Asteroids cocktail table ?

[ATARIeric]

anyone here have an asteroids cocktail table ? plus how rare was that machine ?

 

im really interested in learing all i can about that machine before i just jump in a buy one

[Room 34]

I do!

 

It is sweet... but unfortunately it's having some issues. I bought it at a live auction and it seemed pretty great for a while, but a few months back I had some friends over and the CRT started going out. The picture shrunk down to a white dot in the middle of the screen and it emitted a high-pitched whine. I haven't used it since. (And in the meantime, it spent several months sitting in the garage after we moved; now it's in the basement.)

 

So sad... but it is a great game and definitely worth owning. If you can find one in good condition, you will not be disappointed!

[Dr Galaga]

I see them a lot on ebay. I don't like Atari cocktail tables because they are so stinkin' big! I prefer the Midway cabinets - they're almost half the size.

[ATARIeric]

I see them a lot on ebay.  I don't like Atari cocktail tables because they are so stinkin' big!  I prefer the Midway cabinets - they're almost half the size.

 

 

its been along time since ive even seen a cocktail table, maybe the last time was around 5 years ago at a pub savannah georgia.

[Dr Galaga]

I saw a cocktail table yesterday. The place that I get my oil changed at has a Ms. Pac-Man on free play! Kind of hard to play since it is right next to a window and also the employees coming in...."I want to show you your service record"..."your air filter is kind of dirty"..."I want to show you that your oil is filled up"...

[Room 34]

I see them a lot on ebay.  I don't like Atari cocktail tables because they are so stinkin' big!  I prefer the Midway cabinets - they're almost half the size.

I think that's a bit of an exaggeration... but I suppose the cabinet is rather big. It's quite heavy, but at the same time, has a lot of empty space inside. The biggest problem, once it's moved to where you want it, is that there's not a lot of leg room under it, so you have to sit awkwardly to play it.

[PacManPlus]

This reminds me... Is there a reason the Roms were never dumped from the Asteroids Cocktail cabs? From what I have heard, it's not a switch like in almost every other game - but it's actually a different romset.

 

And it's not in MAME

 

Is this true?

[Dr Galaga]

Okay, but you have to admit that they are more than just a little bit bigger(especially with those leg brackets)...

vs.

 

Here's one currently on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...6142192338&rd=1

Here's one that didn't sell at $499: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...6139914627&rd=1

[ATARIeric]

The biggest problem' date=' once it's moved to where you want it' date=' is that there's not a lot of leg room under it, so you have to sit awkwardly to play it.[/quote'']

 

thats my biggest concern is the leg room, im older now and do i really wanna be hunched over or have my legs in a awkward position when im in the mood for one of my personal asteroids marathons

 

i wont lose sleep if i dont buy one, i know will lose alot of sleep if i do

i am more interested as it being a part of my daily furniture in my florida room and make everyday use out of it in that sense.

[Stingray]

its been along time since ive even seen a cocktail table,  maybe the last time was around 5 years ago at a pub savannah georgia.

 

I can see one right now, my Space Invaders cocktail is next to my computer.

 

Good luck tracking down an Asteroids cocktail, it would be well worth owning one IMO.

 

-S

[Dav]

This reminds me...  Is there a reason the Roms were never dumped from the Asteroids Cocktail cabs?  From what I have heard, it's not a switch like in almost every other game - but it's actually a different romset.

 

And it's not in MAME

 

Is this true?

 

No, the roms are the same. The boards are the same. It's like pacman, the harness determines the table mode. I've told them how it works but I guess no one who understands is interested in fixing it. I don't have time to fix it myself. I still haven't finished the pacman changes I said I'd do a year ago.

[roberthazelby]

I do!

 

It is sweet... but unfortunately it's having some issues. I bought it at a live auction and it seemed pretty great for a while, but a few months back I had some friends over and the CRT started going out. The picture shrunk down to a white dot in the middle of the screen and it emitted a high-pitched whine. I haven't used it since. (And in the meantime, it spent several months sitting in the garage after we moved; now it's in the basement.)

 

So sad... but it is a great game and definitely worth owning. If you can find one in good condition, you will not be disappointed!

 

Sounds like there's a problem with the monitor PCB.

 

Could mean that a cap needs replacing on it, or there are some dry solder joints.

 

I had a similar problem with my Asteroids cocktail, but instead of the white dot, the image zoomed off the left hand side of the screen. I sent mine away to be repaired, and for a mere £30 (I think that's about 60 dollars going by the current exchange rate) the PCB was fixed and returned to me.

 

There's a big collectors scene in the US. Get onto VAC (I think that's the place) and see if someone is willing to take a look at it. I'm pretty sure it's the monitor PCB at fault.

 

Whatever you do, don't switch the machine back on in its current state. You could cause serious damage to the screen.

 

Anyway, get looking into someone repairing the PCB. It's a shame to have such a wonderful machine not fully working.

 

Good luck!

 

Rob

[Cassidy Nolen]

Room 34 wrote:  

I do!  

 

It is sweet... but unfortunately it's having some issues. I bought it at a live auction and it seemed pretty great for a while, but a few months back I had some friends over and the CRT started going out. The picture shrunk down to a white dot in the middle of the screen and it emitted a high-pitched whine. I haven't used it since. (And in the meantime, it spent several months sitting in the garage after we moved; now it's in the basement.)  

 

So sad... but it is a great game and definitely worth owning. If you can find one in good condition, you will not be disappointed!  

 

 

Sounds like there's a problem with the monitor PCB.  

 

Could mean that a cap needs replacing on it, or there are some dry solder joints.  

 

I had a similar problem with my Asteroids cocktail, but instead of the white dot, the image zoomed off the left hand side of the screen. I sent mine away to be repaired, and for a mere £30 (I think that's about 60 dollars going by the current exchange rate) the PCB was fixed and returned to me.  

 

There's a big collectors scene in the US. Get onto VAC (I think that's the place) and see if someone is willing to take a look at it. I'm pretty sure it's the monitor PCB at fault.  

 

Whatever you do, don't switch the machine back on in its current state. You could cause serious damage to the screen.  

 

Anyway, get looking into someone repairing the PCB. It's a shame to have such a wonderful machine not fully working.  

 

Good luck!  

 

Rob  

 

 

 

Chances are, its the connections between the high voltage board and the deflection board. Its odd that the "spot killer" light did not turn on (something in the monitor designed to stop that from happening), so I think its after that in the system. Most likely, if you reflowed the solder to the connector pins of each board you would solve the trouble. Having no deflection (or screen stretching from that dot) is easier to solve than partial (imho).

 

www.therealbobroberts.com sells the monitor rebuild kits for those. Easy to do, although the 13 inch chassis makes it harder for big hands to get inside. Its just some transistors, diodes and caps. You can do it yourself, or take it to a TV repair shop with the kit and have them install it

 

Cassidy