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Randy Fromm's Big Blue Book
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Are you interested in the technical side of things? Turn to Randy Fromm's extensive Technical Department. There you'll find information on how to fix everything from videogame monitors to pinball machines.

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Randy Fromm's Arcade School
 
Next classes:

Los Angeles August 5-9, 2024

Download PDF with class schedule and enrollment form
Arcade Games
                                                Technical Training
                                                pinball machine repair

Randy Fromm's
Arcade School
Technician training

Randy Fromm's Arcade School is a five day program for amusement machine repair, with special emphasis on repairing power supplies, CRT monitors and LCD monitors. If you are interested in holding an Arcade School in your city, please contact Randy Fromm (randy@randyfromm.com tel.619.838.7111 to discuss your needs. We need only EIGHT people for a class.
Spend Five Days with Industry Expert Randy Fromm

CRT/LCD Video monitor  Repair

This is a “fast-track” class for game technicians, who want to learn the quick and easy way to fix monitors and power supplies without having to learn a lot of electronic theory or mathematics.

$995  per person Includes: 

  • Digital Multimeter 
  • Soldering Kit 
  • Sample Components 
  • Textbook 

CLASS SCHEDULE

Class begins at 9:00 am and typically ends at around 4:00 pm daily with an hour break for lunch at noon.

Day One

Beginning Electronics for Amusements

This segment assumes that you have no previous electronics training and takes you through a simple, NO MATH look at electronic components.

Using a Digital Multimeter

The DMM is the single most important piece of test equipment you can use. This class shows you how to use the meter to make the tests and measurements necessary for troubleshooting.

Electronic Components

The individual components are introduced.

Afternoon

Soldering Lab

Good soldering technique takes practice but there are some tricks that can really help speed things along and minimize the chance of damage. Each student will be provided with their own soldering iron, solder and desoldering supplies. This equipment will be theirs to keep. We will be assembling a fun practice kit that includes all of the electronic components we have just studied.




Day Two

Electronic circuits, schematic diagrams and more!

Understanding electronics is easy when you learn the basics of how circuits and components operate. Students learn how the components function and how to test them for proper operation using the digital multimeter or other test equipment. Students will have ample opportunities to practice their testing skills during the hands-on component testing labs.

Afternoon

Soldering Lab

Following the first day’s soldering practice, we will be constructing a component tester which will be a valuable tool for your repairs.

Day Three

Power Supplies

Power supply failure is common (as you know). This segment covers the theory of operation of power supplies, including the power supplies used in CRT and LCD monitors. The emphasis is on common failures and repairs.

LCD Monitor Repair

LCD Monitor repair is generally pretty easy thanks to their modular design. This segment covers the theory of operation of LCD monitors. There will be a presentation on repair techniques including CCFL replacement with LEDs. Repair of inverter PCBs and A/D boards will be covered.

Day Four/Five - CRT Monitor Repair + Hands-On Monitor Repair Lab
The Amusement Industry is the last home for the CRT monitor. This session covers CRT monitor theory of operation, including detailed circuit analysis with a special emphasis on what fails and shortcuts for quick and accurate troubleshooting.

Bring your bad monitors in for diagnoses. Repair NOT guaranteed as we may need parts.



  

Tuition for the five-day class is $995. This includes a digital multimeter, soldering iron and supplies, a small collection of hand tools, textbook and other classroom supplies such as sample components. 
  
 

Here's what some Arcade School graduates have to say:


Subject:           Big Blue Book 

Mr. Fromm,

     Today I was repairing a k7000 that had me stumped, as usual I found the answer in my big blue book. I can't tell you how many times I reference your book when repairing monitors. It has never let me down yet. I have hundreds of dollars invested in test equipment, but the most valuable tool is your big blue book.

  I'm off to finish my repair just thought I would let you know how much I appreciate your technical ability.

Thanks Again, 
Pete


Subject:   Ottawa School of ARCADE Thanks! 
 From:          "Charles M Fleck" <cfleck@frontiernet.net>

    Hello my name is Charlie Fleck.  I attended your school in Ottawa,  IL.  Employed by M and M Vending and Amusement of Macomb,  IL.  Thought I'd drop you a line to let you know your class helped me tremendously.  M and M is a very big amusement operation where there are plenty of monitors to be fixed daily.  Before I attended your class we had 82 broken monitors sitting around.  On average we have 2 to 3 go down a week.  I couldn't imagine learning how to fix them in 1 weeks time I was assured I would from my boss.  You gave me the basics and I read your book over and over till it almost turned black from all the crud on my fingers from those monitors but I thank you for the enjoyment I get out of fixing them and I'm sure my boss would thank you for all the money he's saving $80 to $100 a monitor with shipping.  Did convince my boss Mike Paisley to buy cr7000 sencore rejuvenator which fixed appoximately 20 of them but I couldn't live without it just using it to test them tells me in 1 minute if the color problem is in the board or the tube.  Will quickly let you know what I've fixed since the 4 mos. that I attended your school.  90 plus monitors around 12 of them being 25" to 27",  9  megatouchs new models and old,  and can't forget Dad's 1981 25" Zenith TV.  Just knowing how to read the schematics has helped me fix numerous old arcade games that everyone seems to want instead of new.

Thanks Again Thought You'd Enjoy The Praise Of Your Work!

Charlie


Subject:           Thank you for a fresh start. 
   From:           "Jason Amato" <jamato@tampabay.rr.com>

Randy,

I attended your arcade school during September at  Brady Distributing. I flew in from Tampa that week to take your course and it was well worth it. I have moved from a miserable, warehouse manager position to become head technician for All Brands Vending.

This was my first week on the job and I am loving every minute of it. I have already repaired four Cougar dart machines, three jukeboxes, and a Golden Tee Golf game. I never knew work could be this much fun!

My assistant will be attending your Orlando class in December. I have already told him what to expect from you as a teacher. He is looking froward to the experience. 

Thank You, 
Jason Amato


Subject:   Orlando School 
      From:    Dblknotspy@aol.com

Hi Randy:

I was really impressed with your school.

After twenty years fixing avionics in the Navy and then three years with Dale 
Williams at Disney, the two days with you were the most educational.  If the 
military would have been training techs to actually fix things (like you do) 
instead of some kind of ersatz engineers, my life and career would have most 
certainly been more enjoyable.

Kudos, keep cranking out good techs.

Joe Malinchalk 
 

I now have $300.00 worth of repairable power supplies instead of $300.00 worth of throw away power supplies. 
Mike Grap - Great Games

I highly recommend it to all people in the video business. 
Gene Eason - Namco Operations

I really enjoyed this class. I was able to learn more than I did in six months of technical school. 
Michael Crowl - All American Amusements

I recommend this school for any operator or technician, no matter how long you have been in the business. 

Wanda Martin - Wanda’s Amusements 


Randy Fromm’s Arcade School has been educating coin-op technicians since 1980.




  • Randy Fromm
  • 401 W. Lexington #777
  • El Cajon, CA 92022
  • United States of America
  • tel.+619.838.7111

  • randy@randyfromm.com