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monitor calibration
Question from Mike: Hello, I own an original Gauntlet Cab that was at some point converted to a Bottom of the Ninth JAMMA cab. The screen needs adjusting, and has some burn in from the original Gauntlet game. I want to adjust the pots myself, but am concerned with the danger of exposing myself to high voltages. I know that even off and unplugged, these monitors can still hold potentially lethal amounts of charge. Is there one particular area that I should avoid? Would using a plastic tool be beneficial when adjusting the pots (some are tucked behind other parts and are inaccessible with just my fingers)? There is a local arcade repair company, should I just call one of them in for an all around tune-up and adjustment? I appreciate your site, and any response to my questions. Thanks, Mike
1 answer
Response from Jonathan: Mike,
We understand your concerns. You should always be cautious when dealing with monitors because of the amount of high voltage they use. With that said, you should be able to adjust most of the pots on your monitor safely using your hands. Our post on Adjusting An Arcade Monitor should give you some good information on this process. If you’re trying to turn pots that are not adjustable by hand, you might try some non-conductive tools like the ones found in this TV Alignment Tool Kit.
While monitors can hold lethal amounts of charge while turned on, most of this charge dissipates once the monitor is turned off. You can still receive a shock from an unplugged monitor (as the tube and caps can store voltage) but it should not be lethal unless you have some other type of health condition (it’s just gonna hurt). Remember, you can always adjust the monitor while it is turned off if it makes you feel more comfortable. If you are going to adjust the monitor while it’s turned on, try to avoid the areas around the flyback, anode cup and neck board. These areas usually contain the highest voltage.
Let me also address your last question: whether or not you want to call a local arcade repair guy out to do this for you is going to depend on your comfort level. If you really don’t feel comfortable doing this yourself, I would call him out. Keep in mind that he’s going to charge you for this service so you will be out some money. Of course, you could always call up the repair guy, ask him how much he would charge for this service and then base whether or not you want to try this yourself on his answer.
Hope that helps. Thank you for your question and good luck with your repair.
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