Tron Unit Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 (edited) Alright I think my Colecovision is messed up. When I put in a cartridge after the title screen comes up and I get to the select menu I can't use controller 1 keypad input but I can on controller 2. As soon as the game starts it instantly goes to a black screen where it plays some kind of carnival-like music, I think it's going to a game pause screen automatically. I've never seen this before. It only does it on some games not all. Some just go to a black screen. I've tried mutiple carts, resetting and turning the power on/off and unplugging the power supply. What is going on? Is my board toast? Edited January 24, 2015 by Tron Unit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIAD Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Sounds like you controller port #1 IC Chip has gone bad and the system is receiving the signal that the " * " button on the keypad is pressed as far as how you explain the one game reverting to a black screen and then you hear music being played. What game is it that you experience this behavior so that we will know if it truly has a pause feature accessed by pressing the " * " keypad button. A lot of games do not include a pause feature accessed by pressing the " * " keypad button, so other games just going to a "black screen" suggest that there is something else causing the issue which may be more serious... maybe the BIOS Chip but could be the RAM Chips, Power Switch or Power Transformer. Will need one of the experts to chime in on what they think it could be. There are some CV games made by 3rd Party companies (ie: AtariSoft titles) that do not use the built-in CV BIOS and I'm wondering if they will work properly even with a bad BIOS Chip. BTW, did you just recently mod the system with the Yurkie Composite A/V PCB? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tron Unit Posted January 24, 2015 Author Share Posted January 24, 2015 As a matter of fact I did just mod it with Yurkie's composite AV mod and it was working just fine for over a week and now this. The game getting the music pause screen is Time Pilot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIAD Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Time Pilot has a Pause feature and plays carnival like music with a black screen, so like I said, the IC chip for controller port #1 has gone bad and it's causing phantom inputs from the controller (ie: a number between 1-8 to select the skill and then the * to pause). Since you are getting no video as well, I would venture a guess that something more serious is going on as well and possibly with the mod you performed yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tron Unit Posted January 24, 2015 Author Share Posted January 24, 2015 No, I'm getting video just fine (Startup screen, menu select, game) it's just as soon as the game starts it goes to a black pause screen but in the case of Time Pilot is has the carnival music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tron Unit Posted January 24, 2015 Author Share Posted January 24, 2015 Just to be sure, I re-soldered the Yurkie composite AV mod and checked the controller connector ports to see if any pins were broken or on the board. They looked fine. Got everything back together. It no longer takes me to the game pause screen but I can't press the keypad option #1 to select 1 player and now my controller keeps pulling down during gameplay no matter which controller I use. So yeah maybe it's a bad controller IC. Is this easy to fix for a layman? If not, I have been trying to get Yurkie to mod my controllers anyway but maybe I can just send the whole console to him and see if he can fix it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIAD Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 Ok then, it's definetely the controller port #1 IC and it's not an easy fix unless you are experienced with desodering on a PCB such as the ColecoVision... it is very easy to damage the board or a trace. If you are not comfortable doing so, I would recommend sending it to Yurkie to have him do the required work and in the process, he will install sockets for both controller port ICs to make any possible further issues with the chips to be a breeze to replace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tron Unit Posted January 25, 2015 Author Share Posted January 25, 2015 (edited) Thank you very much for your help. Hopefully Yurkie can fix it. Edited January 25, 2015 by Tron Unit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tron Unit Posted February 14, 2015 Author Share Posted February 14, 2015 I just got my CV back from Yurkie today. He supposedly replaced the #1 IC controller, however, it is having the exact same problem as it had before. I cannot select 1 or 2 players from the startup menu screen and during gameplay the controller keeps forcing down no matter which controller I have plugged into it. I am really really bummed about this having just gotten it back. Can somebody help me fix my Coleco? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+5-11under Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I just got my CV back from Yurkie today. He supposedly replaced the #1 IC controller, however, it is having the exact same problem as it had before. I cannot select 1 or 2 players from the startup menu screen and during gameplay the controller keeps forcing down no matter which controller I have plugged into it. I am really really bummed about this having just gotten it back. Can somebody help me fix my Coleco? Send it back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tron Unit Posted February 14, 2015 Author Share Posted February 14, 2015 Sent him a PM. Will see what he says. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiLic0ne t0aD Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Chances are he socketed the chip.. hopefully. If so, it's as easy as swapping in a new chip into the socket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tron Unit Posted February 14, 2015 Author Share Posted February 14, 2015 (edited) It looks like he did socket the chip on #1 however the controller port connector feels a little loose compared to the #2 port. Frustrating. Edited February 14, 2015 by Tron Unit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColecoDan Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 It looks like he did socket the chip on #1 however the controller port connector feels a little loose compared to the #2 port. Frustrating. If you do get it fixed use another controller in that socket. Maybe the contoller keeps breaking it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tron Unit Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 My guess is that regular tension on the cable from handling the controller during gameplay eventually weakened the port connector on the PCB. Sounds like this was a common problem with the CV. Yurkie socketed and replaced the IC chip but the controller port was probably loose. It definitely feels slightly loose if you barely wiggle it whereas controller port #2 which is almost never used feels perfectly taught on the board. Pretty sure controller port #1 needs to be completely replaced. I have not the skill nor the parts to do the fix myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chart45 Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 i always use an extension cable that way you never mess with the cv controller port Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tron Unit Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 i always use an extension cable that way you never mess with the cv controller port As do I. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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