Raven (Gottlieb, 1986): faults and replacement boards for System 80B

Is your Gottlieb Raven suffering from unstable voltages, dead displays, stuck lamps or losing its memory? These symptoms are typical of Gottlieb System 80B pinball machines, whose original boards (MPU, Driver, power supply, sound) are now over 40 years old. Good news: modern replacement boards, Plug & Play and battery-free, give your machine a second life.

Raven (Gottlieb, 1986): overview

Released in 1986, Raven is a System 80B pinball machine with an action-adventure theme inspired by the muscular action cinema of the 1980s. It features the alphanumeric displays and sound synthesis characteristic of the series.

• Manufacturer: D. Gottlieb & Co.
• Year: 1986
• Electronic system: Gottlieb System 80B
• Type: solid-state pinball, alphanumeric displays
• Theme: action / adventure

Common faults (System 80B)

System 80B machines use alphanumeric displays and an MPU with 5101 RAM backed up by a battery. Recurring faults: leaking battery on the MPU (corrosion and loss of the 5101 memory), unstable power supply (the original trim pot struggles to hold 5 V and 12 V), cracked solder joints (notably on the CPU daughter card), inter-board connectors that need repinning, poor grounds (ground mods essential), dead displays if a single bit fails to pass from the MPU to the display, and startup disrupted by the backbox fluorescent tube starter.

Problems specific to Raven (forum feedback)

• Fluctuating voltage at connector A1J1: causes lamps stuck on or off; setting the trim pot to around 5.07 V helps, but this worn trim pot often needs replacing.
• Widespread cracked solder joints: almost every 80B has them; reflow the pins and retighten the transistor screws on all boards.
• Dead displays despite boards testing good: sometimes all the backbox connectors need replacing.
• Leaking battery + loss of the 5101: memory lost when the battery is dead or replaced.
• Connectors to repin: the main cause of malfunctions between boards.

Replacement boards compatible with Raven

• GottFA80_Plus (Light) — all-in-one board CPU + Driver + power supply, without sound.
• GottFA80_Plus (Full) — same with integrated sound board (80B audio limited to a few titles).
• Gosof — replacement sound board for System 80 and 80A (80B support currently limited to a few titles).
• Godri80 — replacement Driver board.
• Lisy80 — CPU board + web diagnostics.
• GoPOP80 — bumper driver board (MA-922).

System 80B specifics: go for the GottFA80_Plus Light — the 80B is covered on the CPU/MPU side. On the audio side, support is currently limited to a few titles (Bounty Hunter, Chicago Cubs Triple Play, Tag Team); for other System 80B machines, keep and repair the original sound board and contact us (an audio solution is in preparation).

Plug & Play installation, battery-free, free tutorials and support. Contact us.

FAQ — Raven Gottlieb

My lamps stay stuck on or off.
The voltage often fluctuates at connector A1J1 due to the original trim pot. An all-in-one GottFA80_Plus board includes a modern, stable power supply.

My displays are dead despite boards testing OK.
Replace the backbox connectors. A replacement MPU then eliminates interface glitches.

The game has lost its settings/memory.
The battery has leaked and the 5101 is lost. Our boards work without a battery and remove this risk.

What about 80B sound?
Audio support is currently limited to a few titles (Bounty Hunter, Chicago Cubs Triple Play, Tag Team). For Raven, keep and repair the original sound board and contact us; a solution is in preparation.

How long does it take to install a replacement board?
Installation is Plug & Play: a few minutes, no soldering, with free tutorials and support.

Does a battery-free board keep settings and high scores?
Yes. Modern replacement boards use non-volatile memory: no more battery, no more corrosion, and settings are kept when powered off.

Step-by-step diagnosis

1. Powered off, visual inspection: look for any battery or corrosion traces on your Raven's MPU; remove the NiCad battery if still present.
2. Power supply: measure 5 V and check it reaches the MPU (redo the solder on the regulator or Q1 if the voltage drops).
3. Grounds: apply the "ground mods" between the boards (CPU, Driver, power supply, sound).
4. Connectors: repin the oxidised Molex connectors, especially the MPU↔Driver link.
5. Displays: never plug or unplug a display while powered on; test with a known-good display.
6. Final test: check startup, credits, coils and displays; if needed, contact free support.

Useful guides

• How much does pinball repair cost? The price guide
• How much is my pinball worth? Value and estimate
• Pinball leg sizes: the guide by machine
• Which board for a Gottlieb System 80, 80A or 80B?

See also

• Rock (Gottlieb, 1985)
• Hollywood Heat (Gottlieb, 1986)
• Genesis (Gottlieb, 1986)
• Gold Wings (Gottlieb, 1986)

Sources & further reading

• Pinside forum — Raven
• IPDB — Internet Pinball Database
• OPDB — Open Pinball Database