PacMan Arcade1Up Partycade | PCB Board Swap Step-by-Step How-To

The Arcade1Up Partycade is a cool piece of tech with some glaring performance issues. In this update, Jon will take you step-by-step through the process of changing out a replacement Arcade1Up PCB, and then re-test to see if the replacement part fixes the problems exposed in his initial review.

#genxgrownup #arcade1up #partycade

[BIGMIKEAMUSEMENTS]

I had mine for about a month, I had to fix my own Pac-Man pcb and I switched the marquee, it looks great with a lighted marquee! I’m going to probably put more games on mine!

[darrellr]

My Arcade 1 Up 3/4 size Galaga has always worked fine, and sounds good. Seems weird it would be different for the Partycade version.

[Denis-fpku]

You could ask them to send you a brand new Partycade with the correct part already installed. It's not an unreasonable request. It's their chance to do the right thing.

[alexshdvideo]

My wave 2 partycade Pac-Man Galaga Galaxian dig dug 4 game just landed. Did you want me to shoot some footage for timing? Audio sounds good. Screen is certainly better than smaller barcode. Little or no light bleeds.

[alfredcollins]

Thanks for responding that part help fully if possible what boards are easy to wire and use i see there a lot out the pandora pcb and others any recommendations thanks again

[SportaChris]

Interesting comments section! :D

Just a suggestion: since it turns out that you accidentally uninstalled and reinstalled the same PCB, I think it's only fair to Arcade1Up's reputation that you either remove this video, make a follow-up video ASAP, or at least change the description (which would take less than a minute). No biggie, everybody makes mistakes like this from time to time, but at this point, this video is technically misinformation! They resolved the problem, and they deserve credit.

[marklechman]

I gave up, myself. I talked with their support to address the audio issue with my Rampage machine. I also had them send me a deck protector since it was an old model and didn’t include one. They sent me a replacement PCB that was the same as the one I had and didn’t solve the problem. Then I discovered that the protector they sent me didn’t fit the deck properly, the holes were off. I just didn’t want to bother with it anymore — especially when I discovered the glitch in my Pac-Man counter-cade, which is that the second intermission gets cut off before it’s done. You’ve just got to accept these games as big versions of those crappy little plastic shelf-top machines rather than small versions of real arcade machines. They are toys. Fun, but toys.

[glenjust]

I’m not sure how to directly ask you a question through your YouTube channel, but was wondering if you’ve ever reviewed this… Arcade1Up - Ms. Pac-Man Head To Head Counter-Cade 2 Player. If not, would love to see you take a look at it!

[ziggysmom]

Hi! I bought mine from QVC and I need to buy one since I have the same unit but got a white screen. Do you have the item number by the way so I can buy it on Amazon?

[klynch]

I just received a brand new first gen pac man partycade as a gift. It has all the issues you were taking about. I already opened a ticket. Hopefully it won’t take them long to fix this.

[ThomasGrillo]

Thanks for doing this. I hope you got everything sorted. I've just ordered the new 4-in-1 variant of the Pac-man Partycade. Hope I don't encounter this issue. That's aweful you had to endure such horrific quality, and poor support from A1up. Well, on 17-Aug, 2020, I'll find out. That's when mine's supposed to arrive. Fingers crossed. Eh? Thanks for the video.

[negative]

Sorry to hear about issues still being around. Unfortunately with them closing their office temporarily and the virus situation. It might be awhile before they get back to you, and really fix the problem.

later
-1

[CA-tkyn]

Thanks for doing this series. I'll find something other than Arcade1up. It sounds like they aren't listening or really addressing these issues. I wouldn't have confidence in them.

[thevincentgonzalesplan]

Take a CLOSE look at our own video. You marked the NEW board as the old one with the marker. LOOK at the Green QC PASS 6 Sticker on the one you removed, then look at the sticker on the NEW one. The Old one is tilted at a counter-clockwise angle. The NEW one (which you marked as the OLD one) has a level (straight) QC PASS 6 sticker. You re-installed your OLD board - that's why the numbers are exactly the same.
Old Board Sticker: 3:12
New Board Sticker: 3:48
Marking the NEW board as OLD: 3:59

[MoviePropCollector]

Do you know if the current versions sold at QVC/HSN have the new boards? Thanks :) .

[BlackSuit]

My PCB has the same “V01” sticker on the board but the software test shows a different date code and system version with a different date too. Even actually says “Version No: V02”. I’m so sorry you got the wrong board.

[ThatVinylChannel]

Quick question. I received a new Partycade and it has the same Galaga/Galaxian sound problem. I am looking at the Arace1UP webpage and I see a "Pacman" PCB that I can order. Is that the one I need? Any help is appreciated.

[jamessalgado]

HEY JON HOW IS IT GOING??? IS THERE ANOTHER PLACE WHERE I CAN PURCHASE MY PARTYCADE OTHER THAN HSN??? THANKS BUD KEEP UP THE GOOD

[videogamevegasYeOldeAccount]

GenXGrownUp,

This is the one overall company ideal Arcade1up hasn't addressed as of yet, putting out machines that consistently work and don't come with some sort of defect out of the box. Now that doesn't mean there can't ever be a defect or problem with a single unit here or there, that kind of expectation isn't reasonable or feasible, but I would like to just ONCE not have to pray to the Video Game Gods to give me one without an issue. I've watched and read SO MANY Arcade1up reviews to know that their propensity for issues is widespread. If we just take me for example, I've purchased five of their machines, and out of the five, I've only had a 20% success rate getting a "good, " or what I would deem, an "acceptable" machine from them. I own 3 of their full-size cabinets and 2 of their countercades and ONLY ONE of their machines came without issue and that was Star Wars. Here's my experience with the other ones in a quick nutshell:

- Atari 12 in 1: Had stuck pixels on the monitor and a scratched monitor overlay RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX. Immediately got scratch marks on the control panel just from light play around the, at the time, worthless dial controller that was chosen over a traditional spinner (Glen's Retro Show spinner solution fixed the control issue). Arcade1up did EVENTUALLY replace the monitor, monitor overlay, and provided a control panel protector, but took several months before everything was resolved.

- Marvel Super Heroes Limited Edition: Wouldn't turn on until the toggle switch on the PCB was flipped from on to off. Now you're probably thinking, "no big deal, " if you only had to do it once, that is. But I had to do it EVERY TIME I turned on the machine (sometimes several times before the machine would turn on). If you didn't open up the back of the cabinet to toggle it (I left the back off the cabinet from then on), only the light up marquee would turn on, nothing else. I did get a replacement PCB from Arcade1up that fixed the issue (took several weeks to get it), but I was VERY DISAPPOINTED OVERALL, because I spent the extra money and shipping to get this more expensive "limited edition" version, and in my opinion, it should've worked right out of the box.

- Pac-Man countercade: The first one I got wouldn't power on the monitor. You could hear a snippet of the Arcade1up launch sound, but no picture, nor sounds thereafter. I took it back to Kohl's where I bought it and got a replacement. The replacement worked, but the screen was SO WASHED OUT, and though the game worked fine, it wasn't a pleasure to look at. I got so frustrated and just didn't want to deal with it anymore, least of all contacting the sub-standard Arcade1up customer support, that I just kept it.

- Dig Dug countercade: After peeling off the protective plastic off the monitor screen (new out the box), there was a HUGE scratch on the monitor overlay. I contacted Arcade1up immediately through their new ticket system, and though it did take a bit to get a response, though definitely not as bad as trying to contact them via the phone, they agreed to ship me out a replacement monitor overlay. When I got it, IT WAS THE WRONG PART!!! I instead got a control panel protective overlay. SERIOUSLY???!!! I was lucky enough to know someone on the inside of Arcade1up, a person that helped me with my first cabinet (the Atari 12 in 1) and he said he would help me out. However, I've been working with him since December (before the virus stuff), going on 3 months now, and I STILL don't have a replacement. He informed me at one point that Arcade1up no longer makes that model of the countercade, but he said he'd see what he could do. I may never see a resolution to the issue.

So where are we at with the company? Regardless of the better materials they use in their newer machines (I thank them for that), if you buy any Arcade1up machine, as my friend Glen from Glen's Retro Show so eloquently put it, you're still at the mercy of "The Luck Of The Draw" to whether you'll get a good one or not. Glen let me know he's on the other end of the spectrum. He hasn't had issues with the machines he's purchased.

For the many of us who have had issues, it really sucks. Arcade1up really needs to concentrate on quality control and make it their business to consistently deliver a good product out of the box, AT LEAST 95% of the time (in my opinion). I SO WANT one of their upcoming Pinball machines, but I'm tired of giving them my hard-earned dollars, crossing my fingers as I open the box, hoping that this time I won't get a broken one.

Anyway, I was so looking forward to this follow up video to see if you had the good "luck of the draw." I guess you've fallen into my camp, the unlucky ones. I hope Arcade1up eventually makes it right for you.


vgv

[alfredcollins]

I see there units on eBay not working would it be a same fix if I bought one and change the card. Also I see other pcb boards can I easily and cheaply make a system buy purchasing a pcb example 60 games in 1 and plug a screen and joy stick go or and whats needed any advice to save thanks