System Changer survey

[+Lathe26]

Since it appears that the Mattel System Changer behaves differently for different setups, it would be good to have a survey from the community of what is observed.  These differences are for when it is expected to work properly.

 

The request is for folks to hook up their various Intellivision II consoles (other Intellivisions are excluded) to their various System Changers, insert an Atari cartridge, and turn it on.

 

Q1: When you turn on your Intellivision II + System Changer + Atari game, what do you first see?

1. Atari video image is immediately displayed
2. Green "M-Network" title screen is displayed.  Have to press an Inty controller to see to the Atari game.

 

Q2: Can you use the Intellivision II controllers to control the game (plugged into the Intellivision II)?

1. Yes
2. No

 

Gory technical gotchas: Testing using the RF output or composite video output is preferred (component and HDMI output are known to not be System Changer compatible).  Other Intellivisions are by default incompatible with the System Changer unless they have the special video mod to make them compatible with the System Changer (most other Intellivisions don't have this mod).

 

[+Lathe26]

My systems have the following (unexpected) behavior:

 

Q1: Atari video is immediately displayed on power up

Q2: No, my Inty II controllers don't work with the Atari game

[Crash7]

All I know is I sold one on eBay and the guy likes the way it works so I'm satisfied. 

 

It didn't work in my Super Pro even though my SPS has the Intellivision II EXEC chip in it. 

[mr_me]

6 hours ago, Crash7 said:

All I know is I sold one on eBay and the guy likes the way it works so I'm satisfied. 

 

It didn't work in my Super Pro even though my SPS has the Intellivision II EXEC chip in it. 

The incompatibility is hardware related, not software. The System Changer outputs video on a cartridge pin that has to be physically connected to the RF modulator.

[Sinjinhawke]

I only have one System Changer but I will take more if anyone wants to give me one. 

Tried with 4 different Intellivision II's.   

Inty II controllers always plugged into console and not System Changer.

 

Q1: When you turn on your Intellivision II + System Changer + Atari game, what do you first see?

1. Atari video image is immediately displayed

 

Q2: Can you use the Intellivision II controllers to control the game?

1. Yes (But they are so laggy they are useless unless you are playing a game that does not require quick response)

Note:Sometimes IntyII controllers had issues unless you unplugged and then plugged them back in.  For example (while playing Phoenix) shields would come on and stay on or ship would move to the right when no buttons or disc inputs were being made.

[Crash7]

45 minutes ago, mr_me said:

The incompatibility is hardware related, not software. The System Changer outputs video on a cartridge pin that has to be physically connected to the RF modulator.

 

Maybe that's why in the same deck I couldn't run the coleco games, as it says on the box not for use with intellivision 2, but if I jimmied with it a little bit sometimes I could get the venture to work 

 

But the UK version of Venture, the pal version, actually does work in that console but the UK version of Carnival does not. 

[+fdr4prez]

24 minutes ago, Crash7 said:

Maybe that's why in the same deck I couldn't run the coleco games, as it says on the box not for use with intellivision 2, but if I jimmied with it a little bit sometimes I could get the venture to work 

 

No, that is a design feature of the Intellivison 2 - it was designed to block third-party carts, so that's why it is not working.

 

Then the third-party people simply bypassed it and released carts that do work on Inty2 units.

[Intymike]

Have to check my System Changers. But I’m pretty sure that the Atari game shows up immediately and I can use the Intv controller on the system (but prefer to use Joystick on the SC).

[+Psycho Stormtrooper- Rog]

I'll check this weekend

[Intymike]

I checked both of my System Changers.

Both start the game directly and both can be played with the Intellivision controllers from the console. 
Btw., the game is the new Berzerk Enhanced by Atari which got released with the new Atari 2600+ console.

Maybe the serial numbers give you a clue.

 

[rietveld]

1.  Atari game starts up right away

 

2  intv controllers do not control the game

 

3  the RF output looks cleaner when using the system changer as opposed to just using the iNTV alone

Edited May 16 by rietveld

[BassGuitari]

1. Atari game image displays immediately

2. Intellivision controllers work from the console

[+Lathe26]

Thanks all.  Keep these reports coming; they are very helpful.

[abeckett]

Ok. 2 system changers. Using M Network Lock and Chase.

 

Interestingly, both fire the game up immediately but one allows the Intellivision controller to work, the other only works left and right and not up and down.

 

good one is the first one, dud one is the second one. The dud one has a white cartridge slot.