Troubleshooting guide

Cinematronics Vector Monitor Repair Guide v.1.0
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TROUBLESHOOTING AND TEST PROCEEDURES
The basic methodology in troubleshooting a Cinematronics monitor is to assume NOTHING. If
your monitor is not working properly, take the following steps.
1. Disconnect the monitor from both video and power. Always remove the ribbon cable first before
you remove power.
2. Disconnect the CCPU and sound board from power.
WHEN DISCONNECTING RIBBON CABLES, BE SURE TO NOTE CONNECTOR
LOCATIONS AND ORIENTATIONS.
3. Test the system power supply and repair as required.
4. Reconnect only the CCPU to the power supply and test. This test amounts to ensuring the red
led lights when power is applied and goes out a fraction of a second later. If the light stays lit,
flickers, or doesn’t light at all, you have a CCPU problem. Repairing the CCPU is beyond the
scope of this document.
5. Once the CCPU is working, reconnect the sound board. If you can play the game blind (with
correct sounds) move on to the next step. If not, you may STILL have a CCPU problem or a sound
board problem or both. Repair as required.
6. Once you can play the game blind, turn the power off and reconnect the monitor to both power
and input signals. Be certain the ribbon cable is properly oriented. Proper orientation of the ribbon
cable cannot be stressed enough.
7. Time to troubleshoot! You will need a good meter, a logic probe and an oscilloscope. Without
these tools, you will find that fixing your Cinematronics monitor to be exceedingly difficult.
Troubleshooting Tips to Remember:
• Before working on your Cinematronics monitor, be certain your problems actually lie in the
monitor.
• Never power up the monitor board if the deflection transistors on the heatsinks are
disconnected from the monitor PCB.
• Never power up the monitor board with the ribbon cable (leading to the CCPU board)
disconnected. If you do this, there are undefined values going into the digital-to-analog