JoeM_Intellivision Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 Hi pimpaul69, Thanks for the reply & info mich appreciated. I would definitely be willing to have that done but have no tech skills to speak of lol:-) Maybe when time comes you or someone can mod this for me as I sure as hell won't be able to do it:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_me Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 (edited) This is the highest serial number for model 3504 A in the database and it's branded "INTV System III". A 171447 Canada Steve Jones I always thought that even if they were to use the same tutorvision mainboard in these Intellivisions there was a chance these boards might be jumpered to disable the extra gram. I'm not sure if there is such a jumper. And I'm not sure if they were aware of the incompatibility with extra gram; it affected very few cartridges. There also seems to be some evidence that some INTV systems had Intellivision II execs in them. I always wondered what that board looked like. Looks like a couple have been found and noted here. https://docs.google.com/document/d/13ApQEm1Xw_DcCAaXcQvpFot_BvrzSzeUo95EXCf41uc/pub#h.htb2mb9zmtq7 Also it looks like the default title screen text is on the grom chip and not the exec chip. That means an Intellivision could have the updated titlescreen but not the tutorvision exec. One of the two systems found was like that. The other had the tutorvision exec according to that document. Both have the tutorvision mainboard. Edit: Serials found: A-8644, A-031118 Hi pimpaul69, Thanks for the reply & info mich appreciated. I would definitely be willing to have that done but have no tech skills to speak of lol:-) Maybe when time comes you or someone can mod this for me as I sure as hell won't be able to do it:) Swapping an Intellivision mainboard only requires a philips screwdriver; just be carefull with the ribbon cable. Edited September 26, 2017 by mr_me 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freewheel Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 Looks like a couple have been found and noted here. https://docs.google.com/document/d/13ApQEm1Xw_DcCAaXcQvpFot_BvrzSzeUo95EXCf41uc/pub#h.htb2mb9zmtq7 Well, one. You need the WBEXEC *and* new GROM to play these games, no? It would be cool for someone to whip up a "what Intellivision do I have" ROM. Just plug your LTO Flash! in, and see the details. I would suggest based on serial numbers that either a) Rev might have a compatible one, or b) it's going to be entirely random Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_me Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 You don't need the new grom to play tutorvision games. You do need the tutorvision exec. If you don't have the tutorvision exec you might be able to add it through the cartridge port. You do need the tutorvision mainboard to play tutorvision cartridges. There is a rom image that identifies execs. For tutorvision it might show as not identified. To test for a tutorvision mainboard you can play Worm Whomper, assuming there isnt a gram jumper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+intvsteve Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 I wonder if any of those SuperPro or other shells containing TutorVision hardware were repaired systems? I.e. a busted system was sent for repair and the only things left were those boards. Or, conversely, what if "a bunch" (say 100) of these were made, but people thought they were defective because of graphics glitches e.g. Worm Whomper or other games displayed incorrectly. Those could have been sent in for repair and had their Tutorvision boards pulled out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Lathe26 Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 It is my understanding that there is a 3rd component to the Tutorvision, besides the new EXEC and changed GROM. It had the ability to display a 2nd font (a proportional font) across the entire screen. Originally, I had assumed this font was a high-resolution overlay (similar to the Keyboard Component's 2nd font). However, from photos online, it appears that the letters were still 8 pixels high and are aligned vertically to tiles (not horizontally, of course). Thus, my suspicion is that the Tutorvision's 3rd upgrade was to have 4x the standard amount of GRAM. This would require solder work on a standard Intellivision (not upgradable via the cartridge port). They might have upgraded the STIC video chip, but I haven't seen anything that would require that yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_me Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 (edited) Yes, there is a slight change with the STIC. It now displays 160 horizontal pixels instead of 159. So with a game like Major League Baseball or NHL Hockey you can easily tell if that extra pixel is there on the right. That should be a foolproof way to detect the presence of the tutorvision board. All other tests have a chance of failing, although I think the titlescreen test might do it. The narrow font comes from new routines on the exec chip, I believe. There's also extra 16-bit ram so someone could write a program to detect that. Everything you want to know about the tutorvision can be found here. https://docs.google.com/document/d/13ApQEm1Xw_DcCAaXcQvpFot_BvrzSzeUo95EXCf41uc/mobilebasic --------------- And what's the difference between Super Pro and INTV System III intellivisions. Their bottom labels look identical and their serial numbers appear mixed. I thought I read that brand was created at the request of a retailer. The Super Pro brand was never advertised in the INTV direct order catalogs. I also thought I read that the system stopped when they stopped supplying retailers due to INTV signing a developer licensing deal with Nintendo. Is there any reason not to check INTV System III for tutorvision boards. Edited September 26, 2017 by mr_me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+the1hatman Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 Um... ...so what does this mean now? 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freewheel Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 Neat It means you have the Tutorvision GROM. Next step is to try to play Worm Whomper on it. Apparently the worms won't look right, if you have the full board. Also weren't the Tutorvision ROMs released on one of these threads? Couldn't a person just put them on an LTO Flash! and see what happens? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+the1hatman Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 Neat It means you have the Tutorvision GROM. Next step is to try to play Worm Whomper on it. Apparently the worms won't look right, if you have the full board. If needed, I can open the case and check the chipset when I get home tomorrow. Not sure what to look for as I am not well versed in INTV hardware. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+cmart604 Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 If needed, I can open the case and check the chipset when I get home tomorrow. Not sure what to look for as I am not well versed in INTV hardware. More importantly, yay, youre alive! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freewheel Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 If needed, I can open the case and check the chipset when I get home tomorrow. Not sure what to look for as I am not well versed in INTV hardware. Try some Tutorvision games on it Seriously, no one else has tried this yet? What else do you people do other than play Intellivision? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+the1hatman Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 (edited) Try some Tutorvision games on it Seriously, no one else has tried this yet? What else do you people do other than play Intellivision? As soon as one of the 2 or 3 people on Earth with a Tutorvision cartridge sends me one, I promise I'll fire it up Edited September 28, 2017 by the1hatman 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+JasonlikesINTV Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 If needed, I can open the case and check the chipset when I get home tomorrow. Not sure what to look for as I am not well versed in INTV hardware. Woohoo, you hit the jackpot! Nice to see you drop in for a visit. Hopefully life is treating you well 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+the1hatman Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 More importantly, yay, youre alive! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_me Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 (edited) ... ...so what does this mean now? Neat It means you have the Tutorvision GROM. Next step is to try to play Worm Whomper on it. Apparently the worms won't look right, if you have the full board. Also weren't the Tutorvision ROMs released on one of these threads? Couldn't a person just put them on an LTO Flash! and see what happens? Yes, the title screen means you have the grom. It's possible, probably unlikely, to have that grom on a regular intellivision. The worm whomper test will indicate extra gram and a tutorvision board. However it might be possible that you have a tutorvision board but the extra gram is disabled (jumpered) and worm whomper worms look right. Play NHL Hockey. On a regular Intellivision board the left corner is rounder then the right corner. On a tutorvision board the extra pixel will make it symmetrical (with or without extra gram or tutorvision exec/grom). Finally, to test for the tutorvision exec play a tutorvision game. Or run the attached exec check sum utility that tells you which exec you have. A tutorvision exec should have a checksum of "e151aab2" for $400-$4ff (haven't tested on real hardware). If you open it up, a tutorvision board will have a big square chip on top and the board is marked "INTV 1988". Check the dates on the square chip, exec, and grom. edit: Tutorvision cartridge rom files posted here: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/69242-intellivision-tutorvision-found-wgames/?p=3727487 Try them with a flash/memory cart. Still waiting for Geo Graphics. The serial number is very close to one of the others: A 8644, A 031118, and now A 031240 csumexec.zip Edited September 28, 2017 by mr_me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m-crew Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 (edited) Oh the excitement of one possibly being found... Lucky you hatman.!!! Edited September 28, 2017 by m-crew 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_me Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 (edited) ... Finally, to test for the tutorvision exec play a tutorvision game. Or run the attached exec check sum utility that tells you which exec you have. A tutorvision exec should have a checksum of "e151aab2" for $400-$4ff (haven't tested on real hardware). Actually, I'm not sure why the checksum at $400 changes. The new tutorvision exec parts are suppose to be at $2000-$2fff, and its checksum shows as "43c145e1" in jzintv. That's where the ECS rom sits, so an ECS might not work with a tutorvision exec. Edited September 28, 2017 by mr_me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Lathe26 Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 Would the "INTV Corporation" in the title screen mean that the1hatman has the Tutorvision EXEC (aka REX, for Revised EXec) or did the "INTV Corporation" text show up in EXECs before the Tutorvision? We do know his unit definitely does no have the original Mattel EXEC from the Intellivision I or II (those said "Mattel Electronics"). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_me Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 You'd have to open it up and look at the date code printed on the grom chip. The only one I've seen has a date code of 8927 (mid 1989). The "INTV Corporation presents" text comes from the grom chip. Remember there are some exec routines on the grom chip. The serial numbers aren't making sense so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+intvsteve Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 Yeah - looks like the revised EXEC there, since IIRC that's where the boilerplate copyright logic lives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_me Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 (edited) You guys should open up a grom file in a hex editor and you'll see the title screen text in there. Then try mix and matching exec files and grom files in an emulator and you'll see the titlescreen comes from the grom file. Edit: And the tutorvision exec isnt really revised. The first 4k is identical to the original Mattel exec. There is a second 4k of tutorvision routines and data that's been added. Edited September 28, 2017 by mr_me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Lathe26 Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 You guys should open up a grom file in a hex editor and you'll see the title screen text in there. Then try mix and matching exec files and grom files in an emulator and you'll see the titlescreen comes from the grom file. Edit: And the tutorvision exec isnt really revised. The first 4k is identical to the original Mattel exec. There is a second 4k of tutorvision routines and data that's been added. I'd forgotten all about the snippet of code that was in the GROM and was thinking all code was held in the EXEC ROM. Regarding calling it REX, this is the official name of the Tutorvision EXEC and the letters stand for "Revised EXec". http://intellivisionrevolution.com/world-book-tutorvision Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_me Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 Right, and what you're seeing in thehatman's screenshot is the original mattel exec behaviour. You'd have to do more tests to see if the REX extensions are in there as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+the1hatman Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 Right, and what you're seeing in thehatman's screenshot is the original mattel exec behaviour. You'd have to do more tests to see if the REX extensions are in there as well. When I open the case and look directly at the chips will they look like the following if it is a Tudorvision? (pics taken from the Tudorvision google docs page linked above): GROM WBEXEC CPU I'm thinking I can locate these or their equivalents in my Super Pro system once I open it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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