ColecoVision Modded Controller?

[+David Duer]

I went through some Coleco controllers I had gotten years ago and found a modded one with a toggle switch, side button, & 9V battery connection.  Anyone have an idea what it is?  See photo.  Thanks.

 

 

[Pixelboy]

Does the toggle switch have three different resting positions (left, center, right)? If yes, then the switch is probably a homebrew add-on to implement the Super Action Controller spinner, which used to be included on the early prototypes of the stock ColecoVision controller. Otherwise, I don't know.

 

[+David Duer]

It does have 3 settings.  I didn't understand the 9V battery - and what the side button was for.  I'll need to find out if it's still usable.  It does work.  My Telegames friend thought it could be a rapid fire option, but that didn't work.  This makes sense.  Thanks.

[Pixelboy]

With a 9V battery and an extra side button, you could perhaps implement Coleco's steering wheel controller. You should test this controller with Turbo (with a 9V battery attached, of course).

 

[else]

It would be pretty neat if Pixelboy is right.  Could have possibly been used for early Turbo game development while the driving controller was also in development?

[+David Duer]

I stand corrected now.  The toggle switch is stationary and only clicks to right and left, returning to the center.  When I tested it on Donkey Kong, it turned off the keypad when switched one way and turned on the keypad the other way.  Seems like a switch, not a toggle.  I was thinking of opening it up but wanted to see if there were other ideas.  It is very nicely made so somebody took time to do it right.  I appreciate Pixelboy's idea but I jumped too soon.  REALLY want to figure this out.  Thanks.

[+David Duer]

One more thing - tried to play roller controller game and it did not work.

 

[+David Duer]

Tested Pixelboy's idea with Turbo.  Did not work.  The mystery continues.

[+David Duer]

I decided to open it.  See photos.

[nick3092]

A better picture of the IC markings might help someone figure it out. I can make out a cd4069 hex inverter on the right. Possibly a 4013 flip flop in the middle. Can't make out any markings on the left IC. 

 

I do see some wires running to the spot on the PCB where reed switches were planned on being mounted for a spinner in a prototype controller. I'm pretty sure Coleco kept the prototype PCB design, and just used it without reed switches for early production controllers.

[+David Duer]

The IC markings:

Right - CD4069

Middle - 4013 BPC

Left - 4016 BDC

 

Photos attached.

Anything more you can add would be great.  Thanks.

 

[else]

As far as the chips go:
 

4069 => 2 D Flip-Flops

4013 => 6 Inverters

4063 => 4-Bit Comparator

 

And I'm sure the battery is for powering this circuit.

 

The side button looks like a power switch so that it doesn't drain the battery when not in use, so that one's easy. 

 

As for what it actually does, it's still hard to say for certain without a wiring diagram (for me, at least).  If I were to guess, I'd say it's an auto-fire circuit for one or both of the buttons.  It's designed to count up to a fixed value, "fire", reset the counter, and start again.  The center switch selects which button(s) have auto-fire enabled.  Just a guess...

Edit: It's also possible that the center switch is for selecting the auto-fire speed (lo/med/hi).  Pretty cool whatever it is.  Someone put some time and thought into it, getting it to fit in the case, etc.  I love all these home-made mods from the olden days.

 

Edit 2: Have you tried holding in the side buttons to see if auto-fires then?  It may only auto-fire when the button(s) are pushed.

Edited May 2 by else
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