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Balcheck Supplemental Info Balcheck Supplemental Info.
By Michael Matte.
October 2, 2017.

This document is a tutorial that explains how to use the BalCheck hardware and its software to diagnose a failing Bally Arcade/Astrocade console.

The default download is a pdf file. The document is also available in its original Word .doc format and as a plain ASCII text file:
  1. Balcheck Supplemental Info - Microsoft Word Version (.doc)
  2. Balcheck Supplemental Info - Text Version (.txt)
BalCheck Support Circuitry BalCheck Support Circuitry

     Richard Degler supplied this information. This same information is also available in GIF format here. (One Page, 392K)
BallyCheck BalCheck Information

     Information about Ballycheck (AKA Home Video Game Burn-In Tester). By Richard G Belton. (9 Pages, 1MB)
BallyCheck BalCheck Instruction Manual (with source-code)

     These are the instructions for use with a piece of hardware commonly called BalCheck or BallyCheck (but referred to as "Home Video Burn-in Tester" in this manual). The hardware was released in 1980 and allows the Astrocade's hardware to be tested. The source-code is included. (63 Pages, 1.45MB)
BalcheckHR User Manual BalcheckHR User Manual
By Michael Matte.
December 2018.

Michael Matte wrote this documentation. For ease of use with future updates to this manual, all documents are separate text files. Altogether, this manual is 85 pages long. It is made up of 17 different documents. They look best when printed with left and right columns of .8 or less using the 10 pt Courier New font.

Make sure to download the handwritten scans for this manual too, as together they are the complete BalCheckHR manual.

The complete manual is made up of a "Read First" file plus these 16 documents:
  1. BalcheckHR Introduction
  2. Keypad Usage
  3. Set Up
  4. Blank Power On
  5. Reducing RF Interference
  6. BalcheckHR Performance Check
  7. Standard Balcheck Tests
  8. Error Reports
  9. Balcheck Optional Programs
  10. More Options
  11. SetScreen3
  12. Optional Troubleshooting Programs
  13. High Resolution
  14. Doc References
  15. Miscellaneous Text Docs
  16. Miscellaneous Scans
BalcheckHR User Manual - Scans BalcheckHR User Manual (Handwritten Scans)
By Michael Matte.
December 2018.

This document contains 23 pages of handwritten notes, schematics, and board layouts for the BalCheckHR. These scans supplement the BalCheckHR User Manual. Among the documents here are:
  1. SetScreen3 Initial Display
  2. BalCheckHR Board
  3. BalCheckHR Board - EEPROM Interface
  4. DualBalCheckHR Board - Display
  5. BalCheckHR Board - Power Line
  6. Bally/Astrocade Motherboard - ROM Decoding
  7. Bally/Astrocade Motherboard - RAM Timing
  8. Bally/Astrocade Motherboard - Microcycler
  9. Bally/Astrocade Motherboard - Custom Address/Data
  10. Bally/Astrocade Motherboard - RAM Decouplers
  11. Bally/Astrocade Motherboard - Detailed Motherboard Layout
  12. Bally/Astrocade Motherboard - Notes
  13. Balcheck RAM Test Flow Chart
  14. BalcheckHR in a Cartridge
  15. Factory Tests
  16. Hi-Res Demo Magic Writes
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