Bally Gamemaker V7000 CRT to LCD Conversion

[Anntron]

This was one of my winter projects.  Came out OK, no real issues, so I thought I would share.
Any correction, comments, or insights are welcome.
Good Luck!
ron

[rsurin]

hello I want to do the switch over is this for touch screen

[Anntron]

Hi,
     No, I am sorry.    This is just to convert a CRT to LCD/LED.
I could never get a touch screen module to work.
Tried several methods but none worked. The Logic
in the MPU seems to be specific to the Touch Module
used by stock Tatung CRT Monitor. Most touch modules require a firmware
layer in between the touch resistance and the MPU touch circuits.
The "touch" appears to be hardwired into the MPU/Tatung interface.
Other than that, the conversion does work well. Have been using it for a couple of
years with no issues.  The LCD gives a nice clear image.
If you decide to try it, I would be glad to help if you run into a problem.

[slug54]

Hey Anntron,
Thanks for this.
I had tried getting an LCD monitor working in my game maker a few years ago and was having some strange sync/ground issue.
Using your pinout worked great. I ended up getting a female VGA breakout connector with screw terminals off of Amazon for $7 to make experimenting and changes a little easier.
-Slug

[Anntron]

@slug54
Congratulations!  Glad to hear that the data & images helped.  My old 19” Tatung monitor was getting so blurry that it was basically useless.  I tried aligning the focusing rings on the throat of the CRT but the effect was nominal and a “hot” flyback transformer made it tricky. When I started the project to switch from a CRT to a VGA LCD, there was very little useful information on how to make the transition.  I knew that the V7000 video display output was a standard 640x480 resolution. It seemed simple enough – right?    After weeks of hunting down the parts, reading endless wiring diagrams, and tracing circuits, I finally got it to work.  You are smart to use the VGA breakout connector.  It makes the wiring process much simpler.  After completing the project, I thought that documenting the process might benefit someone else who was enterprising enough to give it a shot. 
After a few months, the lack of touch capability began to gnaw at me.  I purchased a used ELO touch monitor and set about trying to get it to interface with the V7000 wiring.  As it turns out after days of hairpulling, profanity, and blurred vision, it cannot be done. I learned the V7000/Tatung touch interface is programmed for the actual CRT screen surface, in the Main/ Graphic chips which are all preset to the 3M touch module.   I learned that some clever Russian tinkerers reprogrammed the Mains (V23) and Graphics (V14?) to interface with the ELO touch system.  With the kind help of a contact, I did manage to get a set of these chips.  I have not got them to work perfectly yet but I am close.  My problem is that when you go to calibrate the ELO touch screen, right and left are good but up is down and vice versa.  No, it is not the wiring or the polarity.  It seems to be in the programming interface.  However, they do work with the ELO.  If you need to touch something on the bottom of the screen you must offset your finger to the corresponding location on the top of the screen.  It is actually kind of funny.  Please do not ask me for info on my contact as they have requested privacy.
I am grateful for your success and for your feedback.
Enjoy and thanks!

[Anntron]

@slug54
I see that the sysop split the thread since getting the V7000 out of DEMO mode is an existing separate thread.  However, I can address the other parts of your question without overlapping.
You asked about navigating in the Settings Menu:
            With your door propped open just an inch or two so that the bell chimes and the “Door Open: Main” appears on the screen, turn the “Set key” on the side of the machine.  The settings screen will come up.  At the bottom of the settings screen you will see labeled button images.  They simply correspond to your deck buttons.  (See Attachment)  Use the deck buttons to navigate around the settings screen. The “Select” button takes you to whatever sub screen that is highlighted.  The same procedure works for the sub screens.  Pay attention to the button images on the screen because different navigation and selection features are added or subtracted depending on your choices and corresponding deck buttons will turn on and off.  That is it for a non-touch machine.
As to monitor size, yes I have a 19” display.  On my machine, an Upright, the bezel is attached to the door.  I just surrounded the outside edges of bezel and monitor with Velcro tape and stuck it to the door.  Worked for me and it is not permanent. I think the same would work for any size monitor.