12 volts dropping low ?

LTG : )

Sounds like a 12v power issue. Check the voltage at TP1 at the upper left corner of the power driver board. Should be over 13V without the ColorDMD connected and over 12.5V with it connected.

Not stupid. You figured it out. And an easy fix.

Good job !

LTG : )

This is not a fix. J104 and j105 is the same plug just two different headers. I guess if anything you reseated the two plugs (or one of there is only one in use). The problem is likely to resurface. You may want to move the colorDMD to its own power supply.

Bigfoot might just be kicking out because there's an opto switch in there and it thinks there's a ball in there. The optos run off 12vdc power, which is extra taxed since you installed the colorDMD. What I'd do is this. Unhook your colorDMD. Power on the game and play it (with no display) and see if there are any other bad symptoms. If there are not, you know your game cannot handle the extra load from the colorDMD.

The ColorDMD can operate down to around 7V. If the display is doing weird things it's likely that there is a problem with very fast voltage swings on the 12V supply. This is a sign that the supply is not operating correctly. Could be a bad cap or poor solder joint.

Moving the ColorDMD to an independent supply will reduce the load but will not solve the problem with the failing supply. It should be fixed. With a properly operating 12V supply in WH2O, there should be no problem driving the ColorDMD.

The 12V supply is just comprised of three components (a bridge rectifier, capacitor, and fuse holder) and the traces that connect them.

Since you are having sound and animation issues, I think your data is getting lost or corrupt. Try to reseat the 4 conductor ribbon cable that starts at the top left of the MPU board that plugs into the Fliptronix board then to the sound board and then to the DMD controller board.

Listen to dmod (the maker of ColorDMD) and markmon. They are on the right path. First thing I thought when I read your post was a 12v issue. Flaky 12v on dmd games is not uncommon for these games as they age.

You can swap your power driver board as well between Judge Dredd if you want to see if the issue moves with that board.