Multicart classic edition cant reset

[peter2014]

Hi,

 

got some huge problem with the Multicart classic edition from John from Madtronix. He is really helpful, but right now it seems like the Multicart classic edition is completely useless. The Multicart classic edition has one huge bug:

 

When you press the "Reset" button on your Vectrex the Multicart classic edition doesnt go back to the Games selection menu (as it should to select another game), but instead reset the running game (which doesnt offer any purpose at all, cause when you like to start a new game simply select "New game" at the according game ).

 

The problem with this is, that you cant switch between different games without completely shutting down your Vectrex and power it on again. This is already some huge problem for old electronic components, cause of the power built up when you power on a device. But for the CRT its simply suicide. CRT hating nothing more then being shutted down and then a few seconds later being powered on again.

 

I contacted John about this in May 2015 and he wrote "i'm working on an extension/loopthrough cart at the moment though that allows switching carts while the vectrex is powered on." and "i cant give you a release date but i hope within 1-2 months.". I sent him 2 further mails a few months later, but still no reply or new hardware to solve that major bug (which simply destroys your Vectrex way faster then without using the Multicart classic edition).

 

So does anyone here know how to solve that problem? Is there any spot at the cartridge board where I could manually solder a reset switch? Or ist there way to really reset the Multicart classic edition? Or is there any Flashcart for the Vectrex which avoids that bug? Having now the Multicart classic edition since 18 months and using it almost never (cause of this bug).

 

Thanks in advance for any further assistance.

[Mayhem]

I take it this applies to all games you are trying to run from the multicart? A few homebrew titles are known for taking you back to the start of the game, not back to the flash menu.

[Brood69]

I noticed this issue also on my Madtronix Multicart...Did not try to do it on all the games though ! Otherwise, indeed, my Vectrex would be down by now.

 

I would be happy to get a solution...

 

Ah and yes, my multicart is very recent (got it in December 2016)

Edited January 25, 2017 by Brood69

[+-^CrossBow^-]

It is the same way with Richard's VecMulti. Pressing the reset button on many games will result in only resetting the current game. I think it is mainly larger homebrews that this applies to. But yeah, for those games where Reset doesn't take me back to the menu, you have no other option than to power cycle the Vectrex.

 

Wasn't aware it was so rough on the CRT to do this though? I can tell you that back in the day, I was always swapping out games after one or two play throughs. So even before Multicarts, I would have been turning the vectrex on and off quite often in the span of 30min and more as I swapped out carts.

[SiLic0ne t0aD]

The best solution if you have to power cycle it would be to simply leave the Vectrex always on and have it plugged into a power strip.. Turn it on and off that way. All the wear and tear would be on the power strip toggle switch instead of the Vectrex itself.