problem with IGT players edge draw poker machine

[KFP]

Hello everyone,  I was given a players edge draw poker machine for Christmas,  every thing worked fine for a couple of weeks,  then the coins played/payoff disappeared from the screen and the font of everything remaining on screen seemed larger?  However the machine still worked fine with the exception of not knowing what the payouts were going to be.  A couple of weeks later the machine started flashing the light on top and said to call attendant on the screen.  Screen also says CMOS data at the bottom middle of screen?  Can anyone help,  Iam in Idaho and do not have a repair service that I can call.  Thank You for anyhelp you may have

[jay]

In my house when that candle goes off, I can never get the change girls attention and the drinks just never show up..... so I feel your pain; Its not an Idaho problem.

By the information you provided, Initaly I would say your monitor is starting to go, possibly a bad power transistor or perhaps it requires a cap kit.
With that said your monitor could blank out completely and it would not cause your CMOS problem.

The CMOS lives on the MotherBoard, the mother board is the fixed board in your machine.
The main board is removeable, known as the MPU board - has the game chips, graphic chips etc.
Once we get the CMOS error resolved we can look at adjusting the monitor.
Centronix (maker of the monitor) also offers a trade in service.

It is not uncommon for the CMOS to get corrupted if you go through a game change or if your battery (located on the MPU board) goes bad. Usually if the battery gets low you get a message that says battery low. Since it doesn't sound like either of these things have occured there are a few other causes.

1. The CMOS which gets written too all the time could have gone bad. It just gets worn out. I think this is soldered onto the motherboard. You can desolder this and get a new chip. Not being the most adept myself with a soldering iron you can probably pick up a new motherboard on Ebay for around $20.00. Many of the vendors on this site (see links from the home page) can probably fix you up. I would look at this as a last resort.

2  Since it sounds like you just moved the machine - it could simply be that you have a stray coin under the mother board. Turn off the machine, pull the hopper and have a good look with a flashlight. Failing this your MPU board might simply be mis-seated. Pull it out, use one of those white erasers and clean the edge connector of the MPU board and re-insert it. Turn the power back on and then press the white self-test button to clear the error.

Please post back and let us know how you make out.

[KFP]

Thank you for the quick reply,  I assume the motherboard is on the left hand side of the hopper?  Also where would the white self test button be located?

[jay]

The MPU board moves around depending on model.
Mine goes in horisontally across the top.
On some machines they are located on the left as you indicated while still others are behind the hopper.

The self test button is ususally on the top right hand side by the power switch.
it could possibly be behind the power button.

This button takes your through a series of setup screeens.

[knagl]

KFP- Welcome to NLG! 

then the coins played/payoff disappeared from the screen and the font of everything remaining on screen seemed larger?  However the machine still worked fine with the exception of not knowing what the payouts were going to be.

It could just be a dirty pot, too.  One of the potentiometers just under/over/next to (it depends on the design) the monitor should control the vertical size of the image on the screen.  See if any of them are labeled V-Size (or similar), and see if adjusting (rotating the knob) it resolves the problem.  It is also possible as Jay said that your monitor is going, but let's start with the possible simple fix. 

As far as the CMOS DATA message and the self test button, since you were asking where the button was, I'm assuming you haven't pressed it.  What happens if you press the button?

Do you have a picture of your machine you could post?