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my first arcade. need advice


jmjustin6

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http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/vgm/5415859240.html

 

I will be going to look at this tomorrow and as this will be my first ever arcade i have ever brought home. What are some things to look for when im looking at it

 

Like a checklist

 

I have been told the sides aren't in the best shape and the game is kinda butned into the screen, but i lt should play perfectly

 

Im very excited about owning this and i would love to start learning how to work on the inside of these

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I have never bought one either, and hopefully someone with more experience will reply. Just in case they don't, here is what I would check:

 

Check for water damage on the cabinet. Especially on the bottom.

 

Look at the boards. Any bad soldering? Everything looks clean?

 

Play a game or two. Test all the buttons and controls.

 

Power cycle the machine. Does it come up OK?

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Congrats on getting an arcade cabinet! Pole Position is indeed a great one. When checking it just use common knowledge.

 

- Do all the buttons work

- Steering Wheel function properly and no jitter

- Test the gas pedal and brakes

- The shifter

- Rom board. Check for cracks or anything unsoldered

- Most importantly the screen monitor. Nothing dim or burnt out.

 

Hope it turns out ok and that you have a perfect working unit!! :)

Well like i said the game is kinda burnt into the monitor

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the track selection screen looks like it would be Pole Position II (2) cabinet with a Pole Position marquee ... the board may play both 

 

yeah I was pretty excited 'bout my first cab ... I paid 200 as well ... mine turned out to have the "Galaga bootleg" board in it ... mine wasn't working correctly had some screen burn from a different game. finding a good tech was part of the journey

 

think I have had it for two years , I had a tech at an arcade do work on the board ( was beyond my expertise) .... I haven't turned it off since & still plays great

 

the journey of having it & learning about them at a good price like that is worth it .... 

 

the seller probably knows a lot, so pick their brains (judging from the Pinball table with the cup holder attached ;)

 

congrats ... oh yeah ... Don't text & Drive ;)

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I was actually going to ask, but it sounded like a stupid question to me.

 

Should i keep the cab plugged in all the time? Or unplug it at night

 

I'm no expert, but since arcades generally shut everything down at night, it shouldn't be a problem. It would also help avoid monitor burn in.

The No Swear Gamer on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChtJuo040EOCTVziObIgVcg

Host of The Atari 7800 Game by Game Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher and YouTube

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*update* i bought it! It is actually not in as bad of shape as i thought it would be in. There is small burn where it says game over when the screen is off. But its really faint. There are a few nicks here and there but for the price its great

 

I got it for $180. The guy really didnt want to budge from $200

 

Ill post some picks later when i get it where i want it in my home

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Congratulations on your new game!! Looks like you got an awesome deal too!  :arcade:

 

A couple of random thoughts for first-time arcade owners:

 

  1. Give everything a good wipedown, inside and out. It goes a long way to making your gaming experience nice and it’s good to keep things well-maintained.
     
  2. Go ahead and replace worn out buttons and joysticks. It’s something even most novices can do. On the whole it’s not super expensive to do and gameplay can feel much better with new hardware.
     
  3. Turn your machines off at night. I have mine set up on a timer. The less wear the better, not to mention the electric bill.
     
  4. Don’t be afraid to call in the professionals. If your machine needs a cap kit etc. and it’s beyond your ability, it can be worth your time to find the person who can make things right. Again, good maintenance goes a long way to making these machines last another 30+ years.
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*update* i bought it! It is actually not in as bad of shape as i thought it would be in. There is small burn where it says game over when the screen is off. But its really faint. There are a few nicks here and there but for the price its great

 

I got it for $180. The guy really didnt want to budge from $200

 

Ill post some picks later when i get it where i want it in my home

re-arranging all the funiture for that special spot is a lot of fun ... will be looking forward to pics 

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Here ya go!  Maybe this downloadable manual will help you get it off of Free Play mode.

 

http://www.arcade-museum.com/manuals-videogames/P/polepos.pdf

 

Edited for:  Look at page 1-8.  The first three dip switch settings need to be set to OFF to get out of Free Play.  In doing so you will be setting the game to one coin for one credit.  I hope this helps.  Nice cab!

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Probably about 400 pounds maybe a little more. Man it was a pain to get it up the stairs

the will to live is a great motivator to keep yourself from getting crushed going up stairs ;)

 

 

Here ya go!  Maybe this downloadable manual will help you get it off of Free Play mode.

 

http://www.arcade-museum.com/manuals-videogames/P/polepos.pdf

 

Edited for:  Look at page 1-8.  The first three dip switch settings need to be set to OFF to get out of Free Play.  In doing so you will be setting the game to one coin for one credit.  I hope this helps.  Nice cab!

volume controls mentioned on page 14 of that manual 

 

also while getting off free-play mode see what the options are for tournament rules just to referance what rule set others are playing ( snap a pic of current settings & keep someplace too ) http://www.twingalaxies.com/scores.php?platformid=2( have to type in "Pole position")

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