The dots look well lit. Looks like a data issue. Any improvements if you reseat both ends of the DMD ribbon cable at the MPU and at the DMD? Make sure all the male header pins on the boards are straight, not bent, as you remove the ribbon cable ends.

Where pin 1 of the ribbon is on the other end of the ribbon cable. Have to swap it on both ends so that it is connected correctly.

NO. I am saying to swap the orientation of the cable on both ends, so the red pin 1 is on the other end of the connector. Trying to help prove this is a cable issue or not.

If the ribbon cable was wrong on one end, there would be nothing on the display.

What I am after if trying to see if we can prove one Data line is missing data due to a one or two bad pin connections in the ribbon cable.

Very good chance the problem is elsewhere.

I would have to believe the ribbon cable is not an issue here. You still have some animations freezing up even with the cable oriented this other way?

Also there were no broken or bent header pins on the DMD nor the MPU?

Is this the only DE game you have?

Sill.may be worth trying another ribbon cable.

A computer ribbon cable will work just to test if it is the same number of pins.

Not sure if this is the correct number of pins on the bottom right ribbon cable for your Data East game.

http://docentelectronics.com/httpdocs/AmusementGames/Pinball/DataEastPinball.htm

The computer ribbon cables I found with the strain relief usually cause intermittent issues. Many pinball supply shops are selling these type.

I hope so since you were seeing something slightly different when you swapped the orientation of the ribbon cable on both ends.

You can reburn your current one on the DMD. Make sure you are using the latest. I would even make sure the Game ROM is the latest version as well. I suggest to erase the Eprom twice before the reburn.

Oh, it sounded like you had the capability. Several on Pinside can do this.

I had been just buying replacements since you would have a shipping charge both ways getting someone to reburn them.

http://www.actionpinball.com/parts.php?item=ROMS059

Yes, they work together. Yes, it is on the back of the DMD and it is in an IC socket as all EPROMs, which all games are that way that do not use a USB stick to update code.

Be mindful of the direction the notch on the EPROM is pointing when removing the old display ROM.

Was this a working game when you picked it up?

Ok. I see that Pinwiki only talks about R95 being 33k ohms, but also it is important that R104 is also measuring 33k ohm +/- 5% (31350 to 34650 ohms).

Can you post the resistance readings of both R95/R104?
When you replaced R95, do you know what the resistance was before removing it from the board?

Know anyone with a TMNT, Hook, Checkpoint, DE Star Trek, or DE Batman so you can test out the DMD? Seems there might be an issue on the back of the board.

Also, there is potential for the MPU to be causing the issue.

May be only one or the other. I have not seen a MPU and a DMD fail in a single game before.

If you can't find one of those games, the MPU can be tested in 128x32 DMD game, but likely a jumper needs to be changed in order to swap from a dual eprom to single eprom game to test.

If you can't find a way to test either, I have a 128x16 DMD I can send for testing.

What? Never seen such a message. Picture of this? Started with swapping ROMs?

Very interesting. So then, sounded like corrupted RAM.
Consider going NVRAM to rid of those batteries forever. 124 year retention rate.
https://www.pinitech.com/products/6264_nvram.php

How about some pictures of it working?

Try pulling out the ribbon cable a bit at the MPU to see if the ribbon cable makes better connection that way. If that doesn't work, try the same thing at the DMD ribbon cable connection. Maybe there is some corrosion on the board pins.

Can you measure the voltages at the DMD power connector? Up till now, seems to have been a data issue.

Connector is plugged in at the DMD? It needs to be. Would like to see the exact meter measurements.

So all your animations are working now you are saying?

Shooter lane switch?

Does it light up if you go into the lamp test? No others are out?

Swapped in a working bulb from another location? Lamp socket missing the diode or the solder tabs touching?

My power supply is also not being used along with my DMD as the playfield is all torn apart. I would want to see about recapping the power supply though if I was to send it on your way.

As another mentioned, capacitors would be a huge benefit to keeping the game running. There are a couple of the smaller ones that do like to leak and eventually would cause loss of 5volts. Currently, I think you voltages at the DMD seem like they are in spec.

With power off, Can you paritally unplug the ribbon cable at the DMD and at the MPU board? If it helps, then I would scrub the male board pins with a clean toothbrush and alcohol.

Does CN1 on the power supply have any discoloration on the white plastic housing at all? That will be a sign of burnt pins. I think the 100v for the display power comes in at the top corners of this 3x4 connector. May want to just reseat the connector even if it seems ok.

How does the CN1 look on the power supply? Is there discoloration around that pin? If so, that is an issue that needs to be checked as to whether that goes to the 100v on the schematic. Which pin is this one? I can't tell by the orientation of CN1 in your hand.

Post #80 you show the discoloration from the burnt pin that will get worse over time. So I am wondering if you remember when the animations got better at that time, do you remember reseating CN1 along the other things you mentioned?

Here are a list of parts to redo the wiring and male pins. The male pins are a challenge to get out of the board sometimes. Normally I see both mating ends of the CN1 damaged, not just one end.

https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/CKWMS
2019-12-12 16_42_03-Data east checkpoint dmd_reset issues _ Tech_ Modern games _ Pinside.com - Inter (resized).png

CN1 pin 12 is ground which in turn is used at the DMD power connector.

2019-12-12 17_00_45-https___www.ipdb.org_files_498_Data_East_1991_Checkpoint_Manual.pdf - Internet E (resized).png

Odd. I have been expecting a data issue. The flipper coil voltage is not even going to the DMD controller board at all so I don't see how the animations are being affected.

Do you have the two ground straps connected from the bottom of the backtox to the speaker panel? One of them should at least be connected to the ground of the DMD, possibly via from a speaker panel ground on one of the speakers.

Can you test the flipper board in another game? Only way it would cause an issue if there is a data line corrupt somehow. Is this an original DE or Rottendog flipper board? How about a picture of the board?

I missed that. This is odd.

New ribbon cables and seems all boards and test good in another machine.

Can you borrow the DMD from your friend's game to test in your game?

I know I would recap the power supply, more so for the reason of the smaller ones do like to leak and cause major damage to certain areas of the board.

I never seen what CN1 looks like on the power supply board. You mentioned you repinned the burnt connector of CN1. Normally, Both connections get damaged.

Slight burn as you can see on pin 12 from the discoloration on the CN1 connector on the power supply.

I am just not quite sure with all the board swapping you have been doing is pointing at a data issue or a voltage issue. I know I always tackle replacing damaged parts/connectors/old power supply capactiros and see where I end up at.

All boards were tested in another game.