Pump it UP

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It's like DDR, but more complicated. Timing is more forgiving, but the game is actually harder. MUCH harder, at times.

Technical info

NX2 introduced a personal profile system using USB flash drives; as such, GX and SX2 cabinets shipping with NX2 had a small box with USB ports added to them on one side. There is a kit to add this box to older cabinets, which even now are offered for free with new upgrade kits. FX, CX, and TX integrated USB ports directly into their design.

Starting with Zero, the game HDD cannot easily be copied due to parts of the boot process being encrypted based on the hard drive's serial number. In the event of HDD failure, an original drive is needed. Machines are usually updated instead of replaced, so used software kits aren't hard to find.

Cabinet Types

There have been a number of cabinet styles. There is no direct mapping between software mixes and cabinets; most mixes were offered in multiple cabinets, and each cabinet style has been sold with at least half a dozen different mixes. Andamiro has always made marquees available for every cabinet style they've ever made, no matter how old, so there are a number of marquee variations for every mix.

NOTE: In most cabinets, the AC power wires in the cabinet are carrying ~230V regardless of the wall voltage. In 100-120V regions, they installed a 1:2 step-up transformer near the power cord socket, doubling the wall voltage which is then used throughout the cab. Pay careful attention to the 110/230 switch on power supplies of newer computers as you can easily fry them by forgetting about the voltage difference after having it on the bench. This causes similar problems when replacing marquee lights.

SD

Pump it up perfect.jpg

A blatant copy of the first generation DDR cabinets, at least in appearance. Somewhat rare. It's likely that most of them were destroyed after a legal dispute with Konami.


SX

PumpSX.jpg

The first cabinet to be sold in other regions. A goofy design, with two coin doors and a single central subwoofer.


DX

165000101.jpg

The most iconic, and most infamous. Used a massive, and notoriously unreliable, 50" CRT projection screen. It's very common to find these with the rear portion of the cabinet removed, and an LCD or plasma HDTV substituted in.


GX

NX2 GX machine.jpg

The most common cabinet type. Sports a very pretty 34" monitor: Kortek KT-3414DF. Inherits the marquee box from the SX.

There are two power supplies in the cabinet. One powers just the audio amplifier; the other powers the platform, the marquee spotlights, and various miscellany like the coin door lamp.


"SX2" (officially "SX")

PUMPITUPNX2.jpg

They ran out of 34" tubes for the GX, so they made a 29" version with a rehash of the SX cabinet art. Uses a 29" monitor, a Kortek KT-2914DF, in an appropriately smaller enclosure. Otherwise exactly identical to the GX.

The SX and SX2 are very easy to tell apart. The old SX has a single subwoofer; the new one has two.


FX

NX FX machine.jpg

Tiny footprint, plasma monitor, lots of LEDs! The equalizer displays are not controlled by the computer, but instead an independent controller reacting to the audio output.

Same platform as the GX.


TX

P1000126.jpg

A complete redesign. LED lights everywhere, 50" LCD monitor. For the most part, the LEDs aren't controlled by the computer, but instead by an independent controller reacting to the audio output.

The platform got a significant reworking too. New panel art, and the panels are held on by countersunk bolts instead of corner brackets.


CX

FILE0529.jpg

The TX's little brother, introduced at the same time. Much the same idea, but with a 42" LCD. Same platform.


Computers

Every MKx 1-9 exists, but not all were used for PiU and we really only have information about the ones that were used with common Pump mixes. There are two generations, which are drastically different from each other.

Video output for all computers is always 31.5kHz "high res" aka VGA, progressive scan, 0.7v p-p. This means standard arcade monitors won't work; you'll need a "high res" or tri-sync monitor, or you could substitute a PC monitor or HDTV, which will accept the signal directly without conversion. There is one exception: When running on an MK9, Prime will attempt to fetch EDID information from the monitor. If it gets a response that claims to support 1280x720, it will use that mode instead.

First generation -- MK1 to MK5

These are technically PCs, but have a completely custom motherboard, and most variants use a proprietary music IC. They boot a customized DOS from a disk-on-chip, then load the game from CD. A proprietary I/O boardset connects to the computer via ISA.

They don't have a power supply of their own, instead being powered by one in the cabinet.

They used a security lockchip, in a socket on its own dedicated daughtercard.

MK1

Rumored to ship with 1st, and presumably a few later mixes. Very little is known other than it used an Intel CPU and 3dfx graphics accelerator, and played music directly from audio tracks on the CD.

MK3

The second most common computer, and also had the longest production run and saw the most game releases.

  • Motherboard: Proprietary, Intel BX chipset
  • CPU: Intel Pentium II 333Mhz or 366Mhz
  • RAM: 64MB SDRAM DIMMs
  • GPU: 3dfx Voodoo Bansheee (on motherboard)

The GPU and VRAM are soldered directly to the mainboard.

The lockchip header is hidden inside the case, in the corner of the topmost I/O board.

MK5

A substantially different motherboard design. Originally came with a disc drive, but it is replaced with an HDD for Exceed. Only three software versions were made: Premiere 3 and Prex 3 on CD, and Exceed on an HDD. This is the ONLY computer that can run Exceed.

The lock chip header has been moved to the outside of the case, just below the disc drive.

Apparently, Exceed 2, Zero, and NX will run on an MK5, but not well.

Second generation -- MK6 onward

The MK6 marked a completely new approach to game hardware for Andamiro. Gone are the proprietary motherboards; these are literally plain old PCs, with a two-part proprietary IO boardset that connects to the computer via USB being the only custom part besides the case. And this time, there is a dedicated power supply inside the computer itself.

That said, each game requires one of a very small number of very specific Realtek audio ICs to be present in a particular I/O configuration, and won't produce sound if they don't recognize the sound chip on the motherboard; it's safest to just hunt down the exact model of motherboard they used.

The games now use a USB security dongle (except for the Pro series).

So far, each mix from NX onward has also been compatible with every second gen computer that came before it. However, generally, the MK6/MK7 will need additional RAM to run later mixes correctly. 512MB is usually recommended.

MK6

Shipped with Exceed 2, Zero, and some NX cabinets. Easily the most common computer Stateside due to Exceed 2 selling particularly well.

  • Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-8IPE1000MK
  • CPU: Intel Celeron (NetBurst with no letter designation), various
  • RAM: 128MB or 256MB DDR1 (varies)
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200

The factory videocard is very unreliable due to a defective heatsink design. Replacing with a retail / off-the-shelf card is strongly recommended. The vast majority of surviving MK6s do not have their original videocard.

"MK6 v2" / "MK7"

Shipped in the rest of the NX cabinets and some NX2. The official designation for this variant is unknown. Extremely similar to the MK6; a different motherboard (Gigabyte GA-8I865GME-775-RH) with an LGA775 socket is used, but the CPU is simply a newer NetBurst Celeron in the LGA package, and there are no other differences.

Not compatible with Exceed 2 or Zero.

MK9

Introduced late during NX2 and still shipping to this day. A significant upgrade.

  • CPU: Intel Celeron Exxxx (various)

This computer has seen three (possibly four) variations, switching out for a different videocard and motherboard.

Motherboards:

  • Gigabyte GA-945GZM-S2
  • Gigabyte GA-945GCM-S2L
  • ASRock G41M-S3

Videocards:

  • NVIDIA GeForce 7200GS
  • NVIDIA GeForce 8400GS
  • NVIDIA GeForce 9300GS