Vectrex Help Needed

[HARMIK]

Hello I just got a new in the box never been opened Vectrex today. I opened it up plugged it in and got squiggly lines my heart sank, but I knew this could happen being new and never opened and all. Then I thought well nobody can fix it here in Australia may as well open it up have a look. I don't know how to repair monitors but I know a bit about them and thought well the unit seems to be ok game sound works. Maybe something is out of adjustment I know if you adjust a monitor to far left or right it can do strange things, so I opened it up started to adjust a pot did not help went to look for another pot, and just happened to look at the screen and it was ok.

 

So it might have needed to warm up or maybe I did something, seems ok now is this a known thing? Also the screen seems to be off to one side a bit, I can stretch it left and right and up and down when the start up screen is on, but unless I do it way to much when the game starts it seems to use the whole screen anyway. Is there a measurement it is supposed to be, I mean the start screen where it says Vectrex and the lines blink around it.

 

Also is there any way to move the whole screen to the left a bit I can only see two pots, I can see some other different looking pots but I did not want to touch them as I know if you adjust some things in monitors you can never get it right again without the right equipment.

 

If anyone here knows anything that might help that would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you

 

Harmik

[BigO]

There is a Service Manual and a Troubleshooting Guide available through playvectrex.com:

http://www.playvectrex.com/shoptalk_f.htm

[HARMIK]

Thanks for the reply I had a look could not find anything there to help me, but thanks for the great link I will Email them.

 

Anyone els have any ideas.

[Tickled_Pink]

The 'beauty' of the Vectrex is that no two seem to be the same. I've had mine since '84 and it still works. I remember a friend having his at the same time. While each line making up the score at the top of the screen on mine were tightly packed, on his there were noticeable 'scan line' gaps, which made his score display look elongated by comparison.

 

The display issue you're having now is probably nothing major. It's just the way they were built.

[BigO]

Anyone els have any ideas.

We're into guessing/shotgun approach territory here, but a common theme amongst defects in old gaming hardware and old electronics in general is "capacitors". I don't know how many electrolytics there are in a Vectrex, but there's at least a small chance that if you just blindly went through and replaced them all, you could improve the functioning of the system.

 

If you do them one at a time and test after each one (and it actually fixes the problem), you could document the solution for the next guy.

[HARMIK]

Thanks for all the help I am very happy with the unit and it works 100%. Tickled Pink with your friends unit there is an adjustment for that, you can stretch or condense the screen I found that pot, I can even move the screen up or down so I have got it pretty good now.

Edited April 9, 2009 by HARMIK