Help! LCD touch issue..grounding? or bad LCD?

[sonoflao]

Thanks everyone in advance for the response.  GREAT! Forum.

I have an IGT I+ game call Frequent Flyer w/ LCD touch screen having issue.
Every time I need to touch something on the screen, it won't response unless
I put one hand anywhere on the metal cabinet housing.  After that it will work
for little bit .  But if I walk away for a minute and come back it will not response
again.
Is the LCD dying on me? or I have a grounding issue with the cabinet?
My other game next to it working just fine! using the same outlet.

Thanks

[knagl]

Greetings.

Check out this thread from a while back.  Someone had the same issue as you where the touchscreen only worked if they were touching the metal part of the cabinet with their hand.  Turned out to be a broken ground pin on their plug, so yes, I would suspect a grounding problem.  Try a different cord or a different outlet if you can (or swap plugs in the outlet to see if the problem follows the plug or not).

[kforeman]

try replacing the flouro ballasts in the machine...sounds crazy i know but i've seen it happen!

[stayouttadabunker]

On somewhat of a similar issue, I've seen a going-bad fluorescent tube mess up a progressive sign.
I think when the fluorescent start showing like a "black-hole" near the ends of the tube, it throws
out wicked electrical waves that cause havoc with other nearby electronics.

I couldn't understand why one of my internal progressive signs were flickering like nuts.
I changed out the topbox fluorescent tube because it looked like it was going to blow soon anyways
as a preventive measure and it solved my flickering progressive sign!

[sonoflao]

thanks, everyone for the replies.

I have tried, running new power cables, new outlets, running new ground directly to chassis.  Game was
running great! for many months.
I will try changing out or remove or replace the fluorescent tube or flouro ballasts to see what happen.

Will post the result later today.

[kforeman]

On somewhat of a similar issue, I've seen a going-bad fluorescent tube mess up a progressive sign.
I think when the fluorescent start showing like a "black-hole" near the ends of the tube, it throws
out wicked electrical waves that cause havoc with other nearby electronics.

I couldn't understand why one of my internal progressive signs were flickering like nuts.
I changed out the topbox fluorescent tube because it looked like it was going to blow soon anyways
as a preventive measure and it solved my flickering progressive sign!

yah flouros can do some crazy stuff sometimes.  on the Aristocrap video MKVI games we've had flickering belly flouros take the game down with a "No Signal" message, take down CDS comm and cause printer failures.  i don't know the reasons but i know it happens!

[brichter]

  i don't know the reasons but i know it happens!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_interference

[sonoflao]

Well, after changing out fluorescent tubes and replaced with new flouro ballasts, problem did NOT!
go away.
In the mean time I will have to keep both feet on the ground and one hand on the chassis while
touching the screen   I'm just hopping it not the LCD itself, thats a very expensive replacement.

[stayouttadabunker]

What I don't know is whether or not the touchscreen is actually glued to the LCD screen or what.
I wonder if it's a separate unit ?
I hope it's not too serious.

[kforeman]

Well, after changing out fluorescent tubes and replaced with new flouro ballasts, problem did NOT!
go away.
In the mean time I will have to keep both feet on the ground and one hand on the chassis while
touching the screen   I'm just hopping it not the LCD itself, thats a very expensive replacement.

it really shouldn't be your LCD giving you touchscreen problems, they are two separate devices.  Randy Fromm said it well at a Techfest i went to in 2004, he said "the monitor is a dumb device, all it does is display what the machine tells it to."

if you have another touchscreen controller in another game or on a shelf i would swap it out and see if the problem goes away.  depending on which style controller you have they can usually be repaired.  if it's an old version it will have 11 electrolytic caps on the board that when these are changed out will fix the issue about 80% of the time.    if it's a newer style controller it will be mostly surface mount components but if you find the U10 eprom, it's through hole and can be replaced pretty easily; it will usually fix 90-95% of all issues    the part number is ILQ2.

if it's a problem with the touchscreen itself then you can change that out too.  it's a bit of a pain but if you're careful you can peel the tape off and pull it away from the LCD panel.  the double-sided tape that is used between the edges of the touch screen and the edges of the LCD panel can be a pain in the ass but using a heat gun or the wife's hair dryer will help loosen up the adhesive and allow you to pull it away from the panel.  depending on the LCD brand and model you can get most touchscreens from either Happ or AG&E for a reasonable price, under $200 i would think. 

as knagl suggested earlier i would be checking for good chassis ground throughout the machine as well.  and remember that the touchscreen is a netplex device so other netplex devices can screw it up too without you even knowing.  the bill acceptor and printer are possible causes of the issue since they are the other netplex devices in the GameKing cabinet.  check their harnessing and maybe swap them out if possible and see if the issue goes away!

let us know if you figure anything else out!!

[Buzz]

Just for giggles, attach a electrical wire to one of your machines ( Make sure it's got a good connection ) now touch the other end to your other machine, watch real close and see if you get a small electrical arc. If no arc hold the wire to the machine and see if the touch screen works as it should.  If you have one, this same test can be done with a multi meter.

[sonoflao]

@BUZZ
yes I did try that also.  My other hand can be on
the other machine's chassis and touch the screen that is
having problem and it work. 

Yea, I think I will try swap out the LCD controller
from the other game to see what happen.
I will do that and will also post photo.

[sonoflao]

Thanks, everyone for all the inputs.

After changing out the new controller board, the touch screen starting working now 
My controller does has U10 and U9 eprom, BAD! controller...lesson learned.

[cp]

I have run into the same problem...  same type of controller.  w/ eproms /  chips.     ( IGT  I Game  17"  monitors.  )

Does anyone know if the   "eproms"  can get  corrupted  or zapped /    or  the problem  something else than  corrupt  eproms ? ?   

Thanks. 

[kforeman]

  great news!!  have a  and enjoy the full functionality of your touchscreen!!