Nichibutsu - Moon Alien Project
- Thread starter Jon-A-Tron
- Start date
Jon-A-Tron
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The saviour has arrived!
Welcome to the forum. I'll be sending you some messages soon...haha.
I knew someone out there had more.
That certainly looks a nice bezel and marquee. What cabinet is that? Full upright? Where are you based? So many questions..
Welcome to the forum. I'll be sending you some messages soon...haha.
I knew someone out there had more.
That certainly looks a nice bezel and marquee. What cabinet is that? Full upright? Where are you based? So many questions..
Jon-A-Tron
Active member
Moon Quasar Control panel which i have just found! Main panel part looks the exact same as the other 'Moon' series games by Nichibutsu, including Moon Alien. Right side of the panel is the instructions card for the game and i believe that they are the same in the upright as they are for the cocktails.
This panel is a little smaller that my cabinat so may have come from a smaller style upright, with the curved sides. Either way i'll get it scanned and enlarged suitable for the full upright cabs.
Still missing the other part of the cp, the vertical bit, but this was the part that would be very difficult to reproduce without the actual panel. So im very happy to have it in my hands.JonTron2017-12-04 01:17:50
Jon-A-Tron
Active member
Just realised that the black and grey are inverted on the panel. Not an issue as i will have to rework the panel in photoshop anyway.
Jon-A-Tron
Active member
Just found out that Jeff (jetusenet) over on KLOV has had conformation that the Orange/White t-molding is going into production. This is the style on many Nichibutsu games and not something i've seen for sale anywhere.
(Not my pics. Taken from klov site listed below)
I will be puting in an order when it becomes available on t-molding.com in February. If anyone wants some let me know and i'll put in a large order to save on shipping.
Link to the Original KLOV thread here.JonTron2017-12-31 19:51:17
(Not my pics. Taken from klov site listed below)
I will be puting in an order when it becomes available on t-molding.com in February. If anyone wants some let me know and i'll put in a large order to save on shipping.
Link to the Original KLOV thread here.JonTron2017-12-31 19:51:17
Jon-A-Tron
Active member
Well, thank you very much for that compliment, but i see myself more of a gatherer of information for this project. With Pezleys artwork and R64s valuable pictures and cab info and now Jeff's work on the t-molding.
The forum gives a perfect place to colate all this info in one place and brings more people to the project.
It's taken off far better that i could have ever hoped it would, thanks to all the good folk here (and klov..((not my pics btw..)))
Coming together nicely for a complete restoration 2018!JonTron2017-12-31 19:50:31
The forum gives a perfect place to colate all this info in one place and brings more people to the project.
It's taken off far better that i could have ever hoped it would, thanks to all the good folk here (and klov..((not my pics btw..)))
Coming together nicely for a complete restoration 2018!JonTron2017-12-31 19:50:31
Jon-A-Tron
Active member
I dont have the measurements handy. Something that is strainge about the Moon Quasar panel is it is about 2" shorter than the space in my cab.
I'll measure my panel space when i get home and id be interested to see if its different to yours.
I've scanned the MQ panel and i think i added it to the dropbox but cant remember. I will if i havent. Still has the problem of the scanner not being detailed enough though.
I'll measure my panel space when i get home and id be interested to see if its different to yours.
I've scanned the MQ panel and i think i added it to the dropbox but cant remember. I will if i havent. Still has the problem of the scanner not being detailed enough though.
Jon-A-Tron
Active member
Thanks Arch. Funnily enough my Moon Alien PCB is sat in a post office depot in Oslo right now waiting for the next flight over..
Just picked up these 2 MB-4C PSU boards from EBay. Both not working but hopefully I can cannibalise one to service the other and have a nice original Moon Alien power supply to go with my PCB. Have a nice clear diagram of this board in my manual I picked up a while back.
Edit: Just realised I start a lot of my posts with the word 'Just'. My new years resolution is to cut that out..haha..
JonTron2018-01-03 23:18:17
Just picked up these 2 MB-4C PSU boards from EBay. Both not working but hopefully I can cannibalise one to service the other and have a nice original Moon Alien power supply to go with my PCB. Have a nice clear diagram of this board in my manual I picked up a while back.
Edit: Just realised I start a lot of my posts with the word 'Just'. My new years resolution is to cut that out..haha..
JonTron2018-01-03 23:18:17
Jon-A-Tron
Active member
Another piece of the puzzle just arrived today...
Moon Alien PCB
Serviceability unknown at moment. I'll try and get it tested this weekend.
Special thanks to Slowcade for finding this and shipping it to me from Norway!
Moon Alien PCB
Serviceability unknown at moment. I'll try and get it tested this weekend.
Special thanks to Slowcade for finding this and shipping it to me from Norway!
does this use the same credit board as moon quasar/moon cresta? if so do you have one?
I have a spare credit board and credit board holder in my loft
Edit: I also have some of the O,P,Q headers and pins somewhere if you want to put the loom back properly.
simonden2018-01-05 17:58:54
I have a spare credit board and credit board holder in my loft
Edit: I also have some of the O,P,Q headers and pins somewhere if you want to put the loom back properly.
simonden2018-01-05 17:58:54
Jon-A-Tron
Active member
I think it does. The pictures in the manual shows a credit board so i assume it is the same. I would like all of what you have...haha
I'll send you a message after ive sorted out the kids dinner.
I'll send you a message after ive sorted out the kids dinner.
Jon-A-Tron
Active member
I rewired the connectors to a Jamma finger board using the manual as a guide as to where to put the cables. Plugged into my Jamma cab for a quick test but its no good. I get a slightly purple screen with a few static lines. Now it could be that I'm using a Jamma to Scart and it needs syncing.
[font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][/font]
Removed the 5 Eproms for reading. I also like to save the files as they are when I got them for some reason..
They were not verifying with any Moon Alien or Moon Alien II Rom files.
[font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][/font]
Had a look on http://romident.coinopflorida.com/ at the files.
[font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]Ident as War of the Bugs or (Monsterous Manouvers in a Mushroom Maze) which is interesting in-itself. Maybe that was why the resistors on the left of the board where cut out. I've since soldered the resistors back in place but the game still doesn't boot.[/font]
[font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][/font]
Next I'll write some Moon Alien Eproms and try again later. The cables going to my Jamma fingerboard are a bit suspect too so I'll go over that again too.
Jon-A-Tron
Active member
The board is certainly Moon Alien. All the parts and connectors match the manual that i have. Its just got these different eproms fitted. No issues, i can burn new ones. I also knew there was a high probability that it was a non working board. At least im getting something on the screen and it could be my setup or connections anyway.
A LOT of these boards were converted BITD as they are similar hardware to Galaxian so with some slight mods could run any of the Galaxian based game mods.
I have one converted to Galaxian (working) and one converted to Ant-Eater - working (Ok that is the MC-1/Moon Cresta board, but very similar). The Ant-Eater has a properly manufactured (silk-screened 1982) conversion board.
If it has been converted, it may have had the memory map changed on the chip at 8E (pin 5 moved to 4) and Interupt Enable on chip at 9N (pin 5 moved to 6 or vice versa, can't remember which way round). So check these to see if anything done which might need reversing. The usual way was to cut the track to the pin and put a jumper to the other pin so worth checking just in case.
EDIT: I can see your 9N has been socketed, I suspect this is for the conversion to swap pins using the socket.
simonden2018-01-09 11:03:21
I have one converted to Galaxian (working) and one converted to Ant-Eater - working (Ok that is the MC-1/Moon Cresta board, but very similar). The Ant-Eater has a properly manufactured (silk-screened 1982) conversion board.
If it has been converted, it may have had the memory map changed on the chip at 8E (pin 5 moved to 4) and Interupt Enable on chip at 9N (pin 5 moved to 6 or vice versa, can't remember which way round). So check these to see if anything done which might need reversing. The usual way was to cut the track to the pin and put a jumper to the other pin so worth checking just in case.
EDIT: I can see your 9N has been socketed, I suspect this is for the conversion to swap pins using the socket.
simonden2018-01-09 11:03:21
Jon-A-Tron
Active member
Thank you that info, I'll give the traces a good look over later and see what has been done. I think there was a few intentional cuts and jumpers but not too many. I also have a good hard copy of the diagrams to help.
Simonden is also kindly sending me a credit board and that along with the cut-and-shut psu makes the full set as shown on my diagrams.
I just need to shut down all other projects and concentrate on this to get it right. I've stopped investigating my Nichibutsu Wiping PCB for now as that wasnt getting anywhere. Some parts are similar though so may get used as a doner.
Simonden is also kindly sending me a credit board and that along with the cut-and-shut psu makes the full set as shown on my diagrams.
I just need to shut down all other projects and concentrate on this to get it right. I've stopped investigating my Nichibutsu Wiping PCB for now as that wasnt getting anywhere. Some parts are similar though so may get used as a doner.
Jon-A-Tron
Active member
I have news from Rich at T-Molding.com
The Nichibutsu 2-colour T-Molding is now available!
https://www.t-molding.com/orange-white-striped-nichibutsu-t-molding.html
List of games this may be used in is listed as;
Crazy Climber Deluxe, Dangar UFO Robo, Frisky Tom, Galivan, Magmax, Moon Alien, Moon Cresta, Moon Shuttle, Rugrats, Seicross, Terra Cresta
Maybe some Sega games also but not sure.
Price starts at $3 (~£2.20) per foot but could be as low as $2 (£1.50) with a big order (a bit of a stretch at 1000ft though).
I'm putting together an order for my Moon Alien. I'll be placing that order at the end of February. I'll be getting enough for my cab and the same again as spare (about 40ft total)
If anyone wants me to order them some of this for them let me know asap and we might be able to save on the shipping costs. Also have to think about customs and the onward delivery but if you are interested let me know.
The Nichibutsu 2-colour T-Molding is now available!
https://www.t-molding.com/orange-white-striped-nichibutsu-t-molding.html
List of games this may be used in is listed as;
Crazy Climber Deluxe, Dangar UFO Robo, Frisky Tom, Galivan, Magmax, Moon Alien, Moon Cresta, Moon Shuttle, Rugrats, Seicross, Terra Cresta
Maybe some Sega games also but not sure.
Price starts at $3 (~£2.20) per foot but could be as low as $2 (£1.50) with a big order (a bit of a stretch at 1000ft though).
I'm putting together an order for my Moon Alien. I'll be placing that order at the end of February. I'll be getting enough for my cab and the same again as spare (about 40ft total)
If anyone wants me to order them some of this for them let me know asap and we might be able to save on the shipping costs. Also have to think about customs and the onward delivery but if you are interested let me know.