AtariBuff Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 Booted up a newly acquired Lord of the Dungeon cartridge (CGE release 2000) yesterday on a CBS ColecoVision console (220V). On first power on the screen shows just garbled graphics, on second power on the smaller text "OF THE" and "REXFORD AYERS BATTENBERG" is readable but the larger one "LORD" and "DUNGEON" (composed of graphics surely) is garbled. I press the fire buttons and the keypad buttons and a message comes up like "Party has been deleted" or so, so it was playable for a moment. I tried out a few other homebrews then and finally put LotD back in and powered on like 20 times - no more garbled blocky graphics, no more text with garbled graphics, There is now just a black screen coming up, sometimes a sound is present. Did Lord of the Dungeon finally meet its maker? Before I ruin the label and unscrew the cartridge, I want to make sure if it's even worth the effort. Can it be that the CBS ColecoVision's 220V somehow damaged the cartridge? Has it something to do with that on-board battery that is sitting on the PCB for 14 years? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValkerieSilk Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 Do standard CV carts work ok? Booted up a newly acquired Lord of the Dungeon cartridge (CGE release 2000) yesterday on a CBS ColecoVision console (220V). On first power on the screen shows just garbled graphics, on second power on the smaller text "OF THE" and "REXFORD AYERS BATTENBERG" is readable but the larger one "LORD" and "DUNGEON" (composed of graphics surely) is garbled. I press the fire buttons and the keypad buttons and a message comes up like "Party has been deleted" or so, so it was playable for a moment. I tried out a few other homebrews then and finally put LotD back in and powered on like 20 times - no more garbled blocky graphics, no more text with garbled graphics, There is now just a black screen coming up, sometimes a sound is present. Did Lord of the Dungeon finally meet its maker? Before I ruin the label and unscrew the cartridge, I want to make sure if it's even worth the effort. Can it be that the CBS ColecoVision's 220V somehow damaged the cartridge? Has it something to do with that on-board battery that is sitting on the PCB for 14 years? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariBuff Posted April 15, 2014 Author Share Posted April 15, 2014 Yes, no problem with them, scleme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youki Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 I have Load of the dungeons and in France we have also CBS 220v , but i have to admit i never plugged it in my console!! (and i bought it in 2010 i think).... i think i will wait result of your investigation before trying one day!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+5-11under Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 (edited) The battery is dead (or the RAM). Edited April 15, 2014 by 5-11under 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariBuff Posted April 15, 2014 Author Share Posted April 15, 2014 Hmm, do you think a dead battery for game saves renders the whole cartridge dead until replaced? Worth a try, though the label will suffer permamently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColecoDan Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 Hmm, do you think a dead battery for game saves renders the whole cartridge dead until replaced? Worth a try, though the label will suffer permamently. yurkie fixed my kevtris cartridge turned out needed some better soldering. So that could be it also. He was able to get the label off without ruining it. Not sure what he did but I am sure there are ways to get the label off without ruining it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariBuff Posted April 15, 2014 Author Share Posted April 15, 2014 Thanks so far guys. I think heating the label with a hair dryer should do the trick. Will do the battery replacement operation on the weekend and keep you posted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValkerieSilk Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 Good Luck ... Take it slow... Thanks so far guys. I think heating the label with a hair dryer should do the trick. Will do the battery replacement operation on the weekend and keep you posted 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixelboy Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNUr__-VZeQ 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIAD Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 Possibilities.... - Dead battery - Cold solder joint - beginning stages of a failing Power Supply There have been other issues with MultiCarts that were assembled by Sean Kelly from this time period (early 2000s) and it wouldn't surprise me one bit if it has something to do with the soldering. As far as it possibly being the Power Supply, this game (CGE and CollectorVision release) and the AtariMax MultiCarts are very good ways to test the P.S especially if you don't have the proper test equipment to test the voltages being supplied to the CV PCB. You may be able to play all or most of the standard CV carts without a problem, but LotD and the MultiCarts might experience issues with a P.S. that is just starting to fail. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroillucid Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I have Load of the dungeons and in France NOW, this is awesome! Really a LOAD of the dungeons?! Wich region? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariBuff Posted April 16, 2014 Author Share Posted April 16, 2014 NIAD, thanks for your lengthy and informative reply. I will try another power supply at first on the weekend and see if it works out. If not, I prefer not to open the cart myself and as I'm not the soldering type, maybe there is a chance that one of you guys can help me out with it (you, Yurkie?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariBuff Posted April 16, 2014 Author Share Posted April 16, 2014 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNUr__-VZeQ Yes, that's what I meant Saw it last weekend (again). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariBuff Posted April 29, 2014 Author Share Posted April 29, 2014 (edited) And the winner is... NIAD - beginning stages of a failing Power Supply Had a chance to try out the cartridge again. Used another power supply and pang... it worked. Created a party and entered a dungeon. Nice game. Now I have to study the manual... Thanks again for all your replies Edited April 29, 2014 by AtariBuff 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+5-11under Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Obviously my memory is shot, because I saw that a dozen times during my testing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIAD Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Once again I must pat myself on the back! http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=nGcTcDcrx9s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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