(Topic ID: 206766)

Data East Laser War shows nothing on displays

By Pin-up

6 years ago


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#1 6 years ago

Thought I could get some new faces in on this conversation with a new thread.....

I have a Data East Laser War. The displays do not light up and display any information.

I just rebuild the HV section on the power supply and we have good voltage on the power supply and on the display driver board: +5,-100,+100.

I put the Laser War mpu in my Monday Night Football. The display showed information for Laser War.... "data east presents laser war....."

MPU outputs verified good obviously since it's putting info on the displays.

Player 3, 4, and the ball credit display and their ribbon cables from Laser War were all tested good in my black knight.

Player 1 and 2 displays are wider ribbon cables and I don't have anything compatible to test them in. I can unplug them and the issue does not change in laser war. There is still noting on any of the displays in laser war.

I have voltage at all display connectors on the display driver board and I have activity (with the logic probe) at all display connectors on the driver board.

I have proper voltage at all ics on the display driver board.

Why will they not just light up? UGH!

The actual game plays 100%. All coils, sounds, switches, and lights are good and in proper working order.

My guess is that player 1 and 2 displays are fine since 3,4, and the ball/credit all tested good. The MPU is putting out the proper information and I have proper voltage.

What would keep them from just lighting up and displaying the information? This is insane. There is voltage and activity at all display connectors.

JUST LIGHT UP DAMN YOU! UGH............

#3 6 years ago

The displays themselves are actually different, so you can't put the display driver board in the Monday Night Football. Laser War has 5 different 7 digit display glasses where as Monday Night Football has 2, 16 digit alpha numeric displays. However, they both use the same data east mpu board sets, in theory, with close to the same pinouts, so I could verify that the mpu was putting out good signals, which it is, because "data east presents laser war" shows up on the display when the mpu is put in monday night football, and it continues through it's attract mode displays.

There are some parts that are interchangeable between data east and williams system 11 games, but the only system 11 game I have is Big Guns, and it to has a different display setup, like the monday night football, which doesn't allow me to swap in a display driver board. Black Knight has the same style displays as the player 3,4, and the ball/credit display on laser war (7 digit), and I've tested those and they are good. Player 1 and 2 on laser war are alpha numeric 7 digit displays and have a ribbon cable and pin connector with more pins on it and i don't have anything compatible at the moment to test those. However, if one of those displays was causing the issue, the issue should have disappeared with them unplugged, and it did not.

I would try the display driver board in the black knight, as it has a similar display driver board, except all of the connectors on the black knight display driver board are edge connectors and the Laser war driver board has pinned connectors. Not going to bother spending the time to switch around all the connectors and then have to change them back again. Not happening.

All displays have been tried one at a time with no change. Nothing lights up the displays when they are in the laser war.

I have a probe, but I have no clue what type of reading I should be getting from any of the pins on the display driver board. There are 7180's, 6118's, 4001's, and 4050's on the display driver board. I found data sheets for all and can see where the voltage should be coming in at, and have voltage at all chips. I do not see any information on if I should test as a ttl or cmos, if i should be on memory or pulse, or what type of reading I should be getting at what pin (hi/low ect.). I just picked up the logic probe and have not used it to try and test anything yet. This is my first foray into that abyss.

It would probably be super useful if I knew what I was supposed to be looking for as far as the signals go.

I'm not sure if I could even get accurate readings on the probing of the display board anyway. I have no idea how I could see if it was in the display test mode without the displays showing anything anyway.

I hit the same test button sequence as I did on my Monday Night Football, and I *THINK* it is in the auto display test, but I really have no idea, since the displays don't light up anyway.

#6 6 years ago

This was just mentioned to me in another thread.

>>>>Here is a test for two of the chips! Do this w everything off! http://www.pinwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Williams_System_9_-_11#Display_Panel_Problems<<<<<<;

Perfect. I removed the board and tested the UDN7180/UDN6116 on the display driver board. The 3 7180's tested good. All 4 of the 6118's tested bad. Looks like I've got some sockets to install on this board

How can I test the 4050BE and 4001BE? There are 4 of each on this particular board.

#7 6 years ago

Just tested the 4050's with the board removed from the game. Had one lead on ground and other lead probing each leg of each chip. All 4 of the chips gave the same readings on each leg, meaning pin 1 of all gave the same, pin 2 of all gave the same, ect. when each of the same pin was compared to the reading of the same pin on the other chips. Is this the correct way to test those? I have a digital meter so I can't see any "bounce" as mentioned in the old pin repair guides.

#8 6 years ago

Alright!

Some progress today! UDN6118s arrived in the mail and were installed with new sockets on the display driver board. We now have some digits that light up, but most are still out.

Player 2 and 4 have both the ten thousand and hundred thousand digits light up. The 1st of the 2 digits in the balls display and the first of the 2 digits in the credits display light up. I can now see when I'm in the display test and the digits that light up work for all numbers.

Now, what's next to figure out what's not lighting up the other digits?

How can I test the 4050be and 4001be?

#9 6 years ago

Quick update:

Looks like the 4001's control the digits, and the 7180's and 4050's control the segments. I ordered some of each, but I'll be replacing all 4 of the 4001's next and putting them in sockets as well.

Something did a doozy on this display board.

Also was able to finally verify that player 1 and 2 glass displays are good.

Update again in a few days.

IMG_0554 (resized).JPGIMG_0554 (resized).JPG

#11 6 years ago

Awesome.

FINALLY, we have full operation of all displays! I replaced all 4 of the 4001's on the display driver board and everything is now up and running 100%. Wow. New transformer, rebuilt HV on power supply, proper jumpers, new C5 rom, replace and socket all 4 UDN6118's on display driver board, replace and socket all 4 4001's on display driver board, and we finally have full display operation.

That's got to be the most extensive display operation project ever.

Thanks for everyone's patience, help, and suggestions along the way. It is much appreciated!

Now, it's game time.

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