5200 game busted

[ulao]

Not sure if this is the game or the unit.

http://spawnlinux.ddns.net/DoCz/down_s/temp/pac_crazy.mp4

 

In the video you can see the player going thru ghosts. It does some other strange things as well, not all on the video. The unit did undergo some messing about, I had to swap nearly every chip in it. Those chips did differ a bit. Details on some of what I had to do

https://www.avrfreaks.net/forum/looking-help-atari-5200-gone-bad

 

I one have this one game and a flash cart. Sadly the flash cart boot to diag mode. The author of the flash cart is at a lose.

 

Does anyone have a suggestion here?

 

[+x=usr(1536)]

12 minutes ago, ulao said:

Details on some of what I had to do

Being completely honest: I had a difficult time following what you did and why, but it sounds as though you're doing an RF switch / power mod on a 4-port.  Is this correct?

 

One thing that stood out to me: you applied 12V (presumably unregulated) to the base on Q4.  There's a good chance that this fried a number of things.  I'd suggest replacing Q4, Q6, and the 4013.  Also check the attached manual for troubleshooting flowcharts.  Oh, and make sure that all of the ICs you pulled are properly reseated, sockets are good, legs and wipes  are clean, etc.

 

FWIW, did you check voltage at both regulators?  The post on the other forum makes it sound as though only one was checked.  Also, have you verified that the RAM is OK?

 

One of my 2-port machines required replacement of both VRs, Q6, Q7, Q8, Q9, the 4013, CPU, and power switch.  More details in the thread below.

 

 

 

Atari_CX_5200_Field_Service_Manual_Rev_4.pdf

[ulao]

yeah, well not sure it is related but I wanted to be sure I included all of that. The power rf mod is very common and I know that didnt cause my issue, but I 12 volt accident cause me to do all kinds of work to the console. I swapped out all of the IC's from a donor console, so they are all changed out. Now the chips were not the same but both an atari 5200. My guess is they changed chips number from time to time in production?

 

 ram does sound like a potential cause for this... Good call.

 

[+x=usr(1536)]

22 minutes ago, ulao said:

I swapped out all of the IC's from a donor console, so they are all changed out.

Were the ICs that were swapped in known-good?  Also, were they swapped one at a time or en masse?

22 minutes ago, ulao said:

Now the chips were not the same but both an atari 5200. My guess is they changed chips number from time to time in production?

You should be fairly safe swapping between 5200s.  Incidentally, there was a service bulletin regarding Rockwell CPUs in some 5200s being flaky.  You can either replace it with a Synertek CPU, or perform the modification listed in the attached file.  Frankly, CPU replacement is preferable.

 

 

Tech.Tip.07.pdf

[ulao]

yeah the donor was a working console. Thx for the info, I will see what I can do.