(Topic ID: 298773)

Seeking Guide to Diagnosing Bally [80s] Sound Boards

By ThePurpleDragon

2 years ago



Topic Stats

  • 4 posts
  • 4 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 2 years ago by Quench
  • Topic is favorited by 1 Pinsider

You

Linked Games

Topic Gallery

View topic image gallery

20210816_153536 (resized).jpg
#1 2 years ago

Good afternoon,

My name is Lauren, and I am attempting to learn how to work on Bally Sound Boards. The type pictured came from a Bally Playboy, and that's the era I'll be working on. I have the manual page for the sound module, so I have the basic description of how each chip on the board works. What I wanted to ask for was a guide on typical issues on these sound boards, common parts that need to be replaced, and where I can find a more detailed description of what each chip does. I have an electronics background from college but I don't have much physical PCB work experience. Any help on getting started with this would be much appreciated. Thank you.

20210816_153536 (resized).jpg20210816_153536 (resized).jpg

#2 2 years ago

The -32 and -50 sound boards suck.
There is no processor.
Parts are not connected to voltage/ground.
Some deranged engineer put it together.

We have a small amount of info here:
https://www.pinwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Bally/Stern#AS-2518-32_.26_AS-2518-50_Sound_Board_Troubleshooting

As you learn new things about the board(s), let's add that info to the PinWiki.
--
Chris Hibler - CARGPB #31
http://ChrisHiblerPinball.com/Contact ... for board repairs
http://www.PinWiki.com - The Place to go for Pinball Repair Info

#3 2 years ago

ThePurpleDragon Welcome to Pinside Lauren! ChrisHibler is one of the premier people doing board repair in the hobby.
Pinwiki is an excellent resource. You can find datasheets for some parts at https://www.pinwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Pinball_Part_Datasheets
Pages 20-21 of the theory of operation may be helpful: https://www.pinwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Bally/Stern#Theory_of_Operation_.26_Repair_Guides

barakandl has created a replacement board, available at https://nvram.weebly.com/bally--32--50.html
He may be willing to comment on design decisions made during that process. If he does not chime in this thread send him a PM.

#4 2 years ago

The large orange capacitor on your pictured board at C17 looks like its spewing out electrolyte. It needs to be replaced. The capacitors at C6, C8 and C11 tend to go open circuit. If you have a capacitor ESR meter you can check them.

Regarding these sound boards, the thread below we went into some detail about its operation that may help. It was a -50 board but it's pretty much the same.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/bally-paragon-generating-extra-tone-sequences

Promoted items from Pinside Marketplace and Pinside Shops!
$ 10.95
Eproms
Pinballrom
 
2,900 (Firm)
Machine - For Sale
Macomb, MI
$ 12.00
Tools
Nezzy's Pinball Prints
 
Wanted
Machine - Wanted
San Diego, CA
$ 199.95
$ 12.00
Electronics
Yorktown Arcade Supply
 
$ 18.95
Eproms
Pinballrom
 
$ 8.00
Electronics
Third Coast Pinball
 
From: £ 22.00
Electronics
Retro Electro Designs
 
$ 18.00
Electronics
Yorktown Arcade Supply
 
Wanted
Machine - Wanted
Coffs Harbour, NS
Great pinball charity
Pinball Edu

Reply

Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.

Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!

Donate to Pinside

Great to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!


This page was printed from https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/guide-to-diagnosing-bally-80s-sound-boards and we tried optimising it for printing. Some page elements may have been deliberately hidden.

Scan the QR code on the left to jump to the URL this document was printed from.