Fidelity Sensory chess Challenger 9 sensory playing surface

[BillT]

Hi All
I have a Sensory chess Challenger "9" which has a worn out/faulty sensory playing surface, which I would really love to get back working.
I have tried to repair it without success. the problem is probably quite common where some of the squares fail to break/make contact,or even just the weight of a piece on the square makes the contact,making the board quite useless.
Does anybody know a way of successfully repairing these things..(I've tried the hairdrier trick),
Or better still...maybe someone has a Sensory 9 that has failed ( for reasons other than the sensory board ie fried chips due to wrong voltage or reverse polarity etc. ) that they would part with /sell -- so I can mix 2 boards together to make 1 good one?

Here's hoping regards.

Bill

[Larry]

Hi All
I have a Sensory chess Challenger "9" which has a worn out/faulty sensory playing surface, which I would really love to get back working.
I have tried to repair it without success. the problem is probably quite common where some of the squares fail to break/make contact,or even just the weight of a piece on the square makes the contact,making the board quite useless.
Does anybody know a way of successfully repairing these things..(I've tried the hairdrier trick),
Or better still...maybe someone has a Sensory 9 that has failed ( for reasons other than the sensory board ie fried chips due to wrong voltage or reverse polarity etc. ) that they would part with /sell -- so I can mix 2 boards together to make 1 good one?

Here's hoping regards.

Bill

Hi Bill, I'm afraid your SC9 playing surface is not repairable. With
a lot of use, the squares become concave, and stay concave. Glide your
fingers across the ranks, you will feel the bumps. The SC9 is not at all
rare. Just wait and find another one, they are cheap enough. Before
bidding on one, ask for a close up shot of the playing surface, you should
be able to see it's condition. Pressure sensory surfaces rely on the elasticity
of the laminate material, and that has a limited life.
The hair dryer trick is a temporary fix at best. Hair dryers are great for
drying hair. Using a hair dryer on a kaput playing surface is like massaging
the chest of a person who is having a heart attack.
Don't throw the SC9 away, the mainboard might come in handy one day.
If you don't know how to get the mainboard out then PM me and I'll walk
you through the procedure.
Sorry if this is not what you wanted to read...
hope it all works out well for you..
L

[BillT]

Hi Larry
Thanks for your reply. I appreciate your offer to help get the mainboard out,but its already done,I 've taken these and other boards apart for some time so no problem.
I guess I can wait for another board to come up but they are mostly in the States and is therfore prohibitive on Carriage to UK and tax costs ,and anyway theres the real thrill of completing a repair and bringing an old machine back to life,a real buzzz
I also have another perfect SC9B (the dead one is an A version) so am not in a great rush.
still hoping to pick up a dead board but with a good sensory playing surface regards.

Bill

[dedicate computers]

I have a curiosity, import costs in Brazil are absurd, i.e. I pay half of what it costs a sensory 9. I wonder what are the costs of importation in the United Kingdom and in Australia, could inform? 10%, 20% on fob?

[BillT]

Hi all
just wanted to bring this post up again.
Anybody got a Sensory 9 with a dead chip or pcb, but the the playing surface still works ok?
I'm still looking.......and would love to resurrect my dead SC9, (all i need is the playing surface)
Thanks

Here's hoping regards
Bill

[Larry]

Hi all
just wanted to bring this post up again.
Anybody got a Sensory 9 with a dead chip or pcb, but the the playing surface still works ok?
I'm still looking.......and would love to resurrect my dead SC9, (all i need is the playing surface)
Thanks

Here's hoping regards
Bill

Hi Bill, out of curiosity, what is the playing surface you've got
doing or not doing to make you believe it is kaput?
Is it showing signs of heavy use?...eg are the squares shiny and/or
concave? Are there any squares that are registering with just
the weight of the piece?
L

[BillT]

Hi Larry.
Several of the squares have become oversensitive..... and as you say ...just the weight of the pieces registers a move.
I've tried the heat trick ...no joy....and have even tried inserting a pin into the void where the contacts are to try and free things up....in fact its probably well beyond repair now,hence the need for a replacement.
Bill

[Larry]

Hi Larry.
Several of the squares have become oversensitive..... and as you say ...just the weight of the pieces registers a move.

Sorry to have to read this bad news. You have really no option but to
give the casing with the bad board a decent burial. Then you must wait
for one to come onto the market. Part of the problem with these cheaper
boards is the shipping cost can far outweigh the cost of the game, making
the deal unviable unless it's coming from somewhere in your home country.
In answer to the Brazilian guy's question, I don't pay any import duty. I
do however find the heavier machines have become uneconomic to ship
down here. This can be a slight plus, because I do get an advantage over
foreigners when a heavy board here comes on the market.
L

[Bryan Whitby]

Bill

I think Nick is right and maybe you will just have to keep it for spares.
Renewing reed switches is a five minute job but sensory boards is a different ball game.

Regards
Bryan

[spacious_mind]

Bill

I think Nick is right and maybe you will just have to keep it for spares.
Renewing reed switches is a five minute job but sensory boards is a different ball game.

Regards
Bryan

Hi Bryan,

I think you meant Larry is right

Not my post regards

[Bryan Whitby]

Hi Nick

Yes sorry, I should have been agreeing with Larry.
Even my friend Berger has trouble repairing sensory boards as his example with the Fidelity Super 9 on his site shows.

Regards
Bryan

[BillT]

Thanks for the info...
Yes I'm resigned to using it for spares, certainly wont be able to give it a burial......I might think it... but my body wouldn't let it happen !
I still look on the bay, you never know.........somebody must have a blown up one out there.
heres hoping regards
Bill

[trontreez]

I have a curiosity, import costs in Brazil are absurd, i.e. I pay half of what it costs a sensory 9. I wonder what are the costs of importation in the United Kingdom and in Australia, could inform? 10%, 20% on fob?

In Australia it's free for under $1000 AUD

[Steve B]

Here is A working one selling for $30 bucks shipped
the adaptor alone is worh a few bucks


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Sensory ... SwNphWXlG6

might be worth a bid regards
Steve

[BillT]

Hi Steve
Thanks for the link, fortunately I had already spotted it and have now secured it .
Fingers crossed that it all works ok.....i wonder if its an "A" or a "B" version , hopefully its an "A." as its my "A" thats broken and I already have a nice condition fully working 'B'

Hope the import tax isn't too much......and that carriage isn't via the same courier delivering Ferns MCG !
As......here's hoping for an early Xmas present regards.

Bill

Actually ..looking at the S/N....it should be an "A" ?