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Taito F3 Darksoft Multi stopped working.

Notsuoh

Notsuoh

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Hi,
I purchased my Taito F3 Mulit new in Jan this year. It is running on a USA mother board that I have confirmed is still working fine with the original rom board. The Multi is functioning as far as selecting roms and loading ********** goes, however only presents with a red flashing screen, just as if no rom board is installed. The Multi was working fine about 8 weeks ago and had only light amounts of use, it has been in safe storage until tonight when I was about to game. I fear the Multi has failed. I have tried re-seating numerous times, cleaning contacts, formatting my sd card and rewriting roms to that same sd card. Nothing has changed, so I'm at a loss and fear the Multi has failed.:(:(:(

Kingston SD card - was working fine.
Reset wire installed - perfect soldering and was working as it should.
 
Try another SD perhaps? Sometimes they get corrupt and a low level format won’t save it.
 
djsheep said:
Try another SD perhaps? Sometimes they get corrupt and a low level format won’t save it.
Click to expand...

Okay, but it was flashing red on the first power up with me playing twin cobra ii 8 weeks ago and with that still being flashed. Thanks.
 
Have you checked your voltages?
 
djsheep said:
Have you checked your voltages?
Click to expand...
No.
Do I check those on the test points on the Multi PCB? The ones marked 5v, 3v etc? I have not changed anything in my arcade cabinet since last use and the original rom board boots fine??? Thank you very much for helping me, I do really appreciate it djsheep.
 
djsheep said:
Try another SD perhaps? Sometimes they get corrupt and a low level format won’t save it.
Click to expand...
I'm about to test a Sandisk 16GB sd card, it is the smallest one I have. I was using a 32GB Kingston sd card and it was working without issue prior to this fault not presenting itself.
Thank you.
 
I have tested all the voltages at the VTPs on the Multi PCB and all pass. I have tested with a different sd card - Sandisk 16GB - displays roms and loads ********** as if normal, still presents red flashing screen as if no rom board is installed. I have again cleaned and reseated the Multi rom board and still presents red flashing screen. Now I'm stressing.?(:(;(
 
Also, the red flashing screen sometimes has a black and white line and sometimes is a grey screen with large black boarders???
 
I'm in a similar boat. My F3 multi was working fine a couple years ago, but I just took it out of storage and all I get is a flashing white screen.

The LCD shows games flash as normal. I tried several sd cards, even though they seem to be being read just fine. Voltages are good, and all my normal F3 carts still work fine on the same motherboard.
 
skate323k137 said:
I'm in a similar boat. My F3 multi was working fine a couple years ago, but I just took it out of storage and all I get is a flashing white screen.

The LCD shows games flash as normal. I tried several sd cards, even though they seem to be being read just fine. Voltages are good, and all my normal F3 carts still work fine on the same motherboard.
Click to expand...
Far-out, I have only had mine in use all tolled for about 2-3 hours, only got it in January. I hope there is something that can be done to fix it.
 
I have emailed High Score Saves and informed them of my problem, hopefully they will be able to help me get to the bottom of this horrible situation.
I will update this thread as it happens.
Thank you all.
 
Thanks @twistedsymphony

Let's see if we can narrow down the issue. There is a romset called VERIFY, that it will verify what was written and provide an OK if it verifies properly. That will confirm if the ARM + flashes + CPLD are working well. Can you try that romset? The one from CPS2 should work: https://www.arcade-projects.com/threads/romset-to-verify-your-cps2-kit.11886/

Or you can just create a file called VERIFY on any game folder and try that one.

If that turns out to be good, also the microSD can be discarded as the root of the problem and assuming that it's not an ESD problem, I would say that it's either a bad solder on the connectors or the level shifters.

Can you have a look at the solders on the connectors? What happens if you try applying light pressure on those to make sure that contact is proper. Try one connector at a time please.

Let us know how it goes.

@djsheep @Mitsurugi-w Any ideas?
 
I would say check the connector solders like @Darksoft suggested. Failing that, give the pins on the F3 Mother a clean with isopropyl. Then, insert the multi ensuring good firm contact is made and lift the multi PCB up and off the pins and put it back down a couple of times to possibly clear out any gunk that may have made its way into the connectors.

Also worth trying your luck the multi PCB lifted up ever so slightly off the Motherboard as well. Is your multi cased or just a bare PCB. Have you got any high resolution pics of your setup and the multi, etc.

Also use a multimeter to measure the 5v/12v on the JAMMA edge and report back the readings. This an essential excercise when changing boards and an important troubleshooting step.
 
Last edited:
Hi everyone, thank you all for helping me.

Okay, I think I will clear up everything.

I am a computer technician and DC electrician, I have a reasonable collection of Arcade PCBs and retro game consoles, I am proficient at soldering and electronic tinkering, for example I have installed a CPS2 Digital AV Interface kit into my CPS2, I take great care when handling all electronics and my arcade stuff is my pride and joy outside of my family.

My F3 Multi is very new, it has had only about 3-4 hours of use.
My F3 motherboard still works fine with its original Puzzle Bobble 3 Rom board.
My F3 displays a flashing red screen after flashing a game and sometimes the red flashing screen has grey and black thick lines
My Multi was working fine with the current setup; SD card, roll-up Rom-set, 6 weeks ago when I stored it away to play Raiden 2 in my cabinet.
The Multi was inside a Rom board cart shell from the start and during all game time and was stored still attached to the F3 Motherboard during storage.
I have taken the Rom board cart shell off now to problem solve.
I have cleaned everything with Chemtools IPA 99.8% pure isopropyl alcohol and CRC Automotive Electronic Cleaner non conductive.
I have tested different SD cards, even though the current SD card was working with this F3 Multi at all times and the SD card still works with my CPS2 Multi.

I have ran the flash read write test suggested by Darksoft, please see this video -
View: https://youtu.be/H9uNXlyxPuM


I have again flashed some different games and pressed down on the headers as suggested by DJSheep, please see this video -
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5aRR5d1vmY


I removed the stereo out mod and tested the F3 Multi and it made no difference.

I have also retested my F3 motherboard with Puzzle Bobble 3 Rom board, please see this video -
View: https://youtu.be/IyXn226bluU


Thank you all very much.
 
Very good videos. I would say that it looks like some kind of problem with Program Roms. Are you able to check the level shifters I put and output and see if any of them is damaged?
 
Last edited:
Darksoft said:
Ery good videos. I would say that it looks like some kind of problem with Program Roms. Are you able to check the level shifters I put and output and see if any of them is damaged?
Click to expand...
I'm not sure if I have the skill or the tools, I'm a DC electrician for solar, automotive and marine. I only have a logic probe and multi meter. What do I have to do to test the level shifters, which ICs are they and how do I test them? I have had a very close look at the PCB with magnifying glass and light, I can not see any physical damage, nor should there be, as it has always been encased in the original Rom board cart shell and is less than 6 months old.
Thank you.
 
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