Anyone that can provide the Intellivision AV/Composite video mod service?

[+grips03]

Good that you added the cap between video out and ground.

It definitely needs something, according to my research.

I tried all types and kinds, and found that this part, pictured, makes the aqua color less aqua and more blue like the RF output.

A few types caused a blurring effect, and some caused ghosting to the right in the white.

A different value is probably needed, but this will stay in my mod because it is an improvement.

Note it does not change shapness, shadowing on red, or anything except shifting aqua toward the correct sky blue.

image.jpg

 

 

I have a cap kit here and can try various sizes. I'll post results when done. Plan is to get a good working mod and then post it here for others to use. When done I'll post the Eagle .brd file, so all you have to do is order (3) of them from OSHpark yourself.

 

For the colors I'll compare to the other Intv consoles I have here. Most likely using PIP on the TV.

Edited August 31, 2014 by grips03

[ArcadeJunkie]

I did an av mod on my v2 recently. Not much room to mount the connectors, but wasn't too bad. I am in LOVE with the video/audio quality now!! Highly recommend upgrading all rf systems to composite! Check out www.coolretroprojects.com. I got pretty much every one of his kits. Shipping takes a bit, but I can confirm that they are great kits! And if anyone is interested in the service, pm me and maybe we can work something out.

[iesposta]

Feel free to use anything I've shared.

I am only interested in mine for my Inty II and for fun.

It seems more than a couple, including Al, want this.

I was a bit manic and made this picture.

(This was before adding the Video Out capacitor to ground.)

[ArcadeJunkie]

Feel free to use anything I've shared.

I am only interested in mine for my Inty II and for fun.

It seems more than a couple, including Al, want this.

I was a bit manic and made this picture.

(This was before adding the Video Out capacitor to ground.)

IMG_3815.JPG

Ever thing about designing and mass producing your own mod board? Could be something good for a kickstarter project?

[+grips03]

Feel free to use anything I've shared.

I am only interested in mine for my Inty II and for fun.

It seems more than a couple, including Al, want this.

I was a bit manic and made this picture.

(This was before adding the Video Out capacitor to ground.)

IMG_3815.JPG

 

Those bubble windows rock!

[hooziewhatsit]

Ever thing about designing and mass producing your own mod board? Could be something good for a kickstarter project?

 

If no one else wants to, this is something I could do (minus the kickstarter part). I'd likely make it all surface mount, since that's easier for me to deal with, and it's much faster to assemble.

 

I'd probably also add at least another cap to the input to the 7805. And possibly some ferrite beads on the 12v and ground inputs, which will help reduce any high frequency noise from crossing into the video side.

[+grips03]

 

If no one else wants to, this is something I could do (minus the kickstarter part). I'd likely make it all surface mount, since that's easier for me to deal with, and it's much faster to assemble.

 

I'd probably also add at least another cap to the input to the 7805. And possibly some ferrite beads on the 12v and ground inputs, which will help reduce any high frequency noise from crossing into the video side.

 

I'm going to post Eagle files when done, then someone could order directly from OSHpark.com. I'm not against using SMD, but rev 1 is through hole.

 

I just have no interest in making finished pcbs and selling them, if you do that would be cool.

[pimpmaul69]

Are you saying you left the RF modulator in? The point of using the shunt or a 7805 is not to obtain 5v that's already on the board elsewhere its to remove the RF modulator.

The RF modulator internally supplies 5v to the video signal if you disconnect it there's no longer voltage going to the video and therefor no picture.

 

It seems that some people seem not to notice the interference the RF modulator causes and some do. I guess it comes down to the TV you are using. On the couple of HDTV's I tried the difference is very drastic. I had previously tried both available composite mods for the Intellivision before others had posted the shunt schematic on this site and for me they produced garbage video out and were worse than that of the original RF.

you could use diodes to seperate the composite and the rf and still keep both with their best quality. I unfortunately hadnt thought of using diodes to separate them when i was installing composite mods. Edited September 1, 2014 by pimpmaul69

[Rev]

So much going on in here!

 

I dont know what to do!!!!!!

[thecrypticodor]

you could use diodes to seperate the composite and the rf and still keep both with their best quality. I unfortunately hadnt thought of using diodes to separate them when i was installing composite mods.

 

I don't see any point in trying to keep the RF modulator. 95% of television made in the last thirty years have composite inputs. Also I doubt that new TV's are still going to be sold equipped with analog tuners for too much longer. If for some reason you want to use a pre 90's TV that only has RF in than chances are you'd own a external RF modulator or a VCR.

Edited September 1, 2014 by thecrypticodor

[pimpmaul69]

I don't see any point in trying to keep the RF modulator. 95% of television made in the last thirty years have composite inputs. Also I doubt that new TV's are still going to be sold equipped with analog tuners for too much longer. If for some reason you want to use a pre 90's TV that only has RF in than chances are you'd own a external RF modulator or a VCR.

several people i modded them for wanted to keep the rf for options because they liked to go between tvs and have options when they traveled i never modded my inty because my plasma tv produces an excellent rf with the coax cable i used with an adapter that converted at the inty Edited September 1, 2014 by pimpmaul69

[iesposta]

I will try to keep my original models RF for as long as I can use them that way.

All my 70's, release year model systems, "got it right." They all have amazing clean RF.

It is later models where each successor was made cheaper and cheaper that the RF gets really poor.

 

Fairchild VES without a switch box, really good. Atari Heavy Sixer without a switch box, amazing, Bally Professional Arcade without a switch box, amazing (It was so bad through the switch box it came with I thought it was a broken!) 1979 Intellivision without switch box, perfect.

[ArcadeJunkie]

Most of the composite mods I've done were able to keep the rf output... its neat to hook up both rca and rf and switch between the 2 to see how they differ on the screen... so far (at least on my 46" lcd) the rca is a HUGE improvement!

Edited September 1, 2014 by ArcadeJunkie

[+grips03]

I wonder if a MAX9680 or similar would work for this?

Edited September 1, 2014 by grips03

[thecrypticodor]

Perhaps the composite video output off the mod board itself can be fed into the modulator. Than you could just have a dual pole dpdt switch to switch the composite video and audio between the modulator and the composite outputs. You'd have to use a diode to block the DC voltage the modulator outputs to the video signal so it wont go to the negative leg of that 100uf capacitor.

Edited September 1, 2014 by thecrypticodor

[+grips03]

PCBs came in today. I built it up, but the image has jailbars and is not as sharp as RF. Its certainly usable, but not that great. The colors are off slightly but I did not test a ton. I'm going to switch to a dedicated video amp and/or try to tune this circuit some more. The vertical lines are across the enitre screen, but can be seen in DK's head or the purple startup screen of Space Patrol.

Edited September 2, 2014 by grips03

[iesposta]

PCBs came in today. I built it up, but the image has jailbars and is not as sharp as RF. ...

What model Intv?

Jailbars is something I have not seen.

In mine, I personally would like the white to not smear to the left and right like it currently does. The white on the RF is better. But it is acceptable enough for me and the Intellivision II.

 

I tried a variable resistor instead of the 1K, and less resistance makes the picture darker, which makes the white less bright of course, but it doesn't change the left and right smearing.

 

Still interested in what you come up with!

[+grips03]

What model Intv?

Jailbars is something I have not seen.

In mine, I personally would like the white to not smear to the left and right like it currently does. The white on the RF is better. But it is acceptable enough for me and the Intellivision II.

 

I tried a variable resistor instead of the 1K, and less resistance makes the picture darker, which makes the white less bright of course, but it doesn't change the left and right smearing.

 

Still interested in what you come up with!

 

2609 aka Intellivision 1. The solarfox composite video with zener diode mod is a little darker than RF.

 

Going to breadboard first this time. Hopefully it works out. Parts have been ordered.

Edited September 3, 2014 by grips03

[+grips03]

Here is the Eagle files for rev 1.1.

 

This is the Solarfox method with Zener diode. Use at own risk. I get jailbars and so so video quality. I still like RF more. Upload .brd file to order (3) from oshpark.com for $11.10 shipped.

intv-video.zip

Edited September 7, 2014 by grips03

[+evg2000]

grips03, looks like you are running 12v in? doesn't look like you are dropping voltage to 5v, is this circuit designed for 5v or 12v? What happens if you try 5v in? have you tried putting a high and low pass caps across vin and end? Does this circuit run hot?

Edited September 7, 2014 by evg2000

[+grips03]

grips03, looks like you are running 12v in? doesn't look like you are dropping voltage to 5v, is this circuit designed for 5v or 12v? What happens if you try 5v in? have you tried putting a high and low pass caps across vin and end? Does this circuit run hot?

Zener diode converts to 12v to 5v. I'm working on a different composite video mod for Intv. I just made this availible if people wanted the Solarfox mod with zener diode. I don't plan to use it. Circuit does not run hot.

Edited September 7, 2014 by grips03

[iesposta]

Here is the Eagle files for rev 1.1.

 

This is the Solarfox method with Zener diode. Use at own risk. I get jailbars and so so video quality. I still like RF more. Upload .brd file to order (3) from oshpark.com for $11.10 shipped.

Thanks for sharing.

You dropped the extra capacitor.

It definitely needs a Mylar capacitor between video out and ground.

Sorry to see you are going in another direction.

 

As far as any findings:

 

Did you test without the extra capacitor?

......I saw you had an electrolyte capacitor. My test showed an electrolyte capacitor made everything worse.

......Different Mylar capacitors gave color improvements.

Did you test with the RF box components completely detached from the board?

...... If power and video were still running into the RF box it may have caused a poor picture.

[+grips03]

Thanks for sharing.

You dropped the extra capacitor.

It definitely needs a Mylar capacitor between video out and ground.

Sorry to see you are going in another direction.

 

As far as any findings:

 

Did you test without the extra capacitor?

......I saw you had an electrolyte capacitor. My test showed an electrolyte capacitor made everything worse.

......Different Mylar capacitors gave color improvements.

Did you test with the RF box components completely detached from the board?

...... If power and video were still running into the RF box it may have caused a poor picture.

 

the extra cap made it worse, more blurry

RF not instaled

 

I modified the circuit to use +5v and got the same results

I then modified again to use 7805 and again got the same results

 

Yeah going to make new design. Or at least try.

Edited September 7, 2014 by grips03

[First Spear]

OK..... So who can I pay now for a plug-and-play dongle to plug into my Intv that will give composite output?

[+grips03]

I tried a AD8032 and got poor results. I asked Analog Devices and they said to try ADA4891-1. I've ordered a few of them and will test. I'm assuming the composite video from the Intellivision just needs to be amplified from its current value of ~50mvPP to ~1vPP. But I must admit I know zero about video stuff.