ColecoVision Flashback System

[Hyperboy]

I talked to a Dollar General manager and his schedule showed a week 39 arrival at store and approximately one week for in store release, So 3 weeks.

[Tursi]

Stumbled on these at Toys R Us and found this thread while deciding whether to get them. I ended up coming home with the Coleco and Genesis ones, since the thread was too long to read on my phone comfortably.

 

I didn't see that anyone posted pictures of the guts, sooo... here is one. (I didn't photograph the Genesis unit, but it is similar, with the blob chip, and a 512MB flash chip (silkscreen indicates that the unit also supports a 1GB chip)).

 

Back to the Coleco:

 

 

You can see the power supply on the left, and the blob chip. The joypad connectors are directly attached at the bottom of the picture.

 

The SST chip appears to be an SST39VF1601C, which is a 1M x 16 flash chip (so, 2MB total). Datasheet is readily available. This is large enough for 60 32k games, though! So this could be the game storage.

 

The ESMT chip appears to be an M12L16161A-7T - this is a 512K x 16 x 2 banks DRAM (not familiar with multiple bank RAM! Does that mean it's also 2MB total space?) Anyway, datasheet for this is also out there. I'm a little surprised it has so much RAM when the Genesis doesn't seem to...

[Andromeda Stardust]

Was anybody not expecting the glob-top? Actually this may be encouraging as the Golb-top may indicate the presense of a discrete System-on-a-chip and not the emulator as previously thought... Unless somebody also finds an ARM chip in there. But crappy hardware simulation and crappy software emulation can be just as bad, just in slightly different ways...

 

Also I'm kind of peeved the DG/SC consoles were delayed while TRU broke their release date. I certainly hope the DG units are available before Thanksgiving as I loathe Black Friday crowds. I'd rather buy the console for $40 and have peace of mind then go out in the am with my belly still full from half-digested turkey, only to fight the rush of shoppers for that $10 off sale, and risk walking out empty handed. Even if the DG in question is right behind my house. I also tend to get clostrophobic in crowded quarters, so no Black Friday or December 24th shopping for me...

[LynxVGL]

I certainly hope the DG units are available before Thanksgiving as I loathe Black Friday crowds. I'd rather buy the console for $40 and have peace of mind then go out in the am with my belly still full from half-digested turkey, only to fight the rush of shoppers for that $10 off sale, and risk walking out empty handed. Even if the DG in question is right behind my house. I also tend to get clostrophobic in crowded quarters, so no Black Friday or December 24th shopping for me...

I'm actually planning on a Black Friday pick-up. In my area, the Atari Flashbacks just sat in the aisles. I think that the CV & Inty versions may be just niche' enough that you don't have to worry about them all being gobbled up as soon as stores open for Black Friday. Hope I'm not wrong...

 

I'm looking forward to both models. Hooking up my CV is a little bit of a pain, and I've never been happy with the Inty emulation. You just need the Inty Controller for those games to work right.

Edited October 15, 2014 by LynxVGL

[Andromeda Stardust]

I dunno. Shoppers turn into a bunch of rabbid wild animals on Black Friday. They'll grab anything that's not nailed down to the shelves. Every year in the news (sometimes even local), stories of people getting trampled, shop-lifting, stealing items from other shoppers buggies, even yanking goods out of their hands, fights breaking out, riots, arrests, etc...

 

This year we've potentially got Ebola to worry about too...

Edited October 15, 2014 by stardust4ever

[+save2600]

I just had a flashback of sorts. Early 80's and Coleco was giving away a Cabbage Patch doll with every Colecovision system... fights broke out during that promotion, but don't remember anyone getting killed over it.

 

How would you like to be the sorry sack that had to explain to some kids that your mother or father died while shopping for your present? Not only is a parent gone, but Jimmy doesn't get a Colecovision and Susie is out a Cabbage Patch doll too. Or worse, surviving parent goes to pursue the same deal and ends up losing their life over it as well.

[thegamezmaster]

I remember that give away. Still have the doll in the plastic!LOL

 

I did get a CV Flashback from TRU. The screen cuts off the right side so your character disappears. Plus the controllers, one I have to sometimes push twice to get a response and the other one pushing left, I have to really push hard to get a response or nothing at all. Anyone else have these problems? Thanks! Just curious

Edited October 15, 2014 by thegamezmaster

[Chris-in-NJ]

Toys R Us in Totowa, NJ has loads of these, bought one yesterday. I already had my FB2 connected to my old analog television so just swapped cables on the TV, and used the power supply from the FB2 and it worked fine. I also plugged one of the Coleco controllers into the FB2, and the 2 key works as the fire button, and down on the joystick is the same as Atari left.

 

Anyway, played a bit of Frenzy (the main reason I bought the unit), Zaxxon (I'm still horrible at it) and Dragonfire (couldn't even get across the bridge.)

 

They also had at least a dozen each of the Genesis and Atari 5 Flashbacks, but only a handful of the Intellivision ones.

[tremoloman2006]

I bought the CV Flashback a week ago. Overall I think it's decent but obviously no replacement for a real CV. One of the controllers works great, the other is horrible and totally unuseable. I cannot get a diagonal to work on it for the life of me. For $40, I think it's a decent system to get people into the CV but a true CV fan will be

 

FYI: I found mine at Family Dollar

 

Regards,

Trem

[ColecoDan]

I remember that give away. Still have the doll in the plastic!LOL

 

I did get a CV Flashback from TRU. The screen cuts off the right side so your character disappears. Plus the controllers, one I have to sometimes push twice to get a response and the other one pushing left, I have to really push hard to get a response or nothing at all. Anyone else have these problems? Thanks! Just curious

one person noted that they had to use the controller a lot and then it got better over time. So hopefully that is your problem as well.

[Andromeda Stardust]

Ugg. Why is it that every single clone system fudges up the diagonals? Either diagonals are too hard to hit reliably (sometimes it is possible to hit diagonals in one direction but not another) or the diagonals are too easy to hit, making it difficult to reliably hit cardinal directions.

 

Is it that hard to make a decent Dpad or directional control? Nintendo's been doing it for 30 years counting the Famicom.

Edited October 15, 2014 by stardust4ever

[jblenkle]

Here is the latest on the CV Flashback and Atari Flashback at Sam's Club straight from the horse's mouth (my friend)...the bit in red I added for clarification. My friend is manager at one of the Sam's in the Cleveland, OH area.

 

The Atari (asked about in another message) is the FB5 Deluxe $39.88. Your Sam’s (Citrus Heights, CA) is getting 32 of them. I called the buying office today. All systems will hit the clubs Nov.1. Being a Saturday they should be there between Saturday and Monday. If they receive freight like we do they will be getting trucks Friday – Sunday overnight which means they could be in stock Saturday – Monday.

 

So expect them in Sam's anywhere between Sat. Nov. 1 to Mon. Nov. 3.

 

 

 

Thank you, much appreciated I'm sure by others too.

Edited October 15, 2014 by jblenkle

[+pboland]

I bought both the Intellivision and the CV flashback systems. I like the CV system a lot but, I just felt that the INTV system was done so much better. I mean the Intellivision FB looks like a mini INTV. The CV system feels a little under finished. With that in mind, I decide to take a crack at making my CVFB look as good as my INTVFB. Here's what I came up with:

 

 

It's hard to tell from the picture but, the round labels on the controllers and the large label on the system are brushed metal labels like the original CV units had back in the day. I'm still not 100% happy with the look of the large label but, I do feel it is more on par with the INTVFB now. What do you guys think?

 

BTW, that is an actual picture of my CVFB and is not a Photoshop mock-up.

Edited October 15, 2014 by pboland

[Pixelboy]

It's hard to tell from the picture but, the round labels on the controllers and the large label on the system are brushed metal labels like the original CV units had back in the day. I'm still not 100% happy with the look of the large label but, I do feel it is more on par with the INTVFB now. What do you guys think?

Looks nice! I like it!

[StephenJ]

Great work pboland!
When are you taking orders?

[Andromeda Stardust]

Here is the latest on the CV Flashback and Atari Flashback at Sam's Club straight from the horse's mouth (my friend)...the bit in red I added for clarification. My friend is manager at one of the Sam's in the Cleveland, OH area.

 

The Atari (asked about in another message) is the FB5 Deluxe $39.88. Your Sam’s (Citrus Heights, CA) is getting 32 of them. I called the buying office today. All systems will hit the clubs Nov.1. Being a Saturday they should be there between Saturday and Monday. If they receive freight like we do they will be getting trucks Friday – Sunday overnight which means they could be in stock Saturday – Monday.

 

So expect them in Sam's anywhere between Sat. Nov. 1 to Mon. Nov. 3.

 

 

 

Now if we can get similar info from Dollar General. I want my Antarctic Adventure, dangit!

[+Darrin9999]

I bought both the Intellivision and the CV flashback systems. I like the CV system a lot but, I just felt that the INTV system was done so much better. I mean the Intellivision FB looks like a mini INTV. The CV system feels a little under finished. With that in mind, I decide to take a crack at making my CVFB look as good as my INTVFB. Here's what I came up with:

 

ColecoFlashBack.jpg

 

It's hard to tell from the picture but, the round labels on the controllers and the large label on the system are brushed metal labels like the original CV units had back in the day. I'm still not 100% happy with the look of the large label but, I do feel it is more on par with the INTVFB now. What do you guys think?

 

BTW, that is an actual picture of my CVFB and is not a Photoshop mock-up.

I want them? where do I send money?

[Hyperboy]

Now if we can get similar info from Dollar General. I want my Antarctic Adventure, dangit!

I posted in another thread yesterday after I spoke to a DG manager, He said they will have them in week 39 and on the shelves within a week, So 3 weeks for the Dollar General release

[Andromeda Stardust]

I posted in another thread yesterday after I spoke to a DG manager, He said they will have them in week 39 and on the shelves within a week, So 3 weeks for the Dollar General release

So that puts the date right around teh beginning of November, like the Sam's Club ones?

[Hyperboy]

Based on what the manager told me they should be on shelves during the first week of November, I will check back often and post as soon as I can lay hands on them.

Edited October 16, 2014 by Hyperboy

[thegamezmaster]

one person noted that they had to use the controller a lot and then it got better over time. So hopefully that is your problem as well.

 

So far it's hit or miss. Sometimes you have to push hard other times nothing. And the picture is still to the right.

[Bill Loguidice]

 

So far it's hit or miss. Sometimes you have to push hard other times nothing. And the picture is still to the right.

 

That sounds like your display. Have you tried different modes, like "Justscan," "Original," "4:3," etc.? Barring that, you should try a different display. Each display interprets the signal differently.

[thegamezmaster]

 

That sounds like your display. Have you tried different modes, like "Justscan," "Original," "4:3," etc.? Barring that, you should try a different display. Each display interprets the signal differently.

Don't think my TV has that. It's a crt 36" Toshiba. Went through the menu and didn't see any adjustments like that.

Edited October 16, 2014 by thegamezmaster

[privateers69]

Don't think my TV has that. It's a crt 36" Toshiba. Went through the menu and didn't see any adjustments like that.

How about your other video consoles or shows? It might need adjusted with the small knobs behind the tv. One would do the video height, another video width and another for centering the picture. (All depends on the age of the television)

Edited October 16, 2014 by privateers69

[Bill Loguidice]

Don't think my TV has that. It's a crt 36" Toshiba. Went through the menu and didn't see any adjustments like that.

 

Yeah, the adjustments I mentioned are for widescreen TVs and usually non-CRTs at that and are related to aspect ratios. I have no explanation why it'd be cut off on that TV, but I would definitely try it on a different display if at all possible. I think privateers69's suggestion is your last bet on that TV, which, as he stated, is even assuming that TV has such adjustments (and based on the size, I suspect it doesn't).