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ATARI Asteroids Deluxe restoration |
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namfreak 
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Joined: 17 Jan 2018 Location: West Midlands Status: Offline Points: 527 Feedback: 5 |
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 Posted: 27 Oct 2020 at 8:55pm |
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The to re-fit the cardboard background to the inside of the cabinet,
I did a bit more touch up with Tamiya XF-1 Flat black paint, and reinforced some of the folds on the reverse with black Gaffa tape Originally the background was stapled to the inside of the cabinet - which damaged it if it ever needed to be removed (usually to remove the monitor for service) After I had repaired it I thought the best way to fix it was to use self adhesive Velcro pads. This gave me security of the background but could be removed and replaced over and over without damaging the cardboard    |
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namfreak
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Joined: 17 Jan 2018 Location: West Midlands Status: Offline Points: 527 Feedback: 5 |
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Posted: 27 Oct 2020 at 9:01pm |
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And refitted to cabinet.
I think it's a far more accurate fit than it was originally. I imagine they just got stapled in quickly at the Atari factory not paying much heed to if it was straight or met with the blocking on the side to give a seamless background with the monitor surround...       |
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namfreak
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Joined: 17 Jan 2018 Location: West Midlands Status: Offline Points: 527 Feedback: 5 |
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Posted: 28 Oct 2020 at 7:57pm |
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Re-fitted the half silvered mirror to the cabinet that sits in front of the cardboard background
Now the reverse monitor image is displayed correctly   |
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namfreak
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Posted: 28 Oct 2020 at 8:01pm |
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Fitted repro Atari decals to rear of cabinet, courtesy of Etienne Op den Kelder
Silver foil one has cab serial number and model nr reproduced from the torn original   |
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namfreak
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Joined: 17 Jan 2018 Location: West Midlands Status: Offline Points: 527 Feedback: 5 |
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Posted: 28 Oct 2020 at 8:15pm |
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The cardboard monitor surround is made from quite thin card, and as it stands off the monitor tube face a little way it has sagged over the years. This resulted in some tears before I repaired it and loss of illusion where it bows in the centre showing the cabinet internals behind
I decided to make a stiff cardboard support for it. Used (appropriately enough) some of the double layer corrugated cardboard that the cabinet was wrapped in from the USA. Retains a bit of the cabinet's recent history! Now the surround fits nice and snug and will not sag or bow. The triangular "wings" on each side were secured to the cab with self adhesive Velcro pads as the background, replacing the original staple method        Edited by namfreak - 28 Oct 2020 at 8:17pm |
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namfreak
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Joined: 17 Jan 2018 Location: West Midlands Status: Offline Points: 527 Feedback: 5 |
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Posted: 28 Oct 2020 at 8:24pm |
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I temporarily fitted the original monitor bezel back in place to check how the monitor image was with the blue gel on the cardboard surround transforming the black and white vector image
Yes the bezel is original, but terribly hazy   |
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namfreak
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Posted: 28 Oct 2020 at 8:33pm |
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So a while back I had ordered the reproduction bezel from This Old Game. Let's hope it's better than their Asty Dlx marquee
So it's really very nice, and the silvery grey is slightly different on the repro - it's almost like a foiled silver and in my opinion looks way better than the original!         |
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namfreak
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Posted: 07 Nov 2020 at 8:00pm |
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So next was to recover the wiring harness and buttons from my original (bent) control panel
These would be used to populate the replacement CP which had already been painted in Plasti Kote Satin Black I had purchased the excellent control panel overlay reproduction from Phoenix Arcade. I marked a line on the backing paper to match the fold in the CP I fixed the CPO in place on the CP with the coach bolts and the 1P / 2P buttons. Thankfully the die cut holes were a perfect match I cut off the bottom half of the backing paper and smoothed down onto the CP and warmed the adhesive with a heat gun for maximum adhesion       |
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namfreak
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Joined: 17 Jan 2018 Location: West Midlands Status: Offline Points: 527 Feedback: 5 |
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Posted: 07 Nov 2020 at 8:06pm |
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Once the lower half of the overlay was fixed I could remove the coach bolts and 1P / 2P buttons and apply the upper half
This was carefully pressed into the fold at the top of the CP and then folded over onto the back on the CP I fitted a 10mm wide x 2mm thick strip of neoprene tape to the edge that will rest against the monitor bezel as cushioning     |
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namfreak
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Posted: 07 Nov 2020 at 8:21pm |
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Then to start populating the CP.
Leaf buttons from the original CP. I think the buttons were modern replacement but the leaf bases were original I thought that Asteroids Deluxe came with black cone button bezels, but this one has has silver metal ones on. Although I could have bought black ones from Arcadeshop I decided I would stick with the silver that the machine came with - it retains a bit of it's history and I personally like a bit of shine to brighten up what is alot of black on the control panel A bit of metal polish brought these up from a flat aluminium to a nice shiny finish Connected harness back up to buttons having carefully noted all the connection positions beforehand Used self adhesive cable tie mounts to tie harness to underside of CP Offered up the cabinet after making x slices in bottom of CP for coach bolts that mount the piano hinge to the kick panel       |
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namfreak
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Joined: 17 Jan 2018 Location: West Midlands Status: Offline Points: 527 Feedback: 5 |
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Posted: 07 Nov 2020 at 8:27pm |
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Control Panel secured in place and game play tested.
I think the play area looks so much batter than what it was     |
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namfreak
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Posted: 07 Nov 2020 at 8:38pm |
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With choosing the go with the original marquee rather than the "This Old Game" reproduction, I decided to do something about the light bleed on the edges where the black paint had peeled off
Rather than trying to touch in with paint, I thought a neater and reversable fix could be achieved by cutting a thin strip of black masking tape and fitting it to the rear of the marquee     |
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namfreak
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Posted: 07 Nov 2020 at 8:51pm |
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I wanted to replace the original On / Off toggle switch on the rear panel as the plastic nut and thread that secured it to it's mounting plate had broken and the switch hung loose
Thanks to Rob for advising me I required a DPST Dual Pole Single Throw switch to meeting the original spec of 125V 15A. This arrived from Farnells but did not have spade connector, but poles with 3mm holes through them I had to order some AMP 42822-2 TERMINAL,
TAB, QUICK DISCONNECT 3.3mm mount hole and 6.3mm male spade tab to mate the switch to the female spade tabs on the wiring harness Since the tabs were unmarked on the switch, I had to do a continuity test in both on and off positions to work out what wire went where This was a better quality toggle switch than original with metal thread and lock nut, rather than plastic Re-fitted to cabinet and refitted protective plastic cover    |
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namfreak
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Posted: 21 Nov 2020 at 8:01pm |
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Next was to measure the High Voltage value at the anode
I had invested in a HV probe for working on my first vector monitor. I used it to discharge the monitor prior to the restoration, and now was using it to measure the value at the anode cap. However dealing with live HV made me more nervous than discharging a disconnected monitor! 12,530V measured.......  |
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namfreak
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Posted: 21 Nov 2020 at 8:06pm |
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According to the manual, and by consulting with some guys on KLOV, it appears the optimum HV value is 12,000V with no signal connected to the monitor.
But following some advice I dialled the HV in to approx 11,500V to allow for upward drift and to ensure no components are stressed  |
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namfreak
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Posted: 21 Nov 2020 at 8:09pm |
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Once the HV was correctly adjusted it was then time to set the test mode cross hatch pattern and adjust the X and Y gain on the main logic PCB to fill the screen correctly
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namfreak
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Posted: 21 Nov 2020 at 8:28pm |
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Machine all complete!
I use the empty space in my cabs for storing spare parts...... I've really enjoyed this project, I've learnt alot about Atari machines (and how they are arguably the best cabs from the Golden Age) and have learnt alot about vector monitors too I've really enjoyed smartening this cab up, hope you guys have enjoyed the journey Asteroids Deluxe, Asteroids and Lunar Lander can be played in this cab thanks to the Braze Multigame kit        |
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forcefulfil
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EDOT King    Joined: 18 May 2008 Location: Lancs.U.K. Status: Offline Points: 60085 Feedback: 5 |
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Posted: 21 Nov 2020 at 8:30pm |
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Looking good.
I still don't like adjusting the HV on a G05-801 etc. The sizzle of HV and the smell etc.Amplifones are scarier.. I've had a few transistors pop on me while doing it |
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bonehead
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I'll get pix tonight Joined: 05 Jan 2013 Location: Bedfordshire Status: Offline Points: 13133 Feedback: 5 |
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Posted: 21 Nov 2020 at 8:32pm |
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Looks amazing!!!!
Your like me and stack up all the spares for each cab inside. Maybe that’s why mine weigh so much!!!! Enjoy your work. |
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Wanted.,Qbert machine working or project.
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big10p
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Joined: 04 Jul 2014 Location: Somerset Status: Offline Points: 9955 Feedback: 5 |
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Posted: 21 Nov 2020 at 8:38pm |
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Wonderful!
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