Just ordered some boards to Canada. Thanks so much for your hard work on this!

Hey Frank and Mark, I spent a chunk of time creating and double-checking a parts list based on the German parts list provided. Can either of you guys browse it to be sure there aren't any errors? I'm particularly concerned about the array resistors and the chips with letter extensions on the names. I'm not familiar enough to know if there's a big difference. I've ordered spares for most if you're wondering about the numbers.

If the list looks good, I'll send my order in and others can use it for mouser/digikey. Canadian digikey was missing a few parts and was generally more expensive, so I went with mouser. Both offer great service and quick shipping.

Link for parts list: EDIT: Old: see a few posts down for updated list.

Also, I'm struggling a bit with the 3244 chip. It says on the official APC parts list (the PDF in the Git package) to find it on ebay. Is this what I'm looking for?

Ebay link: EDIT: Bad part. See a few posts down for updated chip.

Thanks for all of you help so far!

Lance

Hey Frank, thanks for all of your help!

I finally found the time to update my cart. Here is the new file: https://www.dropbox.com/s/hgt9d99hfkx2ace/Mouser%20Cart.pdf?dl=0

Here is what I changed:

1. I removed the excess 1x2.54 headers, but I added another 36 position just to have a spare for other machines etc.

2. I added the SN74BCT760N. I think this is the one you meant, correct? I'll give it a shot. Can you tell me what I would want to watch out for in the way of strange behaviour?

3. I removed the individual sizes for the 3.96 headers and added the 24 positions you recommended. Here is my math on this: the board will take 201 total positions at 3.96. I only want to use this for system 11a, so I can subtract 6x9 (54) positions, leaving 147 positions. I have 8x24 ordered, which gives me 192 as I would like some extra for other machines etc.

If you could give it another quick browse to be sure I have correct 760 chip and the correct values for the 2.54 and 3.96 headers, that would be awesome.

Thanks again, and I hope my list will help others with ordering the parts. I'll send in my order today. Also, good news. My boards came in today!

IMG_20190605_121203 (resized).jpg

Yeah, I have step one completed. I'm going to test it today!

Question: I've done some small projects with an arduino duo, but I don't remember much. Is there any chance any of you could give me a quick walkthrough as to how to set up the software? There are some instructions there, but I'm a bit of a newb. For example, just to test the arduino, I opened BaseCode.ino and included the required libraries, but when I tried to compile and upload, I ended up with a ton of errors. I apologize in advance for my ignorance. Once I get going, I should be fine as I do have some knowledge of programming.

Here are some pics of my board so far:

IMG_20190607_165511 (resized).jpg

IMG_20190607_165430 (resized).jpg

Oh, and Frank, can you publish a photo of your board diagram that includes the Xs on the pins that should be removed? One of your pictures of your first board has some of this visible under the board. This will help me to double-check my reading of the schematics.

I followed your instructions, which were great, and ran the soundcheck successfully. I had Tool playing on my machine with a sound playing every ten seconds.

IMG_20190608_165314 (resized).jpg

On a side note, as you can see in the image, some of my connectors (volume and speakers) were different than your schematics and the Williams Millionaire manual schematic.

Thanks for your help about the overall software. Also, I found the image for the connectors. THANKS!

Hey Frank, I think C19 and C26 are mixed up on the BOM. C26 is the SMD, while C19 in throughhole. I just wanted to make sure that these are just mixed up and both are still 100n? Also, C20 is listed as throughhole, but it is SMD.

Also, can you explain the jumper JP1 for Millionaire? I believe this would be shorted to ground, but I'm not sure how to do this. I'm assuming I just make a solder connection between two of the squares?

EDIT: I'm pretty sure the JP1 pin that is closest to the corner of the board is ground. I jumpered it that way.
EDIT: Displays worked!

Congratulations, that means you have already completed the most difficult soldering tasks.
The sound quality should be quite good. That means if you hear some kind of noise or distortion than something is not right. A bit of static is normal of course, but it should only be audible when you turn up the volume without playing any sound. This will vanish if you later decide to use the digital volume control, because then the audio amp will be muted when no sound is played.
With the old boards you sometimes had quite some distortion depending on lamp and display activity - this should also be gone now.

The sound had a slight hiss and some tiny crackling, nothing too noticable. It was actually clearer than the game was before, so I think the sound is good.

Sorry, but I don't see it, can you post a close up of the connectors? Basically your Millionaire should have the same connectors as my Pinbot and I didn't have any problems.

Here is an image of how my boards are different. The schematic in the manual says J115 is for speakers, but there isn't a J115 header on the board. It turned out to be what looks to be J5 on the sound board. It also states that J16 is volume control, but the volume control was J2 on the sound board. Not sure why.

sound-board.jpg

You're soldering faster than I'm able to reply.For the next step you need to use the normal APC.ino software instead of the Soundcheck, because the latter doesn't support the switches.
I'll check for the BOM issues. Thanks to you there will be a new BOM coming soon with all parts having Mouser ordering numbers, but until now it's just in the AmokWork branch. I'm going to merge it to the master branch soon, but first I have to implement the new version of the USB API.
Glad to see you're making so much progress. You have already been of great help for this project.

I successfully ran the full software. I was able to complete step three and check the switches. The switches worked fine, although sometimes I would get a switch repeatedly firing without clear text on the display, so I could not tell which switch. I'm not sure if this is the new 760 chip or if I actually have a sticking switch.

When does this happen? Every switch being triggered should leave a message in the 'Switch Edges' test.

It appears to be working fine. I think it was just a sensitive switch.

I finished the board tonight, and unfortunately, things did not go so well.

I tried using the software to boost the volume, and I think I overheated the amp or something. I didn't notice any change in volume as I raised the numbers, then suddenly the sound became distorted and turned into a hum and shut off before I could cut the power. The amp was extremely hot after this. Now I just get crackles in time with the music and sometimes nothing. Should I replace the amp?

The display works, but the far left digits do not light up, and some of the words/numbers are missing cells, seemingly at random. Is this more to do with code than hardware?

I have a logic probe, but I have no idea how to use it. When I finished the board, I plugged in one solenoid plug at a time and started the machine. Each of them locks on coils an/or flashers... Sounds like I may have messed up while building part of the board... Any help would be appreciated.

Good news: lights and switches work fine. I had a few switches that triggered twice, but if I hit them quickly, they trigger just once.

Thanks again for your help! I'm in no rush, so if you're busy, I completely understand.

I set the music level at 00 and still just get crackles. I think something might be blown.

I will check the solder on U14 for the left digits.

Here is a picture of the abnormalities on the alphanumeric. The left column is out, and some of the second row displays strange artifacts. Digits work fine. I tried F14 and Pinbot in the settings, and they still display these problems.

AlphaNumerics (resized).jpg

Thanks!

Lance

Ok, I checked the resistance on the plug, and it looks good. However, the voltage on the volume control is a constant 0.29v, with digital volume. I set the digital volume to 00 and 255.

The physical pot showed 0.29V and jumped to a max of 0.5V when turned up. Pin 5 is at a constant 5V. When I first turned the machine on, it did play some distorted music for about 15 seconds, so maybe it isn't fried

When I was testing the board, I had it resting on a towel, but maybe the corner of the board touched metal? Would this create the sound issue? I don't think this is the case, but it is possible. I have since mounted the board to prevent any possible shorts.

I did change the display to pinbot and F14, but both display some minor artifacts in the lower row. Some of the pics are in the settings, but I did save beforehand and power cycle. See Pic below.

AlphaNumerics2 (resized).jpg

Sorry, I was counting pin 5 as pin 3 The voltage is not at 5... was pin 5. Sorry! I edited my previous post.

Okay, I reflowed all of U14 and the left display column now works!

I reflowed the amp as well. Now I'm getting really high temps on the amp again and around 1.5V. I will reflow all of the parts you mentioned that are inline with the amp. It's strange that it worked well for a while then stopped...

As for progress, I am very happy so far!! The display is working along with the switches and lamps. Thanks so much!

Hi Frank, The pin I'm testing is the third from the bottom, which is the second one in the front row (facing inside the board). That is the one that appears to match the diagram.

I took out R70 and hooked up the board leaving the speakers unplugged. When I first tested the voltage with the pot turned down, it about 3v but was rising. I tested the pot at full, and it was rising and went up to 7V . After that jump, the voltage then went down to 0.9V and stayed there. Once it stabilized at this low voltage, I could adjust from 0.6v to 0.9v with the pot. I let the game sit for a while and tested two more times. Each time, there was no spike. The voltage was 0.5v at low pot and 0.7v at high pot.

The initial spike would explain why I'm getting a moment of distorted sound when I first turn on the game after a long rest. Yesterday I had some erratic moements of sound returning here and there. Any idea on what would cause this?

We are on the same page with pin 3 on the TDA .

Pin 2 of j4 allows me to control the voltage. The range is 0.07v - 10.7v.

I get 288.3k

Without soldering. I think that measurement is fine, correct?

I replaced R76 with a new resistor and made sure it was connected well. I get 299k resistance, so the new resistor seems to be connected fine. After reconnecting the board (including J4) I tested pin 3, and it is the same. 0.6 to 0.9v after it settled. This time it started at 4v with the pot at zero and climbed down to 0.6 range.

I'm going to examine and reflow the audio area of the board. Any other ideas as to what I should be looking at? Is it possible that the amp was shorted? Capacitor issue?

Is it also possible that I shorted the amp just by touching it to metal? I don't think this occured, but it is possible. I could replace the amp as I do have one spare...

I reflowed everything in that zone, and I was able to control the voltage with the pot. However, it did go up to 7 volts at the highest point of the pot. I turned it down to around 2.5v, turned off the machine, then plugged in the speakers. I had normal sound and was able to control it. Then it started to get louder, so I felt the amp and it was super hot, so I turned down the pot. The music went down a bit, but it was still pretty loud for having the pot at zero. At that point, I turned it off.

I'll check the R76 voltages with the pot and report back.

Thanks again for all of your help. This must be a pain in the ass!

Back. With the pot set to zero, R76 registers as 0.07v on toward the outside of the board and the solder joint facing the inside mirrors pin 3 of the TDA, which was 2.6 and dropping.

It looks like the issue may not be the TDA as the votage was still high (1.9v) when I pulled pin 3 and tested the board with the pot set to zero. It also had spiked voltage when I turned the machine on.

The pin was not lifted when I checked R76. Did you want me to check R76 again?

Removed C10. I still get high voltage (2.2v) at pin 3 of the TDA (pin removed, testing on the board itself). R76 still gives the same readings: no voltage to the outside, equal voltage (2.2V) to the inside.

Edit: all with pot at zero.

Edit: removed wrong cap. Be right back!!!

My last post was accurate. Removing C10 did not change the voltage...

Thanks so much Frank. I'll look over everything today. I replaced all the resistors and tiny capacitors last night, and everything worked fine, even the volume control at the pot, but I noticed the pot is dirty and kept sending voltage spikes. Now I'm back to where I was before. I don't know if the pot has anything to do with it, but it did function for about 10 minutes. As you say, it is more likely a short with my soldering.

I went over the simple circuit very carefully. I checked terraces and replaced everything. The voltage remained. I replaced the amp and the voltage is now fixed! It now reads at close to zero volts closed. However, the pot or power supply appears to be the culprit. I'm getting just over 10v from the power supply, and the pot allows far too much voltage after 50% volume. This means that the dirty pot was spiking to well over 5 volts, possibly to 10, which seems to have fried the amp. To compensate, I have cleaned the pot and I'm in the process of lowering the volume of the sound file by 10db to help with the speakers drawing so much power. I'm also going to reconnect the digital path to see if it's voltage remains in the correct range. I'm being very careful with testing.

Edit: Should I be getting 10v from the supply? 5 seems more appropriate, but the spec for the amp says it can 8v (maximimum input voltage) if I'm reading correctly.

Edit: my power supply is a rotten dog replacement of that makes a difference.