New Video Poker machine

[Crash0]

Hello,
I'm posting here, as I didn't see topic for this particular machine.

I just picked up a new Video Poker machine, need some help Identifying and servicing.
So far it powers up, goes through checks, but video a bit scrambled once test done. (like a bad horizontal)
any info on this machine would be greatly appreciated 

[Crash0]

Not having much luck finding info on this machine, I may convert to a Mame machine to run poker games on it.

[CVslots]

Did you try searching the Archive NLG site? If its out there anywhere, it will be at NewLifeGames.net

[SolidSilver]

I'm not a pro in this particular area, but I know that in the early days at least,
Summit did not actually make machines. The major US manufacturers found it easier
to sell in the UK (and other countries) by going through a local company; and the local
companies found they could do much better financially selling proven products
without spending money on manufacturing facilities.
Thus, Summit spinning-reel machines were mostly American-made Bally, although I
have seen at least one later unit that appeared to be an IGT.

I have never seen a Summit video poker machine, but that only means they are not common
in the US. Could be local made, could be Australian Aristocrat, could be...
Let me take a few days to see what I can find: oddballs are my particular joy.

In the meantime, PLEASE PLEASE do not strip it out to make a MAME donkey.
By the way, where are you? I'm in Portland, Oregon.

[Crash0]

I haven't decided for sure...yet. still not able to find anything on it. I gotta wonder what parts gonna be price wise...ouch!! if I can find em. I'm pretty sure something is wonky with video card. The monitor powers up, and is viewable during self test, but when it goes into game, it's like horizontal and vertical went haywire. I appreciate any info you might be able to find. Thanks a lot. I live in NW Arizona, near Kingman.

[SolidSilver]

Surprisingly, parts for such machines are usually not expensive: there are more parts, and parting-out machines, than there are
machines still in commercial use.  We just need to find out what it is, and what the problem is.
Its encouraging that you are able to operate it in Arizona. That means it's set up top run on
on US 110 VAC/60Hz current, which implies it's not an utterly foreign machine with no support.

I'll dig into it; in the meantime, any operation details you can supply will be helpful.

[SolidSilver]

Unfortunately, I seem to have struck out.
There have been three Summit gaming-equipment makers that I've uncovered:
two American ones, one of which stripped old Bally electro-mech machines
to install their own electronics into, and a current company, no relation to what you have.

The third, Summit Coin of Wales, is much more obscure: I have only been able to uncover one
other machine like yours. Interestingly, both machines clearly have an American-made coin hopper,
and many other visible components such as the door-closure switch. And while some other
components and markings are clearly British Commonwealth, the US quarter denomination and
US electrical current make it clear the machine was used in the US, or a US territory, or on a US cruise ship.

Nevertheless, to my great chagrin, I am unable to offer any real help. I will contact some other members
and friends who may have some input; I'm actually surprised no-one else has chimed in yet.

In the meantime, precisely because it seems to be a most unusual machine, I would personally go to great lengths
to keep it from being stripped for a MAME donkey. I'd buy it from you, but cannot afford the private shipment
costs to Oregon. In the event I can get purchase interest from another member, or from a slot dealer closer to you,
may I be so bold as to ask what it's worth to you? Would swapping it for a similar but more common video-slot chassis work?

[Crash0]

I haven't had much luck either. I'm not ready to strip it just yet, sure wish there was more info though. W/O a repair manual or even knowing what it is other than a video poker machine, I can't do too much yet.
We bought the machine out of a Antique/junk store for $50, so not much invested in it yet, although not sure I want to let go just yet either. A trade at some point might work if nothing else can be done with it. I do want something that is playable after all. A little work is ok, but really can't afford a complete overhaul.  Thanks again for looking

[SolidSilver]

Well at least I have discovered, through patent searches, that your machine IS a product of Summit Systems of Nevada,
who mostly gutted older Bally electromechanical reel-type slot machines to install their own "modern" electronics. And it seems most
of them were destined for casinos owned by Elsinore Corp, who helped finance them in order to get new, unique slots. Your
boards are marked InterScience, the original patent developer.

Most gambling venues, such as the State of Nevada, are much easier to penetrate via an in-venue company; thus most
other-state or other-country gaming machine companies established Nevada subsidiaries. As an example, California's CalOmega
created Casino Electronics Company of Nevada in order to expand their arcade-machine line into the gambling world. Similarly,
major US companies like Bally and IGT created offshore companies in order to penetrate foreign markets; typically the local company
performed the minimum amount of work on equipment to qualify as a local "manufacturer."  Summit Coin of Wales
was just such an effort by Summit/InterScience of the US; thus the preponderance of US made components.

What's weird is that it was clearly made for the American market: US quarters and US 110VAC/60Hz current. While I can find
no useful history, my guess is that the machine was made for a British venue serving American tourists: say, the British Virgin Islands,
or a Caribbean cruise ship. And it's a video poker machine, not a reel slot, like virtually every other known Summit  machine.
In any case, your machine is quite rare; unfortunately that means it is difficult to get repaired, and of little
value in the American slot market.

DANG, I wish I lived close enough to you to either fix it or swap for something you'd want! Oddballs are my passion

[Crash0]

Some interesting info there, and it's a start. I think I may climb into it a little more and photo part numbers and such. Maybe be able to come up with alternate parts that may work. I would really like to see it play again. Thanks again for taking time to do some research. I will post photos of parts as I can get them, maybe something will help.

[SolidSilver]

Crash, my apologies for slow followup: a function of age, and the fact that Uncle Sugar keeps dragging me back
to play in the dirt with the younger kids. DOD does not seem to recognize the word "retired:"

Anyway, it would be helpful to know more about the problems you are having. Many issues are common across machines
of the same era, and it may not require any Summit-specific data. From your posts, it sounds like a video or video output
problem.

Can you please post some pictures of the actual screen(s) you see, and relate specifics of what does or does not happen?
There's a durn good chance one of our other NLG members will recognize it.

[Crash0]

Oh it's NP life's been busy here. But here is what is happening.

[shortrackskater]

Have you tried messing with the horz hold on the monitor itself? In a lot of cases (and with my Fortune One), that was the problem: simply dirty contacts. I'd check that as well as just checking all the video related connectors inside. A $6 can of contact cleaner fixed mine! The only thing is that the horz hold and other controls may be on the back of the CRT so be careful pulling it out and watch where you touch since you can get a nice ZAP even with the power off and the unit unplugged. 

[Crash0]

Actually yes I have tried, with no luck, have pulled monitor, checked connections and adjustments, only thing I can get it to do is change color slightly lol

[shortrackskater]

Does the horizontal hold on the CRT do anything?

[Crash0]

not a thing
today when I turned it on was 1st day I actually caught glimpse of play screen, then went straight to scramble

[shortrackskater]

Will the game even try to play? If you drop a coin in, or flip the coin switch, is there any audio or change in the scrambled picture? Have you made sure the big plug in the back of the CRT is seated tight? I've had contact issues there as well.

[Crash0]

I don't seem to be getting any sound or play, I have checked the connections to CRT, they all appear and feel to be tight. It has gone through it's initial check when powered on, that part is partially visible. when it goes to game it scrambles, and I can't tell if anything is happening.

[SolidSilver]

Hmmm.....; If the monitor shows readably well during initial system test, then craps out
at the switch-to-game point, I'd say the monitor is not the main problem.

I'd postulate you have a general- or multiple-purpose main board that is working fine as a computer,
but the "game" portion has problems; think of a working PC with a bad copy of Excel.
Quite possibly the game's character generator or other video-related chips are problematic. In
many cases, these chips are EPROMS in sockets, which are essentially dirt- and corrosion-collecting connectors.
Intermittent issues, or issues that change over brief time periods are typical of dirty connectors and aged basic
components like capacitors. The fact that you can sometimes see a play screen briefly is encouraging in this respect.

So, my first moves would be...
1. Pull all chips in sockets, spray the sockets with contact cleaner, and replace the chips when everything is dry.

2. Look for a small battery somewhere on the board: it will be there to maintain RAM, and is likely dead from age.
Should not cause the problem you are seeing, but eventually may need to replace it, so identify it now.

3.Photograph the board clearly; and write down the markings on the main chips and the board itself, if they are not clearly visible on the board photo(s).
Shortrackskater will tell you what a breakthrough it was when he posted pics of his board, and a member immediately
spotted the problem on one of  the easily-replaced components.

4.Post the manufacturer and model of the monitor, with pics if possible. Similarly, other members may instantly recognize an issue.

5. Tell us everything you can about the system startup test, especially if there are any errors noted, or if it lists the system name, type, software, etc.

CrashO, helping you figure this thing out is fun for us. Let's see if we can rescue this beauty.

[Crash0]

I wouldn't say very readable, and it's pretty fast and kind of a smeared look, but I will start pulling it apart and take pictures and check and clean contacts. battery hmmm I think I have seen it, but gotta look around again. Would be nice to see it play again. Thanks everyone.