Hollywood Heat (Gottlieb, 1986): Troubleshooting and System 80B Replacement Boards
Is your Hollywood Heat by Gottlieb has sound cutting out or garbling, won't start, keeps resetting, or shows unstable voltages? These symptoms are typical of Gottlieb System 80B pinball machines whose original boards (MPU, driver, power supply, sound) are now over 40 years old. The good news: modern replacement boards, Plug & Play and battery-free, bring your machine back to life.
Hollywood Heat (Gottlieb, 1986): Overview
Released in 1986, Hollywood Heat is a System 80B pinball machine with a police/action Hollywood theme, featuring alphanumeric displays and a driving soundtrack.
- Manufacturer: D. Gottlieb & Co.
- Year: 1986
- Electronic system: Gottlieb System 80B
- Type: solid state, alphanumeric displays
- Theme: police / action
Common Issues (System 80B)
System 80B machines use alphanumeric displays and a 5101 RAM-based MPU backed by a battery. Recurring failures include: leaking battery on the MPU (corrosion and loss of the 5101 memory), unstable power supply (the original trim pot struggles to maintain 5V and 12V), cracked solder joints (especially on the CPU daughter card and the LM338K regulator), inter-board connectors needing re-pinning, poor grounds (ground mods are essential), dead displays if even a single data bit fails between the MPU and display, and startup disrupted by the fluorescent tube starter in the backbox.
Hollywood Heat-Specific Issues (Forum Reports)
- Sound cuts out or garbles after 15 minutes: choppy audio, tempo drift, LED going from blinking to solid — often leaking capacitors, power supply issues, or cold solder joints.
- Trim pot can't maintain 12V/5V: very common on 80B; Gottlieb underspecified the power supply and volume potentiometer.
- Loose LM338K regulator: re-solder the header pins and tighten the LM338K mounting screws.
- Ball trough switch: a faulty contact prevents the game from starting — check this first.
- End-of-game number match not working: reported defect on Hollywood Heat.
Compatible Replacement Boards for Hollywood Heat
- GottFA80_Plus (Light) — all-in-one CPU + driver + power supply board, without sound.
- GottFA80_Plus (Full) — same all-in-one board with integrated sound (80B audio currently limited to select titles).
- Gosof — replacement sound board for System 80 and 80A (80B support currently limited to select titles).
- Godri80 — replacement driver board.
- Lisy80 — CPU board + web-based diagnostics.
- GoPOP80 — pop bumper driver board (MA-922).
System 80B note: we recommend the GottFA80_Plus Light — 80B is covered on the CPU/MPU side. On the audio side, support is currently limited to select titles (Bounty Hunter, Chicago Cubs Triple Play, Tag Team); for other System 80B games, keep and repair the original sound board and contact us (an audio solution is in development).
Installation is Plug & Play, battery-free, with tutorials and free support. Contact us.
FAQ — Hollywood Heat Gottlieb
The sound cuts out after a few minutes.
Often leaking capacitors and cold solder joints, plus a sagging 5V: repair/recap the original sound board and stabilize voltages (GottFA80_Plus power supply). For 80B audio, support is currently limited to select titles — contact us.
My Hollywood Heat won't start.
First check the ball trough switch, then look for battery corrosion on the MPU. A GottFA80_Plus Light or Lisy80 replaces the MPU.
My voltages are unstable.
The original trim pot is the culprit. An all-in-one GottFA80_Plus board includes a modern power supply.
What about 80B sound?
80B audio support is currently limited to select titles (Bounty Hunter, Chicago Cubs Triple Play, Tag Team). For Hollywood Heat, keep and repair the original sound board and contact us; a solution is in development.
How long does installation take?
Installation is Plug & Play: just a few minutes, no soldering required, with tutorials and free support.
Does a battery-free board retain settings and high scores?
Yes. Modern replacement boards use NVRAM: no battery, no corrosion, and settings are preserved when powered off.
Step-by-Step Diagnostics
- With power off, visual inspection: look for any signs of battery leakage or corrosion on the MPU of your Hollywood Heat; remove the NiCad battery if still present.
- Power supply: measure the 5V rail and verify it reaches the MPU (re-solder the voltage regulator or Q1 if voltage drops).
- Grounds: apply ground mods between the boards (CPU, driver, power supply, sound).
- Connectors: re-pin oxidized Molex connectors, especially the MPU-to-driver board connection.
- Displays: never connect or disconnect a display while powered on; test with a known good display.
- Final test: verify startup, credits, solenoids, and displays; if needed, contact free support.
Useful Guides
- How much does pinball machine repair cost? A price guide
- How much is my pinball machine worth? Value and estimation
- Pinball machine leg sizes: the complete guide
- Which board for a Gottlieb System 80, 80A or 80B?
