Australian Newbie Seeking Help - Universal 5 reel slot.

[EdgoInAus]

Ok,
I have had the RAM battery board repaired, with the MPU board. Installed into machine, still no credit display. Can not read any fault codes, however there is a slight audible alarm, a constant beep. I am really lost what to do now, seeking guidance.

[EdgoInAus]

Hi All, Now I could really do with some help, I have just had the RAM battery replaced and the board repaired due to battery leak damage. The machine still does not play, when turned on it sounds like it boots and the coin acceptor clicks. The machine however sounds like it makes an audible alarm, like a constant beep from the speaker, each beep is about a second apart, has anyone got any ideas that would help?

[Hondaz5o]

Hi Mate
Very similar to what mine is doing, at one point my machine would have a fit and all the reels would start moving and lights would flash including the win meter. have you rechecked your power output since repairing board? is it still ok?

Here was my readings with board installed

Red 11.47vPink 5.13vOrange 20.99vViolet 31.8v

Readings a little different with board removed
Red 11.75vPink 5.17vOrange 20.76vViolet 32.89v
I find if I leave the machine on it will keep clicking the coin acceptor and sometimes a reel will move up and down as tho it's trying to set it's self but just keeps doing that until I switch it off again.

[Hondaz5o]

Ok,
I have had the RAM battery board repaired, with the MPU board. Installed into machine, still no credit display. Can not read any fault codes, however there is a slight audible alarm, a constant beep. I am really lost what to do now, seeking guidance.

Hi Mate
After spending a lot of time reading through different posts I am thinking we might need that printer box working to set the machine as it seems to be the only thing that has dip switch settings on it your thoughts?

[EdgoInAus]

Hi All, after having the board repairs, battery replaced, the machine is still the same. I have had a friend take it an Australian, manufacturer/distributor for their techs to have a look at it. They say the board checks out, they did note the repairs (I had previously done), but all is good. They could not check the state of the eproms as it was not one of their machines. My question to all is:-

• If the eproms have lost their memory, would this explain the machines behaviour? 
• If this is the case, would someone know where I could get the game program from?

Thanks to all in advance.

[UNIMAN]

Edgo,


Here at NLG I have NEVER seen or heard of someone repairing an Aussie machine. Several folks over the years have posted. Most have had the 8600 board, a few like you the 8116. Not ONE success story!
 The visual difference seen between the Aussie version and the American version is the Aussie version has the static RAM chip on a sub-board with battery attached. The American version has RAM chip and battery on main board. 
I was told years ago, and not sure if true, that the Aussie machines required an initialization like chip to boot them up after the board was removed or battery died. NOT sure if true, but would explain why no one has repaired one.
If you were really serious, or stubborn, you need to get an eprom reader. Then download the Hex code. Then have someone with a Z80 code disassembler (available on the net) convert the Hex code to Z80 language. Then have someone who reads Z80 decipher the code to see what security code the machine is looking for. Then rewrite the code to just boot up avoiding the need for any special chip. THAT IS, IF IT IS TRUE THERE IS A SECURITY CHIP NEEDED.

If somehow one could find out what the Aussie slot machine requirements were in the 1980's maybe that too could shed some light.

[UNIMAN]

Another note; I see that there are three eproms, locations A2, A3, and A4. American machines only use A2 and A3. There must be some extra code there beyond what the machine needs. Could be a lot of data storage commands and, or, security code.
In the American machines the A2 chip is the personality chip, it has that specific game code like which reel location has which symbol, etc. The A3 chip would have all the machine directions and is where the code starts. I would imagine the A4 chip on yours is where I would start to look for bootup commands.

[EdgoInAus]

Thank you Uniman for the heads-up,
I will investigate further and post any updates as they come to hand, very much appreciated for your help. 

[UNIMAN]

One more thing. Make sure the processor chips located at location 5A and 5L are indeed Z80. I cannot tell from pics but they do look like Z80.


Too bad these games were not available in U.S.. Then you could have used U.S. chips.



A very nice looking machine!


Good luck to you and have a wonderful Holiday!

[UNIMAN]

Well, well, well. I was digging through some very old emails (2008), deleting those no longer needed, and I found this;


The Universal Pacific machines are protected by a Dallas Key Chip. How it works, where is it, is beyond me. Just know that was the difference between American Uni's vs Aussie Uni's. 

[bogan]

Well, well, well. I was digging through some very old emails (2008), deleting those no longer needed, and I found this;


The Universal Pacific machines are protected by a Dallas Key Chip. How it works, where is it, is beyond me. Just know that was the difference between American Uni's vs Aussie Uni's.

Interesting to hear. I am familiar with Dallas stuff, and also fluent in z80. I'll be taking a look at the other machine at some point hopefully in the near future.

[UNIMAN]

Bogan,
Folks who have these machines need your help. Back in 2008 I came in contact with a fella in South Africa who worked on decryption. He told me that he decoded the Dallas chip and that, for him, the sub-board was no longer needed. Never pursued it as I had only once looked at a Pacific machine.


Have not seen this fella since then.


Good Luck.

[bogan]

Bogan,
Folks who have these machines need your help. Back in 2008 I came in contact with a fella in South Africa who worked on decryption. He told me that he decoded the Dallas chip and that, for him, the sub-board was no longer needed. Never pursued it as I had only once looked at a Pacific machine.


Have not seen this fella since then.


Good Luck.

At some point, I am going to get one of the machines in this thread onto my work bench. I started my career around the Ari mk4 - mk5 era, so its all totally new to me. Steppers were pretty much phased out by the time I busted into the industry! At this stage I have a bit of a backlog, but I will get to it. The great thing about these older machines is how simple they are compared to new stuff.


I do have a schematic, but I am now wondering if/how much the Aussie and US machines are different.


Anyway, I make no promises, but I will have a crack at it.

[mazwreck]

Has anyone tried to decrypt the 27c256 game rom to bypass the need for the dallas key?

[bogan]

Has anyone tried to decrypt the 27c256 game rom to bypass the need for the dallas key?

Has anyone actually confirmed there is a dallas key in these machines? It wont be hard to figure out if someone has a working machine. All that would be needed is a rom dump and an the id of the dallas chip.

[mazwreck]

[size=78%]Ive been mucking around with one today and same issue as everyone else but i did get it to the point of showing a gibbrish mess of letters on led display.[/size]

I sent the game code to a friend of mine who decoded it but told me was stuck in some software loop?


Looking over the pcb i cant see this so called dallas chip they speak of and ive been fixing game pcbs for over 20 years


The only thing that comes to mind is they *may* need a cleap chip to write code to ram once batt replaced and then refit the game eprom

Got me beat this as looks so simple how it works hardware wise

[bogan]

Got a photo of the board?


I cannot find a dallas chip  on the board I am looking at now. Perhaps a different model?

[mazwreck]

There is a photo of it on this site if you look up 8600 you will find it


All that rider pcb is a  standard 6264 ram and battery there is nothing speical about it.


I did some metering and worked out the socket it goes into is pinned for a 6264 and also has a section to add a battery ect so why they used a rider card for i dont know.


If your interested in the eprom game code to look at let me know but i personally think it needs a eprom to set it up first and once thats done then fit the game eprom to work


Cheers

[bogan]

There is a photo of it on this site if you look up 8600 you will find it


All that rider pcb is a  standard 6264 ram and battery there is nothing speical about it.


I did some metering and worked out the socket it goes into is pinned for a 6264 and also has a section to add a battery ect so why they used a rider card for i dont know.


If your interested in the eprom game code to look at let me know but i personally think it needs a eprom to set it up first and once thats done then fit the game eprom to work


Cheers

I am almost certain I have a different board. Went and had a look at it and there is no Dallas Chip on it, likewise the schematics which I have for it also dont have a dallas chip.


Not sure about a 6264 either. This one has the riser board on it has an HM6116

[Acama007]

ahhh damn, I wish I had read this thread before buying the Universal Pacific in Australia....I dont suppose any one has worked this out yet? if so you may be able to sell your services