Atarian needs help with an Intellvision...

[Loccy]

...as I have no idea what I'm supposed to do with the thing and whether it's working as it should be.

 

So I picked up an Intellivison for cheap on eBay, sold as untested, originally wanting it for display only. However, I thought I'd try plugging it in and was surprised when it booted up. PAL UK, plugged into an old LCD that has an analogue tuner.

 

I have two cartridges, Astrosmash and Imagic's Nova Blast. I tried Astrosmash first of all.

 

The first time I tried Astrosmash, I got the opening splash screen. I had no idea what I was doing, so I picked up the RIGHT controller (as it was the first one to hand), mashed a few buttons, and the game started. However, I didn't actually seem to be in control. My ship at the bottom seemed to want to crawl left most of the time, and if I moved right, I could, but when I released it it would move left again. 

 

I then tried Nova Blast. I had a bit more luck with this, especially after I realised the LEFT controller was the default. I pressed 4 to select Cadet (according the the overlay) and pressed Enter to start the game. Serviceable Defender clone. WTF were Mattel thinking about with that controller, though?

 

When the game was over, I pressed Reset (on the console). Nothing happened. Should it?

 

I then went back to Astrosmash, now realising I should have been using the LEFT controller all along. I coudn't get it to go past the splash screen. Pressed buttons like a lunatic. Tried pressing the reset button. All that happened is I got a bit of interference on the screen. Tried mashing buttons on the RIGHT controller again. Still couldn't get it to start a game.

 

Am I missing some Intellivison UI conceit here? Am I supposed to do something else to make Astrosmash start? Is the console knackered? Is the cartridge knackered? Should Reset do something? Meanwhile, Nova Blast seems to play fine. There's minor wobbles on the screen display and occasional flashes of green (not sure if that's the game or interference/screen distortion).

As I don't know what equates to normal in Intellivison-land, I don't know whether I should spend any more time on the console or not...

[nick3092]

Reset should take you back to the splash screen showing the game name.  I believe there is a 1uF bipolar capacitor that has a direct effect on the reset circuit, it may be bad on yours.  Or it could be the switch.  I believe it uses one of those metal domes that the button presses down to complete the reset circuit on the PCB.  Maybe its got some corrosion and not making good contact.  Personally, I recommend anything as old as an Intellivision to get a full recap to ensure everything is up to par.  Electrolytic caps have a generally accepted 40ish year lifespan.  You'll find others who say otherwise, and you only need to replace them if you can prove they went bad.  But IMO it's good preventative maintenance to replace them all.  At my age, it will now be the next guys problem if they fail again.

 

Astrosmash should start with almost any action on the left hand controller.  Touch the disc or almost any keypad number and it should start.  What you press will affect how the game plays as far as speed/difficulty.  for example, pressing one made the game move slower, while touching the disc to start made it move faster.  I'm sure the manual covers different ways to start the game.  I'd recommend giving not only any game manuals a read, but the console manual as well.  They should be very easy to find using google.

Edited January 12 by nick3092

[wolfy62]

Also,do the obvious and make sure the cartridge is inserted all the way.

If you've gotten the splash screen for Astrosmash your system is probably fine.

Perhaps use a Q-tip and isopropyl alcohol to clean the cartridge contacts,that usually works for me.

And yes,left controller and press the disc to start a regular full speed game of Astrosmash. 

[Loccy]

23 minutes ago, nick3092 said:

Reset should take you back to the splash screen showing the game name.  I believe there is a 1uF bipolar capacitor that has a direct effect on the reset circuit, it may be bad on yours.  Or it could be the switch.  I believe it uses one of those metal domes that the button presses down to complete the reset circuit on the PCB.  Maybe its got some corrosion and not making good contact.

So I opened the puppy up and I think it's the switch. I managed to get Nova Blast to respond to me holding down the metal dome with the machine open a couple of times. It wasn't reliable, and it only worked a couple of times. I suspect I might have finished it off. I can live without reset for now.

 

25 minutes ago, nick3092 said:

Astrosmash should start with almost any action on the left hand controller. 

 

13 minutes ago, wolfy62 said:

If you've gotten the splash screen for Astrosmash your system is probably fine.

That's what's throwing me. Reset button aside I think this puppy's in good shape for it's age and how it's been treated (STINKS of cigarette smoke!). But Astrosmash not working doesn't seem to make any sense.

 

Bad cartridge, perhaps? Would a bad cartridge show the splash screen and then crash? Is that plausible?

[nick3092]

The reset issue could still be the cap. Or the metal dome. Or a little of both, hard to say. I know a number of people have had to replace that cap to get things working right. Shooting some contact cleaner under the metal dome and working it a few times may help alleviate the issue. May need to do it a few times. 

 

As for the games, could still be dirty contacts on the carts and/or the Intv. Give them both a good cleaning. To clean the cart socket, I cut up an old gift card slightly narrower than the slot. Then I cut some strips of card stock the same width. Wrap them around the card, soak it in IPA (I use 99%, but even the standard 70 or whatever percent will work), then work it in and out of the slot. Keep repeating till the card stock comes back out clean.

[walldog1]

5 hours ago, nick3092 said:

The reset issue could still be the cap. Or the metal dome. Or a little of both, hard to say.

99% of the time, my experience has been the metal dome to circuit board tracings. Under the metal dome, I always add a small spot of solder to the worn out "via" for lack of a better term. I then solder the dome legs to the board tracings. Seems to do the trick, so I do this to every Logic board I have to repair.

[mr_me]

Both Astrosmash and Nova Blast take input from either controller. If the controls aren't working properly, there could be a short or some issue in one controller affecting the inputs with the other. You can try unplugging one controller to see if it makes a difference.

 

Mattel cartridges typically start by pressing the disc.  Imagic cartridges often use the keypad to start.

[Loccy]

On 1/14/2024 at 5:39 PM, mr_me said:

Both Astrosmash and Nova Blast take input from either controller. If the controls aren't working properly, there could be a short or some issue in one controller affecting the inputs with the other. You can try unplugging one controller to see if it makes a difference.

You sir, are a steely-eyed missile man.

 

Unplugged controller 2 and suddenly I can start Astrosmash and Lock 'N Chase (which I've also since bought). For now, I've just left it loose inside unplugged.

 

Suggestions on how I can fix it, anyone?

[walldog1]

2 hours ago, Loccy said:

Suggestions on how I can fix it, anyone?

Take it apart! If you are lucky, it may be as simple as a continuity problem with the wire harness. Otherwise, your problem lies within the Mylar Tri-fold tracings.

 

OR... someone else left the "insulator disc" out which should be between the Mylar folds at the directional disc. Then just make a new one out of anything thin and non conductive. I've seen this dozens of times believe it or not.

Edited January 16 by walldog1
addition

[Loccy]

21 hours ago, walldog1 said:

Take it apart! If you are lucky, it may be as simple as a continuity problem with the wire harness. Otherwise, your problem lies within the Mylar Tri-fold tracings.

 

OR... someone else left the "insulator disc" out which should be between the Mylar folds at the directional disc. Then just make a new one out of anything thin and non conductive. I've seen this dozens of times believe it or not.

Looking at the tracings, there's a big "hole" (worn) towards the left side of the disk. This is consistent with my initial experience of Astroblast with the right hand side controller, i.e. I was only semi-in control and it wanted to zoom left all the time. I suspect a few mashes on the controller was enough to finish it off and I suspect it's shorting left on a permanent basis now.

 

I've ordered some replacement parts from a chap in the UK who's really good - have ordered Sinclair and other stuff from him in the past - so I expect to get that in the next couple of days. Then all that's left is the reset button! Next time I have it open I'll try the "lots of contact cleaner" gambit.

[nick3092]

I bought some of those Mylar keypad sets from him. Mostly as spares, I haven't had to use them yet. They do seem like the quality is good on the materials. 

[Loccy]

A quick update - replacing the innards of the controller and reconnecting it did the trick! I now have two working controllers. Still no working reset button, but there you go, I can live with that.

 

Not sure if nick3092 was referring to RWAP fvrom SellMyRetro, but if so, yes, he's excellent.

[RWAP]

On 1/24/2024 at 8:29 PM, Loccy said:

A quick update - replacing the innards of the controller and reconnecting it did the trick! I now have two working controllers. Still no working reset button, but there you go, I can live with that.

 

Not sure if nick3092 was referring to RWAP fvrom SellMyRetro, but if so, yes, he's excellent.

Thanks for the feedback - always good to know that my customers are happy