New Life Games Tech Forums

This is my first post, am new to this and sorry if i'm in the wrong area, anyway....I am in Australia and I was given an Aristocrat LUCKY STRIKE video gaming machine vintage 1993, the screen/game play is frozen showing "memory card disabled". I have had a look and see that a U2 memory chip is missing. Of course I am wanting to replace this chip, can anyone offer any help or advice please?

Is this a Mark 4 or 2.5 machine ?

More pictures would help.

looks like a 2.5 to me, and my  Caribbean Gold memory board is the same and does not use U2

Thanx for prompt reply, don't know version no. - what other pics would you like?

Post a picture of the machine and MPU.

I'd start by checking the  ribbon cable ( near r28 ) and pins underneath on both ends. If its been forced in then its likely some could be bent.

Thanx to all viewing and helping out, here are a couple more pics  :3-

Is that a broken DIP switch at W3-W4?
(Right lower corner of the top board)

Looks that way but I don't know if that's causing his problem.

Perhaps you could try and reproduce it ?

Well I win the "stupid" award  :279-, I checked out the cable for continuity and bent pins, all seems good BUT I did it with the power on and shorted some pins from the underside of the memory board on the hopper handle  :37-, now the screen states ***MAIN DOOR OPEN*** when the door is closed, checked the white push button - continuity when open, open circuit when pushed in. I see there is another type of "security" in the form of what looks a little like a clear LED in a housing on the door, that when the door is closed goes over the top of maybe a sensor underneath the white button on the body. Would like to know how to bypass this. Does the "main door open" warning override the "memory board disconnected" warning? Am hoping by disconnecting?reconnecting the cable on the memory board it fixed that problem

sounds more like you shorted out something.
It's not a good idea to do testing with the
power on unless you have to.

I won't do that again, a case of live and learn, do you know the sensor I am talking about?

You mean the "Door Optics"?

Yes, do you know how I can test it? I may have damaged it and would like to bypass it

The real problem here is that if it shorted at the board then there is a good chance you baked something.

I suggest you to try and get into the robot test and test all push buttons including the audit and jackpot keys.

When you test an input, a message should be displayed on the screen confirming that it is working.

To get into robot test.

1. Open the main door.
2. Switch the machine off.
3. Hold in Robot Test button on the main board while turning the machine on.

You should now be in the Robot test mode.

Test all inputs including all push buttons on the main board, you could then also trouble shoot the main door.

Most of the I/O for the buttons and switches connect to various ports on a peripheral interface adapter ( U3 which is a programmable gate array on the mark 4 ) , if that is fried then you probably won't be able to get into robot test mode to begin with or most inputs won't be working.

Thanx for reply, which button is the robot test button?
How do I tell what version machine this is? Behind the hopper in the back it says 1993, would love a manual for this, want it up and running soooooo much
Cheers

You have a Mark 2.5 machine. Unfortunately a manual for this machine is proving difficult to find.

Robot test button is the first red button from the left.

Thanks for prompt reply, keen to get it fixed, will do the test you suggested.

Tried several times turning on the machine whilst holding down the first of six red buttons from the left.........and nothing.........what have I done? must persist!
When I turn it on an assembly under the coin mech activates then releases, that's it

Will the error clear now?
You have a main door open tilt now.
If you close the door will it play or go
back to the first error?

thanks again, the pic above is how the screen is door open or closed, its frozen.  :103-

I would power down the slot then pull the main board and verify the
Robot test button is working with a DVOM.
If it tests good then I would look for someone to repair your board.

DVOM? digital V? O? meter, am I checking that when the button is pushed, there is continuity?
When you say get the board repaired, which board? and do you know of anyone who would repair whatever it is that I need repaired?
Cheers

So far if you performed the trouble shooting correctly then you have.

* Established that the main door switch itself on the chassis is functioning correctly.
* That you are not able to get into the Robot Test mode using the correct steps.

If the main door is closed the switch is tied to active low, otherwise it is active high. If the software is not picking an active low signal with the door closed ( assuming the switch is working ) then I am inclined to agree with proten's post that the hardware is stuffed since the push button A and main door switch/optics communicate through the same PIA device but on different ports.

When we first started writing the Aristocrat 540 driver in MAME we did not have the PIA mapped initially, the game software complained about the main door also, which leads me to believe that the software in your machine is not able to communicate with the hardware.

First Issue-screen frozen with "memory board disconnected"
The ***main door open*** freeze wasn't an issue until I checked the ribbon cable on the memory board, as it was showing "memory board disconnected", I stupidly did this with the power on and shorted the memory board onto the hopper handle.
As it thinks the door is open when it is closed I thought it might be the optic switch, do you know of any tests I can perform to isolate what may be the problem?
It may well have been an easy fix before I fucked up, but I did, I can't go back.
Cheers

No

You would get a  *MAIN-DOOR SWITCH FAULT* if either one has not been detected.

Thanx, that's a relief. Can you tell me something else I can check?

I don't think you understand that a main door switch fault would be a much better scenario, that would indicate that something is working properly.

Yes, you are right, when I said I know nothing about this machine I meant it, but I am determined, with help, to sort it out

At this point I would be looking at replacing the memory board first and go from there.

Okay, where would I get a memory board?
I did check the push button switch and when door is closed 5VDC, when closed 0VDC
I measured the voltage at the pins on the vertical pcb for the optic under the push button, when the door is closed 0.18VDC, when open 0.25VDC

You are just measuring the voltage from the door emitter but that's no use because that has to go somewhere.

Before I give you further instructions locate the chip labelled U3 and report back here. If its marked PML 2852 then I can
help guide you.

This looks like the board you have.

http://www.worldwide-gaming.com/s/Aristocrat-Mark-2.5-CPU-Board.html (http://www.worldwide-gaming.com/s/Aristocrat-Mark-2.5-CPU-Board.html)

And this should be the I/O board.

http://www.worldwide-gaming.com/s/Aristocrat-Mark-2.5-IO-Controller-Board.html (http://www.worldwide-gaming.com/s/Aristocrat-Mark-2.5-IO-Controller-Board.html)


$85 for spare boards is a good deal!

There is a U3 on the board with the red buttons - SN74HC244N
There is a U3 on the video processor board which has had a blue sticker put on top - V1/U3, peeled it off - N82S123N FMS3578 9305VI
Piggy backed on top of the video processor board add on Video Board character shapes is a U3 - SN74LS323N

Yes, same board 40125

Don't peel anything off in future you could erase data if the chip has a window under the sticker.

Unfortunately I can't really help you any further, not without a schematic of the 2.5 or some really high
resolution photos of each board.

Thanks for your help and advice
My IO board has printed PCB - 40125 but has a sticker PCBA-MK2.5 ENH V 40126-A and is a little different to the one at worldwide gaming

edtruman posted that his Caribbean Gold looks the same and doesn't use a U2 on the memory board. Do you know if this Lucky Strike needs this U2?

I wouldn't worry too much about it.   That empty socket could be used for quality assurance purposes at the factory or for testing but without a manual its impossible to know what it is for. Its not uncommon to have missing chips on PCBs, this happens for a variety of different reasons...  redesign, cost cutting, fixing hardware bugs.. etc.

Thanx again for your input, wish I didn't rush into it and fuck things up!

I just scored a idol dreams
so i can look at my board if can help you

can the roms be changed to a new game?
cheers

I would check the driver board there are uln2003 ic for the optics and the lucky strike came out not needing the memory board unless you needed hard meter connection for subsidury equipment

Thanx to all for showing an interest in my post, Lucky Strike now sits on the floor in the garage. This is a summary of my short dealings with Lucky Strike, no steps forward, many steps back. I have really screwed up, should have done a bit of research before rushing in. I acquired a 1993 Mk 2.5 video gaming machine with a frozen screen showing MEMORY BOARD DISCONNECTED. The guy I got it from said it will never work again as a chip has been removed from the U2 socket on the memory board. After posting on New Life Games edtruman said his working Caribbean Gold is the same type machine and doesn’t have a chip in the U2 socket. Palindrome suggested checking the ribbon cable on the memory board which I stupidly did with the power on and shorted the memory board on the hopper handle. The screen then showed ***MAIN-DOOR OPEN***. Trying to determine if the push button and optic switches were damaged, again with the power on, I shorted the two optic sensor pins on vertical board at the rear of the machine, now it shows CREDIT WIN BET 25. Proten suggested purchasing a PCB 40125 board from worldwide gaming. I have emailed them and am waiting a reply.

That screen looks very familiar. Whatever you did  I'd bet on it that you've blown the 6522A VIA chip. I can reproduce the exact same problem in MAME by removing the address mapping to it ( no signal present on the CPUs FIRQ input line ). So basically the software is waiting for an interrupt and is not getting it.

I'd be looking at buying a complete new system. It's toast.

Id try this...turn the machine off at the wall and at the internal power supply...reconnect the main door optics...and replace everything you removed (restoring the unit to how you first came across it).....then turn on at wall and at internal power supply whilst pressing the robot test switch in  ...then close the main door and wait 20 secs then engage both key resets breifly then  disengage them and  turn the machine off for at least 20 seconds. from the wall.....then...repower from the wall without opening the door ...wait about 5 mins...if nothing happens turn off and try again from the wall....if nothing  still happens..turn off at wall .....open the main door and turn the internal power supply off......then turn on at wall....and with main door open turn on internal mains......check to see if the coin comparator is lighting up (could take a few minutes..if its not lighting suspect as faulty note this and carry on) ... turn off....try again.....if not turn off and  pull the switching assembly to either the collect ...change or take win button ( i used the take win )..disconnect and tape off the wiring noting its configuration ...use the switching assembly to interchange with your bet line  gamble buttons etc....Im thinking you may have a faulty button or 2 on the button deck (a switch unit or 2 that is interupting the robots ability to self test and or reset)...(i had 2 faulty switch sets on my GNR poker machine and it played havoc leaving me with a frozen screen..initially a hopper empty error ...which changed to a...main door open message.(after replacing one dodgy switch)..once I tracked down the second dodgy switch... I was able to get the machine to robot test.....Im thinking if your video board was knackered you wouldnt have such a decent image on your screen....Worth a shot I reckon......cant make things any worse than they already are...Goodluck...ps I completely removed and taped off my collect switch wiring....i used it as my second switch checker and its stops me having to worry about a hopper refill error arising in future....find a switch you know is good and interchange it ....its worth a shot i reckon.....Obversely you could try just removing the wiring to one switching unit at a time and seeing if you can get robot mode.......

Hi,
Did you manage to get this working again, as I notice there is one for sale now.

No, still not working  :37-

Oh well this one is working:
http://sydney.gumtree.com.au/c-Stuff-for-Sale-other-stuff-for-sale-Pokies-W0QQAdIdZ332302205 (http://sydney.gumtree.com.au/c-Stuff-for-Sale-other-stuff-for-sale-Pokies-W0QQAdIdZ332302205)

That is definitely a Mk 2.5 board you can turn it over and it marked there clearly. And that is not a dip switch, they are jumper posts.

All the trouble was due to a faulty 6800 chip