+5-11under Posted November 10, 2011 Author Share Posted November 10, 2011 A post from boxpressed expounding on the virtues of contact cleaner: http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/189966-the-wonders-of-electronics-contact-cleaner/page__fromsearch__1 Even if it's not your final or best solution, it's a great place to start. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/163446-diy-modifications-for-colecovision/page/2/#findComment-2404819 Share on other sites More sharing options...
coleconut Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 How should I approach a keypad that returns the wrong value? I have several but for instance 1 controller that works perfectly except pressing the 0 returns 6. Looking at the schematic, and I dont read them well, and I'm not up on the vernacular, but it looks to some degree logical to me that the 6 closes one specific circuit and the 0 closes the same circuit plus another one so this 2nd circuit is not closing. Ok great, then what should my approach be? The resistor, traces? Nothing seems obvious by just eyeballing it. Any help appreciated. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/163446-diy-modifications-for-colecovision/page/2/#findComment-2413397 Share on other sites More sharing options...
coleconut Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Any tips on re-inserting the ribbon cable on a controller? I've done it several times and each time it took me eons of time and a lot of frustration. Any tips? Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/163446-diy-modifications-for-colecovision/page/2/#findComment-2413398 Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamcon Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 Any tips on re-inserting the ribbon cable on a controller? I've done it several times and each time it took me eons of time and a lot of frustration. Any tips? VERY VERY carefully using 2 hands, slide the cable into the slot. I have used a needle nose pliers to push in also. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/163446-diy-modifications-for-colecovision/page/2/#findComment-2413721 Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamcon Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 How should I approach a keypad that returns the wrong value? I have several but for instance 1 controller that works perfectly except pressing the 0 returns 6. Looking at the schematic, and I dont read them well, and I'm not up on the vernacular, but it looks to some degree logical to me that the 6 closes one specific circuit and the 0 closes the same circuit plus another one so this 2nd circuit is not closing. Ok great, then what should my approach be? The resistor, traces? Nothing seems obvious by just eyeballing it. Any help appreciated. Aw David !!!! SHAME !!! Appears you have a controller with slip on wires to the control board.. They are notoriously brittle and break easily. Take more controller apart in order to match it to this controller; this will probably show a couple of wires switched or just plain off. Get it working and either solder the wire onto the correct position or carefully crimp the end down a little, not much or it will break and you WILL have to solder the clip onto the trace. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/163446-diy-modifications-for-colecovision/page/2/#findComment-2413724 Share on other sites More sharing options...
coleconut Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 How should I approach a keypad that returns the wrong value? I have several but for instance 1 controller that works perfectly except pressing the 0 returns 6. Looking at the schematic, and I dont read them well, and I'm not up on the vernacular, but it looks to some degree logical to me that the 6 closes one specific circuit and the 0 closes the same circuit plus another one so this 2nd circuit is not closing. Ok great, then what should my approach be? The resistor, traces? Nothing seems obvious by just eyeballing it. Any help appreciated. Aw David !!!! SHAME !!! Appears you have a controller with slip on wires to the control board.. They are notoriously brittle and break easily. Take more controller apart in order to match it to this controller; this will probably show a couple of wires switched or just plain off. Get it working and either solder the wire onto the correct position or carefully crimp the end down a little, not much or it will break and you WILL have to solder the clip onto the trace. No this is a controller with soldered wires no clips. And if the red wire was not making a cicruit, then I would assume #, 4, 8, 5, and 9 which also use the red wire wouldnt work, but they do. The only glitch on the entire keypad is 0 returns 6. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/163446-diy-modifications-for-colecovision/page/2/#findComment-2413732 Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamcon Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 How should I approach a keypad that returns the wrong value? I have several but for instance 1 controller that works perfectly except pressing the 0 returns 6. Looking at the schematic, and I dont read them well, and I'm not up on the vernacular, but it looks to some degree logical to me that the 6 closes one specific circuit and the 0 closes the same circuit plus another one so this 2nd circuit is not closing. Ok great, then what should my approach be? The resistor, traces? Nothing seems obvious by just eyeballing it. Any help appreciated. Aw David !!!! SHAME !!! Appears you have a controller with slip on wires to the control board.. They are notoriously brittle and break easily. Take more controller apart in order to match it to this controller; this will probably show a couple of wires switched or just plain off. Get it working and either solder the wire onto the correct position or carefully crimp the end down a little, not much or it will break and you WILL have to solder the clip onto the trace. No this is a controller with soldered wires no clips. And if the red wire was not making a cicruit, then I would assume #, 4, 8, 5, and 9 which also use the red wire wouldnt work, but they do. The only glitch on the entire keypad is 0 returns 6. DUDE, that is a wierd one. Just possibly you must use that controller without using the 0 key. It has to be a miswire, jumper crossing over another trace, or just a minor elec glitch somewhere. As long as it works, you may just not be able to pause a game or two Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/163446-diy-modifications-for-colecovision/page/2/#findComment-2414413 Share on other sites More sharing options...
coleconut Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 DUDE, that is a wierd one. Just possibly you must use that controller without using the 0 key. It has to be a miswire, jumper crossing over another trace, or just a minor elec glitch somewhere. As long as it works, you may just not be able to pause a game or two I suppose I will try to reflow some solder joints that I have narrowed down as being possible offendors. This is just an example of one controller with one issue. I actually have several others where pressing one or more keypad button returns the wrong value, I might learn something to pass on to the gang.....or destroy them Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/163446-diy-modifications-for-colecovision/page/2/#findComment-2414547 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+evg2000 Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Do any of the controllers work? Is it possible the system itself and not the controllers? Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/163446-diy-modifications-for-colecovision/page/2/#findComment-2414556 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark_Coleco Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 If you narrowed it down to not being the CV controller IC's, meaning you have working controllers that actual work properly, you may want to give this a read: http://www.theadamresource.com/manuals/Modifications/Fixing%20a%20Standard%20ColecoVision%20Controller.htm Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/163446-diy-modifications-for-colecovision/page/2/#findComment-2414558 Share on other sites More sharing options...
channelmaniac Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 (edited) I'll be updating the instructions and kits I have on my site for the Dual BIOS mod... There are issues with some brands of EPROMs if you tie an address line directly to ground where they are sourcing the current to float the line high and the chips will get finger blistering hot then fail. The power and ground lines should connect each with a 220 to 330 ohm resistor. Upper most address line | | | Switch ------------- 330ohm------- ground | | | 330ohm | | | +5v Edited November 28, 2011 by channelmaniac Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/163446-diy-modifications-for-colecovision/page/2/#findComment-2414570 Share on other sites More sharing options...
coleconut Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 If you narrowed it down to not being the CV controller IC's, meaning you have working controllers that actual work properly, you may want to give this a read: http://www.theadamre...0Controller.htm Ok I was calling them resistors but looks like they are diodes. One blown diode on the board would result in the behavior I am seeing (or a solder joint needing reflowing). Thanks for this link. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/163446-diy-modifications-for-colecovision/page/2/#findComment-2414761 Share on other sites More sharing options...
coleconut Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Do any of the controllers work? Is it possible the system itself and not the controllers? I have a whack of controllers. In testing them, some work flawlessly, some need just a cleaning, and others the keypad is not 100%. My question is to do with the latter. I use a joystick test utility on my ADAM to test these things. Looks like it is either a bad solder joint or one blown diode in the matrix as per another message link to a doc on the subject. I think I will try scavenging from another controller in worse shape to see if that helps. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/163446-diy-modifications-for-colecovision/page/2/#findComment-2414762 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+5-11under Posted November 28, 2011 Author Share Posted November 28, 2011 (edited) Just noticing there was no mention of adding a pause switch to a ColecoVision. Minimal instructions here. Also includes an untested way to disable the Atari expansion module even if it's plugged in: http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/149407-colecovision-atari-module-switch/ Edited November 28, 2011 by 5-11under Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/163446-diy-modifications-for-colecovision/page/2/#findComment-2414820 Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamcon Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Do any of the controllers work? Is it possible the system itself and not the controllers? I have a whack of controllers. In testing them, some work flawlessly, some need just a cleaning, and others the keypad is not 100%. My question is to do with the latter. I use a joystick test utility on my ADAM to test these things. Looks like it is either a bad solder joint or one blown diode in the matrix as per another message link to a doc on the subject. I think I will try scavenging from another controller in worse shape to see if that helps. David, found this site while perusing the net and it shows the controller specs and diagrams. MAYBE this will help ya!! http://www.colecovision.dk/technical.htm Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/163446-diy-modifications-for-colecovision/page/2/#findComment-2415597 Share on other sites More sharing options...
omf Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 BIOS replacement... Perform this modification if you'd like a different BIOS than the original, for instance, if you want to shorten, get rid of, or have control of how long the title screen shows up for many of the games. Thanks, 5-11under Has anyone attempted this on a PAL Rev D board or a French SECAM Rev B board, there is only 24 pin holes for the bios chip, no extra holes to desolder, also the jumpers arent present so it cant easily be configured easily to take a 27c64, or if anyone has a datasheet for the TMS4764NL chip used for the bios would be useful 1 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/163446-diy-modifications-for-colecovision/page/2/#findComment-2837893 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamshaft Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Awesome thread! Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/163446-diy-modifications-for-colecovision/page/2/#findComment-2846794 Share on other sites More sharing options...
SINGLE TOOTH Posted November 9, 2013 Share Posted November 9, 2013 Anyone have info on the Ball Knob mods, or are those Yurkie's trade secret? Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/163446-diy-modifications-for-colecovision/page/2/#findComment-2863170 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Yurkie Posted November 9, 2013 Share Posted November 9, 2013 http://knobsdirect.com/ Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/163446-diy-modifications-for-colecovision/page/2/#findComment-2863192 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Master Phruby Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Just finished installing an AV composite board in my Colecovision. I bought the board from retro_mood off ebay and it was really easy to do. He shipped the board very quickly from Turkey. He also has Intellivision, Atari 2600 and Odyssey 2 boards for both NTSC and PAL. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/163446-diy-modifications-for-colecovision/page/2/#findComment-2864964 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamshaft Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 (edited) I've installed the same mod in both my machines. Four wires what's not to like! Lol Just finished installing an AV composite board in my Colecovision. I bought the board from retro_mood off ebay and it was really easy to do. He shipped the board very quickly from Turkey. He also has Intellivision, Atari 2600 and Odyssey 2 boards for both NTSC and PAL. Edited November 13, 2013 by Kamshaft Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/163446-diy-modifications-for-colecovision/page/2/#findComment-2866184 Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiLic0ne t0aD Posted December 29, 2013 Share Posted December 29, 2013 I recommend Yurkies board, a few extra bucks but well worth it IMHO. You get a simulated stereo sound instead of the single red mono output with the other kit. 1 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/163446-diy-modifications-for-colecovision/page/2/#findComment-2894919 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZarK Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Using a white eraser to clean contact edges. Then using dielectric compund (found in automotive stores, used in high tension voltage leads to spark plugs) to prevent future corrosion. Also, use dielectric compound on all sockets and connectors. 1 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/163446-diy-modifications-for-colecovision/page/2/#findComment-2929982 Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariBrian Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 I recommend Yurkies board, a few extra bucks but well worth it IMHO. You get a simulated stereo sound instead of the single red mono output with the other kit. Easily worth it but the kicker is for that little extra your getting a single jack composite cord with it ! 1 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/163446-diy-modifications-for-colecovision/page/2/#findComment-2929997 Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiLic0ne t0aD Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Easily worth it but the kicker is for that little extra your getting a single jack composite cord with it ! Yes, that's all that is needed.. Yurkie's mod, i feel is a cleaner install better because of the single TRS type female jack in the back.. hardly noticeable, compared to the other method. Plugged in, The male cable then splits off into the same 3 outputs for the TV obviously. Either one is fine with me really, ill try the other version on my next Spare CV Really it just boils down to a matter of personal preference. BTW when I said earlier in my post, about it being "simulated stereo sound".. that wasn't right. I believe its dual mono. I only saw a single audio jack in the picture, however you could still put another jack in for a total of 3.. My TV needs to have both sound channels or else the sound is panned to the left or right, which is a no go. When both hooked up, its a sweet package all around. No complaints! Did you do the Ben Heck mod? Also.. Im curious about 5-11under's board he made.. if its still available. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/163446-diy-modifications-for-colecovision/page/2/#findComment-2930678 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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