Ring King video issues

[YoshiM]

The story

A while back I went halvsies on a Ring King cab. Game worked great. Got it to my buddy's place and worked great. Tried to get the sucker upstairs (buddy is like "Don't worry....it'll fit") and had to bring it down. Left the game on ground floor in a closet.

After that the game started flaking out. Every once in a while the screen would flicker. Not often but enough to make you go "WTF?!"

Later my buddy decides we should try and get the machine downstairs ("Should fit...."). The path to the steps is awkward like a slight zig zag from the door. To get the machine on the steps you'd have to dead lift the cab from OVER YOUR HEAD to maybe get it on the stairs if it actually fit. Moved it back to the closet on ground floor.

After that last move the screen seemed as though the horizontal was shot. Watching the screen it appeared there was also some scrambling of the image itself. I popped the back off and looked at the boards. There was only one "tab" holding the boards onto the cabinet so we were banging them around when it was moved.

It sounds like the game is working-all sound effects and such function but the video is garbled. Is it possible the display board was damaged and is it usually difficult to fix this?

[Arcade Antics]

After that last move the screen seemed as though the horizontal was shot.

Try adjusting the horizontal hold pot.

Watching the screen it appeared there was also some scrambling of the image itself. I popped the back off and looked at the boards. There was only one "tab" holding the boards onto the cabinet so we were banging them around when it was moved.

Ouch! Not the worst thing that can happen, but always open the cab and secure everything before moving it.

It sounds like the game is working-all sound effects and such function but the video is garbled. Is it possible the display board was damaged and is it usually difficult to fix this?

Possible? Yes, but *probably* not likely. Worst case scenario, a couple of roms could have gotten knocked loose, but that's unlikely.

A number of other things could have gotten jostled loose in there to cause the problem though. Start out by checking all the connections (double and triple check 'em) inside the cab, then check the horiz. adjustment pot and work your way on to more difficult things from there.

[Flack]

It's a lot easier for wires to come off than for chips to pop off or video boards to get damaged. Like AA said, open 'er up and look for anything that may have become disconnected -- and yeah, try adjusting the knobs, too.

I'm not proud of the fact, but I dropped my Heavy Barrel cabinet while moving it. When I got it back up and moved into place, I had no video at all. After a few minutes of troubleshooting I found the video wires had just come disconnected.

[jammajup]

Hi

Could be several things causing video break up but most likely the roms need lifting and re-seating in their sockets or the board connecting cables (usually 2) are loose or have an internal break,there may also be a simple bad solder joint or connection on the boards somewhere.
If there is a poor connection problem it often reveals itself during movement

[YoshiM]

I totally forgot to check this thread.

I did play around with the adjustment knobs but no dice. When my buddy and I get a chance we'll wheel the game out of its storage area and I'll have another go. I'll make sure to check all the wires and push on the chips

Thanks for the advice!

[YoshiM]

Almost five years later and I can put this to rest.

My buddy/brother-in-law and his wife are selling their house and decided to give me Ring King so they don't have to haul it. I never could fix it as the closet that became its home was covered by my sister-in-law's clothes racks and other items, making the endeavor a pain. Also didn't help that my wife and I and they started to grow apart a bit (which is a story in itself) so the machine was left alone in the dark.

Anyway, successfully got the cab into my basement and tonight I was took a video of the issues that plagued it. With this recent move, all of a sudden the sounds were funky as well. Sounded like "crunching" noises. Oh boy.... I took the video, got it on YouTube then proceeded to find this thread to get help. Then I read the suggestions and remembered I never got around to DOING them.

So, with the new found workspace of my basement to work in, I took the back off and began checking everything. Discovered that the boards were indeed attached to the cabinet (as Arcade Antics suggested to check to make sure everything was secure) but the amount of screw that actually was in the wood was minuscule. Being taken up and down stairs, over big thresholds and such and finally being taken to my place popped the boards off the cabinet. I pushed on every chip that looked like it was socketed. I pushed on every wire that connected to those boards and then pushed on the big connector that I failed to notice WAS a connector years back at the top of the main board.

Now the moment of truth...power on.

Machine turned on and the familiar test grid appeared. Scrolling, but clear as day. Then came the title screen for the game. Yes! It worked! I fuddled with the monitors pots as the only thing labeled "horizontal" was the hold-didn't do anything. Adjusted what I think said "vertical sync" and the scrolling stopped. Tuned the vertical size and brightness and the game was going like it was 1985.

So a belated thanks to everyone who posted suggestions. I now have my first arcade cabinet and what a feeling it is to have gotten it to work.

Now...new question-the cab itself is a conversion of a VS Unisystem Nintendo machine (you can tell by looking at the cabinet and the tell tale "Nintendo" sticker on the back door). This particular Ring King was part of a conversion kit (as I have the manual) and the original owner was nice enough to include the original Nintendo manuals (including the Gun Kit). How evil would it be to convert it back INTO a Nintendo cab?

[Arcade Antics]

This particular Ring King was part of a conversion kit (as I have the manual) and the original owner was nice enough to include the original Nintendo manuals (including the Gun Kit). How evil would it be to convert it back INTO a Nintendo cab?

Ring King was a kit only game. They did offer them in the generic DE cabs, but it's the same kit.

It wouldn't be evil at all to convert back to a Nintendo game, quite the contrary. Many Vs. cabs were converted Nintendo classics. If the cab is a light gray, it's an original Vs UniSystem. Given that Ring King is vertical, I'd guess your cab was originally a DK or DK Junior. What color is it?

My vote is to convert it back to one of the classics. If you can post pics we'll have a better idea of what you'll need to do to fully restore it.

[YoshiM]

The cab color is orange and on the metal serial plate say "djr1-up"

[Arcade Antics]

It was a DK Junior. Easy to find the PCB, CP, and side art if you're so inclined. Might want to order a whole new DKJr harness too depending on how hacked up the original wiring is.

[InsaneDavid]

It was a DK Junior. Easy to find the PCB, CP, and side art if you're so inclined. Might want to order a whole new DKJr harness too depending on how hacked up the original wiring is.

Wouldn't you also need to re-invert the video signal if you go back to a Nintendo board?