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Arcade Repair Tips Vol. 4 -DVD
Retro Gaming Review
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| Title: | Arcade Repair Tips Vol. 4 |
| Manufacturer: | Varcade Entertainment |
| Platform: | DVD |
| Release Date: | 2013 |
| Part #: | n/a |
| Rating: | 4.5 out of 5 |
| ESRB Rating: | N/A |
Rating: 
Very often the best way to learn something is hands-on. Want to learn to play the piano? Put yourself in front of a piano! A piano teacher is another good idea. If you're facing an issue with an arcade game the same logic applies.
Of course you'll likely discover it's easier to find a piano teacher than an arcade repair technician. But what if you could find someone to teach you the basics of arcade repair? Sounds like more fun than piano lessons!
The folks at Arcade Repair Tips have a series of instructional DVDs that show all the aspects of arcade repair. Tim Peterson walks you through a hands-on series of repairs from PCBs and wiring to power supplies and the cabinet itself.
Holy shit! Check this out...
Tim Peterson and Jonathan Leung launched one of the first MAME machine related web sites in 2001. In 2004, Tim and Jonathan decided it was time to form a company centered around providing quality entertainment products, merchandise, and services to the masses. In 2005, Tim and Jonathan formed Varcade Entertainment. In 2008, Varcade Entertainment had an idea to build a website that would demystify the arcade repair process. From that idea, Arcade Repair Tips was launched in May 2008 as a free, constantly updated resource that provides information on arcade and pinball repair.
Tim Peterson and Jonathan Leung launched one of the first MAME machine related web sites in 2001. In 2004, Tim and Jonathan decided it was time to form a company centered around providing quality entertainment products, merchandise, and services to the masses. In 2005, Tim and Jonathan formed Varcade Entertainment. In 2008, Varcade Entertainment had an idea to build a website that would demystify the arcade repair process. From that idea, Arcade Repair Tips was launched in May 2008 as a free, constantly updated resource that provides information on arcade and pinball repair.
This is the fourth DVD in the Arcade Repair Tips series and contains 2 DVDs full of great info. You may have seen some of their videos on the Arcade Repair Tips YouTube Channel. The DVDs contain some of the same material, but they also contain a lot of extra footage that further explains some of their techniques.
As with repairing a car, one tends to start with the current problem - no sense in rebuilding a transmission when your brake lines need to be replaced. The Arcade Repair Tips DVDs tend not to revolve around a specific topic, but delve into the problem at hand. So you won't find one DVD focusing on monitors and another on wiring. Each volume in the series displays an assortment of repair tips.
One of the best facets of Arcade Repair Tips is the down-and-dirty workshop approach to the videos. Each tip is filmed as Tim goes through an actual repair. It's not shot in a fancy studio with a narrator. Tim shows the tools and techniques needed for each fix. Sometimes He shows a relatively simple repair while other videos require specialized tools, like a Tube Rejuvenator, and are more complex. Despite the skill level, all aspects of the repair from tools to techniques are revealed.
The second thing I really like is the focus. Tim outlines what each segment will cover and it does. Too many how-to videos stray from their topics and don't deliver pertinent information. Tim does a great job staying on topic and allowing the viewer to see what he is doing as he explains each step.
Volume 4 features the following demonstrations:
- Connecting Ground Wires On A Control Panel
- Swapping Boards In A JAMMA Cabinet
- Using A Tube Rejuvenator
- Drilling Holes In Plexiglass
- Checking Potentiometers With A Multimeter
- Troubleshooting Games That Are Playing Blind
- Opening A Cocktail Cabinet
- Wiring An Arcade Cabinet Using The JAMMA Standard
- Installing A Multicade Upgrade Kit (For Pac Man Cabinets)
- Installing Artwork On An Arcade Cabinet
- Repairing Joystick Switch Issues
- Replacing A Control Panel Overlay
I've seen a few of their videos on YouTube, but this is the first DVD I've had the pleasure of seeing. I found Volume 4 full of great information and I would encourage anyone who really wants to learn arcade repair to check out this entire series! There's something for everyone within the Arcade Repair Tips series. Watching the episodes made me want to dive in and get my Moon Patrol PCB up and running!
Final Judgement:
Arcade Repair Tips Vol. 4
offers great tips for arcade repair from beginner fixes to more complex repairs. The information presented is very detailed and well thought out. Whether you are looking to learn more or repair your own game, this series is a lot of fun to watch. There are a few places where I wish they had zoomed in on the details and others where a tripod would have been great. Overall, a great DVD to own!« Return to Retro Video Game Reviews
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