My First Cabinet- A Donkey Kong Cocktail - Now with Donkey Kong 2!

[TheDomesticInstitution]

On Monday I went into the Value Village in Charlotte to look around. As I browsed, I heard a worker yelling at another associate to "Get Away from Donkey Kong!, Get Away From Donkey Kong!".

I had absolutely no idea why someone would yell that across the store, and continued looking around. Then I heard the music. I quickly scanned the store, but didn't see an arcade anywhere. Then the same woman started again yelling, "Get Away From Donkey Kong!, Get Away From Donkey Kong!"

Well this time I paid attention to where she was pointing and followed the music up to the front. And thats were I found this old thing. It was priced $250, which I thought was a decent price. In fact, a few weeks ago I resurrected an old thread here, asking if an arcade perfect port of donkey kong had ever been released on a home console. So here it is my "arcade perfect" DK, and in a Cocktail version- which would allow me to put it in the house without too much re-arrangement. Awesome!

It seemed in pretty good condition, that is until I looked closer. It looked like there was a problem with the CRT. You can see in the pictures, that the left side of the screens vertical resolution is compressed. Well, I figured that I'd think about it and do some research online to see if it was worth buying, even with this problem.

That night I inquired here on the forums, and Arcade Antics responded assuring me it was a good deal. Not only that but the problem was fixable. Of course, I have yet to determine if I am capable of the fix. Anyway, I alsdo talked to the GF about it a bit and she also said... "why the hell not." But on the other hand... it was a long drive (45 minutes - 1 way), there was no guarantee it would be there, and I honestly don't need to be spending the money right now. So after and hour and a half of internal deliberation I decided to go back for a second look. Fuck it.

Anyway so I went back, with the hope it was marked down a bit... which I could then justify purchasing. Well, it was still $250. I told the manager-looking dude, that I'd like to take a closer look and wanted to know if he had the key for the coin drawer. He didn't. Then I described to him the screen problem, and showed him what I was talking about. As I opened it up and started playing with the picture controls he offered to take $50 off. Not bad, but I told him I'd think about it for a while. Anyway after he walked away I looked at it for a while and then closed it back up. I gave him his screwdriver back (which I used to open the lid), and said $200 was still too much, especially if I had to fix it. I said thanks anyway and headed for the door. He then said... how about $150. Without hesitation I said "I'll take it."

So here it is. I've only had it about 3 hours now, but I'm still excited-because it's my 1st arcade. I figure $150 is well worth it even if I have to get it professionally fixed. I know it's not the find of the year, and a lot of you have seen these before, but I'm happy as fuck about it and thought I'd provide some pics. So enjoy some classic game pornography...



http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2336/3528722725_cb44f34ef9_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3574/3528721101_475cd7fa20_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2186/3528724377_de41ffaa4a_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3407/3529540682_e2af829408_b.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2336/3529537586_b9171c2a22_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3350/3529538812_53b5c37461_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3316/3528725807_26c395c244_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2333/3529535848_92cf5b5e13_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2407/3529534090_fd0714f524_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2137/3529536272_f9c8afe8c5_o.jpg

[TheDomesticInstitution]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2115/3529534678_ddd7a1e89a_o.jpg






Arcade Antics seemed sure of the problem when I described it in writing, but I put up some pictures of it to show what it looks like anyway. And sure enough, just like he told me, it can't be fixed by adjusting the picture controls. So any additional thoughts on the problem, or a rough estimate on the price if I were to get it fixed would be appreciated. Otherwise the image looks fine, and all other blurriness is due to my shitty camera's auto shutter- not the cocktail.


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2024/3529542960_701d425309_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2281/3528729687_a0ab484cce_o.jpg




Anyway this has been pretty wordy, so I'll wrap it up. You'll notice I had to spread it out over 2 cards to be able to afford it. Maybe it's not smart, but collecting isn't rational often a rational person's hobby. And a big thanks to Arcade Antics for his invaluable information.


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2327/3528728803_0c3d191e2a_o.jpg

[Arcade Antics]

A SMOKIN' deal to be sure, even all the original artwork is there and looks to be in very good condition. Looks like it's all original except for the P2 stick. And aside from the foldover on the left, even the monitor looks amazingly good.

The actual cap kit will probably run you about $7-10. If you replace them yourself it's just gonna cost you that plus your time (plus any tools you might not already have, soldering iron, etc.). Pulling the board is more difficult than actually replacing the caps. :)

[TheDomesticInstitution]

Everything seems to be in great condition with the two exceptions you can't see that well in the photos:

- some of the faux woodgrain has chunks out of it.
- the are some knicks in the paint on the metal areas.

I would assume there's probably a kit somewhere to replace the woodgrain panels. And touch-up painting wouldn't be hard if I could find the right color. And I'm also guessing I can find a replacement stick online.

Anyway, in the mean time I'll still play it and even with the screen fold it's still very playable. And later on, I'll get repairs done when I get more money.

Also it sounds halfway decent too.

So yeah... thanks.

[Phyeir]

Nice find man... the first arcade is always nice (just got mine a month ago, so the feeling is still great). Are you gonna go out and replace the joystick to try to make it as close to 100% original as possible? Seems like you already plan a lot, anyways.

[Videogamerdaryll]

Wow!! I love it..Awesome Machine!!Great Find..

[Gurn13]

My wife called me today at work to see if I wanted this very machine, and I also passed for $250. For $150 you got a good deal.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

Nice find man... the first arcade is always nice (just got mine a month ago, so the feeling is still great). Are you gonna go out and replace the joystick to try to make it as close to 100% original as possible? Seems like you already plan a lot, anyways.

Yeah, the joystick is on the list. But it'll be one of the final things I do to it. I'd like to eventually get it as near as new as possible.


My wife called me today at work to see if I wanted this very machine, and I also passed for $250. For $150 you got a good deal.

I'm sure if I waited just a little longer, it would have been gone. I didn't think he'd budge on the price, but I guess I played my cards just right.

[Sonicwolf]

I bet im not the only one here that wishes they could find something awesome like this ar a value village. My best Value Village find ever was a ... loose Super Famicom.

[otaku]

cool. I recently had the chance to get a neo geo for 50 bucks but had nowhere for it to go and it sold :( enjoy the cocktail.

[InsaneDavid]

Congratulations and welcome to cab ownership. Nice machine and excellent price!

[shawnbo42]

Nice score on that, especially being a table. Kinda hard to find those around, and for that price, well worth it.

[Felixthegamer]

Well played on the price and great find! Are you pretty good at DK? It is always nice to see another collector find something so cool!

[SPAZ-12]

That is a nice find! I love finding stuff like that that needs just a little bit of fixing. It's so satisfying when you can finally get it to work. Wish that I could have an arcade cabinet, but I have no room. Again, congrats on the nice find!

[TheDomesticInstitution]

So I've been doing some online research and I contacted Bob Roberts about a Cap kit, for about $5. I think I'll be able to do this, and if I do I'll post updated screen shots.

And as far as your question Felix. My DK scores would be very very embarassing if I posted them here. I'll consider myself as a work in progress right now.

Anyway thanks for the congrats all. I've found the best part about this vs. a regular cabinet, is that you can put your beer on the top. Which is a huge plus in my book.

[aclbandit]

The only arcade machine (besides building a MAME cab) that I really want is an upright DK. If I manage to find enough money one day, perhaps I'll get one.

Congratulations on finding yours!

[Superman]

That's a nice find!

I glanced through the pictures first, and it looked great. I really didn't see any major problems with it.

Then read the description of the issues and although you mentioned a few issues, there still isn't anything major.

Congratulations on your first (and very nice) cab!

And good point about being able to put a drink on it. :-D

[Arcade Antics]

I've found the best part about this vs. a regular cabinet, is that you can put your beer on the top. Which is a huge plus in my book.
Not so fast... the Nintendo uprights all have flat tops, so you can put a drink on top of them too. :)

[boatofcar]

Congrats! I miss shopping at Value Village, I always found some great stuff there.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

Congrats! I miss shopping at Value Village, I always found some great stuff there.

Yeah, this particular one has been pretty good this year. Which is cool for broke-asses like me, who don't have a lot of money to spend.



Not so fast... the Nintendo uprights all have flat tops, so you can put a drink on top of them too. :)

Oops, my mistake.

Anyway I got an email response about the cap kit. I'll be mailing off a $12 money order today for the parts.

Another small problem with the cab is that it doesn't save high scores after it's turned off. Well, after doing some research DK cabs, by design, don't save the scores. Well I've found they make a $40ish kit that plugs into the board, that allows you to save the high scores. So now, that's an additional thing I'll be doing down the road.

[NE146]

Awesome man.. by chance what Value Village in Charlotte did you find this at? :p The one on South Blvd? :)

[TheDomesticInstitution]

Yep.

The one off of Central doesn't seem to have near as much good stuff, although I only discovered it 2 months ago.

[Arcade Antics]

Another small problem with the cab is that it doesn't save high scores after it's turned off. Well, after doing some research DK cabs, by design, don't save the scores.

Most classic arcade games don't save them. :) Of the games that do, many save by way of AA batteries on the board. (Some Atari games used an EAROM to save scores.) If you ever buy a game that uses the AA battery method, first thing to do is remove the batteries to keep them from corroding and leaking acid onto the PCB.

Bob Roberts and others sell kits for those games (e.g., Williams) to remove the AA battery holder and replace it with a single lithium battery.

[darthi8nt]

Excellent find! I just fixed one myself. I capped the 14 inch Sanyo ez monitor using a cap kit I bought from Mikesarcade.com. Hard to believe I too purchased mine for $75.00 from a yard sale in Virginia because it didn't work. I rebuilt my 4 board set tested and changed the flyback on the monitor making sure to discharge the flyback with my discharging tool I made. Oh by the way brazer technologies sells the dk high score kit through mikesarcade and when you order it pick up some of these http://www.mikesarcade.com/cgi-bin/store.pl?sku=PCBSUPPORT cause in order to put on the kit you will need to raise the sound board up one more level because the z80 chip lies on the board below it. That chip also gives you free play and costs $45.00 dollars. One more thing I noticed in your picture you have one of the more rarer board sets if you notice it says Nintendo 1981 and not Nintendo Of America 1981 that board lets you perform the ladder trick. Here is a pic I took of the placement of the high scorer kit added to my boardset I lifted the sound board so you can see it circled in red.

[Steve W]

I like your DK cocktail table, not so wild about the white top. I don't recall seeing one like that, I always saw them as black on top back in the heyday of Donkey Kong. Is the white top version more common? If it were mine I'd pop down to a craft/hobby store and get a black mat cut in that shape to go under the glass, to make it look more classic.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

Excellent find! I just fixed one myself. I capped the 14 inch Sanyo ez monitor using a cap kit I bought from Mikesarcade.com. Hard to believe I too purchased mine for $75.00 from a yard sale in Virginia because it didn't work. I rebuilt my 4 board set tested and changed the flyback on the monitor making sure to discharge the flyback with my discharging tool I made. Oh by the way brazer technologies sells the dk high score kit through mikesarcade and when you order it pick up some of these http://www.mikesarcade.com/cgi-bin/store.pl?sku=PCBSUPPORT cause in order to put on the kit you will need to raise the sound board up one more level because the z80 chip lies on the board below it. That chip also gives you free play and costs $45.00 dollars. One more thing I noticed in your picture you have one of the more rarer board sets if you notice it says Nintendo 1981 and not Nintendo Of America 1981 that board lets you perform the ladder trick.


That kit is definitely on my list of things to do after I found out about it. I take it you get everything you need in the kit to make it work. Is there any soldering involved or is it plug and play?

Currently, the machine doesn't look anything like the pictures. I ordered the cap kit earlier in the week, so in anticipation I tore the thing apart after playing a last few games yesterday morning. So currently, the cab minus the top and the monitor are out in the garage. I went paint shopping yesterday and found a satin enamel spray paint that was nearly identical to the brown which you see in the pictures. The discharging of the monitor had me a little worried, but when I actually did it there was barely a pop. Although I did get a small shock today over 24 hours having done it originally. I too fashioned my own out of some wire and a very long screwdriver.

Since there were a few areas of rust, and chips in the paint, I decided that while the monitor was out I'd sand down the outside and paint it. I've put the 1st few coats on today, and tomorrow I'm going back to re-sand and apply another coat, until it's smooth and without any paint runs.

The cap kit was supposed to arrive today and it's the part I'm dreading the most. While I have no problem taking apart game consoles and such, there becomes a point when the complexity of wiring and the amount of parts you have to take off that gets to be a little nerve-wracking. The Sanyo's PCB is arranged in such away that, you need to take apart a lot of things in order to get to it. Definitely not good for beginners who aren't familiar with the inner workings of monitors. That and I've never really soldered before.

So yeah, when the package gets here today, I open it up and after three hours of diagramming and logging parts I determine that some of these caps just can't be right. I don't know the 1st thing about capacitors, but I do know that they need to be similar in size and should match the numbers on the ones currently on the board. So after I way fairly certain this wasn't right, I sent in an email- then thankfully I was told that there may have been a mislabeling and mix-up of cap kits. I was instructed to await a follow-up email while they research the problem,- apparently it was the 2nd email like mine they had gotten today.

So the extra down time is giving me a few more days to get the paint perfect and get it mostly back together before I get the monitor repaired. If I were to have finished capping the Sanyo today, I still couldn't have put it back in because the paint is wet.

I did notice though that the kit contains less caps that the PCB board has on it. I trust that the people who put these kits together know what caps do what, and that some of the other caps on the board (that weren't included) are not the faulty ones.

Anyway, that's currently where I'm at. I probably won't get the other caps until mid to late next week at best, and then I can dive in. Let's hope I do it right the 1st time, and it fixes the screen fold problem. That and I hope I can put everything back together properly and it works like it did at least as well as when I last turned it off. Because it's my first one, I'm constantly paranoid that I'm gonna fuck it up in some new way.

I'll post more pictures when I get it back up and running.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

I like your DK cocktail table, not so wild about the white top. I don't recall seeing one like that, I always saw them as black on top back in the heyday of Donkey Kong. Is the white top version more common? If it were mine I'd pop down to a craft/hobby store and get a black mat cut in that shape to go under the glass, to make it look more classic.

They come in black too? All the ones I've seen online were white. But then again there doesn't seem to be a wealth of information online devoted to cocktails, probably because more people go for the uprights.

[Arcade Antics]

The cap kit was supposed to arrive today and it's the part I'm dreading the most. While I have no problem taking apart game consoles and such, there becomes a point when the complexity of wiring and the amount of parts you have to take off that gets to be a little nerve-wracking. The Sanyo's PCB is arranged in such away that, you need to take apart a lot of things in order to get to it. Definitely not good for beginners who aren't familiar with the inner workings of monitors. That and I've never really soldered before.


Pulling the board is more difficult than actually replacing the caps.
Toldya. ;)


I did notice though that the kit contains less caps that the PCB board has on it. I trust that the people who put these kits together know what caps do what, and that some of the other caps on the board (that weren't included) are not the faulty ones.
You won't replace all of the caps on the board, IIRC the Sanyo kit is about 15 caps.

The kit will come with a list of all the caps, keep it handy while you're soldering and cross them off one by one as you replace them. Always double check each one to make sure you're not putting it in backwards. When you're all done, go back through the list and double check that each cap is correct.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

Toldya. ;)


You won't replace all of the caps on the board, IIRC the Sanyo kit is about 15 caps.

The kit will come with a list of all the caps, keep it handy while you're soldering and cross them off one by one as you replace them. Always double check each one to make sure you're not putting it in backwards. When you're all done, go back through the list and double check that each cap is correct.

I found a picture chart online that makes for easy labeling of all the caps on the board. I have it all labeled and ready to go, and will check them off one by one when I start. I've also made sure to look at every current cap on the board to see where the positive and negatives are. As far as preparation goes, I'm completely organized. I'll be double and triple checking every thing I do.

I will also make double sure to check all of my solder points so there are no connecting parts that weren't originally there.

As time goes on I'm getting pretty intimate with the inside of this cab.

[Steve W]

They come in black too? All the ones I've seen online were white. But then again there doesn't seem to be a wealth of information online devoted to cocktails, probably because more people go for the uprights.
I wasn't referring to the DK cocktail cab itself specifically, it's just that every cocktail cabinet I've ever seen has a black top. I don't recall ever seeing a Donkey Kong in anything but an upright, so I wasn't sure of how they were supposed to look.

[darthi8nt]

The cream top version and black were the 2 versions released. I too have the cream version top.

[darthi8nt]

The caps can be of different voltage but have to be identical in the uf. My cap kit was ok except for one cap was different and a trip to radio shack solved that problem. Yes the sanyo coctail ez monitor is the toughest I've done. It requires a lot of screw removal always take pics so if you run into problems putting back together you have a handy reference. Keep us updated on yours.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

The caps can be of different voltage but have to be identical in the uf. My cap kit was ok except for one cap was different and a trip to radio shack solved that problem. Yes the sanyo coctail ez monitor is the toughest I've done. It requires a lot of screw removal always take pics so if you run into problems putting back together you have a handy reference. Keep us updated on yours.

Well I received a follow-up email regarding the cap kit, and it's being sent out tomorrow. The cap kit I got was a K7000 instead. Examining the board I've found that there is a cap, which is a different color than the rest with a uf rating that doesn't match the caps list I have. I wonder if this could be the cap behind the screen fold?

Anyway I'll keep this updated as I work on it. If all goes well I should have the thing up and running before the weekend.

In taking it apart I've also found that the coin return is missing parts, and doesn't function properly. From doing research it appears to be the OEM coin return that was shipped with the unit. But it also seems pretty hard to find online, and as of yet I haven't found anyone that has it.

Anyway thanks to all the information you guys have given me about the unit. It's been invaluable so far, and has pointed me to the proper places to find parts for it.

And it's also good to know that the top is known as a "cream" version, because I just assumed it was discolored.

[darthi8nt]

Check this cap location out and tell me what value you have there, the kit I was sent at C201 was 100uf @16V but my original monitor board had c201 with a 10uf @25v so I Swapped it with a 10uf @50v just remember to make sure you get the polarity correct. If your monitor has any problems like doesn't come back on quickly unplug it fast to save it from damage.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

Check this cap location out and tell me what value you have there, the kit I was sent at C201 was 100uf @16V but my original monitor board had c201 with a 10uf @25v so I Swapped it with a 10uf @50v just remember to make sure you get the polarity correct.

That particular cap is not included with Bob's 20ez cap kit, so it looks like I won't be replacing it. But examining it closer, it is not the original sanyo cap, but a bright blue one by a brand called Rubycon. It looks like it was replaced at one point and it is currently a 10uf50v.


If your monitor has any problems like doesn't come back on quickly unplug it fast to save it from damage.

Thanks for the tip, and I'll be sure to be very careful when firing it up for the 1st time. The replacement kit should be here by tomorrow... and at the latest Wednesday I figure. So maybe I'll have done well before the weekend.

EDIT: Thought I'd add a few more pictures to show where I'm at in the process.

The Cab undergoing a paint job
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2372/3543645093_337eb25d85.jpg
The Sanyo 20 EZ
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3386/3543642201_38d19a6275.jpg
Makeshift CRT Discharger
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2284/3544443296_4244345142.jpg
The Joysticks (freshly painted)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3413/3543632869_38acf6ea31.jpg
The legs (polished and painted)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2206/3543646355_2e71d578ff.jpg
2 shots of the cab reassembled, awaiting the monitor and top.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3372/3544447188_622db53cbd.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2319/3543628921_01c70d72ba.jpg

Here's a before and after of the relocated free play switch. I just removed the lock and mounted the new one in the empty hole using a few washers. No drilling required, and I can replace it with the original lock if I need to. Also it's a good before and after illustration on the paint job.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2080/3544082129_48a47094a8.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2090/3544085665_55af344bba.jpg


So this is where I'm at now. I know the color isn't a 100% original, but it really was in need of a paint job and sanding. Any thoughts on the paint job anyone? Was it a bad idea? Was there a better way to do it without spending a lot of cash?

[skaar]

I'm following this one - good pics and thanks for the updates.

I got myself a Frogger cocktail awhile back that I ended up buying a 48-in-1 vertical and a converter board for it. The sound was dead on my Frogger board :(

I haven't taken the thing apart yet to clean/paint - mine's all wood grain so I'm hesitant. It's still at the office :D

[Joe West]

Nice find, ive seen a few around here, <michigan> but going like 300 + good shape

[Arcade Antics]

I'm following this one - good pics and thanks for the updates.

I got myself a Frogger cocktail awhile back that I ended up buying a 48-in-1 vertical and a converter board for it. The sound was dead on my Frogger board :(

I haven't taken the thing apart yet to clean/paint - mine's all wood grain so I'm hesitant. It's still at the office :D
Don't paint it, you can put new woodgrain wallpaper on it if it's really beat up. There's a tutorial post here from a Frogger (upright) restoration that Stonic did using wallpaper, looks brand new.

[skaar]

I would paint the black metal bits and touch up the control panel. I have a feeling it will be a project for the winter months for me - too much other stuff going on. The wood is fine.

Did you drill your lock? Mine is missing the key.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

Well, mine has 3 seperate locks in 2 different key styles- none of which came with the machine. They're pretty easy to remove though. There is a single nut on mine that threads the entire barrel. I was able to take a wide set of vice grips and loosen the nut enough that I could unscrew it with my hand. The coin return one was more awkward, but I managed to get a finger or two into a side hole in the coin holding area. Luckily the locking tab was a little loose, so I was able to turn it and get the coin door opened, and then I removed the lock.

So I got all three of them off very easy and took them into Lowe's hoping to get a replacement. Well I bought one to try it out, because they looked pretty similar. I got it home and it turns out the that the locks they sell there were just a little too big in diameter to fit the pre-drilled hole.

I guess I'll be forced to pay a little more for them on an arcade restoration website.

[darthi8nt]

I drilled the center of mine out with a drill and bought new ones. My game didn't have a free play switch, but the on off toggle switch is under the unit where the power transformer is.

[Videogamerdaryll]

Makeshift CRT Discharger

When you used this..Did you get a pop,spark or anything..?

I made one just like it when I pulled the Monitor on my cab to move it..I didn't get anything after trying several times.
I had the cab on days before but it seems the charge drained..
I was Scared to death to get a shock,thinking I did something wrong....I never touched the red wire though I did pull the wire out from the tube..Not sure if I'd get a shock from the boot.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

Makeshift CRT Discharger

When you used this..Did you get a pop,spark or anything..?

I made one just like it when I pulled the Monitor on my cab to move it..I didn't get anything after trying several times.
I had the cab on days before but it seems the charge drained..
I was Scared to death to get a shock,thinking I did something wrong....I never touched the red wire though I did pull the wire out from the tube..Not sure if I'd get a shock from the boot.



It was a tiny little spark, that didn't sound any worse than a static electricity snap. I was actually pretty scared myself, after seeing tons of comments online about how dangerous it was and how you really shouldn't even attempt it. I fact, the cab had only been unplugged for about 25 minutes when I did it.

I was only able to get a very small spark once in the 1st day. I tried it several times within the 1st hour after unplugging the suction cup, and still nothing. Then the next day, almost 24 hours after I took off the suction cup, I got a small electric shock when I touched the tube near the hole. Go figure. But it was a fairly small shock, that didn't hurt.

I would assume it can be a lot more dangerous depending on the monitor, but my experience was really uneventful.

[madman77]

The Internet has greatly exaggerated the dangers associated with discharging a tube. Even after discharging the tube and removing the suction cup, you'll want to stick the screwdriver around the edge of the hole as well. The tube essentially acts like one big capacitor and can still have charge left in it, which is probably what gave you the shock when you touched near the hole.

[skaar]

Hey, if you didn't die it'll NEVER be dangerous, right? :P

Better safe than sorry - don't fuck with electricity.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

Well today was the day. I got the cap kit today and dove in once the mail came.

I must preface this by saying that I only really tried soldering for the 1st time last night. While I was out yesterday I found a scrap circuit board with some capacitors on it, so I bought it for a quarter. I got home and was trying to figure out how to remove solder, as I seemed to be making a mess while doing it. Well it's a good thing I decided to check out a few videos last night, because I didn't know about a very important tool... the solder remover. Well I picked one up at Radio Shack today and when I got home I did a few more practice runs on the scrap board (seen in photo) before trying the real thing.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3626/3549505555_7027892396.jpg

Anyway as the pictures attest, I did it right! I can barely believe it. Especially considering that I did it with the monitor still attached to the PCB. It took me almost 4 hours, but now I have a full image.

So I have a few more things I'd like to do, but I am in no hurry to them right now. On the list:

-New OEM Coin Selector (this one may take a while, because they're really hard to find)
-High Score save kit
-New locks
-replacement joystick for P2

That should do it then. I've taken care of the biggest things, so I consider these other things just minor upgrades.

Although I am having another issue that I notice before I actually took the thing apart. While it doesn't hurt gameplay any, right now it does seem just ever so slightly prominent. When I play, I notice that some of the image crawls a little. Not enough to where it shifts positions, but almost like some video noise. It' will only do this on color parts and it doesn't ever bleed into the black areas of the screen? Anyone have any thoughts on this? Is it more likely the Sanyo monitor or an issue with the board.

Also I think I may need to demagnetize the screen too, as it appears discolored sometimes, whereas it didn't before taking it apart. Although it seems to go away after it warms up a bit... weird.

At any rate, here are a few more pics with it's fresh new paint and a newly refurbished monitor. Thanks for the kind words everyone, and hope this inspires another noob to try it that may haven't had the confidence before. Check the previous page for "before" shots of the screen

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3356/3550302434_c53297df38_b.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2434/3549498991_9ac0bea364.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3298/3550361550_b594253610.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3552/3550307496_90e08ee357.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3338/3549508101_98c54f7924_b.jpg




If I didn't fuck the thing up, you probably won't either.

[madman77]

Excellent work! The monitor is actually in *really* nice condition. No focus problems at all nor any burn in that I can notice in those pictures. I wonder if it lived most of its life in a home rather than on location.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

Once you get experience with soldering, you'll see it's not worth the time removing the solder when you're only working with 2 leads.

Yeah, on this board though a lot of the solders were really close together. And I actually didn't take apart the monitor much, so I couldn't really hold the board in my hand. If you look at the picture on the 1st page of the monitor sitting in the blanket, well that's how it was soldered. I was often placing caps in with a needle-nose pliers, and having to solder on surfaces that were not exactly flat.


"Noise" in the picture usually ends up coming from the game board, but it's hard to see exactly what you mean from your pics. Easiest way to isolate it would be to either try another monitor, or try your boardset in another cab.

Well it doesn't happen all of the time, usually after it's been on a while. As far as showing you what I mean, its seems like I'd have to post a video of it because it's not something that can really be shown in stills. And it's more like the pixels shift ever so slightly and then move back into place. It's usually when there's other movement going on around it. As it stands now, it's not a big deal and I usually don't leave it on for hours anyway. This problem may have happened for years, but I don't have any way of knowing. Let's hope it stays a minor thing for the time being.

Unfortunately, this is the only cab I have, and know of no arcade repair places near at all. So swapping it out, probably isn't going to happen.

I'm pretty sure it's a board issue too, and not a monitor glitch. Anyway since I have the 4 board version and it's pretty cramped in there, I'm going to leave it be for the time being (unless it were to become unplayable).



I don't think Nintendo hooked up a demag button in their tables. If not, you'll need a degausser or a soldering gun, or a really good magnet.

This issue completely vanished by the next day. All the colors appear normal now, maybe the monitor needed a "break-in" period after it being flipped about for several days.

Anyway I'm still really happy with the work, and I feel very accomplished knowing that I repaired it myself.

[darthi8nt]

Here is the closet coin mech I could find it is made by the same company. And for 18.99 it might be able to be used for parts.
http://thearcadeboneyard.com/files/NewFolder/roll_down_coin_mech_asami_op_800x600.jpg

[TheDomesticInstitution]

Here is the closet coin mech I could find it is made by the same company. And for 18.99 it might be able to be used for parts.
http://thearcadeboneyard.com/files/NewFolder/roll_down_coin_mech_asami_op_800x600.jpg

Thanks for the tip. I contacted him over the weekend, and he quoted me $28 shipped on the coin mech. I thought about it and decided not to get it right now. I could have definitely made a working one from that one, but I would also like one with a faceplate that isn't so scratched up. At almost $29 shipped, it was a little too much to pull the trigger considering the cosmetic condition of the exterior. Had he quoted me $22 or less shipped I would have done it. Being that funds are a little tight right now, it would have to be in excellent condition for me to pay $30. I'm checking ebay every day though, and have my eyes peeled for one.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

Why not bump a thread. I finally got DK2 and wanted to share it with those who may not know about it. Also since I last updated this post, I've done the following:

-Replaced the non-working coin mech with a working one.
-Replaced the P2 joystick with an original one.
-Replaced the missing coin tray.
-Recapped all the boards and power supply
-Tried to fix a video glitch unsuccessfully. After talking with other owners it seems to be a board problem
-Added a new lock to the coin door.
-Removed the Z80 CPU and put a socketed version in it's place, for DKII kit
-As of yesterday installed the Donkey Kong 2/High Score save kit.

For anyone unfamiliar with Donkey Kong 2, it's a sequel to the first Donkey Kong with many all new levels. You can either get a chip upgrade for your Dedicated Donkey Kong machine or buy a multi game board that also has it. I, of course, bought the chip and added it to my board. Here's info on the game with screen shots.

http://www.arcadeshop.com/konghs_dk2/kongmultikit.htm

Now not only does my machine have to seperate games on it, but Donkey Kong now remembers your high scores and initials when you turn it off. I don't know why I'm writing this for people unfamiliar with it, since most who hang out in this forum probably already know most of it... but just in case someone accidently clicks on the link who may not...

So the kit cost $79, and it's pretty awesome. The challenge to adding this kit to my machine was that I have an early board set, where the CPU wasn't socketed to the board. So I had to remove the original chip, and replace it with a socket and brand new CPU. Here is the process I had to go through.

Here's where the z80 chip is located.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3632/3645785596_55d657335c.jpg

Here's a closer view.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3639/3645783316_b48a27c613.jpg

Here is the empty space where the CPU used to be.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2435/3645781242_efe74b25a9.jpg

It's nearly impossible to remove a chip with this many legs and reuse it. I cut the legs and saved a lot of time.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3626/3645786338_cc35ab5f7d.jpg

Here is the socket that is key to adding the multi kit. If you're z80 isn't socketed you won't be able to add the kit.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3319/3645783948_591aaf2268.jpg

Here is the socket now attached to the board.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3655/3645781928_9800fa7d82.jpg

Here is the kit.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2734/4446005769_7f7a7c5798.jpg

Here it is on the PCB set, ready to go back into the machine.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/4446781562_dae497ce71.jpg

Anyway I figured this may be useful to 1 or 2 people if they ever stumble across this thread. And also I just figured I'd also update what I've done, to the machine since then. The machine works great still, and now there's quite a bit more replay value. The one downside to this DK2 mod, is tha it took away the ladder cheat, which comes in handy on the Girder stage. Most Donkey Kong machines don't allow you to do this cheat anyway, except the really early machines where the ROMS weren't updated.

[skaar]

My cabinet of similar vintage has a degauss button inside... have you done a complete search of the cab?

[TheDomesticInstitution]

No degauss button inside. It has a degaussing coil that works all the time though. I only get discoloration when I move the monitor, but it always corrects itself after a few hours or a day.

[skaar]

Also something I thought I'd mention - I got a Konami > Jamma converter and put a 48-in-1 board in mine. I haven't looked at the board type for DK but it is a neat option for those cabinets!

This was mine: http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=97249

I like yours better - the white top is nice!

[TheDomesticInstitution]

I haven't looked at the board type for DK but it is a neat option for those cabinets!

This was mine: http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=97249

I like yours better - the white top is nice!

Cool cabinet. Did you do anything to it since then? Do you still have it? And my final question, do you still play it?

I don't need to multi my DK- that's what this is for.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2773/4412556438_9dee7352ab.jpg

My restoration/conversion of this, can be found in the link below.

http://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=106918

Repainted by hand without stencils. It has a 60-in-1 in it and I love it. Spent way too much time on this guy, so I can never sell it.

[diskoboy]

Need some official DK2 cocktail artwork?

http://www.thisoldgame.com/sc_images/products/521_image.jpg

http://www.thisoldgame.com/products/donkey-kong-ii-cocktail-art-package

[TheDomesticInstitution]

Rich does good work at this old game. My multi Pac (above) custom CPO was printed by him and it's great work. I don't know if I want the custom artwork because I like my original artwork fine. If they made a single card to put under the backglass, I'd buy it, but my artwork is in such good (original) condition, that I don't see a need.

[Tupin]

I would have gotten a $12 de-soldering iron from RadioShack so I could always replace the Z80, but it's still a cool thing.

You can switch between I and II, right?

[TheDomesticInstitution]

As long as you set in on "freeplay" you can hit the p1 and p2 button for 2 seconds and it'll give you the choice to go to the other one.