Capcom CPS2 A & B board set related questions...

[PC Engine Fan X!]

I just recently scored a complete Japanese Bios regions 'A&B' set of Capcom/Takumi's Mars Matrix arcade Jamma PCB and have some questions about it:

1.) On the average, how long does a new "Sucide" battery last in a CPS2 game board? (And one that hasn't been replaced since being installed at the PCB manufacturing plant would need one to be replaced soon?)

2.) Is it possible to have this "suicide" battery taken out and have the CPS2 MM board modded so that it still works without the need for one?

3.) I didn't realize that searching for a 3-1/4" long toggle screw bolt to hold both CPS2 'A&B' board set together when powered on was going to be such a big hassle...had to go down to my local Home Depot and search in the Screws/Bolts aisle -- spent about 15-20 minutes looking at various screws and bolts. By pure luck, I did find a 3/16" x 4" toggle screw set (used primarly for hanging stuff to drywall). This 3/16" x 4" toggle screw then had to be cut down to size (3-1/4") with a bolt cutter and then filed down so that it has no sharp edges. Now my CPS2 'A&B' board set won't seperate when "powered" up. ^_~

4.) Can such a quieter cooling fan be installed? (The stock cooling fan already installed sure can be noisy when powered up...) ^_~

5.) I've seen this seperate Capcom produced "Q-Sound" PCB sold seperately appear from time to time on eBay -- will it give three dimensional sound from just a two-speaker setup?
6.) And can one hook a pair of stereo speakers to the stereo outputs jacks on the CPS2 'A' board or would just mono output from the Jamma harness have to suffice for now?

Thanks for your informative answers in advance -- this shmups "hardware" section is the best!..... ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Dave_K.]

You can probably find most of this info by searching the hardware section.

1) Most CSP2 batteries, if still original, are dying out regularly about now. The battery was only ment to last about 4-5 years under load, and the only reason boards are still functioning today with the original battery is because these games were left "on" during most of their life while in the arcade. When the game is turned on, there is no draw on the battery.

2) Yes, a modding service does exist if your battery does die. http://cps2shock.retrogames.com/ But its typically cheaper/easier to just replace the batter at regular 4 year intervals.

3) The A+B board is supposed to be held together with two special clips that go in the sides, not a bolt. I think that hole though both was more of a security thing so the don't get stolen out of machines.

4) Yes search the form here for oxtsu's post on cps2 fan mod.

5) The Q-sound PCB is simply a stereo amplifier. Any stereo amp will work with the RCA connectors on the board. You just need to active "q-sound" in the bios menu to turn on those stereo connectors. [edit]Correction, Q-Sound is some kind of surround simulation on stereo speakers. It sounds like this is built into the game itself, so again not sure what the special qsound amp does, perhaps just adds some delay. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QSound [/edit]

6) Its line level out, you cannot hook speakers directly up to the RCA connectors, you need an amplifier.

[sven666]

the batteries last atleast 10 years..

ive come across a whole bunch of SF2s that had been in storeage since before 2000 and they all worked fine. i doubt the batteries had been replaced prior to that anyways.

ed: ah crap, i DIDNT have the MM romset (i have a bunch of others), but im sure someone elso on this site does and is willing to share

[dpful]

3) The hole hole you put the screw in used to contain a rivet that capcom would clamp in with a "C" stamped on it. It was just to hold the two halves of the B board together so you couldn't bootleg/change batteries/mess with (without voiding the warrantee- it was a tamper seal- also REALLY hard to get out).
The clips on the side hold the A and B together, however, I've never used them, and have never had a board come apart or even fail in that regard. All of mine, once pressed tightly together, stay very connected.


Also, for the fan mod, I've put potentiometers in so you can turn the fan up and down. The size of pot to use? You can sometimes buy a little bag of PCB mount pots in lots of different sizes. Report back on the size if you try this. I would plug the board together, with the top of the A case off, and the pot attached, and power on and adjust the pot so the fan is nice and quiet, and then reasemble with the pot right inside the case.

[system11]

Actually those security bolts aren't too bad. Don't ask what prompted me to try this, but even the plastic case is stronger - try to seperate the halves and that metal bolt just breaks.

I'm not suggesting people try this though.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

For everyone posting here with your helpful comments and suggestions, thanks again. ^_~

I found the original thread about "Replacing the CPS2 battery" (with oxtsu's CPS2 fan mod job as well) link here:

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?t=5772

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~