APF-M1000 Bad RF Scrambled Video

Sonaru · November 28, 2023

My APF-MP1000 has a bad RF connection in which the video and audio is scrambled. My TV has trouble being in sync with the console and drops the connection after a while. The console works and I can barely see the rocket patrol game but it flickers a lot and appears distorted. Is there some RF coil thing I can adjust to fix the picture? Also my TV lets me change the frequency manually which I can try but that hasn't helped.

Also my AC adapter is a 9v instead of a 7.5v. Is that ok with the console or will that 9v damage the system?

Edited November 28, 2023 by Sonaru

evietron · December 5, 2023

There are a few pots inside the machine. Get yourself a ceramic tuning tool. On mine there were still some display issues after adjusting them, so I ran a PCB for a composite mod.

As for the voltage it goes through a rectifier and then a 5V regulator, so higher voltage just means more heat generated in the machine.

Sonaru · December 5, 2023

Thank you for the suggestion. Tuning the two pots helped provide a stable picture with no flickering. I also had to push the RF copper coil closer together because the foam underneath it pushed some of the coils apart. Audio still doesn't work and only has static noise.

Can you share a picture of schematic of your composite mod? Also would a composite pcb mod for a different system work with the APF or are the composite mods unique to each system?

I found a Colecovision composite mod which may work:

https://console5.com/store/colecovision-composite-av-video-mod-kit-ntsc-consoles-coleco-vision.html/