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Author Topic: DMD issue  (Read 1303 times)

Tbone1

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DMD issue
« on: May 02, 2011, 09:32:44 PM »
I have a Creature I just brought home that is having DMD issues.

The game seems to have problems drawing more complex graphics on the DMD.. the DMD does work but on the busier animations it drops dots etc.

I did the obvious and reset all the cables to the DMD and driver board... everything looks fine. The DMD tests fine in test mode, no missing dots or other issues.

From what little I could find on the topic I am guessing I need to get a new DMD driver board possibly?

Since its a common board I can pull one from another machine to test with if needed just wanted to make sure there wasnt anything else to check before I start taking apart other fully working games to try and fix this one.
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Offline ibis

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Re: DMD issue
« Reply #1 on: May 02, 2011, 09:34:15 PM »
I would do just that, pull a board from another machine.  Eliminate things one by one.
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Offline Mr. Fuzzy

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Re: DMD issue
« Reply #2 on: May 02, 2011, 09:37:11 PM »
I've seen that before...yah, change the board, I bet that fixes it.

-Dan
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Tbone1

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Re: DMD issue
« Reply #3 on: May 02, 2011, 09:40:14 PM »
Crap.. OK thanks. I kinda figured that was the next step.

I ran out of ideas.. I was hoping there was more easy stuff I could try before I start taking apart another game that works 100%.
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Offline HammysHangout ( Hammy )

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Re: DMD issue
« Reply #4 on: May 02, 2011, 11:45:40 PM »
the dmd driver board is by far the easiest board to take out (imho)
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Tbone1

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Re: DMD issue
« Reply #5 on: May 02, 2011, 11:55:06 PM »
Quote from: Hamster on May 02, 2011, 11:45:40 PM
the dmd driver board is by far the easiest board to take out (imho)

Yah I know.. just hate to mess with a perfectly working game just to test something. No worries.. Ill get to it soon.
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Offline k7

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Re: DMD issue
« Reply #6 on: May 03, 2011, 04:41:54 PM »
Quote from: Tbone1 on May 02, 2011, 11:55:06 PM
Quote from: Hamster on May 02, 2011, 11:45:40 PM
the dmd driver board is by far the easiest board to take out (imho)

Yah I know.. just hate to mess with a perfectly working game just to test something.

ha! agree 100% on that. :)
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Offline Mojo_114

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Re: DMD issue
« Reply #7 on: May 03, 2011, 06:08:34 PM »
If it is working and then loses it,but stays playing normal.
Could be,
The DMD is not processing the information correctly, thus the DMD is going.
The CPU is not sending the information correctly, thus the CPU is acting up.
I would swap DMD's with another game first.
Turn the info cable arround and see if it is a flaky cable. Not the one from the DMD to the display, the one from the CPU to the controll board.
I hate to say this, but reset the ROM on the CPU, could have one leg just not seated right.
After that, the game is Haunted.
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Offline k7

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Re: DMD issue
« Reply #8 on: May 03, 2011, 06:18:08 PM »
mojo-114 just helped me diagnose and replace an intermittant flaky data cable to my DMD driver board.

i ALSO have a flaky ribbon cable from the driver board to the DMD glass as well. i've been chasing my DMD issue for 4 weeks now, and pulled up low DC volt outputs from my new Power Driver board...but that wasn't the cause of my issue. it was all cable.

TOMMY! is supposed to play blind, but this was just getting ridiculous. :P


i'll say one thing: if you purchased it fully working, i'd check for easier to swap cable issues before the drive board. but then again, maybe the original owner didn't even realize there was dot dropout during the more graphic intensive scenes?
« Last Edit: May 03, 2011, 06:20:16 PM by K7 »
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Tbone1

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Re: DMD issue
« Reply #9 on: May 03, 2011, 11:14:14 PM »
It was sold as fully working but its one of those things where unless you knew the game really well you may not be able to tell.

I made the guy I bought it from send me a new driver board... hope that does the trick.
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