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HunterZero

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  1. This is an amazing project! Great work! Probably a step beyond, but pin compatible FPGA replacements for the AY-3-8900 CCIR and AY-3-8900-1 NTSC STIC (or event switchable!) would certainly be useful for repairing dead consoles. Next we need a drop-in pin compatible replacement for the RA-3-9600 SRAM... The failure rate of these GI chipsets is too darn high. - HZ
  2. Could even just replace the two regulators with new ones, they are cheap. They do get quite warm. I have had broken and cold solder joints around the two large capacitors on the power board too. Give them a reflow. They are usually glued to the board, again to prevent the solder cracking. - HZ
  3. That's not leaking gunk from that crystal part, that's ancient glue. Quite common. I see your sound chip isn't socketed, that would make it not trivial if you need to try to change that part. I would try swapping the STIC (and possibly CPU) before trying to replace the sound chip, given your latest description. Note that for a PAL Inty (that daughterboard is for generating PAL colour signal), the STIC part is AY-3-8900; the NTSC spec USA 2609 console STIC is different, with part AY-3-8900-1. - HZ
  4. Even though the thermal properties of the Intellivision are terrible, it should not normally overheat and crash to black screen unless there's an issue. Does this happen with all cartridges? * Clean the cartridge socket with Deoxit or isopropyl alcohol. * Check the power board output voltages are stable * Check the power ribbon cable is not defective If none of these work then you are going to have to open the logic board sarcophagus for the next steps... * Replace the transistors Q1 and Q2 near the CPU (2N3906 PNP) * Check capacitor C26 (1uF, 20V) near pin 14 on the STIC * Otherwise it sounds like a thermal problem with an IC, once it heats up. You are going to need to try replacing ICs with known good ones carefully, one at a time. Suggested order is: RA-3-9600 RAM, AY-3-8915 sound chip, AY-3-8900 STIC, CP-1610 CPU - HZ
  5. I have a couple of spares, but I have had a couple fail on me in the past. The symptoms start with loss of some sounds, like the arrow counting clicks in D&D games, until the controllers start malfunctioning. RA-3-9600 RAM chips are probably the most needed... - J
  6. Definitely just swap the intact controllers from the glitching console to the good one for now, no point tearing into a working console logic board. The controllers plug in to the edge of the logic board, so easy to swap without desoldering anything. Just be VERY careful of the 5 pin ribbon power strip when lifting the logic board to replace the controllers. - J
  7. I agree to try swapping the RA-3-9600 system RAM chip first. That seems to be the most likely IC to fail in my experience. That is, if you can find a 2nd unit to provide the part needed for the swap, and decide to crack open the sarcophagus RF shielding! Try a few more games, and see if you get any other symptoms if you can. - J
  8. Thank you so much! Merry Christmas! I still would like to get a physical copy at some point too. - J
  9. The PAL consoles that we got in Australia are model 3668, I don't think there was a PAL model 2609? The difference between PAL and NTSC Inty logic boards is as follows: 1. The PAL Inty uses the CCIR version of the STIC rather than NTSC (different number of scanlines) 2. The main system clock is 4MHz on a PAL Inty, and 3.5795MHz on a 2609 NTSC console. The result of this is that a PAL Inty CPU runs a bit faster, but the video (50Hz) and sound run around 12% slower. The PAL Intellivision also has a 2nd crystal at 4.4MHz for generating the PAL colour signals. 3. PAL Intellivisions have either a daughter board on risers that generates the PAL colorburst connected with ribbon cables, or they have a LM1886N video matrix digital to analogue converter and LM1889N video modulator, instead of the AY-3-8915 color PROM. Depending on the USA screen you try with a PAL Inty, you may get no sync, or a black and white picture. It is possible to convert a 3668 model Intellivision to a PAL 60 console by replacing the system clock crystal, and replacing the STIC CCIR with the NTSC version. - J
  10. Yes, the console will start and get to the title screen without the controllers plugged in. Infact, a faulty controller can cause black screen. - J
  11. Here was my ribbon cable replacement solution: https://forums.atariage.com/topic/258132-power-ribbon-cable-replacement/ When bench testing the board like that, take care not to "over insert" the cartridge - try backing off the cartridge a little bit. Check as well that the reset button is OK, and give it a momentary press after powering on the board. And I do note in your photo that you've inserted the cartridge the right way up, taking into account the logic board is parts side down inside the console Also, some of the cartridge pins are grounded, and usually there's a generous blob of solder where the RF shield is attached to the logic board where these ground pins are. Make sure you didn't bridge something there that isn't meant to be ground. - J
  12. It sounds like very likely now there is a break or flaky connection in the ribbon cable from the power supply board to the main logic board. That can definitely cause black screen. I would start with ruling that out. Be careful too not to introduce shorts when bench testing out of the case, as the RF shield is soldered to the ground plane that goes around the outside of the board. Unfortunately these consoles have multiple points of failure, the solution/diagnosis in the service manual is to "try replacing a chip with a known working one". I your case, the STIC sounds like the original culprit, and is a very common point of failure. And be VERY careful of the brick transformer unit, that has lethal voltages inside. - J
  13. First guess would be SRAM issue. The egg looks to be made from two sprite objects, and both objects of the egg are moving together, so it's less likely to be the STIC. Resetting the console made no difference? It would be interesting to see if there are issues with other games. - HZ
  14. I am not sure if they still have spares or are willing to part with them, but users Humblejack and -^Crossbow^- had spares of the ribbon cable at one point, if you wanted to keep it original. https://forums.atariage.com/topic/258132-power-ribbon-cable-replacement/?do=findComment&comment=3950008 https://forums.atariage.com/topic/347605-intellivision-power-ribbon-replacement/?do=findComment&comment=5204614 - HZ
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