Hi! The following exchange of email is between a desperate game owner needing their arcade video game serviced in time for their New Years Eve party and me.
Notice that I throughly analyze the problem, and then offer a repair time and cost estimate.
This is the same high level of treatment that you can expect whenever you contact me.
Email me now for your repair estimate: gameroomdude@yahoo.com
The story has a very happy ending. Even given very short notice, the game was repaired on time. And, the party was a success.
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To: Steve McCollum
Sent: Sat, December 26, 2009 3:20:25 PM
Subject: Repair - Galaga Arcade - 1981
What is your availability on looking and repairing this 1981 Galaga Arcade we have?
We would like to have it running by New Years Eve (we're having a big party then).
Possible?
Please call at the numbers listed below or you can email back.
Thank you!
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From: Steve McCollum
Sent: Sat, Dec 26, 2009 7:48 pm
Subject: Re: Repair - Galaga Arcade - 1981
Definitely doable. What are symptoms? Could you bring it to me tomorrow (Sunday)?
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To: Steve McCollum
Sent: Sat, December 26, 2009 10:26:11 PM
Subject: Re: Repair - Galaga Arcade - 1981
Steve,
Well I've talked to a few people about it, and they seem to think it MAY be the power supply. We just purchased the machine (from eBay) and it is a traditional machine that had a 60 in 1 PCB added to it. It worked for about 2 hours then just went dead. We didn't see it happen - we were out of the room. At first, we could not get ANYTHING out of it. We replaced all the fuses inside and finally got the Galaga marquee light to come on. But that is only by holding the white button on the back right side down. If we let the button go, everything goes dead again. There is a switching power supply that lights up when the button is held down too. The PCB actually has a few LEDs that light as well - LCD3 flashes yellow and LCD1 is green (also ONLY when the button is held down).
We cannot get anything to display on the monitor at any time. I have tested to make sure the power supply (first part that connects to the power cord) is getting the right voltage and it appears to. I'm not sure what else to do at this point. The people that sold it to me are in Tennessee and can only do so much over the phone.
It was quite a task for us to get it to our house. We don't have a truck, so we had to rent a Uhaul. I'm also worried about creating more problems by transporting it. Most of the internals seem to be original. Is there ANY way you (or someone you know) can take a look at it here? We would obviously pay extra for the time and trouble. Our address is: 3123 Barnes Bridge Rd. Dallas, TX 75228.
Please let me know what you can do. We have tomorrow off, but our schedule is tighter during the week. Thanks in advance for your help!
Christina
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From: Steve McCollum
Sent: Sat, Dec 26, 2009 11:24 pm
Subject: Re: Repair - Galaga Arcade - 1981
You have a big problem.
"it MAY be the power supply", and it could be the monitor, or the pcb, or any combination of the three.
"a 60 in 1 PCB added to it", meaning that if the problem is in the pcb, you would have to buy another pcb, which might not be here by New Years eve.
"2 hours then just went dead", what does dead mean - no sound? no monitor glow? no cabinet lights?
"replaced all the fuses", were any fuses actually blown?
"holding the white button on the back right side down", just pull it out.
"We cannot get anything to display on the monitor at any time", is there any glow on the screen, or in the neck of the tube?
"Is there ANY way you (or someone you know) can take a look at it here?"
The info so far sounds like a bad monitor, if a fuse was blown. Or, bad power supply, if there is any form of glow on the screen, and no sound of game playing. But, this could also indicate a bad pcb.
In any event, I would be very skeptical of a house call with so many possibilities. It really is a job for the shop. Because, for example, you could repair/replace a bad monitor, only to find that there is a bad power supply. Then, replace the power supply, only to find that there is also a bad pcb.
At that point, you would have spent a lot of time, and you would still need another pcb. You could pay for priority delivery, but it would really be pushing to have it all ready before the party.
If it were just a bad power supply, one simple service call is all that would be needed. But, if it were anything else, then an in home repair would just not be feasible.
So, I could inspect it, but would be prepared to haul it back to my shop, with the understanding that it might not be ready by the party. The inspection would be $100, which includes travel.
If I could repair it, I would. If it were the power supply, the total would be $150. If I had to bring it back to the shop, a deposit would be required.
But, the minimum, whether I could fix it or not, would be the $100 inspection fee.
Thanks.
Steve
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To: Steve McCollum
Sent: Sun, December 27, 2009 12:26:11 AM
Subject: Re: Repair - Galaga Arcade - 1981
Steve,
From what I can tell the 60 in 1 PCB is brand new. I understand that it's possible to go out, but I wouldn't expect it to work fine for a couple hours then die. The other components are pretty aged (save the switching power supply box). Could 2 or 3 of these items actually go out at the same time?
We played the game fine for a couple hours then left it on to go wrap Christmas presents. We came back about 30 minutes later and there was nothing on the screen (and no glow), no sound, and no lights at all. It looked the same as being unplugged.
One of the fuses looked like it may have been blown (it was white a bit in the center). I went ahead and replaced it and the others though. After I replaced them, that's when I was able to get the marquee light on (again, that's ONLY when I held that one button down in the back). I still do not see any glow in the monitor (or in the neck of the monitor). And we are still unable to get ANY kind of sound out of the game at all.
We would like to go ahead and see if you can take a look at it here. If you cannot fix it here, would you be able to take it back to your shop? Or would we have to make arrangements? One reason we purchased this game now was to have it for the party (we even put it on the invites). So we would LIKE to have it by New Year's Eve. But we do understand that it may require more time to get fixed. Right now though, it's a 200lb paperweight so we need to get it taken care of some how.
Please let me know what time you would be able to make it over. We should be ok with anything after 10am.
Thanks,
Christina
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From: Steve McCollum
Sent: Sun, Dec 27, 2009 12:37 pm
Subject: Re: Repair - Galaga Arcade - 1981
It is unlikely that more than one component is bad. However, sometimes a bad power supply can harm a pcb. But, I have run into that worst case (all three bad) many times over the years.
I mention it so that you can appreciate the potential problems, and why a home repair can turn into a very bad (expensive) situation.
You appear to have at least two bad. The monitor sounds to be bad since there is no glow, front or back, and could have blown the fuse (white ash is a burned fuse).
But, even with a bad monitor, you should be able to start the game, and hear it play. So, you could also have a bad pcb.
Or, the power supply could have gone bad. It could have blown the fuse. And, it could have damaged the the pcb. But, that would not explain the totally dead monitor.
Your wiring description suggests that they provided power to the monitor and the power supply off the same AC line. New factory games are not wired this way - they have a seperate fused source for each. Meaning that possibly the monitor blew up (shorted) taking the power supply with it, and hopefully not the pcb.
See now how all three could be defective?
I'll call you this afternoon for directions, and bring my trailer with me. The worst case could run as high as $500 for parts and labor. So, I would need a $300 deposit.
More than likely that amount would cover everything, if only a monitor repair and power supply replacement is needed. Plus, there is the $100 travel and inspection fee. So, the total due today would be $400.
BTW don't replace fuses, they blow because a component has gone bad. A new fuse could start a fire. And, you should also be using a surge protector.
Thanks.
Steve
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Steve,
Well hopefully you can give us some good news when you look at it. We will be here today and look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks,
Christina
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