Odyssey2 Troubleshooting

[dommie]

I am now the proud owner of a Magnavox Odyssey2 along with 34 games. Only problem is, I can't get it to work. Here's where I'm at with this thing:

 

Unit powers on. I get "something" on the screen, but not the Select Game screen. Usually it's a gray screen, sometimes all black, sometimes with a few random characters and random noises.

 

All the carts look immaculate when I look at the contacts. Regardless, I cleaned them with Qtips and alcohol. I also cleaned out the console's pin connectors in the cart port as best as I could, but they really didn't look too bad after I got the surface dust off. No dice. I've tried inserting the carts to different degrees, which sometimes works on old Nintendo NESs, and this would occasionally give me a red or green screen. I also tried applying pressure to the carts at various angles when inserted hoping to get a better connection, which also didn't work. With no cart inserted at all I get a bunch of random blocks, a few numbers and a few blobs.

 

So, am I looking at some kind of cart/console connection issue? Or does the problem sound deeper than that? Also, one other thing: I noticed that when looking down into the cart port, about 4 or so pins from left to right there is a metal wire-like piece about the thickness of a staple that goes from the board, up the plastic on the pin receptacle, and loops around into the pin slot. At first I thought it was actually a staple that fell down there, but under closer examination it looks like it comes from the board intentionally. Is that supposed to be there?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Seob]

I am now the proud owner of a Magnavox Odyssey2 along with 34 games. Only problem is, I can't get it to work. Here's where I'm at with this thing:

 

Unit powers on. I get "something" on the screen, but not the Select Game screen. Usually it's a gray screen, sometimes all black, sometimes with a few random characters and random noises.

 

All the carts look immaculate when I look at the contacts. Regardless, I cleaned them with Qtips and alcohol. I also cleaned out the console's pin connectors in the cart port as best as I could, but they really didn't look too bad after I got the surface dust off. No dice. I've tried inserting the carts to different degrees, which sometimes works on old Nintendo NESs, and this would occasionally give me a red or green screen. I also tried applying pressure to the carts at various angles when inserted hoping to get a better connection, which also didn't work. With no cart inserted at all I get a bunch of random blocks, a few numbers and a few blobs.

 

So, am I looking at some kind of cart/console connection issue? Or does the problem sound deeper than that? Also, one other thing: I noticed that when looking down into the cart port, about 4 or so pins from left to right there is a metal wire-like piece about the thickness of a staple that goes from the board, up the plastic on the pin receptacle, and loops around into the pin slot. At first I thought it was actually a staple that fell down there, but under closer examination it looks like it comes from the board intentionally. Is that supposed to be there?

 

Thanks in advance.

Try posting this at www.videopac.nl/forum here you will find a few real o2 hardware guru's that may know a fix for you're problem.

[kirin jensen]

Check your power supply is properly connected and meets the specifications for an O2 power connector. Also, if your O2 has a Voice module connected, make sure it's inserted properly and/or try the carts with it removed. Good luck.

[dommie]

Check your power supply is properly connected and meets the specifications for an O2 power connector. Also, if your O2 has a Voice module connected, make sure it's inserted properly and/or try the carts with it removed. Good luck.

 

Yeah, it's an authentic O2 power connector. And I don't have the voice module.

[kirin jensen]

It could be the 'Power' button, but at that point, you're better off getting advice on the videopac boards. Hope you get it fixed. There's some great games on the O2, and some really great homebrews to boot!