Most liked posts in thread: Bally Arcade (Montgomery-Ward edition) full restore

There are plenty of instructions and documentation for upgrading DIY Z-Grass to a full 64K and the high-res graphics the video chip is capable of too, and use the Machine Language or Z-GRASS languages with it too. But that is a large project to undertake when I have so many on different burners now, and I'm not sure how fond I will become of the Bally, so I decided to hold off on that upgrade for a while.

Instead buying a 32K ram expansion for that parallel port hidden behind the plastic in the video and with the Bally BASIC and Machine Language Manager cassettes I have a full-fledged computer but with only medium-res graphics. Though the built-in keypad is a joke to use for computing, hence the real keypad and keyboard I'm making myself based off of old DIY instructions.

 

But I'm also not sure there is a point for me to upgrade to 100% ZGrass computer system with the extra 32K, high-res graphic modes and ZGrass arcade games language since there is absolutely nothing that makes use of it software wise beyond the ZGrass language and then I'd have to learn it and program any software to take advantage myself. And of course it becomes CP/M compatible, but I already have 3 drives and a Fujinet on 2 Atari's that already make them CP/M compatible.

And so far, after 45 years of the Bally Arcade/Astrocade/libary Computer being in existence, and the DIY details of the upgrade being available for over 40 years, only two people have ever actually done the upgrade. The guy who did it and published it back in the early 80's and one guy who has been doing it and documenting it in the Bally Astrocade community recently and on-going (there is a currently active thread in the Bally Astrocade forum on AA and I thought the same guy had Youtube videos as well). So it's far less a going concern that might lead to something than even upgrades like the VBXE and Rapidus are in the Atari community.

That doesn't mean I won't ever do it some time in the future, for my favorite reason; because I can,. But I've far too many small and large projects already so until I get all of them completed I'm stopping myself from taking on more. And at the rate I've been going, it may be many years yet before I finish them all.

Though there is plenty home-brew available for 32K Bally (Non-ZGrass and CP/M)computers and most of the community upgraded to that standard and hardware and software for such is currently available to purchase and for free. Only the keyboard and keypad I'm making are still as rare as the DIY ZGrass computer, as most in the community aren't knowledgeable enough to do DIY keyboards like the guys who did build ZGrass computers and myself and one or two others in the community who have upgraded to the same extent as me. T

Though the Bally community does include a fellow who currently designs new computers for Apple, and loves my work, and actually defended my use of heatsinks on IC's in the Bally when many of the long-time owners scoffed at the idea and told me I should take them off, the reasoning for which was feeble in the worst way, and even if heatsinks didn't help much, no harm no foul was my response. I of course defended with my logical reasoning as courteously as possible first and they went DEAD silent without response.

But when he came on the scene and said it was a great idea for the Bally, with it's well known over-heating (though not with every IC) and said my reasoning for adding them was sound, and that in his own research and development of his most recent Apple computer they considered over-heating issues with it and solutions, exactly as I did with the Bally. There was bowing and chanting "We're not worthy" in response to him. Others in the community are now adding heatsinks to all their Bally IC's too! Traditionally most owners merely remove the heavy RF shielding on the motherboard, but this only helps extend the life of the machine and does not fix it permanently. My work should permanently fix or counter-act the issue. I also added a XBOX One fan base to my Bally of course.

I of course got the same kind of scoffing response from FJC a few years back on the old forum about adding heatsinks to all my 1200XL's IC's since it get's quite hot from the regulator heat-sink that's in it already, radiating that heat across the motherboard. The story above reminded me of that and it's good to have confirmation from someone I know has superior knowledge to FJC.

 

I still can't believe on that last day of posting at the old forum that FJC actually thought I was trying to pick some kind of fight with him by using the word "failed" when talking about his video and tagging him. Like I didn't have better things to do or even cared or thought of him enough to want too. I was actually shocked, but maybe it's a cultural thing and using the word "failed" is much worse in England? Over in the states it seems to be situation based on how serious the word is supposed to be interpreted. I use the word all the time over even the most mundane mistakes or errors and even say "I failed to..." about myself constantly. Like "I failed to dump the rubbish bin before I left for work."

But there was no consoling him so I gave up and did a 180 in my decorum toward him...I'm still sorry it ended up being the needle that broke the forum's back as far as Brenski was concerned.

 

The keys for my custom keyboard finally arrived today. So I'll be assembling it asap, I'll start today as I'm off work due to rain and have been since Monday, but tomorrow the weather finally dries out and I'll be working twice as long and hard to catch up, so it will be a dawn to dusk thing for at least a week. So if I don't finish it today it may be a while.

 

This beast looks absolutely amazing, Matt.
I for one have NEVER heard of it.
I bet you know what I did think it was when I first read the thread title and a refurb/restore of some machine with the manufacturer name BALLY...



Yep, I thought WOW - coincidence city - I was only drooling over a retro 1960s vintage PINBALL myself last night (fantasising that one day I might own one) and here's Matt restoring one back to full health!

As it turns out, it's something even more exotic by the sounds of it.

Good luck with getting the rare bird up and running... with the full complement of 4 controllers and eventually tracking down a healthy ratio of that 28 game cart library, fella.

As Tim so rightly points out, you always put your heart and soul into showing us the full works when you go to work on your projects, matey.

Excellent work so far and a really interesting W.I.P.

 

Incredibly careful precision work you're doing there, Baker - bit by bit, patient and mighty fine restoration work in other words.

Many thanks again for such detailed photos and explanations.

If you ever fancy fixing an Oric 3" drive (which isn't as rusty...) ??!! LOL.

Good luck there - I'm sure you'll sort it soon so keep us updated.

 

Just a small update on the state of this Bally restoration. Which I will point out here is not a restoration back to original condition, though I believe I already mentioned I'd be doing a video output modication and removing the RF modulator. For better or worse, as far as anyone else is concerned, I like to mod my machines to make them the best they can be beyond their original build, if I can.

Updating for to use with modern TV's is becoming a necessity as old CTR's eventually give up the ghost, and even though we still have coaxial antenna inputs for cable and satellite on our TV's, how much longer will that be true? And RF input on at least modern LCD looks even worse than RF on CRT's to me. So video upgrades become a necessity, I feel, on these old systems if one intends keep using them, once in a while and not just be displayed on a shelf forever. And why not have the best possible video output you can for these old beasts?

And since I'm already doing a video mod, and am using non-original metallic gold chrome auto trim to replace the original gold chrome. The replacement is actually probably better quality in that it will last longer and not wear off like the original, since it's got some thickness and industrial strength adhesive meant to endure years of weather. But it's not restoring it to original, that would have to be done with the same process as was done with the chrome trim at the factory.

With that in mind, and since I'm also building a new PSU unit for the Bally Arcade, I have decided NOT to go the route I have seen in other Bally restoration videos of attaching the replacement power supply directly to the original internal plug connector, I will be using a PSU port salvaged from a broken Xbox 360 unit, and the cord from the Xbox PSU box that plugs into the connector. (below is a picture of the Xbox 360 PSU cord). It has 6 lines going through it which is more than enough for the four wires that go from the PSU to the Ball Arcade unit.

I have found PSU's with the correct voltage and minimum amp requirments for the dual-power needed. Just like the ones I found for the CA-2001 disk drive PSU I built, they are made for musical audio equipment like distortion peddles on guitar's and whatnot, but they are the only type I can find that are AC/AC and the right voltages and amp needs. Both will cost me about $60 combined, and it's not in my budget to order them until next friday, along with the capacitors I need for the mobo. I'm buying single units for the large capacitors and then I'm going to order two full capacitor kits with the most common uf's and voltages in both axial and radial style.

In the meantime, the gold chrome trim has been ordered and may arrive as soon as today, so the exterior restoration will continue sooner, including the joysticks, though I don't think I have the paint needed to complete the controller restoration either, I'll get that sometime in the next week too.

 

I just received a notice that the gold trim is out for delivery, no later than 6:30 pm this evening. So I may have pictures up of the process and finished case restore later this evening, or overnight for you fellows across the pond.

 

Looking absolutely LUSH, Matt.

What a beauty - gold chrome trim really starting to shine and that rare-bird Bally console looking more like the day it was bought, by the day.

Keep it up, fella.

These things are literally a labour of love.

 

I'd say that beauty is looking mighty fine and cosmetically almost there, Matt.

Have you now completed the restore and refurb internally or still some work to go at there, fella, ie, capacitors, PSU work etc?

 

Good luck with that Matt, more retro goodness to enjoy..

 

The transformers for my DIY Bally PSU arrived today, so I can start building it. I'm still waiting on the two large capacitors for the Bally mobo. I've started replacing capacitors, but haven't finished yet with what I have. I've been busy ramping my business up for the spring season and getting all my equipment running properly as well as my truck. So the project has to wait a few days anyway.

 

So, here I am, ready to replace caps and build transformers. I did notice one error in the list of capacitors I got on-line. They say the C8 capacitor is normally a 15uF, but in fact it's a 6.8uF on my motherboard. On the capacitor list they say they substituted 22uF for the 15uF's, but in the case of C8 I have gone with a 10uF as that is the closest to 6.8uF I have on hand. My replacements are all 35V and 50V rated, except for C6 which I upgraded from 10V to 16V as per the suggestion in the substitute PSU instructions. In any case, all the new capacitors should be able to handle any higher voltage levels from the new transformers.

 

I was just re-reading some of the comments from other Bally owners that jumped in here, and I hadn't noticed this suggestion before.

Though I'm not sure why I should ever want to remove the true chrome trim and down-grade to paint that isn't real chrome. I've found the better way as far as I'm concerned, and it will last a lot longer than paint! Personally, I think anyone who has painted the trim in their restorations should take my lead and re-do their trim the way I have, and have a more proper restoration! In my opinion I've improved the restoration process with this choice.

 

Another early spring thunderstorm here today, which, on average, we have been having 5 days out of 7 per week the last couple of weeks. Flash flood warnings in effect, but I'm on high ground. So, at about 10 am local time, I've set up to get on with building the Bally Arcade PSU. First I'll follow the schematics on a bread board, and after testing I'll move it to the two green boards you see in the pictures. I've laid out schematics of the substitute PSU from the original Arcadian newsletter from the 80's and a recent update, along with the data sheets of transformers.

As I stated in an earlier post, like I did when I built the CA-2001 drive PSU, I'll be making a case and cords for the PSU out of a salvage Xbox 360 PSU case and cords. I'll be using both original input and output cords on this one, my intention being to build in a power input port on the Bally that I will salvage from one of a half-dozen broken Xbox 360's I have on hand. I showed a picture of the type of cord from PSU to unit in an earlier picture, and more will come when I get to that part of the project.

I'll add more pictures to this post as I build the test board.

 

Thank you for the compliment @Paul "Mclaneinc" Irvine , and you @128Kgames , for the information. A series of unfortunate events has left little time or desire right now to finish this or many other projects I've started or intended too. I planned this to be done weeks ago. But that's life and the country homestead I live on I do more work than I do at work, wether I'm working my profession or not, and these days have been hard and busy, regardless of the world-consuming-plague, I don't have time for it right now. But hopefully things will settle down for me and get back to normal in a week or two and I can enjoy the benefits of the epidemic like many of you.

 

Brilliant. Well done, Matt. I hate all that sniping from those who think they know best and make out you're some kind of OTT break with tradition modernist with fancy dan ideas which are uncalled for etc etc.

Sure enough, someone else with similar sound thinking to you suddenly pitches in and agrees with you and suddenly those bleating sheep wanna be yer best buddy as suddenly you're the best thing since sliced bread.

As for that flash twat jazzbat.

Weird.

Got all the social decorum of a fart in a spacesuit.

 

Looking great there, Matt so wishing you well with the keyboard assembly and with the work catch-up when you hit it once more.
As you say, it was dick breath jazzbat who spat out his dummy and had a paddy so I blame him for causing the (I guess, inevitable) death of the old website.

His self-inflated ego will one day be his undoing - what goes around etc.