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Troubleshooting Guide

Searchable symptom-led checks for power, display, audio, controls, games, USB, and networking.

Version
1.0
Revised
Jul 24, 2026
Download PDFPrint-ready layout
01

No Power

Symptoms: The arcade does not power on.

Likely causes: PC power state, power connection, power bar, or wall outlet.

  1. 1Press the power button on the front of the PC. The button is generally red.
  2. 2Make sure the PC is plugged into the power supply.
  3. 3If the arcade still has no power, unplug the power supply from the power bar and plug it directly into a wall outlet.
  4. 4If the PC still does not turn on, create a support ticket and include the cabinet serial number.
02

No Video

Symptoms: The TV is blank, shows the wrong source, or reports no signal.

Likely causes: Incorrect TV input, startup order, or loose HDMI connection.

  1. 1Using the TV remote, confirm the selected video input is labelled Arcade.
  2. 2Power off both the TV and the PC. Turn on the TV first and wait for it to start, then turn on the PC.
  3. 3Check that the HDMI cable is connected securely at both the PC and the TV.
03

No sound

Symptoms: Games and menus are silent.

Likely causes: Volume setting, mute state, amplifier power, or audio connection.

  1. 1Test a second game.
  2. 2Raise volume gradually using the cabinet control.
  3. 3Check for a mute indicator in the menu.
  4. 4Restart safely.
  5. 5Contact support if all titles remain silent.
04

Controller not responding

Symptoms: A USB or Bluetooth controller does not control the intended player.

Likely causes: Incorrect player order, disconnected USB cable, failed USB hub, or lost Bluetooth pairing.

  1. 1At the Batocera Main Menu, enable Show Controller Activity and press a controller button. The matching upper-left player icon should flash and identify its player position.
  2. 2Open Start, Controller & Bluetooth Settings, then use the player-order list to assign the controller to the required player. Most games require the first controller to be Player 1.
  3. 3For USB, shut down normally and check the cable. If a hub is being used, connect the controller directly to the PC; replace the hub if the controller works directly.
  4. 4For Bluetooth, power on the controller and check whether it reconnects. If it does not, pair it again through Start, Controller & Bluetooth Settings, Pair a Bluetooth Device.
  5. 5For an 8BitDo Ultimate 2C, press Home to power it on, then hold the separate Pair button for three seconds for first pairing.
05

Button not working

Symptoms: One control does not respond or responds intermittently.

Likely causes: A game marked (C) requires a controller, game-specific mapping, changed USB connection, loose button connector, or worn switch.

  1. 1Exit the game and test the affected button on the Batocera main menu.
  2. 2If the game has (C) beside its title, connect an external controller and assign it to the correct player.
  3. 3If the button works in the main menu, test another game in the same system.
  4. 4If it fails in the main menu, shut down and unplug the cabinet.
  5. 5From underneath the control panel, trace the two wires from the affected button and check for an accessible loose connector.
  6. 6Press an obviously loose connector fully back onto the same terminal; never move wires between terminals.
  7. 7Restore power and retest in the main menu.
  8. 8If wiring is inaccessible, damaged, uncertain, or the button still fails, contact Mectura with the player and button name.
06

Joystick not responding

Symptoms: Direction input is missing, stuck, or incorrect.

Likely causes: Game mapping, player order, changed USB connection, or joystick hardware.

  1. 1Test all directions in the Batocera menu.
  2. 2Try a different game.
  3. 3Ask whether any USB controller, encoder lead, or port was moved.
  4. 4Restore only the documented external connection after shutdown.
  5. 5Keep the joystick mapped as Batocera Left Joystick, not D-pad.
07

Trackball not working

Symptoms: Trackball movement does not respond.

Likely causes: The title does not support a trackball, changed USB adapter connection, mouse-index assignment, internal harness, or debris.

  1. 1Use the Trackball collection and test Golden Tee, Centipede, Millipede, Missile Command, Marble Madness, Crystal Castles, World Class Bowling, or Shuffleshot.
  2. 2Ask whether the trackball-to-USB adapter or any USB port was changed.
  3. 3Restore only its documented external USB connection after shutdown.
  4. 4If the trackball and spinner both stopped after a restart, record that result for Mectura because their mouse-device order may have changed.
  5. 5Internal pins, adapter wiring, and mouse-index repair require a technician using the original Mectura reference.
08

Spinner not working

Symptoms: Rotational input is absent or erratic.

Likely causes: Unsupported title, changed USB adapter connection, internal harness, sensitivity, or debris.

  1. 1Confirm the game supports spinner input.
  2. 2Ask whether the spinner-to-USB adapter or any USB port was changed.
  3. 3Test another known-compatible title.
  4. 4Restore only a documented external USB connection after shutdown.
  5. 5Internal pins and adapter wiring require a technician using the original Mectura reference.
09

Light gun not detected

Symptoms: Gun 1, Gun 2, or both do not appear or cannot aim.

Likely causes: Changed USB connection, shared hub, missing tracking frame, lighting, identity overlap, or game-specific configuration.

  1. 1On the Batocera main screen, check for the light-gun activity icon in the upper-left.
  2. 2Move the gun and confirm the icon or pointer responds.
  3. 3Launch a known light-gun game and confirm the complete Sinden tracking frame is visible on all four sides.
  4. 4Ask whether either gun cable, hub, or USB port was changed.
  5. 5Test each gun alone, then both together, on documented direct USB ports.
  6. 6Duplicate IDs or configured ports require technician-only use of the official Sinden PC utility.
10

Light gun calibration

Symptoms: The Sinden light-gun aim is inaccurate or offset.

Likely causes: Incomplete tracking frame or calibration drift.

  1. 1Launch the light-gun game and confirm the complete Sinden tracking frame is visible on all four sides.
  2. 2Press and hold LEFT on the light gun's directional pad for five seconds.
  3. 3When the crosshair appears in the centre of the screen, aim at it and pull the trigger.
  4. 4Test the aim again in the centre and near the edges of the screen.
11

System recovery

Symptoms: A system failure may require a fresh installation.

Likely causes: The operating system or storage drive can no longer start normally.

  1. 1To maximize available disk space, the system does not include a separate System Recovery partition.
  2. 2Create a support ticket and include the cabinet serial number.
  3. 3Mectura will review the system and arrange a replacement hard-drive swap when required.
12

Game freezes

Symptoms: A title stops responding or audio repeats.

Likely causes: Title compatibility, emulator issue, storage issue, or temporary fault.

  1. 1Wait 30 seconds.
  2. 2Try Hotkey plus Start once.
  3. 3If the menu does not return, perform the documented controlled restart.
  4. 4Retest the title once.
  5. 5Report repeated freezes with the title and approximate time played.
13

Cannot exit a game

Symptoms: Hotkey plus Start does not return to the menu.

Likely causes: Incorrect sequence, title-specific capture, or input fault.

  1. 1Hold Hotkey first, then press Start once.
  2. 2Wait several seconds.
  3. 3Test whether both buttons work individually where possible.
  4. 4Use the controlled restart only if the system remains trapped.
  5. 5Report the title and affected controls.
14

Search is not working

Symptoms: Search does not open or expected games are absent.

Likely causes: Wrong menu level, active filter, incomplete text entry, game-list data, or input mapping.

  1. 1Return to a game list and press Y to open Search.
  2. 2Use the joystick to highlight a letter and press B to enter it.
  3. 3After entering enough of the title, press Start to search.
  4. 4Clear active filters and try a short distinctive part of the title.
  5. 5Refresh game lists only when directed.
  6. 6Contact support if Search itself does not respond.
15

Favorites are missing

Symptoms: The Favorites collection is empty or unavailable.

Likely causes: No marked games, collection visibility, or metadata change.

  1. 1Highlight a game and hold X; confirm the favourite marker changes.
  2. 2Return to the systems screen.
  3. 3Check that Favorites is enabled in collection settings.
  4. 4Restart safely.
  5. 5Contact support before rebuilding metadata.
16

USB device not detected

Symptoms: A supported controller, light gun, trackball, spinner, or USB drive is not recognized.

Likely causes: Changed cable, adapter, port, hub, internal connection, power, or compatibility.

  1. 1Ask exactly what USB or adapter connection changed.
  2. 2Shut down before restoring a device to its documented original external port.
  3. 3Avoid unpowered hubs and test one device at a time.
  4. 4Do not guess ports, open the cabinet, or move internal pins.
  5. 5Use Mectura Chat with the device model and the result.
17

Slow boot

Symptoms: The Mectura menu takes unusually long to appear.

Likely causes: Storage check, network wait, update, connected USB device, or disk issue.

  1. 1Allow one complete boot without interruption.
  2. 2Remove newly attached nonessential USB devices after shutdown.
  3. 3Note any messages or repeated logos.
  4. 4Time the next boot once.
  5. 5Contact support if the delay repeats or exceeds the normal range.