Op Wolf

[paulcan69]

Wow this new cab trying my skills to the limits.

Ok when I got it the screen had wavy lines (intermittent) after speaking to Tim (on here) he said chassis gnd for the monitor floating.

Good man as he was right...fixed that and perfect picture.

Ok I had problems with force feedback being weak...after some gun recoil motor swapping still the same, then tried another known good gun board (From Si) and it was the same, after ages of messing and swapping I think my problem was a blown fuse which must have been touching still just slightly even though it had half blown.

So put new caps on my gun board and put another good fuse it and all is well...good strong recoil!

Now the light gun sensor was kinda working to start with but would intermittently fade out and stop working??

Now I have 2x complete guns, 3x light gun sensor pcb's, a spare gun drive board + 4 op wolf pcbs

All do the same thing although it was ok for a bit when I got it?

Now nothing, shots appear on the screen but all at the top and it doesn't matter where you move the gun or even if you take the pcb out and point it directly at the screen.

I'm thinking that the loom loom isn't right.

(Like bad gnd or back feeding power down the wrong way?)

Phil has all the spares from another cab on it's way to me so...

Another Taito psu, another iso/transformer (which feeds the gun drive board with 10VAC and 11VAC) a full loom + another gun drive pcb.

To give you an idea 10VAC and 11VAC come from the massive iso, then the gun drive board converts this to -12v DC and +12v DC.

I have measured a good -12v dc and +12v dc coming out from the gun drive board (and tried a spare) both ok...BUT if I measure the voltage at the gun wires I get:

+16v DC and +12v DC

The +16v should be +12v

The +12v I'm getting should be -12v

(According to op wolf schems)

Why is the what should be a minus voltage actually a +12v ? (I have checked that leads were the correct way around)

And why is my +12v so high at 16v-17v?

Madness

This cab has got me awake at night I'm telling you!

Been a couple of weeks now and still I can't play it!

I know it's half the fun but at the same time I was thinking maybe it would be ok by now.

I'm close but no doughnut for tea just yet.

I have sound issues on my pcbs but 2 in the post from Nitrus so hopefully I can sort a worker out of them...or fix my part working one I have at the mo, same fault as Si's one and I have his known good pcb to compare repairs that Vectorglow did, but that isn't a problem at the moment.

Si's 100% good board works fine other than the gun sensor can't see the screen the same as all of mine so 100% it's the cab at fault.

I've cleaned the sensor, glass, mirror lense even tried other sensors, lenses and guns so we know it can only be my cab.

Really that only leaves the looms/psu's but I have all the correct voltages everywhere but at the gun sensor pcb wire/conector so it isn't gonna work.

I really want to hack a wire direct from the gun drive pcb (bottom of cab) where I know the voltage is fine direct to the gun sensor pcb (in the gun) just rule out the wiring, but don't want to hack anything just yet.

Phil's box of goodies on the way may just be ok when I lob it all in the cab.

Any idea's...wow that has finished me off typing this, any questions or please ask what I have tried and not tried to gauge an idea for yourself what I may have missed.

I don't 'think' I have missed anything, I've tried so much all logical in order.

(FOR 2 WEEKS)

When it half worked when I got it, the faults were really intermittent and one thing at a time I swapped stuff in/out and the fault was the same no matter what I did.

At times I thought wiggling of wires changed things but I think all that did was make the wavy lines come/go.

If it was a car I'd say wiring all day long?

Anything stupid I may have missed or understood incorrectly.

Sorry for a long read, thanks for your time if you got this far.

Any advice WARMLY welcome

paulcan692012-07-11 23:33:04

 

[trm]

Hi bud. Glad you got the wavy screen fixed

I know this may sound dumb, but how clean is your screen, mirror and opto lense? All of those will bone the light gun. Your screen contrast & brightness will affect this too. Do you see a good bright white flash when you pull the trigger? Every time?

Whereabouts does the 'bad' gun aim register precisely? Is it at the same exact spot on the screen? If so could be a dodgy link/IO from the trigger part to the 'watch scan line counters and look for a bright opto pulse' circuit? I'd go with the obvious stuff like perfect glass etc before tracing the opto signal tho

Let us know how you get on - have a soft spot for this cab

 

[paulcan69]

The gun shots are all at the top edge of the screen, but move all over that top edge of screen everytime I press the trigger.

Imagine a 1 inch strip at the top of the screen it moves all along that.

BUT it doesn't then respond to me moving left/right in that band it just randomly jumps across that bar anywhere every trigger press regardless of where I point the gun...that make sense?

I will check everything brightness, screen, mirror related tonight.

Thanks Tim.

 

[trm]

Sounds like the feedback/detection circuit isn't playing nice. Could you completely block all light to the sensor, fire off a bunch of rounds and see if it behaves the same? I suspect it will in which case we need to watch the opto sensor output and probably watch the 'scan line hit' signal progress through the board.

Do you know the light gun theory of operation? I think I wrote a length treatise about the topic on one of the earlier Op Wolf threads.

Just found it in the Point Blank thread. Apologies if you already know this http://www.ukvac.com/forum/point-blank-2_topic329948_post759496.html#759496

Cheers

 

[paulcan69]

Does anyone have a scan of the electrocoin op wolf pdf manual please?
It's slightly different wires and gun drive board setup plus no rf filter board it will be sooooo much easier working on this cab with the proper manual for it.
Example all the ones I see on the net have a gun drive board with j1 connector for the power to the gun sensor plus all 6 pins are in a row.
The electro uk cab has a rectangle molex connector labelled F.
and uk gun pcb say 1-4 and is opposite to the usa pcb which says 4-1 meaning the wiring is backwards.
Really need the correct manual.
I think Phil has sent one but is the uk version online?
Thanks

 

[paulcan69]

Right ok ruled some stuff out.

Thanks Phil the manual you sent is the uk electrocoin one so gun board wire colours, connector type and schems with no filter board are all ok.

The pinout of the gun sensor pcb is different to the us one so I was measuring it wrong before, so tested voltages all correct.

Thanks to Phil the whole loom was still wired up (good man) so it was easy to just connect it up as it was outside the cab so I did this tried it all and it was still the same.
D'oh!
That rules out all wires, gun drive/power board and both main psu and iso.

That's uber gay!

So I checked the voltage to the gun pcb and spot on.
I measured the resistance of the light sensor diode and shinned a light over it and you could see a change in the figures (meaning good diode) plus i've tried 3 sensor pcb's so I know that's ok.

Ok wavy lines are still on my screen I think it's this messing with it i.e the sensor isn't seeing the screen correctly.
It's all that's left LOL.
What do I need to connect to what to gnd out my screen to stop the wavy lines.
Plus the monitor image is a bit wank, i'm thinking this monitor needs a service/cap kit to brighten it up.
Almost like it's been getting weak the longer i've had it turned on.
I'm sure the flash from the screen is too poor...i cannot turn up the brightness as it has one of those 3 stage brightness resistors which looks like it's stuck on the same setting whatever I choose.

I can turn up the screen volts but then it just goes really washed out.

I know from my point blank that if the screen is low shots don't register.

Any others ideas or tests?
Thanks guys and thanks for the gear Phil i'm really happy I have spares even though they didn't cure my problem, at least it proved that all is well, my focus is on the screen now!
Or i've killed 3 sensor pcbs?
paulcan692012-07-17 22:39:13

 

[Unit504]

just a thought, i know you have said that the voltages are all ok on the gun sensor board, but what about just reflowing the solder...? just to make it 100% sure. As the vibration for that gun could have just slightly hairline cracked one of the flows..? maybe...?

Plus is the little optic sensor pushed right onto the o ring inside the barrel so it make it completely dark in there for the sensor.... so that will rule out any stray light contamination..

If all is still the same after that, then its got to be the monitors scan lines are not there enough for the gun sensor to pick them up!

Get the chassis out and repaired so that the screen is all work nice and as it should.

(the monitor just being on the weak side & having them wavy line could be just confusing the gun sensor)

Hope that all makes some sense.

 

[paulcan69]

Here's a pic of my exact chassis type it is a 9000 20" I'm guessing? Maybe a 19"?

Anyway...

Thanks Si...good shout I'll have a look at that tonight and maybe get the chassis out.

Ooooo note the blue contrast adjustment on the left hand side...mine has no pot adjuster in it, I didn't realise you could stick one in there, will try that tonight too!

Ta

Note to self must buy an ESR meter to test caps in circuit.

 

[Unit504]

Was just a thought as mine went gay, then you popped on some new solder and then it was back in business!!!

that does look exact as mine too.... I'm gonna have a look at mine too later

 

[Unit504]

My monitor... its got the little switch but where the blue pot..?

Unit5042012-07-18 09:29:18

 

[paulcan69]

First one in the test menu looks ok colour wise but it's not return to the game and it looks washed out...on the test screen though you can see the sparkles.

Second video see the sparkles and how poor the text looks.

Third video I'm turning screen volts up and down which honestly no matter where you set it it's still cr*p and you can't get it correct?

It all doesn't look too bad in the videos but pic is poor I'm def thinking it has overall issues as it's getting worse the longer I have the monitor on, I think I will try other tubes if this monitor comes back from a repairer with no faults found, but I'm sure it needs a good cap kit and a bit of love.

The screen contrat makes no differnce when you adjust it so def a fault there.

 

[paulcan69]

Ok after a nos gun, another tube, whole loom transplant, another iso, switch, gun power board, other pcbs still I can only shoot in the top 1 inch of the screen.
If you move the gun it does follow where you point left and right only in that top inch?
Cover the end of the gun and it only shoots in the same spot in the top middle just to the right?

It's like as soon as I move the gun down the screen it cannot see this and registers in the same place at the top middle again.

Doesn't matter if you shrink the image to the middle of the tube, again it can only see the top 1 inch of the image.

I shall do a video.
Please help I want to say it must be a simple fix?
I need to try Si's known good op wolf pcb and monitor to rule it out?
Aaaarrrgghhh!paulcan692012-08-08 23:10:15

 

[paulcan69]

 

[retrorepair]

I always thought op wolf was an analog joystick, not a lightgun but live and learn.

Anyway, since you have ruled so much out I'd say you are down to the PCB. I'd check the input for the optical sensor and follow it as far into the PCB as I can. If you can only hit the top left it seems like it's not scanning properly or something?

Other than that, I'd maybe see if the mirror had slipped or as silly as it sounds, make double sure the glass was clean.

Since it's an optical gun though, are you able to just test it out of the cab with a totally different monitor? I know you said you had changed the tube but is the chassis the same? If your "snow" issue has gone away though I can't see it making much difference. Having said that, you have ruled out so much it's worth giving anything a try at this point?

Sorry if you tried all this already, I can't think of much else it can be.

 

[paulcan69]

Yes bud op wolf light gun and op thunderbolt x-y pots.

I must admit that is my next plan trying another monitor, I have nothing running that will directly plug in without cutting connectors off and 'mod-ing' it.

So I'm going to borrow's Si's whole op wolf monitor on the frame and slide it in.

Plus his 100% working pcb.

After that I'm lost!!

I'm thinking although picture is ok for say a Jamma cab to play pcb's on that it hasn't got enough balls left for op wolf's gun.

And yes although I don't understand it, it would seem that it is not scanning down and can't see the gun as I move "down" the screen.

Mirror slipped is a good shout I shall check that, although I think it cannot move from the position as it's bolt and wing nutted to the wood (from memory)

Cheers Mark, like you say it's gun on another monitor time isn't it?

Ta bud

Paul.

 

[paulcan69]

I have a scope but I'm a newbie to all that really, tell me how would you chase/check the input from the sensor back to the board?

Cheers Mark

Paul

 

[paulcan69]

Tried Si's whole monitor and still the same, then Si's pcb and wham back in business!
Awesome, so happy!
Ok now I need a pcb, who has a tested worker they can sell me please?
Ta

 

[retrorepair]

Have you taken a look at the board where the opto input is? I'd wager its nothing too serious/taxing if the board works fine otherwise.

Since you are Essex based I'd be happy to take a look for a beer.retrorepair2012-08-09 23:01:29

 

[paulcan69]

I'd like that Mark, your skills are waaay above mine, i'd see ya right.
Only prob is music works and some sfx but digital sfx and voices are bad, could be whats tripping up the signal to the gun though as some of the gun circuitry passes over the sound board.
I have 4-5 spares all with no sound at all.
The 'good' one I have is the best!
But saying that they all can't be the same fault so I must have the parts I need across the bad boards?paulcan692012-08-09 23:23:06

 

[paulcan69]

Sorry I keep calling you Mark, he's retroclinic...your retro repair aren't you lol, you're leigh on sea aren't you?
I had a mk1 from you.
Worked fine for ages but classic sound board issue on that too, d'oh.
In fact i'd love you to have a look at a few boards for me, crazy kong, wonderboy 1 etc...paulcan692012-08-09 23:27:16