP
Quoted from Pinball-DOOD:
Ah gotcha, any idea where I should solder that red wire?

Sorry but I have no clue.

#9 3 years ago

AEK

Pinball-DOOD

Pinside member

Was there connector supposed to go there where that thing’s wires were soldered to? Anyone have a picture of their sound board??

#10 3 years ago

LTG

Pinside member

OP
Quoted from Pinball-DOOD:
Anyone have a picture of their sound board??

The back of the manual has the connector information and each wire color to each pin.

If you need a manual you can download it from here - https://www.ipdb.org/search.pl

LTG : )

#11 3 years ago

AEK

Pinball-DOOD

Pinside member

Quoted from LTG:
The back of the manual has the connector information and each wire color to each pin.
If you need a manual you can download it from here - https://www.ipdb.org/search.pl
LTG : )

Thanks!

#12 3 years ago

AEK

Pinball-DOOD

Pinside member

From looking at other examples of the sound board, I don’t think anything is soldered up to that section at all.(where the rig job is) Not even a connector there

#13 3 years ago

AEK

Pinball-DOOD

Pinside member

It’s J507

#14 3 years ago

AEK

Pinball-DOOD

Pinside member

For the display, should I measure voltages to it? How could I do that with a meter?

#15 3 years ago

LTG

Pinside member

OP
Quoted from Pinball-DOOD:
should I measure voltages to it?

Yes, to the big connector.

OP
Quoted from Pinball-DOOD:
How could I do that with a meter?

Ground to each pin. Youtube has lots of short how to videos. Look for measuring voltage if you can't find one for measuring to DMD.

LTG : )

#16 3 years ago

FNG

DumbAss

Pinside+ Frequent

9y 109K 2,976

J507 is not installed at the factory. There appears to be an external potentiometer for volume level control installed. Pin 2 connects to the MC3340P attenuator. Pin 4 connects to ground.

Someone has replaced U2 (MC3340P) and (fortunately for you) installed a socket. Someone has also removed U5 (x9503) and (fortunately for you) also installed a socket. However ... there's no IC at U5 so whatever volume level the CPU is trying to set is not making it from the CPU to the analog output. Your system appears to be dependent on the external potentiometer.

The focal plane of your pictures are not on the board itself so it's slightly out of focus but looking at it would force me to conclude that I would need to double check all the prior work done on U2 and U5 (verify continuity of all pins on both sockets).

If you want to restore it to factory you should remove the wires at J507, check the continuity of all the prior work done on the board and install U5 (x9503).

That's all I can tell you from the pictures you provided.

#17 3 years ago

AEK

Pinball-DOOD

Pinside member

Quoted from DumbAss:
J507 is not installed at the factory. There appears to be an external potentiometer for volume level control installed. Pin 2 connects to the MC3340P attenuator. Pin 4 connects to ground.
Someone has replaced U2 (MC3340P) and (fortunately for you) installed a socket. Someone has also removed U5 (x9503) and (fortunately for you) also installed a socket. However ... there's no IC at U5 so whatever volume level the CPU is trying to set is not making it from the CPU to the analog output. Your system appears to be dependent on the external potentiometer.
The focal plane of your pictures are not on the board itself so it's slightly out of focus but looking at it would force me to conclude that I would need to double check all the prior work done on U2 and U5 (verify continuity of all pins on both sockets).
If you want to restore it to factory you should remove the wires at J507, check the continuity of all the prior work done on the board and install U5 (x9503).
That's all I can tell you from the pictures you provided.

This is immensely helpful, thank you! Just to fix it for now, do you think the red wire from the potentiometer goes to pin 1 (top) or pin 3 on J507?

#18 3 years ago

FNG

DumbAss

Pinside+ Frequent

9y 109K 2,976

OP
Quoted from Pinball-DOOD:
Just to fix it for now, do you think the red wire from the potentiometer goes to pin 1 (top) or pin 3 on J507?

The schematic says that pin 1 is not connected and pin 3 is the key. On a real board neither pin 1 nor pin 3 are electrically connected to anything (no traces on front or back of the board) so you could connect the wire to either of those points but it would serve no useful purpose.

You would need to look for clues as to where something may have been soldered and has somehow come off from that connection point. Unfortunately your picture is not in focus. If you want to take some more pictures (in focus and well lit) and post them here I can take a closer look at them. It's probably easier if you just look and see in person.

It looks like the rail around the side of the board might be the point where it came off (a reasonable amount of solder in the exposed area) but that's just a guess as I cannot see it clearly. If you can fit the wire into this (like a jigsaw puzzle piece) that would provide confirming evidence that this was the point.

#19 3 years ago

AEK

Pinball-DOOD

Pinside member

Quoted from DumbAss:
The schematic says that pin 1 is not connected and pin 3 is the key. On a real board neither pin 1 nor pin 3 are electrically connected to anything (no traces on front or back of the board) so you could connect the wire to either of those points but it would serve no useful purpose.
You would need to look for clues as to where something may have been soldered and has somehow come off from that connection point. Unfortunately your picture is not in focus. If you want to take some more pictures (in focus and well lit) and post them here I can take a closer look at them. It's probably easier if you just look and see in person.
It looks like the rail around the side of the board might be the point where it came off (a reasonable amount of solder in the exposed area) but that's just a guess as I cannot see it clearly. If you can fit the wire into this (like a jigsaw puzzle piece) that would provide confirming evidence that this was the point.

Wow, thank you so much for the help. I have never seen anything like this before so this helps!

#20 3 years ago

LTG

Pinside member

The reason for the potentiometer is your CPU has some serious damage. The battery damage gets the diagnostic buttons first, which would include your volume issues and why someone hacked in the potentiometer.

LTG : )

#21 3 years ago

AEK

Pinball-DOOD

Pinside member

Quoted from LTG:
The reason for the potentiometer is your CPU has some serious damage. The battery damage gets the diagnostic buttons first, which would include your volume issues and why someone hacked in the potentiometer.
LTG : )

Makes sense! The battery leakage was pretty significant

#22 3 years ago

AEK

Pinball-DOOD

Pinside member

Because of the CPU damage, would getting a new CPU fix this issue? I know it sounds silly but I just wanted some advice. Thanks!

#23 3 years ago

???

freeplay3

Pinside+ Addict

OP
Quoted from Pinball-DOOD:
Because of the CPU damage, would getting a new CPU fix this issue? I know it sounds silly but I just wanted some advice. Thanks!

If you can find a guy willing to clean up the mess, depending how extreme it is, could run 100 to 150 bucks. Seems like most people go for the rotten dog boards now.

#24 3 years ago

FNG

DumbAss

Pinside+ Frequent

9y 109K 2,976

Post a well lit and in focus picture of the lower half of the CPU board. There are plenty of people here on Pinside who will offer you their opinion.

#25 3 years ago

AEK

Pinball-DOOD

Pinside member

Gotcha. I don’t feel entirely comfortable going about cleaning the damage (since this is not my game). Could anyone recommend someone who could clean up the board and ensure it functions properly? Thanks

#26 3 years ago

LTG

Pinside member

OP
Quoted from Pinball-DOOD:
Could anyone recommend someone who could clean up the board and ensure it functions properly?

Contact Chrishibler here on Pinside.

He may tell you it would be cheaper to get a new board, depending on what your board all needs.

LTG : )

#27 3 years ago

AEK

Pinball-DOOD

Pinside member

Quoted from LTG:
Contact Chrishibler here on Pinside.
He may tell you it would be cheaper to get a new board, depending on what your board all needs.
LTG : )

Thanks!

#28 3 years ago

AEK

Pinball-DOOD

Pinside member

Quoted from DumbAss:
The schematic says that pin 1 is not connected and pin 3 is the key. On a real board neither pin 1 nor pin 3 are electrically connected to anything (no traces on front or back of the board) so you could connect the wire to either of those points but it would serve no useful purpose.
You would need to look for clues as to where something may have been soldered and has somehow come off from that connection point. Unfortunately your picture is not in focus. If you want to take some more pictures (in focus and well lit) and post them here I can take a closer look at them. It's probably easier if you just look and see in person.
It looks like the rail around the side of the board might be the point where it came off (a reasonable amount of solder in the exposed area) but that's just a guess as I cannot see it clearly. If you can fit the wire into this (like a jigsaw puzzle piece) that would provide confirming evidence that this was the point.

So do you think that red wire needs to be soldered to that trace or rail?

#29 3 years ago

AEK

Pinball-DOOD

Pinside member

Also, how should I go about diagnosing the display? The DMD is brand new

#30 3 years ago

LTG

Pinside member

OP
Quoted from Pinball-DOOD:
Also, how should I go about diagnosing the display? The DMD is brand new

Try it in a different game, driver board too.

Then you'd know if all the issues are from the CPU or not.

LTG : )

#31 3 years ago

AEK

Pinball-DOOD

Pinside member

Quoted from LTG:
Try it in a different game, driver board too.
Then you'd know if all the issues are from the CPU or not.
LTG : )

Thanks!

#32 3 years ago

AEK

Pinball-DOOD

Pinside member

https://lmgtfy.com/?q=chris+hibler+pinball+repair

What would be the best way to contact Chris H? Thanks! I may ask him for some advice

#33 3 years ago

JAM

NPO

Pinside member

12y 133K 7,652 3 17

OP
Quoted from Pinball-DOOD:
What would be the best way to contact Chris H? Thanks! I may ask him for some advice

3 weeks later

#34 3 years ago

AEK

Pinball-DOOD

Pinside member

Think the red wire should be soldered to the rail? As a ground?

76DBBDAC-6945-4E98-9909-7CB0454E1549 (resized).jpeg

1 month later

#35 3 years ago

AEK

Pinball-DOOD

Pinside member

Should I solder that wire to the rail? I’m pretty sure it goes there!

#36 3 years ago

AEK

Pinball-DOOD

Pinside member

UPDATE: The red wire goes to the ground rail, the sounds works fine now.

Also! Where can I buy a new ribbon cable for the displays?

#37 3 years ago

LTG

Pinside member

OP
Quoted from Pinball-DOOD:
Where can I buy a new ribbon cable for the displays?

https://www.greatplainselectronics.com/ Ed will hook you up.

LTG : )

#38 3 years ago

AEK

Pinball-DOOD

Pinside member

Quoted from LTG:
https://www.greatplainselectronics.com/ Ed will hook you up.
LTG : )

Thanks!

#39 3 years ago

AEK

Pinball-DOOD

Pinside member

How about this?

42552FEE-38CD-44E2-B846-EDBA2536E973 (resized).png

#40 3 years ago

LTG

Pinside member