Helllloooo!!!!

[darthbob1425]

Hi, I've been into Arcades for a few years now but I still class myself as a newbie. I don't have a great deal of tech knowledge so I've been reading up and taking advice from users on Jamma+.

My current project is an ALCA PLANET (asteroids clone) cocktail. I'm making progress getting the board to work but still some way to go. Its running on Asteroids code at the moment but if anyone has an ALCA board they could rip the rom images off that would be ideal. I'm also looking to buy a spare board if someone has one going.

Anyway enough for now and I'll no doubt bore you all with saft questions soon enough.

Cheers

Rob

"Failure is an option"

 

[trm]

Hiya Rob and welcome to UKVAC!

It sounds like you're quite keen to get into the technical side of things so I think you'll feel pretty well at home here. Hopefully we'll see a thread in Tech soon (can you tell which bits of the hobby interest me the most

) and we'll do our best to help you get your games working. We've got some articles up already on some tech topics and there's more to come, so you'll have plenty of opportunity to ask questions and pick-up new skills.

Plus we have a nice sideline in taking the mickey out of each other

I can't seem to find my information on the Alca Planet cocktail, so I'd suggest opening a thread in Tech asking whether anybody has seen one of these and whether ROM dumps are available; given the main periods of interest to our members I'd say that if there are ROMs out there, you've got a good chance of getting them here. Good luck!

cheers and I hope you enjoy your time here,

tim

 

[Guests]

Welcome to UKVaC

 

[andyman]

Hi Rob & welcome

I have a Planet upright but its running Asteroids also. Sure someone will have them though.

Andy.

 

[darthbob1425]

Thanks for the welcome.

I think I've met Tim before when I was on Jamma+ and bought a big box of broken boards from Cyclo. He was also kind enough to send me an audio amp for a Pacland I was working on so I know how helpful some of the people on here can be.

Since I really got into this in about 2006 I took an 18month break due to the arrival of my third kid so not a bad reason really for a break. I'm now trying to pick up where I left off and look forward to getting some good advice off you guys.

Rob

 

[trm]

Hi Rob! I remember you now

I'd got a vague idea that your location might be West Midlands, but as you'd not populated the location drop-down I wasn't sure. It's great to see you over here and congrats on your third wriggler!

What's the next board onto the workbench then? Please pick something with schematics, PLEASE

I really fancy helping somebody do another troubleshooting fix, but my brain is getting filled with so much work crap that I'm looking for an easy one that's got existing schems.

Anyway, great to have you with us and I look forward to helping you fix more stuff. We'll also have to arrange a Midlands mini-meet sometime just to show that it's not all southerners who do the hospitality

cheers

tim

 

[darthbob1425]

Too right. It seems that the only time I get to meet anyone in the hobby is when I collect stuff I've brought off them. If theres a meet on the cards I'm there probably with a supply of unfixable crap in tow.

My main project at the mo is the ALCA Planet, another great buy from Cyclo (20 quid). I've not got specific schems but its near as dammit to the original to make little difference.

When I picked it up I couldn't even get it into test mode but with the help of DaveSpicer on jamma+ I'm sorted. Now for the game mode.

I've read some of the posts about issues with Jamma+ which is sad to hear as I've found everyone I've dealt with really helpful. The main reason I've signed up here is a case of the more the merrier.

Rob

 

[trm]

We should do a tech meet then. I'll have to move my gear out of the study and into the dining room or something as there's not enough room in here for more than a couple of people, unless I get rid of the racks of PCBs. Maybe something along the lines of a "post some info on the deaders a week or two beforehand to give time for preparation" and then we can actually have a stab at fixing some stuff. I've got plenty of parts, donor boards and gear and can still remember how to use most of it

Equites has an excellent post in the Restoration section about his Asty Dlx, which might give some ideas of what he went through on his learning journey, but if you fire up a Tech thread then I'm sure you'll get plenty of help too.

And as for the J+ stuff, a lot of rough stuff happened but that was a while ago now and I'm focussed on the future so bugger the past

 

[Equites]

We should do a tech meet then.

Dude - would love to meet up with you guys for a Tech meet sometime, I even have my Spock ears ready....

Welcome darthbob - Im sure you will be blasting rocks in space soon enough!
Equites2011-02-02 20:04:28

 

[darthbob1425]

Well thats 3 people and counting - as long as you understand I know very little -but have soldering, iron will travel.

Even the wife thinks its a great idea. I think she hopes I'll get rid of some stuff and praying I don't come back with more.

 

[paulcan69]

Welcome Sir!

 

[guddler]

Even the wife thinks its a great idea. I think she hopes I'll get rid of some stuff and praying I don't come back with more.

That never happens !!

Welcome to UKVAC.

As far as the Alca goes, I wouldn't mind seeing some pics of that. I've seen uprights but I'm not convinced I've seen a cocktail before. And as far as the code goes, are you 100% sure that it even uses it's own ROMs? The reason I say that is that I've got a Meteors PCB here. Can't remember what manufacturer Meteors was but mine still says Atari on the screen when it's playing. Just a thought. I've not seen the PCB for over 3 years now but I think they were the same ROMs that it came with.