Arrrgh!! Large DMD problems ??

[Kev Lee]

Hoping to tap into the collective genius contained within the community.
My baywatch has developed a problem with it's large format DMD, first it started displaying weird stuff but now it's completely died.
Voltage to the controller was at 4.79 volts so I supplied a fresh strong 5v power supply. I smuggly switched on expecting all to be well but no change.
Checked both ribbon cables 200 times, reseated the eproms, no change - just a complete blank display although the machine starts normally apart from the blank display. Must be a duff DMD I thought.
Then my DMD extender arrived from Dr pinball (genius) and although it worked great on another machine it did not get past the splash screen on the baywatch apparently waiting for a valid signal.
So now I conclude that the controller board is defective.
Ideally I would like to swap out the board but my other machines are different.
So can anybody suggest any other way to test the board? Or is there a possibility of a repair?

Cheers all

 

[Johnnyo]

These large DMDs can be troublesome in fact people used to steer clear of these data east machines due to the very high cost of replacing them, but recently one of the members on here has found a way of using and LCD screen to
replace the plasma one. I think it was Jim @myPinballs who pioneered this IIRC

 

[Arv]

Same problems in my Frankenstein, used a DMD extender and a butchered 17" monitor.

I had it stuck on the logo a few times, can't remember what I did to fix it. Think it might have been a ****ty ground.

 

[Moonraker]

As you say, the game is not booting up. Where else should be getting 5v supply and isn't...? MPU? Driver board?

 

[Kev Lee]

As you say, the game is not booting up. Where else should be getting 5v supply and isn't...? MPU? Driver board?

No, the games itself starts and plays normally, just with no display.

 

[pinballmania]

In my experience the ribbon cable to the display driver board can be problematic. Often replacing that ribbon solves the issue.