megatouch problem

[jeddybear]

hello, i have a megatouch maxx sapphire that has developed some problems. for example, if you get a hi score, when the game enters the screen for the name, it hits the letter E until it fills all the slots, not allowing any control for player, all of the hi scores have 10 e's for the name, also, the screen acts super sensitive to touch, sometimes having to hit a game several times befor the right one lights up, when the machine is turned on, sometimes it will start a game itself, always one in the middle of the screen, tried calibration many times, it does let me calibrate, but to no avail, also on any card game it tries to pick center card constantly, bad touchscreen? any and all help will be appreciated. thanks

[slotsteve]

either  touch controler is bad or tv is in to tight so that touch srceen is being hit at all time try playing game with front door rasied

[jeddybear]

showing my inexperience with touchscreens, is this the part you were talking about? thanks for your help!!

[stayouttadabunker]

Do you play barefoot, or in socks?
Pick your feet off the floor when touching buttons...
you may be grounding out the touchscreen also,
static electricity from long shagged carpeting will cause problems as well.
These touchscreens were made for people with shoes on and
standing or sitting on short carpeting.
They were NOT made for home use...
uh,...can you make a balloon stick to your head?

[tjkeller]

showing my inexperience with touchscreens, is this the part you were talking about? thanks for your help!!

That is indeed the touch controller.  

1st of all, the way a touchscreen actually works is by creating a ground when touched
as alluded to by SOB.

As slotsteve said could be the controller, touchscreen too tight, and or the things SOB stated.
Best to start with the simple stuff first ie SOB's suggestions, then open/remove outer
case and screen frame like slotesteve suggests to see if it still does it.

Given the whole EEEEEEEEEEEEEE thing and the fact it sometimes starts a game by
itself makes me suspect the touchscreen is stretched, pinched, or dinged.

If still a problem after above suggestions, I would remove touchscreen from the monitor
and check it out before ordering the controller and/or touch screen. Controllers tend to go
at pretty decent price on epray but the screen can be a little spendier. (touchscreen is just
taped onto the monitor. You can use electrical tape...mine has duct tape   )



These things can be kinda funny like SOB says...other than the balloon thing.  

On mine, I have noticed that it works better for some vs others. Like me for example,
for whatever reason I seem to be the only one that has a tough time getting response
to touch at times. Maybe I'm just not grounded cause I have that balloon on my head?  

At any rate, these parts are generally readily available but rule out everything you can
first. Even try moving the game somewhere else to try it out. (due to floor etc) It could
be as simple as location. If you determine parts need replaced, I would start with the
controller (least expensive and "controls" the screen) before the touchscreen unless
you get a package deal. Never hurts to have spare parts.

Best Of luck!

[jeddybear]

ok, i boot up the game to check out the suggestions, freeing the touchscreen, no picture now, game is on because i have audio and i can touch the screen where i know the games are and i can hear the response, checked the monitor fuse--ok, i have power up, no video, checked back of the crt, no light from the tube???? what is going on here, nothing i disconnected then reconnected should cause this, any suggestions gentlemen? thanks for your responses.

[tjkeller]

OK, losing video is pretty much a whole different issue/scenario.
The two are pretty much independent of one another.

As to your video loss, check your vga connector...both at cable junction
and where it connects to the main board. Disconnect & reconnect to
see if you get video back.

You can even use a computer monitor to make sure a signal is being
sent out by just connecting the vga connector to the computer
monitor instead of the MT Monitor.

[tjkeller]

If you do not even have the orange glow in the yoke of the monitor, this would indicate a power issue.

The tube gets power via the flyback transformer to the neck board. The flyback gets power via the monitor chassis board connection to
the power supply.

Pretty much all you can test here is the connector from the power supply to the chassis board. If you have 120v at that connector
feeding the board then I gotta say its likely flyback went out. If no power at connector then its power supply issue...check wires, connectors, etc.

I suspect that this is an older monitor (sapphire) so sadly, even though coincidental, it is very possible fried. That's a pitfall with older
electronics. Works fine till you start messing with it then all hell breaks loose. Hence the saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Flyback can be a common issue and can be replaced however unless you truly know what you're doing in terms of replacing
components on a circuit board then I would not recommend messing with a flyback. These are HIGH voltage...I want to say 600v on
your MT. Picture tube is probably OK. Sometimes you can find a used chassis board. Best option is new monitor.

Temporarily, you can run the video connector to a Computer Monitor like I mentioned above and attach the touch screen
to that monitor to still "play" for now.

Actually, I've seen where people will ditch/hide the cabinet and just run the vid cable to a monitor on the counter. This is how
EVO? models are designed...monitor on counter and box under counter.

At any rate, I HOPE it's something simple.

I am no means an expert on these. Just having one of my own which I am currently working on too , I've been through quite a bit.
I hope if I missed anything someone else may chime in. As to my experience, these are the most likely issues I can think to check.

Best Regards & Good Luck,

tjkeller
  Docs

[jeddybear]

i tell you, absolutely great help on this site, pull the monitor and took it to a friend of a friend who does this sort of work, you were right tj, the flyback is open, i guess a coincidence as you say, i connected to a spare comp monitor i had in the attic and sure enough monster madness was waiting for me (lol). still have the touchscreen problem, got a guy here in maryland whos going to look at this for me monday, hopefully reasonable and then i can put this to rest, i want to thank everyone who has tried to help with this, gotta love this site. thanks again, bob

[jeddybear]

ok, the megatouch is back in action, the touchscreen problem turned out to be the touchscreen itself, scratched, got both from a local vendor for $55, no one admits to scratching it, so we're blamming the dogs, just last week they broke the refrigerator door, and yesterday the trash compactor, so,thanks to those who tried to help

[tjkeller]

Glad to hear you got it back up & running! Nice work! 

[ROCKET]

I came into this thread very late ,I work on touch screens daily  3-m-- "ELO"  etc etc .

when someone has a problem that was started as described in this thread i ask 2-3 simple questions first .

1.YOU DID HAVE VIDEO FROM THE GET GO !!

2.problem was touching the screen and lack of response or overactive response ??

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
first as i mentioned if you have video of games up ..its hard to believe the monitor itself is bad .

so we go to touch screen & controller as the normal next area to tackle ..

1.WHAT I SUGGEST TO ALL WHO READ THIS . is when testing or setting touch points which i would of tried first on this project
and see the outcome ??

IS THIS >> IF WHEN YOU TOUCH ANY TOUCH SCREEN {{WITH SHOES ON OR SHOES OFF }} HOVERING IN MID AIR ETC .
IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE .

 the common problem and cure to get the screen to respond is so simple its funny .. we as men have rough hands --most men !
we may work with industrial cleaners that leave the first few layers of skin dead on our index finger we use most or callused fingers

as i have mentioned in the old forum and any time i make a post of touch screen not responding --I tell the customer to lick the finger they use lightly
then touch the screen .. you will find response time is instant .. !!

so before you condem a monitor or touch screen for accuracy if you have video to start if you remove the touch screen
many game monitors will not turn on after the DOSS MODE appears then goes to game because it does not recognize the touch screen missing !!

other CRT =cathode -ray -tube monitors still do come on . If the monitor comes on with the game displayed its not the monitor .

always try the calibrate button first for a recalibration of touch screen .. EVEN IF MACHINE IS MOVED FROM ONE COUNTERTOP TO ANOTHER !!
a simple movement of a lose tube can throw off calibration of touch screen easy .

then set your touch points --IF YOU FIND NO RESPONSE LICK FINGER TRY AGAIN if this works then its time to soak fingers in CLOROX to remove THE callus skin on fingers

ROCKET

[jeddybear]

now the mystery is solved, my wife plays for hours with absolutely no problems, i have never been able to play games like for example photo hunt because of the lack of response, and the nature of a game like that where some of the touches can be close to each other, causing time to run out as im poking all over the screen, thanks for the insight, learn something from these posts everytime i log on. 

[stayouttadabunker]

LOL...why log off?
I go to maybe 3 other websites just to check on a couple things then I'm back here...

[ROCKET]

now the mystery is solved, my wife plays for hours with absolutely no problems, i have never been able to play games like for example photo hunt because of the lack of response, and the nature of a game like that where some of the touches can be close to each other, causing time to run out as im poking all over the screen, thanks for the insight, learn something from these posts everytime i log on. 

glad to of been help on your megatouch .. it beats replacing parts to solve problem  --when in most cases there is no problem except with the user not understanding the simplistic of the touch screen !!

rocket