DMD not working but getting voltage

hello

so i bought a shadow pinball machine apparently it worked 100% DMD worked in the photos got it home and now the DMD doesn't work either does the ball lock magnet.

so the DMD i took out put it in my gladiators and it works put the gladiators in the shadow and it didn't work,

were talking completely black screen.

checked the fuses and reset all the ribbons and other connectors no luck.

tested voltage at the screen pin 1 and pin 2 have 118V so the screen is getting power.

any idea what to do next or what to check?

new board is $95 I'm trying to decide if i need to go this route or not

#2 7 years ago

BTF

PinballManiac40

Pinside+ Frequent

OP
Quoted from V8haha:
tested voltage at the screen pin 1 and pin 2 have 118V so the screen is getting power.
any idea what to do next or what to check?

Check pin 8. You should have about 62v.
If you have the voltage, then reseat both ribbon cables that start at the top of the MPU board. That is 6 ribbon cable connections that you need to reseat.

#3 7 years ago

TOX

ChrisHibler

Chris' Pinball Repair

Chesterfield, MO

12y 120K 9,996 46

Haul out your DMM and measure all of the voltages.

Surf to PinWiki.com and check out the WPC display issues section.
--
Chris Hibler - CARGPB #31
http://ChrisHiblerPinball.com/contact/
http://www.PinWiki.com - The new place for pinball repair info

#4 7 years ago

TOX

ChrisHibler

Chris' Pinball Repair

Chesterfield, MO

12y 120K 9,996 46

If both pins 1 and 2 have the same voltage, that's a problem. There must be a 12VDC separation.
--
Chris Hibler - CARGPB #31
http://ChrisHiblerPinball.com/contact/
http://www.PinWiki.com - The new place for pinball repair info

#5 7 years ago

IAN

V8haha

Pinside member

So here is my voltage reading

Pin 1 118.8
Pin 2 118.7
Pin 4 2.8
Pin 5 2.9
Pin 6 4.9
Pin 7 12.4
Pin 8 65.6

Please let me know what to do from here.

I see this for sale
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=2828

Or do I need to look at buying the entire DMD board?

Or what to test next

#6 7 years ago

BTF

PinballManiac40

Pinside+ Frequent

I prefer a repaired original board over most of the new replacement boards.

#7 7 years ago

TOX

ChrisHibler

Chris' Pinball Repair

Chesterfield, MO

12y 120K 9,996 46

Quoted from PinballManiac40:
I prefer a repaired original board over most of the new replacement boards.

I agree 100% with you, and not just because I repair boards.
An OEM board is always preferable.

Your board is lacking the necessary 12VDC separation between the two high negative voltages.

I don't like the HV overlay board that you linked to. It's a bandaid. Better to fix your current board.

You can send it to me....I can turn it pretty quickly.
Shipping info can be found here: ChrisHiblerPinball.com/Contact

LMK.
--
Chris Hibler

#8 7 years ago

IAN

V8haha

Pinside member

So in the close up photo of the board

The one that my finger is pointing to why does it has a spot for a ribbon cable and it says display.

Is that normal?

What is the next thing to do or check?

Or at this point is it better to replace the board

IMG_0392 (resized).JPG

IMG_0393 (resized).JPG

#9 7 years ago

MEL

melappels

World of Pinball

Almere

15y 81,050 285 7 165

Check those big white resistors and check the transistors on the DMD board.
Ill bet one of those are bad.

#10 7 years ago

BTF

PinballManiac40

Pinside+ Frequent

OP
Quoted from V8haha:
The one that my finger is pointing to why does it has a spot for a ribbon cable and it says display.
Is that normal?

That is normal not to have a ribbon cable plugged into that connector. It is for alphanumeric display games such as Funhouse and BOP.

#11 7 years ago

BTF

PinballManiac40

Pinside+ Frequent

OP
Quoted from V8haha:
What is the next thing to do or check?
Or at this point is it better to replace the board

Send the DMD controller board to Chris for repair.

#12 7 years ago

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PinballManiac40

Pinside+ Frequent

Or you can buy a ColorDMD and not worry about having the HV repaired on the DMD controller board, as it would not be needed. Of course, I'm partial to color displays.

Color LED display.
http://shop.colordmd.com/led-replacement-display-for-the-shadow-pinball-machine/

or Color LCD display
http://shop.colordmd.com/colordmd-replacement-display-for-the-shadow-pinball-machine/

#13 7 years ago

BTF

PinballManiac40

Pinside+ Frequent

You can swap the DMD controller board over from your T2.
Game can play fine without the DMD while the board is out for repair.

#14 7 years ago

???

Homepin

Inactive member

Unknown

13y 77,400 2,125 1

Neither of those boards in your pictures are where the fault is. It is on the DMD controller board which is ABOVE the very large board in your second picture - the one with the 14 pin ribbon cable connecting directly to the DMD display.

I would pull that board and send it off for repair - it is ALWAYS better to repair the original where possible rather than replace.

#15 7 years ago

IAN

V8haha

Pinside member

Quoted from PinballManiac40:
Or you can buy a ColorDMD and not worry about having the HV repaired on the DMD controller board, as it would not be needed. Of course, I'm partial to color displays.
Color LED display.
http://shop.colordmd.com/led-replacement-display-for-the-shadow-pinball-machine/
or Color LCD display
http://shop.colordmd.com/colordmd-replacement-display-for-the-shadow-pinball-machine/

Would a color DMD actually work without fixing the DMD board?

Which display would you recommend

#16 7 years ago

IAN

V8haha

Pinside member

Never mind I see the LED replacement isn't color I'd rather spend a little more and have the color display

#17 7 years ago

BTF

PinballManiac40

Pinside+ Frequent

OP
Quoted from V8haha:
Would a color DMD actually work without fixing the DMD board?

That is correct. The DMD power connector is completely disconnected from the DMD controller board. ColorDMD displays only uses 12volts coming off the power driver board.

OP
Quoted from V8haha:
Which display would you recommend

That is a personal preference. Mine happens to be the LCD.

#18 7 years ago

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PinballManiac40

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