Holy cow! Taking my first full cab to pieces

Superb, thanks! If this monitor turns out to be sh*te then I could always find a cheap 34" LCD TV to plonk in there.

 

Checking it again, Ridge Racer display is VGA 640x480 at 60Hz at 31.5Khz so hooking up a VGA monitor will probably do.

 

Had I been in the USA I think I'd have bought this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=150245822964&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=005

 

Halfway home. New flyback fitted, however as soon as I powered up I could see for myself that the picture had collapsed to a horizontal line. Damn! Okay, so I now need a new chip. Off to repair store again...

 

That's a common problem for the Polo chassis, still it's just a resistor and a transistor to repair.

 

Got the part numbers to be replaced and one is actually a chip. TDA 1675, which blows apparently at the slightest cough! It's something that is easy to obtain at least.

This website lists quite a lot of the issues that can occur with this particular monitor: http://www.coin.demon.co.uk/monitor.htm and number 5 on the list is 'Horizontal White Line'. If you want to see what the component looks like: http://www.datasheetarchive.com/search.php?t=0&q=TDA1675&manystr=&sub.x=0&sub.y=0

Looking down the list I have encountered a few of the issues. Think it would have probably been easier to have sourced a new Chassis, but it did initially look like the 2 burnt offerings stuck to the board that were the problem. In for a penny...

 

For anyone who travels down this particular path after me.

The TDA1675 was replaced with the TDA1675A. If you search the TDA1675 you may still find it, but it will cost somewhere in the region of £8.00 - £14.00. On American websites it has been listed as TDA1670 and replaced with TDA1670A - seek advice as to whether you need to obtain the TDA1675A. Namco themselves suggested that I use the A suffix version and that if this chip blows on the Hantarex chassis that you'll immediately have to replace Resistor R32 and Capacitor C18 (values at present unknown) near the chopper transformer.

If you don't then the TDA1675A will immediately blow again. At time of writing this particular company has 6 in stock (I snaffled 2 of them just in case)

http://www.dalbani.co.uk/index.php

They are cheap! I have seen the same component listed for almost 5 times the price.

Hope this assists someone else struggling with a Polo monitor in future ;-)

 

Can recommend Nikko electronics in Surrey. 2 x TDA1675A turned up promptly and in perfect new condition (I did wonder if at the price they charged me whether they were reconditioned or pulled from dead units!)

 

Replaced parts and it is STILL outputting along a single white line....Hmm?

Back to the drawing board.

The two components that Namco mentioned replacing are NOT anywhere near the chopper transformer, they are on a line direct to the CRT. Swallow amusements suggests replacing R94 (3.9 ohms)

Incidentally C18 is (47u 25v) and R32 is (1k). Both upon the board attached to the tube.

When I plug the TEST board into the unit I get a blank white screen and I can change the geometry of the signal to the screen (i.e. horizontal / vertical, brightness). Unplug that board and it goes back to being a flat line about 1 inch thick and containing all of the signals as you can see the various colours.

Very frustrating!

 

Right, here are images of the current state of the cabinet. I'm actually talking to one of the engineers at Namco UK via email and he is interested to hear what is going on. Whether I will be landed an invoice for his time or not remains to be seen lol

Here's the screen output WITH the little PCB added on:



and without: (which I don't do often or long in case I burn the screen)



Here's the configuration PCB in question. Clearly it gives you control over V. Hold, Brightness etc. It also has a test screen signal, which at present isn't doing anything either. This is accessed by changing a jumper setting.



Spent a bit of time cleaning things up, sorting out cabling and obviously working (and being assisted greatly) on the chassis.



Looking more minty fresh than before:

 

"...you are talking about the remote pcb with 8 pots on if I remember right.

With this board removed I would expect you to get the thin white line.

I have seen a resistor burn out if this board is connected wrongly ( 1 pin offset ) or if the ic fails.

Can't remember the number off the top of my head but it was a low value just in front of the remote board connector to the right hand side of it.

I would need to check the value and location number.
2.7 or 27 ohm sounds familiar but not sure.

Regards"

A response really late into the evening... boy they work late chez Namco! :thumbsup:

 

Yes with the hantarex monitors that preset board must be connected !

BTW In the picture you have it connected via the extension loom but you can unplug the loom and connect the preset board directly onto the main monitor board if you wish

 

Hi, yeah that was just to show the guy at Namco. I took it off the extension afterwards and directly onto the chassis.

 

lol I was going to say well done but got side tracked with the presets :lol:

Nice work parris, I cant wait to see everything up and running

 

Cheers, I just want to see the Namco logo appear from the mist!

Edit: For my own (and others following suit) here is an excellent website with loads of details on the Hantarex Polo monitor range for anyone missing the schematics and original brochure. http://www.2coinsperplay.com/Tech/Monitors/POLO%20HTML/POLO.htm

And a Hantarex Polo flowchart (c) Randyfromm.com



According to the flowchart then I have a faulty IC1 (LM1203 RGB Video Amplifier System) which someone on Killer Cabs has pretty much suggested is the issue. Sounds like the next step... hopefully the last.

New chip purchased from Nikko.

 

Probably is the rgb drive but it might be the voltage feed to the chip

I must say that you have had your share of problems with this monitor but at least hantarex are nice to fix unlike the many sucky Electrohome monitors I have had to fix, I hope you never have to

Good luck.

 

Ah the Electrohome G07 monitor is basically a waste of space nowdays, flyback, hot, caps, resistors, fuses...

 

argh dont remind me, I will have nightmares again :noooo:

 

Chip turned up yesterday. Chassis in pieces again lol

 

Finally, it works! Images to follow.