Scoring machine Repair Options

[parryDoh]

Looking into getting a older Allstar Scoring Box repaired. Looks exactly like this one http://www.allstar-usa.com/cgi-bin/s...=misc&sub=ATMS Ground not working on one side when in Epee mode. So you can score touches on the other fencers weapon. I looked into it and nothing simple like a broken wire or loose connection.

Would AllStar-USA be the only place here in the US? Anyone ever looked into using a local electronics repair shop? With the low cost of some newer boxes, not thinking it would be worth the club putting to much into it.


Thanks

[brtech]

I would contact Ted Li and ask him to fix it. I suspect he can.
I doubt a local electronics shop can help you unless you had a schematic, and they don't give those out.

PM me if you don't have Ted's email.

[ThatReallyHurt]

I've had the opportunity to crack open some old scoreboxes - if it's an ancient one that uses discrete transistors or relays and you can easily see the metal traces on the circuit board, a good shop may be able to help you as long as you also provide a very clear description of what the box is supposed to do versus what it's doing right now. You'd also do well to bring in an epee or two so you can properly demonstrate what currents are flowing into/out of what jacks on the unit. It could be something as simple as a corroded track or bad solder joint that finally worked its way loose.

If there's even one chip in it, I don't think an electronics shop will be able to help.

[jjefferies]

I had interesting conversations with Ted Li and Dan Dechaine recently in the course of repairing some older machines. My recollection is that Allstar/Uhlmann - I don't know what to make of their merged corporate beings and who does what - will undertake to repair any of the boxes they have sold and upgrade them to the latest foil timings. That said it will be at modern German prices and the Allstar box you referred to has a current price of $920 (I recollect). So I would expect a repair bill of corresponding size. Frankly I think your money would be better spent buying a new box such as the Eigertek and a decent set of repeater lights. Ted Li mentioned that he understands that there is a new "Russian" scoring machine coming on the market really cheap. I didn't get a good definition of "cheap". But I'm guessing under $100.

The comments I heard were that Uhlmann and possibly Allstar are locked into a marketing arrangement with an electronic manufacturer in Germany and for that reason can't/won't release the schematics of their machines so that others can repair them.