Mystery Nichibutsu PCB

[deadmatty]

I bought this off ebay recently, it was listed as Moon Alien, but I found a photo on this forum that was selling a similar board (same AL-10AR main board) as a Moon Cresta...

http://www.ukvac.com/forum/nichibutsu-moon-cresta-pcb_topic342375.html

When I checked the roms on romident, only two had a match, one for Scramble and one for Explorer, a Scramble bootleg :-/

I can't find anything more about a Nichibutsu AL-10AR on the net and the only photos of a Moon Alien pcb I've found are marked AL-10A, does anyone know what I've got here?

Cheers

 

[philmurr]

The main board is Nichibutsu-branded Galaxian hardware with a few hacks (are there chips piggy-backed onto the 2114's to the left of the red socket - in which case the programme RAM has been doubled to 2K).

So looks like it's running Scramble boot on Galaxian hardware that you've identified from the daughterboard ROMs.

Have you ROMidented the graphics ROMs too?

 

[deadmatty]

Thanks Phil,

Yes, three chips are piggy-backed. All but four ROMs are blank, one unidentified, one with missing legs, and the two Scramble ones mentioned above.

 

[Dazzer]

It's a Moon Alien Part 2....

I have one

Can post a picture if needed and it would help

 

[Judder]

Yes - (it looks very like a...) Moon Alien Part 2 - I have one too and it has the weird connectors on the top

I have the pin-out for it somewhere too and it's on a thread on here too




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxDXpZa2HAA

 

[simonden]

Yep, I have quite a few O,P,Q boards as I collect them. They were converted to quite a few things BITD. Got one converted to a Crazy Kong and another converted to an Ant-Eater!

My only regret was selling a Super Moon Cresta (to RGP) before I started collecting these boards as it is now the one board missing from my collection.

I also have the pin-out for these as documented in the Nichibutsu manual and confirmed in my cab but that is for 2 way games. Some 4 way hack games re-assign the pins.

simonden2016-07-17 11:41:26

 

[Judder]

Yep, I have quite a few O,P,Q boards as I collect them.

Nice collection Simon and hope you are well!

Paul Swan scanned the operator manual here and page 22 has the pin-outs for the boards

 

[Judder]

Turns out I have a Moon Quasar which is a slight deviation of Moon Cresta as far as I can tell from the pictures (but it does appear to have had a nice original cabinet!), again on Galaxian hardware so in need of one of Phil's nice daughter boards to replace the long riser board of EPROMs

 

[simonden]

I have a Moon Quasar cab, it was apparently Nichibitsu's Japanese release of Moon Cresta.

The game is the same except it has an extra stage which is refuelling, effectively a reverse docking stage.

 

[Hurray Banana]

[tube]bFdOF-ClE6I[/tube]Hurray Banana2016-07-20 21:34:31

 

[deadmatty]

Thanks everyone, good info. I haven't got round to trying to power this thing up yet. I quite like the idea of leaving as Scramble... assuming it works

 

[Judder]

Haven't been on this thread for a few years now but has anyone ever got around to wiring up one of these boards to a standard JAMMA style connector with +5V DC rather than the schematics which say +8V AC?

I know that Paul had instructions for removing the AC hardware from an original Galaxian PCB but it doesn't massively look like that type of hardware is in the power section of these boards

 

[cliff_poole]

I've just fixed an SMC board running Moon Cresta with the same pin connectors. It didn't need 8V or any AC. There is a pin for -5V but it doesn't go anywhere. I just made a JAMMA adapter with standard AMP? type connectors. The power pins are the unusual 0.2" pitch. I've still got the pinout on my notepad if you need it.

 

[Judder]

Thanks and yes a photo of your pinout sketch would be super handy as Paul's operator manuals are now off line and sounds like my pinouts are the same as yours - much appreciated

Judder2022-06-09 11:17:54

 

[cliff_poole]

Q.

4 = GND

3 = GND

2 = GND

1 = GND

P.

6 = +5V

5 = +5V

4 = +5V

3 = +12V

2 = +12V

1 = -5V (Marked on PCB but appears unused)

O.

25 = Speaker +

24 = CSYNC

23 = NC

22 = COIN 2

21 = SERVICE

20 = 1P START

19 = 2P START

18 = LEFT

17 = RIGHT

16 = FIRE

15 = NC

14 = NC

13 = NC

12 = NC

11 = NC

10 = TABLE

9 = COIN 1

8 = NC

7 = NC

6 = RED

5 = GREEN

4 = BLUE

3 = GND out

2 = GND out

1 = +5v out

Pins 2 and 3 can be used for video ground and speaker-

p

 

[cliff_poole]

In addition, pins 7,8,12,14,15 are active low inputs. If anyone has a Crazy Kong conversion, these may be used for extra controls.

Remember to check your voltages against a 74 chip before committing power, in case there are differences.

 

[Judder]

In addition, pins 7,8,12,14,15 are active low inputs. If anyone has a Crazy Kong conversion, these may be used for extra controls.

Remember to check your voltages against a 74 chip before committing power, in case there are differences.

Many thanks