Jess Ragan Posted July 5 Share Posted July 5 Anyone here, I mean. I've got a ColecoVision with borked controller ports and a Game Gear with borked everything else. I'm just trying to figure out prices and such, to see if it's worth the trouble. I thought about re-capping the Game Gear, and I might, but it's a long, involved process, and nobody wants to do that crap in the middle of summer when it's excruciatingly hot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPUWIZ Posted July 5 Share Posted July 5 10 hours ago, Jess Ragan said: Anyone here, I mean. I've got a ColecoVision with borked controller ports and a Game Gear with borked everything else. I'm just trying to figure out prices and such, to see if it's worth the trouble. I thought about re-capping the Game Gear, and I might, but it's a long, involved process, and nobody wants to do that crap in the middle of summer when it's excruciatingly hot. Despite this being a wanted thread, I think you will have more luck in the ColecoVision forum, so I am moving it here and leaving a shadow behind. I doubt anyone wants to repair a completely broken Game Gear, just get another one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted July 5 Share Posted July 5 10 hours ago, Jess Ragan said: Anyone here, I mean. I've got a ColecoVision with borked controller ports and a Game Gear with borked everything else. I'm just trying to figure out prices and such, to see if it's worth the trouble. I thought about re-capping the Game Gear, and I might, but it's a long, involved process, and nobody wants to do that crap in the middle of summer when it's excruciatingly hot. There are several of us that can provide services like this. Depending on where you live will make it easier to choose someone that might be closest to you. The CV controller port issue doesn't take much time to fix. Shipping the console to and from would likely cost more than the actual service in this case. Depending on your definition of (Borked everything), the Gamegear might be fixable as well. You are correct in that they can be a bit of a pain to recap but I've done more than a few and it isn't too big a deal. The thing to keep in mine with game gears is that recaps don't always correct the issues with them. I've had a few that were basically dead that came back to life after installing new caps in them, but then you find out that the LCD is also toasted and has issues requiring a replacement modern LCD to be needed at that point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruggers Customs Posted July 5 Share Posted July 5 As @-^CrossBow^- mentioned there's a few of us that do upgrades, repairs, etc. However, I'm booked for a while unfortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess Ragan Posted July 6 Author Share Posted July 6 I wound up ordering the parts for the CV and Game Gear from Console5. Hopefully I'll be able to do this myself. What would you suggest for removing the old controller chips on the ColecoVision? I've heard some people just snip the chips off, desolder the legs, and then replace the chips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruggers Customs Posted July 6 Share Posted July 6 2 hours ago, Jess Ragan said: I wound up ordering the parts for the CV and Game Gear from Console5. Hopefully I'll be able to do this myself. What would you suggest for removing the old controller chips on the ColecoVision? I've heard some people just snip the chips off, desolder the legs, and then replace the chips. Yes, that's what I would recommend. Unless you have an FR301 which isn't really practical if you're just removing a few chips. Add flux (tacky flux like Amtech is a good choice or something similar) to the chips, add fresh solder, clip legs then carefully add heat to the soldered side while gently pulling the clipped ic legs out. Vacate the solder from the vias with some desolder braid or a solder sucker. I would also invest in a good temperature controlled soldering station if you don't already have one. The Ksger T12 is an excellent entry level station for about 75 bucks. For the price range and the occasional hobbyist, that's going to be your best bet for a soldering station. T12 Tip cartridges are cheap and have the heating element directly in the cartridge rather than the old style "tip over the element" type stations. Those traces are fragile and you can easily tear them up so just take your time and you'll be fine. Get in a rush and you'll either be teaching yourself trace repair, paying someone like me to fix it for you or tossing it in the parts bin. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess Ragan Posted July 6 Author Share Posted July 6 A flush cutter like this will work for snipping off the old chips, right? https://www.amazon.com/Hakko-CHP-170-Micro-Cutter/dp/B00FZPDG1K/ I'll heed your warning and approach this slowly and cautiously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruggers Customs Posted July 6 Share Posted July 6 That's a perfect pair! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted July 6 Share Posted July 6 6 hours ago, Jess Ragan said: A flush cutter like this will work for snipping off the old chips, right? https://www.amazon.com/Hakko-CHP-170-Micro-Cutter/dp/B00FZPDG1K/ I'll heed your warning and approach this slowly and cautiously. When you snip the legs, try and do so at close to the chip itself as you can and not near the main board. This will put less stress on the legs where they are soldered to the board and provide you with more of the leg material to grab with a small pair of pliers or tweezers as you heat them up one by one to lift them out of the vias from the main board. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruggers Customs Posted July 7 Share Posted July 7 @Jess Ragan Now if you get comfortable with the process of removing chips from the Colecovision and want to really future proof your console, I highly recommended the Lundy Electronics Dram to Sram conversion board. This upgrade replaces all the 4116 Dram and is a permanent fix for the second most notorious failure in Colecovisions (the dirty power switch being the first for obvious reasons). You'll have to remove all 8 Dram chips and all the surrounding ceramic capacitors. After which you just drop John's board in, solder a few pins and you'll never have to worry about failing ram again! Lundy Electronics NTSC Dram to Sram board for the Colecovision Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess Ragan Posted July 7 Author Share Posted July 7 I know it's been over forty years, but these things weren't built to last, were they? (The Game Gear's no better, what with all the leaky capacitors and all.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruggers Customs Posted July 7 Share Posted July 7 17 hours ago, Jess Ragan said: I know it's been over forty years, but these things weren't built to last, were they? (The Game Gear's no better, what with all the leaky capacitors and all.) Yeah, eventually everything fails or falls apart except Slant 6 engines. I've never successfully killed one of those. 😆 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess Ragan Posted July 9 Author Share Posted July 9 I really should have had one of you guys do this for me. I've lifted a wire and at least two of those metal shields around the pin holes... you know, the ones that look like tiny loops. Clipping the very tops of the pins on the chip helped limit the destruction, but that was only viable for the bottom chip. I didn't have the room to clip the top chip in the same way. Now I've got tiny pins swimming in the through holes, and the pins don't want to come out without taking those little loops with them. Maybe I should have used a Dremel with a wheel cutter instead. This doesn't bode well for the Game Gear repair job, I'll tell you that much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruggers Customs Posted July 9 Share Posted July 9 (edited) I once had a customer take a dremel to cut out his vram and it didn't end well so definitely be careful. Them things can get away from you quick with those fiber discs and 6mm in the wrong direction and you've just cut 4 traces on the motherboard. If push comes to shove I can repair it for you but it would be a couple of weeks at least before you could send it in. Fair warning, I'm not cheap. I'm also not a hobbyist who does this stuff "on the side" like some but an actual business with overhead and a new employee starting in a couple of weeks. So it might be worth it to shop around if price is a concern. Edited July 9 by Ruggers Customs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess Ragan Posted July 10 Author Share Posted July 10 I'm gonna give it a shot. I've gone this far... I might as well go all the way with it, for good or ill. I did remove both the controller chips, and it looks like the holes make contact on both the front and back of the circuit board, so I might be okay. The second controller port seems to work differently from the first controller port, apparently requiring some of the first port's circuitry. The current plan is to clean up the remaining solder with braid, then insert the two sockets and finally the controller chips. If it works, great, awesome! If it doesn't, feh. I've heard rumors about a ColecoVision made from all-new parts. It's something I need to research, because these machines are very old and they weren't built that well in the first place (see also the RAM, the power switch, etc.). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timdu Posted July 10 Share Posted July 10 2 hours ago, Jess Ragan said: II've heard rumors about a ColecoVision made from all-new parts. It's something I need to research, because these machines are very old and they weren't built that well in the first place (see also the RAM, the power switch, etc.). Hi Jess This is the console that you speak of. I bought one of these fully assembled and I am very happy with it! It is my "daily driver" for my Colecovision system now! https://thebrewingacademy.com/collections/colecovision-coleco-adam-hardware-consoles/products/the-cv-nuc-a-colecovision-clone-that-fits-in-the-palm-of-your-hand?variant=40158960582758 marlin bates of the brewing academy has been great. He is currently on vacation, but his shop will re-open next month on August 19, 2024. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess Ragan Posted July 11 Author Share Posted July 11 Why in God's name did I subject myself to this? Software is one thing, but having to mess around with putting tiny little sockets into tiny little holes which may or may not be cleared no matter how many times you go over them with a solder sucker and solder braid and solder everything else, only to have the tiny pins in the tiny sockets jump out and be lost forever is NOT. WHAT I CALL. FUN. Do you even have an inkling of how long I spent trying to clean up those forsaken holes, only for the socket to fall apart when I tried to push it into the holes? It was a lot. A lot of time and effort and headaches, only for the goddamned ColecoVision to stick a middle finger in my eye and laugh at me with a mocking tone that only D-grade quality consumer electronics could. This fucking blows. It blows! IT BLOOOOOOOOWS!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess Ragan Posted July 11 Author Share Posted July 11 (takes deep, cleansing breath) Phew. Okay, rage dump over. Mostly. I did manage to get a socket into the board, but I don't know if it actually works yet. As for the second socket, that's toast, and I'll need to get a replacement. It's not fun working with this old kit, I'm telling you. Especially when you're working with sub-optimal lighting and equipment. Oh well, you spins the wheel and you takes your chances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted July 11 Share Posted July 11 11 hours ago, Jess Ragan said: Why in God's name did I subject myself to this? Software is one thing, but having to mess around with putting tiny little sockets into tiny little holes which may or may not be cleared no matter how many times you go over them with a solder sucker and solder braid and solder everything else, only to have the tiny pins in the tiny sockets jump out and be lost forever is NOT. WHAT I CALL. FUN. Do you even have an inkling of how long I spent trying to clean up those forsaken holes, only for the socket to fall apart when I tried to push it into the holes? It was a lot. A lot of time and effort and headaches, only for the goddamned ColecoVision to stick a middle finger in my eye and laugh at me with a mocking tone that only D-grade quality consumer electronics could. This fucking blows. It blows! IT BLOOOOOOOOWS!!! If nothing else you are getting a first hand look at why we charge the prices we do for servicing these systems. It requires investing in good proper tools for doing these things routinely, dedicated space, and time... time being the most critical aspect. If you provide some pics then perhaps @Ruggers Customs, myself, and others can look over to see what might require additional repair work. It is difficult to know based on description alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess Ragan Posted July 11 Author Share Posted July 11 Okay. I'll contact you after I get a replacement for the socket that fell apart on me. I did manage to get one of the sockets on the PCB but haven't tested it to see if it functions. I probably won't test it until I get a replacement socket. Er, anyone know the specific model number of the 20-pin chip socket suitable for use with the ColecoVision? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leaded solder Posted July 25 Share Posted July 25 (edited) On 7/11/2024 at 11:15 AM, Jess Ragan said: Okay. I'll contact you after I get a replacement for the socket that fell apart on me. I did manage to get one of the sockets on the PCB but haven't tested it to see if it functions. I probably won't test it until I get a replacement socket. Er, anyone know the specific model number of the 20-pin chip socket suitable for use with the ColecoVision? You're replacing the 20-pin 74LS541 buffers used for the controller ports? You can buy el-cheapo DIP socket assortments from AliExpress or Amazon, but here's a very inexpensive one from Digi-Key: catalogue number 2057-ICS-320-T-ND. Their minimum shipping can be a bit annoying, so consider making up a shopping list and buying multiples to build your stockpile now that you're getting into this dimension of the hobby. A lot of people prefer the machined-pin sockets, and I like them too, but these cheaper sockets have been fine for me so far (knock on wood.) To make sure you didn't pull a trace or damage a pad, you can test your soldering work with a continuity test on a multimeter, which is sometimes easier to do before the chip is in the socket. Good luck! As an aside, I'm kinda curious if these controller-port ESD protection boards actually work or if they just seem like they should. Edited July 25 by leaded solder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess Ragan Posted July 25 Author Share Posted July 25 Regarding the ESD boards, I wouldn't know. The controller chips offered by Console5 are supposed to have ESD protection of their own, but I figured for the price it couldn't hurt to add an extra layer of protection. (I probably wouldn't have done that if I knew I was going to screw up my ColecoVision doing this mod, heh.) I've got a pretty good multimeter and I probably should have done some testing with it. I'm just wondering if the controllers could interfere with the other components on the board... Super Game Module games don't work anymore, and although I haven't tested standard games, I'm not confident that they'll work either. Maybe there's a power issue... I dunno. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruggers Customs Posted July 25 Share Posted July 25 18 minutes ago, leaded solder said: As an aside, I'm kinda curious if these controller-port ESD protection boards actually work or if they just seem like they should. Of course they work... Why would you think they wouldn't? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leaded solder Posted July 25 Share Posted July 25 They seem like they should work, and I've meant to buy some! I have a couple machines with "naked" DE9 joystick ports that need extra protection. I was mostly wondering if you did empirical ESD testing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruggers Customs Posted July 25 Share Posted July 25 1 minute ago, leaded solder said: I was mostly wondering if you did empirical ESD testing. Well that's not really necessary since Colecovision kind of already did that. Here are just a couple of pictures of the 74541 ESD bodges Coleco did back in the day. I used the same exact zeners they did except in smd and a little more service friendly. First picture was shared by @Bmack36 years ago, second and third are from a console I serviced a while back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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