Data East Star Wars (Data East, 1992) No DMD

[PinballKid]

Hi everyone,

I am new to the forums, so I first want to say hello. Been browsing for a while but haven't posted anything until now. I have a couple questions regarding my Data East Star Wars pinball machine that I hope someone would be able to answer for me.

After transporting the machine and plugging it back in, the DMD will display version information, but then goes black at the point where the Tie Fighter flies back and forth for the skill shot. I still get sound, but no display beyond the initial configuration screen.

I was able to reach in from the back with the backglass folded down and re-seat a couple cables that seemed loose on the board, but that didn't fix the issue. I am suspecting another loose cable that will require me to open the back glass panel in order to access it. This is my first time doing this, and I am having difficulty getting it open. I used the key to open it, but when I try to push up and pull out the glass and artwork they get caught on the black plastic piece around the DMD. Is this piece supposed to come out first, or should I be able to lift the glass and artwork enough to clear that black piece and remove it? I just don't want to bust the black plastic piece around the DMD if it isn't supposed to come out.

So all of that to basically ask:

#1 Do you think that it might just be a loose cable causing the issue with the display?

#2 Any tips on removing the blackglass and whether or not the black plastic piece around the DMD needs to be removed first? All the videos I watched didn't show the black piece being removed which is why I'm concerned that I am having troubles with this.

Thank you for any help you can provide! I greatly appreciate it!

 

[Coil_Smoke]

Is the end of the plastic side piece striking the top of the cabinet? Can you push the plastic strip in so it can slide up into the space in the top of cabinet? If the glide strip is hitting the cabinet maybe trim it down about 3/4 inch with razor knife?Also make sure the locking tab is actually out of the way. Like compare how far you can lift the glass locked Vs. un-locked. I usually have to leave the key in the lock in un-locked position.

 

[PinballKid]

Thank you for the suggestion, Coil_Smoke. So if I'm understanding you correctly, I should be able to slide that black plastic piece surrounding the DMD up and out of the way? I haven;t had a chance to go back and work on the machine, but I'll see if I can do this the next time I take a look at it.

Do you think that I'm on the right track checking the cables connected to the board? My concern is that the display issue isn't simply just a loose cable, but I feel like it could be. I fit's not, I have no idea what to check next.

Thanks again for the help!

 

[Coil_Smoke]

It could be a bad connection/cable in your back box. Try re-seating any IC's that plug in too. It sounds like the first display activity is getting through but something drops out when display activity is handed over to game play. Indicating your problem may be upstream from the display driving components and cables.

 

[pudealee]

Did you ever resolve your issue? I am having almost the exact situation. I installed a new ribbon cable from the CPU to the DMD - no help. I'd be interested in how/if you resolved it.

Rob

 

[pinballdaveh]

sorry i dont have much experience with DMD games. i can only guess to push in or re-seat the socketted chips on the DMD board behind the display and the display driver board. sometimes chips loosen from moving or delivery of the machine.

 

[sleepy]

I'm not a pinball tech, but I'd be wondering if the play mode display was working before he moved the machine to another location?

Does the initial screen stay on or drop out? Is there a TEST MODE available in an Operator Menu for testing the DMD and the graphics/sound/ bumpers and switches?
IS the DMD working during TEST MODE, if available?

Are there CMOS resets on the board, like there are for desktop motherboards?
I've seen that behavior with corruption of the BIOS data on a computer. The BIOS screen appears and then drops out. That would be fixed with a battery replacement and a CMOS reset, but I don't know what the pinball board has on it.

And if the ROM has become corrupt, maybe it's suffering from a bad Flash of the eprom on a revision or a buggy ROM or a home brew ROM update, else due to battery issues and CMOS if available, corrupting the ROM. Or it saw a power spike once that screwed up the ROM.