{"id":2139,"date":"2022-10-20T19:39:20","date_gmt":"2022-10-20T19:39:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/billdwhite.com\/?p=2139"},"modified":"2022-10-31T21:38:05","modified_gmt":"2022-10-31T21:38:05","slug":"spy-hunter-repair-log","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/billdwhite.com\/wordpress\/2022\/10\/20\/spy-hunter-repair-log\/","title":{"rendered":"Spy Hunter Repair Log"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

2007 – February<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Purchased machine<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2016 – February<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Replaced entire PCB (to fix sound issues?); purchased on eBay from ParadiseArcade<\/a> shop for about $250.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2016 – March<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Replaced cheap squeak board for $140<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2018 – September<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Full restoration including sand, smooth and repair minor water damage, replacement glass bezel, full laminate on sides, full side art, powder-coated control handles and texture paint on exposed wood surfaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2018 – October<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Replaced battery with NVRAM:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2018 – November<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Installed Free Play ROM from http:\/\/www.hobbyroms.com (Stephan)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2022 – October<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Loud hiss\/static noise coming from speakers. I replaced the ‘amplfiers’ that look like transistors coupled to heat sinks on the dual amp board (I suspect this was cauing the static noise) and I also replaced the two suitcase caps (56000uf and 100000uf) in the bottom of the cabinet and I did a full rebuild on the MCR linear power supply, replacing the potentiometers, heatsink caps and the transistor, electrolytic caps, some chips (swapped out with socketed replacements) and the 3 legged silver caps (the kit did not include the replacements for the 6 legged caps). After doing all this, the hiss\/static were totally gone, but were replaced by a fairly low hum. This is not the infamous ‘Hum\/Buzz’ you read about online; instead it was much much lower and is drowned out during game play by the sound effects and music. I was not able to get the to completely go away, but I did notice that the hum did disappear when I took the Cheap Squeak board connector off. While it could be that board, I’m suspicious that it might be coming further up the line from the harness that feeds into that board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2022 – October<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I noticed the right thumb button seemed to be shorting out; during game play, any major movement with the right hand would trigger it. I took the right handle apart and found I had previously almost stripped out the alan screws when originally putting them in back when I restored the machine and reassembled it; I got some of them out using a flat head driver which I wedged into the semi-stripped socket. A few of them gave me more trouble but I was able to use the “swiss-army” style multi socket tool with SAE sizing (slightly bigger to it fit the stripped head) and it gave me the leverage to get them out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taking apart the handle, I had forgotten just how fiddly these are constructed: the wires run between the screw contact points and it is incredibily easy to pinch the wires between them while trying to put them together, while hold in the trigger button and simultaneously trying to tighten the screws. Also, the screws drive into the barrell that the handle connects to so it is possible to break wires with too long of a screw. I replaced most of the screws with much shorter 1\/4″ length cap screws, re-did the wiring to remove the pinched portions and got it all back together. I noticed the left handle also had a seam where it comes together that was slightly open indicating it too had a pinched wire so I took it apart and got that sorted as well, replacing some of the screws with the shorter ones. Now it’s all working 100%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Purchased by not used:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n