Description

The new system 80 all-in-one CPU is a plug-and-play replacement for all Gottlieb System 80 games.  Supporting all platforms from the original system 80 (Spiderman) out to the last game on the 80B platform (Night Moves), it uses the original GTB firmware for each of the 57 titles and is a direct replacement for the original PCB in a slightly smaller form-factor when mounting to the nylon studs in the head.   However, unlike the original board-set in the game, this board mounts in the position where the driver board mounts.  That means that all of the driver cable harnesses attach at the same position on this PCB, but the CPU harnesses attach in very different places – the J5 front door harness attaches to the upper left of the board, and the J6 playfield harness is  now at the top left of the board.  Like the Ni-Wumpf CPU, the top display connector (J2) that also folds over to the top of the board.

Everything will reach just fine with room to spare, but!  the J1 power connector, which is now at the top leftmost position on the board – all good, until you realize that this is quite a distance from where it used to be on a board mounted above the driver board.  Before buying this board, the user must determine if their existing J1 power supply cable will reach from the power supply to the top left of where their current driver board is.  For many, this cable will not stretch that far, and that cable will need to be replaced with a longer one.  Ni-Wumpf is working toward sourcing a new power supply J1 cable.  In the meantime, there are two solutions to this constraint.  We make the System 80 power supply daughterboard that cables up just fine, and eliminates the need for this cable entirely, or the original harness will have to be rebuilt with longer wiring, and new pin connectors for the existing nylon shells.

Key Benefits

• This is not a LISY board hosting PinMAME emulation of the games, it operates the original GTB code at full-speed without the minor timing glitch that emulation can introduce to fast moving multi-balls, and sounds.
• One board handles 6-digit displays, 7- digit displays, and alphanumeric displays
• No jumpering for PROM configurations, or board modifications for displays
• All new / modern components
• SD card for GTB software, and platform updates
• bulletproof switch inputs
• DIP switch option settings are moved to a software configuration menu with easy alpha-numeric prompts to set up the CPU
• Direct replacement of original board with no cabinet modifications necessary
• 3-month warranty on all boards
• Serial interface for hardware testing and diagnostics above and beyond the original GTB front-door diagnostics.
  • fire individual solenoids / lamp solenoids
  • diagnose switch inputs
  • light / flash lamps individually
  • play a sound
  • re-initialize the board
• Complete Flash upgrades using the SD card (a big improvement over previous upgrade paths)
• Battery-less operation, all settings and high-score data are stored in FLASH.

Why all boards in one?

Unlike the System 1 games, GTB System 80 games do get cannibalized to provide parts for another game, but more often are subject to questionable repair techniques that leave the games hacked, and missing boards.  Or wiring harnesses.  The big problem, and the main reason that we worked on the all-in-one design, was the lack of parts to service the cable harness between the CPU and the driver board.  And it is the big reason to look at an all-in-one product.  As well as questionable service efforts to the boards in the past.  Now there are downsides too; it’s expensive – if you don’t need both CPU and driver board replaced, or already have this harness, it’s additional cost for this board.  And should the operator totally fry the board somehow, it has to be replaced at a higher cost than the individual board.  So basically, when something fails, without spare components, the whole game is down until it can be repaired.  In summary, all of the downsides have to do with service of the game.  Getting it running immediately is the big reason to start with this board.