Astrocade boots to corrupted screen, then runs fine after Reset

[davidbrit2]

My Astrocade will often - but not always - boot to a corrupt/glitched out screen instead of showing the menu. It might be a semi-random pattern of pixels, a corrupted "GAME OVER" display, etc. But when I press Reset, it goes right to the menu and works perfectly fine. Is this anything to worry about, or is it (relatively) normal behavior? I pulled off the RF shielding, and also ordered a heatsink for the custom data IC, which I plan to stick on before I run it too hard.

[+cjherr]

I believe it's normal behavior. I think the Astrocade was designed to allow swapping of carts without shutting it off, and this is what you see, but I can't be 100% sure. I'll have to dig up the console instructions and see if it's mentioned.

[ballyalley]

2 hours ago, davidbrit2 said:

My Astrocade will often - but not always - boot to a corrupt/glitched out screen instead of showing the menu. [...] But when I press Reset, it goes right to the menu and works perfectly fine. Is this anything to worry about [...]

 

Pressing reset after the you turn on the Astrocade to get rid of any glitichy-looking screen is the correct way to use the Astrocade.  In the owner's manual, it actually tells you to press reset each time you turn on the system.  This is nothing to worry about at all.  If fact, at least one cartridge (ICBM Attack) requires you to press reset after the system is turned on before it will work at all.  If you see these glitches after you press reset, then you might have a problem.

 

Adam

[holygrailvideogames.com]

The Bally did this new back in the 70s.  This is just how the system was made.

[davidbrit2]

Just now, holygrailvideogames.com said:

The Bally did this new back in the 70s.  This is just how the system was made.

Okay, I kind of suspected it was just a quirk of the system. Thanks for confirming.