Welcome to the Outerworld Arcade web site!
Outerworld Arcade exists to provide unique information about classic arcade games from the 70s and early 80s. These pages provide detailed information about a select group of games- all of which I happen to own. Most of my games were bought non-working and this site documents their repair and ongoing maintenance.
Outerworld Arcade is a work in progress and many areas have yet to be developed. Stop by often, I'm updating the site regularly and have quite a bit more information, scans, pictures and videos to put up.
Enjoy!
Timothy
Timothy's Arcade Blog
New Cinematronics Programming Blog
July 22, 2009
I've created a Cinematronics Programming blog, which will contain most of the regular updates on my Cinematronics programming activities.
For now, I'm hosting it at Blogspot: Cinematronics Programming Blog
Cinematronics Programming - More Progress!
July 18, 2009
Not many updates to the site recently, mostly because I continue to work on the Cinematronics Test Rom. I continue to make good progress with some hurtles.
I originally was trying to get the entire test rom into 4k, so that it would take two 2716 /2532 / 2732s. However, In order hold the data required to test all the games this won't be possible. So I've added bank switching and have increased the maximum size of the program to 8k. Note: I will have a separate slimmed down 4k version that only tests the 4k games: Space War, Starhawk and Barrier.
This means I've outgrown some of the initial assumptions I had in writing routines. I've had to backtrack a bit to spread the program across the two banks and manage bank switched subroutines and data. Without a stack, return addresses from subroutines have to be maintained by the programmer. Add to that the return can be to the same bank or a different one and that the routines can be nested and I've got a bit of a mess to clean up.
Left to do:
- Adjust Ram test to work without JMI: so that it will work with the older games.
- Finish Sundance keypad control tests: Only game that one press changes multiple inputs
- Rework returns from Bank-switched subroutines: this is a pain, but has to be done
- Add vector frame around game selection screen for yoke adjustment.
- Tweak vector timing in ram test and text drawing to fix smearing: vector draw is being turned on before beam has reached it's intended destination.
- Add Gear 4 control for Speed Freak: it's an exception to the rule, on when nothing's pressed
- Expand timing routine for sound triggers: My current routine just plays each sound for a fixed length of time and then moves to the next sound. This works fine in Mame where samples are being played, but on the actual game hardware doesn't simulate the sound heard in the game well at all. This will be a two part timer: length of time sound played and length of time sound is off. Sounds will still be able to be locked with sound on.
- Finish tweaking and testing sound data where I'm able and cleanup silencing of sound boards.
I'll post pics / video at some point soon with more updates & notes on Cinematronics programming to come. The good part about all the work for the test rom is that many of these routines will be able to be used for future new games making me that much further along for those projects.
Cinematronics Programming - Making Progress!
May 20, 2009
Due to some chronic health issues, I've found myself forced into resting most of the day for weeks (months actually) on end.
What to do to keep myself entertained? Learn how to program the Cinematronics CCPU!
It's been a long learning curve as the source documentation is not the best (written on a typewriter in the 1970's with many typos and hand-written notes) and there are many idiosyncrasies in the hardware to get used to.
Things are now coming together and I'm excited about documenting this in a more complete way and the possibility of new games for the Cinematronics platform in the future.
Progress Includes:
- I've developed a cine assembler using tasm that's 99% there - I'm just working the final bugs out that I encounter as I write and test code.
- I've documented line-by-line much of the code and memory usage for Space Wars and a few key chunks of Solar Quest.
- I'm starting to build a library of subroutines that can be used to take care of many of the basic tasks.
I've gotten a number of programming examples working in mame. The pics attached are my first successful attempt at getting some new code (text strings to screen) to run on the actual hardware.
Excuse the blurry pics - my test monitor is my last dim Amprex tube. The text routine works but for some reason is resetting even though I'm petting the watchdog - I think this is what is slightly messing up the first letter in each line. Still more work to do...
Next project is to get object rotation working!
VideoPong by VideoPlay International Info Added
April 14, 2009
Just added a page with some info on the cocktail pong-clone VideoPong by VideoPlay International. I finished repairing the pcb in mine awhile back without a manual or schematics. Ended up having multiple bad TTL chips found with lots of time, a logic probe and a logic comparator.
It's finally back together and 100% working. Hopefully this info will help if any others exist out there.
You can find it here.
Cinematronics Power Supplies Repair Info Added
April 11, 2009
Added a page with some info on the Xentek and Datapower power supplies used in the Cinematronics B&W vector games. Also includes cap kit charts.
You can find it here.
Sundance Manual Added
April 9, 2009
I know there haven't been many updates to the site past few months. I have been making some progress on my various projects and have more info to write up and post. Stay tuned!
A small update today: I added the manual for Cinematronics Sundance to the Cinematronics Manuals page.
Does anyone out there actually own a Sundance?
Tailgunner Lives!
January 4, 2009
After working on my Cinematronics Tailgunner on and off for a couple of years, I finally got it up and running last night and played my first games. This required replacing the original vector monitor - which had been fried to the point of non-repair - with the newer version of the Cinematronics monitor used in Star Castle & Armor Attack.
This is not just a simple swap, since the game's joystick uses an input to the monitor's DAC to function! Thanks to Rich Pott's great write-up I had most of the info I need to do the swap. What I didn't have was an older style replacement monitor. The difference is that a jumper wire is soldered in one of the places we need to use, and a resistor has been added (possibly to protect the input of the DAC?).
Looking at this jumper wire on the top of the board, I'm still not quite sure why it has been added. The traces on the botom of the board go to the exact same place the jumper wire does and I verified that it has continuity between the pad and the resistor with and without the jumper.
I kept the jumper in place and soldered the wire from the joystick that attaches to that location to the bottom of the board. It works perfectly!
High Score Saves Directory
December 26, 2008
High score saves add a lot to the enjoyment of playing classic arcade games. I've added a new page listing all the high score saves available. You can find it here.
Cinematronics Monitor Vertical Deflection Repair: Page Added
December 23, 2008
I've added a new page on the Cinematronics Vertical Deflection Repair I did awhile back. You can find it here.
 
Exidy Targ Test Rom Now Available!
December 20, 2008
The Targ Test Rom aids in the diagnosis of problems with the three Targ PCBs. It includes tests for the game's RAM, ROMs, color adapter board, sound board, controls and dip switch settings.
For additional info or to download the rom click here.
Asteroids Repair Log: Page Added
December 16, 2008
I've cleaned up my notes about the Asteroids board repair and it now has it's own page here.
Repairing an
Asteroids PCB: The Ongoing Saga II....
December 15, 2008
I've been working on getting an Asteroids board running which required quite a few repairs. See previous post for eariler repairs....
I think I've found and fixed the problem with the board resetting. The watchdog would reset in game mode but not during the self test.
Self test ran fine with beeps when controls were pressed. I didn't have a picture up as my two monitors still have issues and am just trying to get the game to run blind.
Ran all the tests in the Signature Analysis Guide and all the signatures are correct.
Pulled and verified the roms. All were ok, but the pins were rusty and about to fall off of one of the roms. Burnt and installed a new set of roms.
Checked for shorted pins in the rom sockets - all ok.
I cut pin 1 of L6 (DMAGO) which isolates the Vector Generator. Game quit resetting and I was able to play a game blind. So the problem was in the VGM - which can be difficult to diagnose.
Turns out the problem was in the Vector Generator Program Counter.
Pin 6 of the LS74 @ D4 was low when it should have been high (the opposite of pin 5). This was a chip I had socketed and replaced previously. When I pulled the chip, I found the output was not dead, but low. Turns out the LS32 @ B9 pin 10 (input from the LS74) was shorted to ground. When I cut the leg to pin 10, the game stopped resetting. I socketed and replaced the chip and was able to play a game blind with DMAGO connected.
Space Invaders Test Rom Source Code- Updated for TASM
December 4, 2008
In order to create the Space Encounters Test Rom, I converted the Space Invaders Test Rom source code for use in TASM. TASM is an assembler I've been using for development. In the process, I also cleaned the documentation up a bit.
This file is now available for download. It
can be assembled into an exact copy of the original rom or modified for use in other 8080 games. You can find it here.
Sprint 2 Power Supply Repair Page Added
December 3, 2008
I've been troubleshooting a Sprint 2 board with a power supply / short issue. I've started a page to document what I figure out. I don't have a main Sprint 2 page (yet), so for now you can find it here.
Repairing an
Asteroids PCB: The Ongoing Saga....
November 23, 2008
I'm currently in the process of fixing an Asteroids PCB so I can get a restored Asteroids cabinet I bought awhile ago up and running. The cabinet restore was virtually done, just some minor wiring to be finished and installing a monitor and pcb that was included in the package.
I was given a pcb that was supposedly working along with three parts boards.
When I fired up the game with the board installed it appeared dead- nothing on the screen, no sounds, and the player 1 and 2 lights steadily lit.
I recently bought a 5004a Signature Analyzer and built a connector to supply +5v and GND to the board for testing. This allows me to sit comfortably at my bench for troubleshooting. I was looking forward to testing the board with this new tool. However the nature of the problems found so far were such that the Signature Analyzer couldn't be used. The connector so far has been very useful and is much easier than diagnosing from the back of the cabinet.
This board had a number of problems that I've repaired and detailed below. These problems were diagnosed with a logic probe and digital multimeter.
First, I noticed that the 4016 @ M9 was getting very hot and smelled like burning plastic. I pulled the game's 6502A and, after installing in a known working pcb, found it was bad. Both chips were replaced.
Pressing the reset button had no effect. Socketing and replacing the following chips fixed the reset button:
Output pin 10 of the 74ls14 @ B6 stuck low.
Output pin 8 of the 74ls74 @ D4 stuck low. (this chip might have been ok- see shorting issue below...)
After socketing and replacing both of these chips. I realized that the board's RESET line was shorted to ground, holding the RESET input to the 6502A low and not allowing it to initialize. When I took a continuity measurement on the new socket (no chip installed) @ D4 between pins 7(GND) and 8(output to RESET), I found I had continuity. I verified that on my Asteroids parts boards, none of them had continuity between these pins.
Finding the shorted chip turned out to be more difficult. After cutting each leg connected to the RESET line from every chip on the board. I've found, socketed and replaced a number of chips that were internally shorting RESET to ground:
74ls174 @ N7
74ls174 @ P7
74ls174 @ P10
74ls174 @ D8
74ls08 @ E6
There were four chips in this circuit that weren't shorted:
74ls109 @ A9
74ls259 @ M10
74ls08 @ K6
74ls164 @ K9
Hopefully I'm getting close to raising this board from the dead....
Updated Exidy Targ & Spectar Color Adapter Board Troubleshooting
November 14, 2008
I recently fixed a couple Targ Color Adapter Boards and have added info about the repairs to the Targ & Spectar Color Adapter PCB Repair Log. You can find it here.
Space Encounters Test Rom Now Available For Download
September 4, 2008
The Space Encounters Test Rom aids in the diagnosis and repair of your Space Encounters game. It includes functions that test the game's ram, inputs, sounds, and visual effects.
For additional information or to download the test rom click here.
Post Comments At Outerworld Arcade
September 3, 2008
More website updates. The big new feature today is comment sections located at the bottom of most pages. Have fun!
New Video Player Allows Full Screen Viewing
September 2, 2008
I've just finished changing the flash video player used at Outerworld Arcade to FlowPlayer. This flash video player has an improved interface and has a much richer feature set for me to use in the future. It's main advantage, however, is that it now allows full screen viewing of any of the videos here at Outerworld Arcade!
Space Encounters - added test procedure for the GAME ON circuit
August 9, 2008
The past few weeks I've been helping someone get their Space Encounters game up and running. One result of this is a test procedure for the game's GAME ON circuit. This circuit determines sound volume during attract and game modes.
You can find it on the Space Encounters Sound Repair Page here.
New Armor Attack Page
March 9, 2008
The past few weeks I've been doing quite a few updates to the site small and large. Armor Attack now has its own page and I've added new information and pictures to many of the other pages. I've also added current ebay listings with keywords pertaining to the page viewed. Oh, and the the buttons to the left should now light up! More to come...
February 18, 2008
Currently Working On:
The past few months I've been busy on non-arcade work but am back at it and starting to make significant progress on my list of arcade projects.
Yesterday, I raised my non-working Space Encounters PCB from the dead! I used the Space Invaders test rom that I hacked to work in Space Encounters to tell me which rams were bad. Unfortunately it only tells me the next one that is bad, so I didn't quite know what I was getting myself into. After replacing and adding sockets for eight of the sixteen roms on the board, it passed the ram tests in the Test Rom. After replacing the original rom, I found the board also had a bad rom (27). I doubled the 2k rom image to 4k (two consecutive duplicate images) and burnt it to a 2732. Plugged it in and the game came up! Now just have to finish fixing the two sound boards that I was working on in November!
A few weeks ago I ran my Cinematronics Armor Attack for a few hours. At some point the the circuit breakers blew. After unplugging the game and resetting the breakers I turned the game back on to see the screen image had been crushed horizontally to about half an inch tall. Then, the circuit breakers blew again and as I looked behind the game saw a puff of smoke coming from the back of the monitor. One of the deflection transistors went bad and burnt up a resistor. I'm finishing an article on how I fixed this which will be up soon.
November 22, 2007
Currently Working On:
Two Space Encounters Sound Boards.
PCB #1: Missing Enemy Shot Sound & Explosions
Replacing the LM3900 at D1 brought back the Enemy Shot Sounds.
Replacing the LM3900 at D2 brought back the Explosion Sounds.
I am now hearing some steady clicking noise that is related to the Enemy Shot sound. I may replace the LM3900 at E1 (the input to this sound) and see if this affects it. I can change the rate of the clicking by touching this output at E1 to the input of the LM3900 at D1.
PCB #2: Missing all sounds that have a noise input except the Player's shot sound which sounds like its missing its noise component. I had previously bought a replacement for the 4006 at A0, but with no change I'm thinking its the 4030 at A1, the other major component of the noise circuit.
November 16, 2007
Web Site News:
Targ pages updated! Includes a new article about the game, Dip Shunt Info, and a guide on repairing the Color Adapter PCB.
November 15, 2007
Web Site News:
Added a page about a $20 eprom eraser I've been using. Read about it here.
I've documented the Space Invaders Test Rom and created a quick hack so that it will work on Space Encounters PCBs. Read more about it here.
September 14, 2007
Currently Working On :
The past week I've been working on the Targ and Spectar boardsets that I bought in August. I've started on a stack of five Color Adapter PCBs. The Exidy manuals are quite informative and I'm documenting any additional info I figure out to make troubleshooting these boards easier in the future. To that end, I've been writing a TARG test ROM for troubleshooting video and sound using a debug version of MAME and a hex editor.
I figured out that the Color Adapter PCBs are not the same between TARG and SPECTAR. The board markings are the same, but the board was modified for SPECTAR. I realized that I have been using a SPECTAR Color adapter with my TARG pcb and the colors are wrong in the picture on the targ page! I'll take some more shots with the correct Color Adapter PCB installed so that the right colors are displayed.
August 1 , 2007
New Addition to the Arcade:
Bought a non-working Atari/Kee Games Sprint 2 game today! It's complete except for the PCB. It's pretty dirty too so I'm cleaning it up while I look for a PCB. I also will have to lubricate the shifters. When done, though, I think it will be a nice addition to the arcade. Also bought a couple of untested (but probably not working) Spectar PCBs as well as another untested Targ PCB. I've got three of each now including my working sets. I'll post repair logs for them when I have a chance to look at them further.
July 23, 2007
Web Site News:
The past few weeks I've been working on a United Games Video Five video showing the game, game play, promotional materials, and even video of United Games office building today. A flash video version is now online here.
Currently Working On in the Arcade:
A few days ago my Star Castle sound board started playing the "fireball" sound constantly whenever the machine was on. After pulling the board and using a logic probe on IC1, a 7414 (Hex inverter with schmitt-trigger inputs), I found that pin 2 was stuck low. The input of pin 1 was low and thus the output of pin 2 should have been high. I replaced the 7414 with a new one (and added a socket for good measure) and the problem was fixed.
July 11, 2007
Sorry there haven't been any updates of late. Work, other projects and enjoying the summer are taking up my time. I've also been enjoying playing my games(particularly Head-On), rather than just repairing them!
I do have some things cooking including a few design changes to the site and a better Video 5 video. I bought a Sony A1U HDV camera, so I'll be posting more videos as I shoot and cut them together.
April 29, 2007
Web Site News:
- Added flash video clips of arcade scenes from Never Say Never Again (1983) and The Thing (1982)
Currently Working On:
- Repaired the monitor for my Arkanoid (in a Pacman cab). Arkanoid is now fully working!
- Bought a new B&W tube from Richardson Electronics to replace one that was very dim. Installed it in my Armor Attack. Looks incredible - bright and sharp!
March 13, 2007
Web Site News:
- Added flash video clips of arcade scenes from a couple of episodes of Remington Steele and the movie Tron.
Currently Working On:
- I've been busy at work so I'm a bit behind on web site updates and my arcade projects. What time I have had I've been doing a major cleanup and re-organization of the arcade and related tools and parts. I'm trying to make the arcade more comfortable as well as separating it from my tech workspace. I've got more work to do but it's already way more comfortable...
- Received some NOS HV units for my Cinematronics monitors. I'll be installing these over the next couple of days.
February 16 , 2007
Web Site News:
- I had a request to add side 2 of the Computer Wars 12" single to the site. The two remixes on side two are now up on the Computer Wars Page.
- Added artwork and introductory article to Stern's The End. The technical info that was there is offline for the moment until I reorganize and reformat it.
Currently Working On:
- Thanks for the responses to the flash video of my Jukebox problem. With this help I was able lubricate the mechanism so that the record returns properly. Thankfully a simple solution - a couple of sprays of WD-40 did the trick!
- Replaced bad speakers in my Rip Off, Star Castle, and Armor Attack. The Rip Off speaker was literally ripped to shreds! Sounds much better now...
- Using double-sided tape, placed black felt where the bezels contact the wood of the Tailgunner and Rip Off cabinets. Also replaced the fluorescent fixture from Tailgunner. The ballast was bad in the old one and would ruin bulbs installed in it. I'm now ready to reinstall the bezels in both machines.
February 10 , 2007
Web Site News:
- Lots of small additions and cleanup. Revised copy and added links to Astro Fighter and Lemans.
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Added the marquee pictures to the left as links to the individual game pages.
- Added a long lost arcade game song from 1982.
- Added some Flash video excerpts of arcade scenes in the movies Dawn of the Dead and Wargames.
Currently Working On:
Just received some full range speakers to replace the bad speakers in my Cinematronics games. I'm also scanning the artwork for Space Encounters for use in Mame.
January 31, 2007
Web Site News:
- Added pages for Atari Video Pinball & Cinematronics Rip Off
- Added the background wind sound to the Space Encounters samples, which I had forgotten earlier.
- Added Space Encounters cabinet pictures
January 27, 2007
Web Site News:
- Updated the Cinematronics Sound PCB Repair Log with detailed instructions on how I fixed a dead Star Castle Sound Board.
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Added Rock-Ola Princess Jukebox page with a Flash Video of a problem I'm having.
- Added Images of my very unhappy Tailgunner monitor
- Updated images on the Space Encounters page
Currently Working On:
Last night I got two Cinematronics monitors working again. I switched Keltron HV units
from a parts monitor and a monitor with a dim tube to two other monitors with bad HV units. Got a nice bright picture up on both. Woo hoo! One will go in my Rip Off machine while the other will probably end up in my Star Castle. Now I just need to find two more working HV units to get my other two monitors going.
January 21, 2007
Web site news:
A cold, work and snow-storm (3 inches is a lot for Portland) took up most of my time this past week. I did get a few updates done on the site:
- Added Space Encounters sound samples - hopefully these can be used as a starting point to get sound support for this game in mame.
- Added Flash Videos of two unemulated games - Atari Lemans and Video Five
January 12, 2007
Web site news:
I've added a Cinematronics Section where I'm posting info as I go about fixing my Rip Off, Star Castle, Armor Attack and Tailgunner. I've also added a flash video of a game of Space Encounters. This game is not well emulated and most of the machines out there are broken. Maybe it will inspire someone to better emulate it or fix one of the original arcade machines. Right now you can find the video on the main Space Encounters page.
Currently Working on:
Two Star Castle Sound Boards
Six Cinematronics Monitors
:/
January 4 , 2007
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Web Site News:
Time for some updates. I'm planning on adding more content and doing quite a bit of cleanup here over the next few weeks. I recently added info to the Space Encounters page about replacing the light bulb socket.
I've been scanning some of my artwork for Mr Do's MAME Artwork Page: http://www.mameworld.net/mrdo/mame_artwork.html
So far, I've scanned Stern's Armored Car, Amidar and Strategy-X and Sega's Space Fury bezels for use in MAME.
What I'm currently working on:
- I finally got my Head On game working. Yeah!
- Getting both my Pong cocktail machines finished - finally - just have to trade the monitors between the machines and possibly hook up a switching power supply to Video Five.
- Getting all five of my Cinematronics Vectors up and running. I've been working on isolating problems on the monitors.
- Getting my jukebox going again.
That should keep me busy for awhile....
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