Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ncar!stout!cook
From: cook@stout.ucar.edu (Forrest Cook)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Need help fixing a vector arcade game display!
Keywords: CRT  High Voltage  Arcade Game  Old
Message-ID: <5198@ncar.ucar.edu>
Date: 15 Nov 89 20:48:07 GMT
References: <938@swbatl.UUCP> <5390@cps3xx.UUCP>
Sender: news@ncar.ucar.edu
Reply-To: cook@stout.UCAR.EDU (Forrest Cook)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Field Observing Facility, NCAR, Boulder, CO
Lines: 33

In article <5390@cps3xx.UUCP> beyer@frith.UUCP (Don W Beyer) writes:
>
>A "friend of mine" (no really!) has a Space Wars video game which is
>slightly defective...
>....The display is very
>dim and can only be viewed in a totally dark environ.  The yoke amp is 
>fine, as everything is in the right place...just very dim.

Sounds like an old picture tube to me.  You have several choices:
1: (the best, the most expensive) buy another picture tube and
replace the old one.  Be sure to discharge the second anode
connection carefully with a long grounded screwdriver, the shock
can knock you across the room, I KNOW 8*[

2: (second best) get the old tube rebuilt, the part that wears out
is the gun cathode,  The rebuilt tube usually works as well as a new
one but costs less, if you can find someone who rebuilds tubes.

3: (third best) find an old picture tube brightener transformer that
increases the voltage to the fillament.  This is cheap and should last
for a while.

4: (fourth best) get the tube rejuvinated at your local tv repair
shop.  You might need to have a pinout of the tube before this can
be done.  The tube may not be standard.

Hope that helps.


 ^   ^  Forrest Cook - Beware of programmers who carry screwdrivers - LB
/|\ /|\ cook@stout.ucar.edu (The preceeding was all my OPINION)
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