Colecovision Auto Start Problem... trick inside to play using Player 2

[Phantom]

My CV has this problem. I got another one and same problem already. im not real technical but theres 2 units if I screw one up lol. Please tell me where I can buy these chips?

Thank You, Ant

 

3 to 8 decoder is a SN74LS541N chip

 

exactly what that is im not sure. My ColecoVisions are apart, please help me fnd this electronics part.

Edited August 1, 2007 by Phantom

[Artlover]

3 to 8 decoder is a SN74LS541N chip

 

exactly what that is im not sure.

It's an octal buffer/line driver.

 

Digikey: http://www.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dk...e=296-1666-5-ND

Mouser: http://www.mouser.com/search/refine.aspx?Ntt=SN74LS541N

Newark: http://www.newark.com/jsp/search/browse.js...4ls541&Ntx=

 

Probably many others, it's a common 74xxx series linear ic.

[Phantom]

3 to 8 decoder is a SN74LS541N chip

 

exactly what that is im not sure.

It's an octal buffer/line driver.

 

Digikey: http://www.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dk...e=296-1666-5-ND

Mouser: http://www.mouser.com/search/refine.aspx?Ntt=SN74LS541N

Newark: http://www.newark.com/jsp/search/browse.js...4ls541&Ntx=

 

Probably many others, it's a common 74xxx series linear ic.

 

Thanks for your help. Im not sure what these words mean but from the links, I may figure it out lol! Thanks again.

[BigO]

Where did the 3 to 8 decoder description come from? If that's what you really need, an octal/buffer line driver isn't going to do the job.

 

I assume you're looking at the actual chip and coming up with that number so aren't getting the wrong part, but just wanted to point out the possibility based on what I saw.

[Phantom]

Where did the 3 to 8 decoder description come from? If that's what you really need, an octal/buffer line driver isn't going to do the job.

 

I assume you're looking at the actual chip and coming up with that number so aren't getting the wrong part, but just wanted to point out the possibility based on what I saw.

 

 

http://www.maniacworld.com/game_console_hi...vision.htm#13.2

 

Actually no, im getting it from this website and assuming once Ive bought them, i can se where they go.

Is that dumb? Im about to throw them in the trash and sell my CV collection im so pissed at these consoles right now.

[BigO]

Actually no, im getting it from this website and assuming once Ive bought them, i can se where they go.

Is that dumb? Im about to throw them in the trash and sell my CV collection im so pissed at these consoles right now.

 

I wouldn't say it's dumb. You have to start somewhere. The referenced section of the document is talking about the controller ports being susceptible to damage from static. If I were in your situation, I'd want to cross reference the writing with a schematic as I can imagine ways to use either of those chips in relation to controllers, but I don't know anything about the CV controllers.

 

The 3 of 8 decoder is not an uncommon chip, so either way it wouldn't cost a fortune to acquire the parts. Having said that, it does seem more likely to me that it would be a buffer.

 

 

[EDIT]

I just had a look at the schematics constructed by the venerable DanB. http://www.atarihq.com/danb/files/colecovision.pdf (See sheet 3)

 

541's are first in line to be zapped by static from the control port. It's a pretty safe bet that that's the part being referenced. The author of that otherwise helpful document just made a minor boo-boo with the description of the part.

 

It sounds like you've run into a common problem. If those chips aren't socketed, I'd try to put sockets in if there's room.

 

(Please note: I've never touched a Colecovision or even seen one in person. So, grain of salt and all that...)

Edited July 31, 2007 by BigO

[Phantom]

Actually no, im getting it from this website and assuming once Ive bought them, i can se where they go.

Is that dumb? Im about to throw them in the trash and sell my CV collection im so pissed at these consoles right now.

 

I wouldn't say it's dumb. You have to start somewhere. The referenced section of the document is talking about the controller ports being susceptible to damage from static. If I were in your situation, I'd want to cross reference the writing with a schematic as I can imagine ways to use either of those chips in relation to controllers, but I don't know anything about the CV controllers.

 

The 3 of 8 decoder is not an uncommon chip, so either way it wouldn't cost a fortune to acquire the parts. Having said that, it does seem more likely to me that it would be a buffer.

 

 

[EDIT]

I just had a look at the schematics constructed by the venerable DanB. http://www.atarihq.com/danb/files/colecovision.pdf (See sheet 3)

 

541's are first in line to be zapped by static from the control port. It's a pretty safe bet that that's the part being referenced. The author of that otherwise helpful document just made a minor boo-boo with the description of the part.

 

It sounds like you've run into a common problem. If those chips aren't socketed, I'd try to put sockets in if there's room.

 

(Please note: I've never touched a Colecovision or even seen one in person. So, grain of salt and all that...)

 

Thanks for your help. Heres the new situation. In my exploratory surgery where I havent a real clue what Im doing, I followed those directions and got to the point where I need the replacement part. Heres the strange thing. The crappier unit although not too shabby works fine now as soon as I took of what i believe is the ground wire from the metal casing cocealing the board so to get it out of the way as the document stated. well I didnt even unsolder it it just kinda popped off during intial inspection so i then just popped off the ground wire that was soldered on as well. and now that one works fine. Put it back together and it acted up again, took it apart and put electrical tape between the board and the metal casing where the ground comes out only because i feared it was touching there and wala, its back together and works great. Bad thing is it appears to be some lucky anonmoly because I tried the same thing on my really nice one and it did squat for it. I poked around for 3 hours with no success so i guess that one is defiantelya blown something. Atleast i have a working one now and Id love to swap cases but i think Im gonna say a prayer and stay pat. id like to fix the other one but I may just sell use it as parts.

I do have a trick that lets you stop the auto start part of it temporarily. Trick is to hold the bottom right button down while its loading. then have whatever 2nd player level select pressed that you want and let go of the 1st button. i think its the * button that you hold down 1st. the start level screen will pause not allowing it to auto start as long as this button is held down. Soon as you let it go it starts so the level must be pressed and held before letting go of the * key. Then player 1 will still dance all the way right, but he will die and you can use player 2. If you have this problem , atleast now you can play if you want until you get a new one. I hope this is clear and Im really shocked that the 1st appears to be a bad ground or some anomaly and the 2nd one just wont be tamed. Oh well, atleats i can play if I want now. Thanks for the help and any other suggestions or questions are welcome. Cheers

Edited August 1, 2007 by Phantom

[BigO]

Just a tip: I've "repaired" many a device with socketed chips just by removing and replacing the chips (my "dead" $80 pinball machine being one of the most recent).

 

Many chips are very static sensitive so read up on protective measures before you do this. All of them are easily physically damaged, so be very careful when removing and replacing.

 

How much would you sell the questionable parts machine for?

I now believe that it would be an enormous and hideously expensive task for you to undertake the repairs yourself so you might as well sell it to me cheap.

 

(yes, I'm joking about that last part, but might be interested in buying the troubled unit to work on someday)

 

 

 

I'm more than a little curious as to how removing a ground wire made that console function. It may well be that the RF shielding was touching some component or circuit trace that it shouldn't have been. Generally speaking, that shielding is grounded by its very nature.

[Phantom]

Just a tip: I've "repaired" many a device with socketed chips just by removing and replacing the chips (my "dead" $80 pinball machine being one of the most recent).

 

Many chips are very static sensitive so read up on protective measures before you do this. All of them are easily physically damaged, so be very careful when removing and replacing.

 

How much would you sell the questionable parts machine for?

I now believe that it would be an enormous and hideously expensive task for you to undertake the repairs yourself so you might as well sell it to me cheap.

 

(yes, I'm joking about that last part, but might be interested in buying the troubled unit to work on someday)

 

 

 

I'm more than a little curious as to how removing a ground wire made that console function. It may well be that the RF shielding was touching some component or circuit trace that it shouldn't have been. Generally speaking, that shielding is grounded by its very nature.

Yea Im clueless as to why that worked but when it obviously did, i figured let me try it on the 2nd unit. And it didnt work lol. It was pure accident so i havent a clue but Im gonna hang onto both units for a bit incase i need parts off it that are useable and at the very least, i can play in player 2 mode if the 1st one takes a crap now but If I come across another, it yours and gove me a few months and I may decide to send it your way. If you fix em, maybe I can send you the board to mine and the entire other unit. I want to play it for awhile to see if it acts up again before I claim complete succes on the 1st one. cheers