[Techtoolslist] Directory success !!! (for HDR that is.)

[John Robertson]

Andre Huijts wrote:

> Andrew....I'm not stupid. I understand what it can do for about 90% by now, I've read enough to have a pretty clear picture.

>

> However, without any programs that actually DO a 100% test it's not really worth anything right ?

>

> Please stop talking down to me Andrew, I'm not a moron.....

>

>   


Hey, Andre, Andrew is just pulling your leg!

The 9100 can be a bit of a boat anchor/door stop unless you really get 
into it. They are still in wide use industrially as they are often the 
only machine keeping production line equipment running that was designed 
in the 80s and 90s.

Even the basic tests are superior to the 9010 though as you can easily 
store the results and easily make lookup tables for individual games if 
you have the programming option.

I've found the renewed interest in the 9100 (thanks in large part to 
Andre) to be refreshing my desire to get this great tool in use in my 
shop - for too many years have they been sitting on a shelf being 
ignored. I mostly use the 9010 and my collection of pods to 
troubleshoot, and while that is fine for me, it would benefit my staff 
if I got a 9100 running with the tests built in for are common game 
board (Atari, Bally, Williams, etc.) that come through on a regular 
basis and while the test fixture gives us a pretty good idea of the 
problems, integrating a 9100 could speed up the tests significantly.

The beauty of the 9100 is the GFI. I see building tests for Capcom and 
other orphans of the pinball world where no test fixtures exist or are 
more money than one cares to spend when you only see the game once every 
few years - however a guided test for the driver board, shared with this 
group, could help a number of shops deal with these games quickly.

Making up a Bed Of Nails test jig that is hooked to the 9100 seems to be 
a good project for 2013 and I for one will be exploring this project in 
the new year.

Have to get past Xams first - we are very busy right now!

Still also hoping to find a non-serialized copy of 6.0 Service (was 
included in the 40MB SCSI upgrade kit) - or even a copy that has a 
different serial number to compare.

Another project is to check the wiring changes to the motherboards - I 
suspect the latest ones (I have a "G" revision) allow you to use the 
1.44 floppies, a number of jumpers around the floppy connector...

John :-#)#

> Op 13 dec. 2012, om 17:50 heeft Andrew Welburn <andy at andysarcade.net> het volgende geschreven:

>

>   

>> Andre..

>>

>> You havn't read all the manuals, and dont fully grasp what the 9100 can do. Its much, much more than a 9010, its a complete 100% pcb test system, as i've previously described, its not limited to rams and roms. Read up and learn my young jedi.

>>

>>

>> Andrew Welburn

>> http://www.andys-arcade.com

>>

>> On 13/12/2012 16:45, Andre Huijts wrote:

>>     

>>> Funny, I was thinking about using Centi as well.....reasons were because I own one, it's a raster game (seemed simpler than a vector game to me) and Atari already makes the schematics in "functional blocks"......

>>>

>>> Been trying to read in the Applications manual today (during work breaks....) and I nodded off at least 10 times....apart from that, it's sure not easy....

>>>

>>> However.....correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the majority of problems can be found using the very "basic" tests (which are actually pretty thorough) being the address and databusses, finding bad buffers and doing RAM and ROM checks. As such it's not much more than a 9010 I guess, which is a bit of a shame of course, but I don't see anyone investing so many hours to get programs done  for himself or maybe a couple of other guys interested.....

>>>

>>> It would be cool to have a program for POKEY (if only to make it produce some sounds ;) ) f.i., on the other hand, swapping one takes just seconds and most of the signals of it being defective are pretty well known....

>>>

>>> Someone should write a program that scans the schematics of any PCB and turns it into a TL/1 program ;)

>>>

>>> André

>>>       



-- 
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Call (604)872-5757 or Fax 872-2010 (Pinballs, Jukes, VideoGames)
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"Old pinballers never die, they just flip out"