Colecovision expansion module 1 switch off

[stefan_sts]

Hi there ,

 

may could anyone explain which lines i have to cut to shut down the ex. mod. 1 still connected to the coleco ( pal )?

 

I like to install a switch directly to the module , so i am able to start the coleco without disconnecting the vcs module every time ,

but i am still confused .

 

Cut the 5V ( pin 58 --> pin 5,6 ) , the 12V ( pin 57 -->pin 7 ) and the reset line ( pin 13 --> pin1 ) , but coleco is still waiting for something ( black screen ) ,

-5v is obviuosly not connected on both sides of the pal version (pin 58,59 --> pin 2,3 ), same to the clock ( pin 45 --> pin 9 ) .

 

At the moment the lines are ( as you can see ) reestablished and module works ordinary like always .

 

Thy for any kind of help !

 

Greetings 

 

[rietveld]

Did you try breaking the ground connection at pin 1 and 2.  The Colecovision / Adam should not see the expansion 1 without the ground

Edited June 16, 2022 by rietveld

[rietveld]

1 hour ago, rietveld said:

Did you try breaking the ground connection at pin 1 and 2. 

 

[allansim]

I don't know the answer but I want to say this is a good idea.

[stefan_sts]

Unbelievable ... but true , even this option doesn´t work ! As you can see i disabled the ground , and after an unsuccessful trial i moreover opened

all the former clipped off lines too ( 5v , 12 v , reset line ) with the same result ,

colecovision still waits for something ( black screen ) .

So in the end i reestablished another time all the cut lines ( now including the two ground lines ) and the exp. module 1 is working like it should have to .

But it was worthy to attempt this idea , many thx and greetings !

[stefan_sts]

On 6/17/2022 at 1:47 PM, stefan_sts said:

Unbelievable ... but true , even this option doesn´t work ! As you can see i disabled the ground , and after an unsuccessful trial i moreover opened

all the former clipped off lines too ( 5v , 12 v , reset line ) with the same result ,

colecovision still waits for something ... may christmas , train , rent ... i don't know ( black screen ) .

( -5V and the clock is not connected to a pal board )

So in the end i reestablished another time all the cut lines ( now including the two ground lines ) and the exp. module 1 is working like ordinary  .

But it was worthy to attempt this idea , many thx and greetings !

 

[OGHUGO]

Hello,

 

I was attempting to do the very same thing.  To have the expanded module 1 attached at all times and be able to turn it off/on whenever I wanted to use it.

 

I had to sever a few pins from the expansion port and add a SPDT switch that would turn off the power to the module to cut it out completely.

 

The Red squares are the ones I severed, the yellow is +5v which needs to be cut and put on a switch, as well as the blue, which is +12 which needs to be cut and put on a switch.

 

I can put up a video of the unit working if anyone is interested.  Thanks.

[+5-11under]

Does that match this:

 

[OGHUGO]

20 hours ago, 5-11under said:

Does that match this:

 

Did not see this, this mod is only on the vcs module 1, so nothing will be done to the colecovision.  I also messed with pin 25 of the coleco tying to make it do something but i was not able to make it work.  I proved it and when the expansion module was not on it was high (+5v) and when the expansion module was on it was low (gnd) so I put in a switch to make it high when the expansion module was on and still did not work.  When I send +5v to pin 25, I was still getting the module and not colecovision.  I had to sever the pins on the module itself to make this work.  

[NIAD]

This looks like a project for someone with the hardware skills to make an Expansion Module (PCB and case) that connects between the ColecoVision or ADAM's Expansion Interface and the Expansion Module #1 Atari Adapter to allow the EM#1 to stay connected at all times even when one wants to use ColecoVision/ADAM warez. This way nothing has to be modded on the original hardware.

Edited September 2, 2023 by NIAD

[stefan_sts]

On 9/2/2023 at 11:59 PM, NIAD said:

This looks like a project for someone with the hardware skills to make an Expansion Module (PCB and case) that connects between the ColecoVision or ADAM's Expansion Interface and the Expansion Module #1 Atari Adapter to allow the EM#1 to stay connected at all times even when one wants to use ColecoVision/ADAM warez. This way nothing has to be modded on the original hardware.

Hi there ,

of course you are right in most of the cases , but the Colecovision needs some rework anyway after all these years to use it properly .

I got some serious problems with the power switch , a defective controller chip and had some overheating ram chips ( on both available Colecos ) .

So in the end you have to open the case , otherwise they won´t work anymore 😞 

I am not an expert particular on Colecovision , but they are a beloved part of a colection of Retro Consoles and Computers !

Sorry for the bad quality of the pic  , but the second one is from a video i made some time ago .

Greetings 

 

[stefan_sts]

On 8/30/2023 at 9:46 PM, OGHUGO said:

Hello,

 

I was attempting to do the very same thing.  To have the expanded module 1 attached at all times and be able to turn it off/on whenever I wanted to use it.

 

I had to sever a few pins from the expansion port and add a SPDT switch that would turn off the power to the module to cut it out completely.

 

The Red squares are the ones I severed, the yellow is +5v which needs to be cut and put on a switch, as well as the blue, which is +12 which needs to be cut and put on a switch.

 

I can put up a video of the unit working if anyone is interested.  Thanks.

Amazing ! So you cut the red ones totally ? ( The pic shows some regular tracks on the reds )  

[OGHUGO]

On 9/7/2023 at 6:04 AM, stefan_sts said:

Amazing ! So you cut the red ones totally ? ( The pic shows some regular tracks on the reds )  

So I made a short of how this works, but I noticed that I am still seeing the Colecovision screen in the background when I flip this on and off.

 

 

[+Yurkie]

On 9/2/2023 at 5:59 PM, NIAD said:

This looks like a project for someone with the hardware skills to make an Expansion Module (PCB and case) that connects between the ColecoVision or ADAM's Expansion Interface and the Expansion Module #1 Atari Adapter to allow the EM#1 to stay connected at all times even when one wants to use ColecoVision/ADAM warez. This way nothing has to be modded on the original hardware.

Well said. I would make a pcb if I had free time anymore. I was thinking it could be a pcb shaped so that an external switch could be slide by cutting a small slot

in the case.

[+5-11under]

On 9/19/2023 at 11:54 AM, OGHUGO said:

So I made a short of how this works, but I noticed that I am still seeing the Colecovision screen in the background when I flip this on and off.

 

 

Does what you did match what I did?

[OGHUGO]

On 9/21/2023 at 3:31 PM, 5-11under said:

Does what you did match what I did?

Not really, I only disconnected the points that I have on the picture I posted, I now had to put a halt / audio switch to halt the coleco and switch audio from the module one instead of the colecovision..  so there has to be 2 switches, one on the colecovision itself and one on the module one.

 

Here is another video, with this halt switch I don't get the bad sound and no colecovision screen on the background of the atari game when I am playing it..

 

Now I am looking on a way to do s-video from the colecovision but cannot find how to do that.