HunterZero
-
Posts
744 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Blogs
Gallery
Events
Store
Posts posted by HunterZero
-
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
1
-
-
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
-
1
-
-
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
-
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
-
Thank you so much! Merry Christmas! I still would like to get a physical copy at some point too.
- J
-
2
-
-
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
-
3
-
-
4 hours ago, pretzelFTW said:
In my early testing it seemed to me that the controllers had to be plugged in before I got anything on the screen. Now I'm thinking that might have been coincidence.
Can anyone confirm? Can I still get a title screen without controllers plugged in? (Would be nice to get them out of the way for now).
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
-
1
-
-
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
-
1
-
-
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
-
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
-
1
-
-
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.
- HZ
-
As stated above, the soldering on these Intellivision boards can be rather messy - the brown stuff looks to be leftover rosin flux. It should clean up with isopropyl.
There are a few different PAL board revisions that can be found in model 3668 Intellivisions - you have one of the simpler single board revisions (there are versions with a daughter board for the PAL colour circuitry). While much of the logic is the same as the more common NTSC boards, there are differences around the colour circuitry and RF output. And of course the STIC chip is a different version (CCIR vs NTSC).
All electrolytic capacitor values should be clearly printed on the cans.
PAL boards do indeed have 2 crystals - the 4.000MHz (XTAL2) one is the system clock, the other crystal XTAL1 is for the PAL colour signal. These very rarely go bad, you should not need to replace them even as preventative maintenance.
I would verify that the power output from the power supply board are in spec, then try powering on the system. You should get around 12V across the 2 pin connector near the large capacitor at the back of the power supply, then from the rear pin of the 2 pin connector to the 5 pin connector, you should get 5V, 12V, an unregulated 16V voltage (will be around 23V at no load), 0V, and -2.1V. Be very careful with the 5 pin ribbon connector cable, and check it has continuity.
I have found the SHOEI branded electrolytics on the mainboards of these systems are quite reliable, but it never hurts to replace ancient electrolytic caps. It's a good idea to replace the large filter caps and the 7805 and 7812 voltage regulators on the power supply board too. The voltage regulators run quite hot and can fail.
Other than that, the main points of failure on these systems are ICs... The RA-3-9600, the STIC, the AY-3-8914 sound and the CP1610 can all fail, in order of how commonly they fail from most to least. Also look for burning around the Q1 and Q2 transistors. It's more likely to be these transistors than the crystal if your CPU is not running.
- HZ
-
1
-
-
On the hardest mode, the most important strategies are finding and conserving arrows, and locating the sleeping cave guardian monsters without waking them. Definitely the spiders and bats are the most annoying in this regard - the spiders take your arrows, and the bats hide the sounds that indicate a sleeping monster (snoring sleeping dragon, hissing snake) is nearby. On the hardest difficulty they move at such a speed that they are a real problem.
It's really important on the hardest level that you don't wake up the sleeping guardian monsters (rats, demons, snakes, dragons, winged dragons), so you can track their location and get that important 'free' first hit on them when they are asleep.
Spiders and bats don't sleep, so always move while on screen, even when in the dark. Spiders are especially annoying when exploring and revealing the smaller rooms, as they are likely to appear out of the dark and steal an arrow or two if you are not careful. Sometimes when exploring, backing up a bit and pausing to give spiders enough time to show themselves from a dark room ahead is a wise idea.
The best way to deal with spiders and bats (and blobs to a lesser extent) is to kite them by running back into explored areas where you can try to lose them in those areas. Shoot them only when there's no other option, and when there's no chance of waking up another nearby sleeping cave monster by firing an arrow.
Once you have killed all the monsters in a cave system that are tracked by sound, then the bats aren't an issue any more - apart from the annoying sound!
Every cave system has exactly one unguarded quiver of arrows - the grey mountains have a second quiver as the cave treasure, guarded by a rat.
- J
-
3
-
-
Preorder placed! This looks really impressive. Nice work!
-
Sorry for your loss, my condolences. Cancer takes so many too soon.
-
2
-
-
Mine arrived yesterday, thank you!
-
1. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Cloudy Mountain
2. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Treasure of Tarmin
3. Thunder Castle
4. Thin Ice
5. Burgertime
6. Bump 'n' Jump
7. Space Spartans
8. Lock 'n' Chase
9. Pitfall
10. Utopia
-
1
-
-
Best tips I can give for soldering...
1. Use the correct tip, the larger the tip the easier it is to get enough heat into what you are working on. A chisel or bevel tip is better for this type of work than a conical tip.
2. Use flux! A flux pen is good enough, flux paste is also handy.
3. Always tin the tip of your iron. It should be nice and shiny.
4. Heat the joint, not the solder. The solder should flow freely into the joint and be nice and shiny.
5. Clean off flux residue with isopropyl alcohol
6. Tin wires (coat with a little solder) before soldering them
If you have trouble with shaky hands, use a wrist rest, or try to rest your wrists on something solid to help stabilise your hands. A soldering station with a lighter soldering pencil might be easier to use.
Check this link out, this is a neater solution to the broken power ribbon situation (the gap between the pins on the power connector happen to be a standard spacing):
- James
-
1
-
-
21 hours ago, carlsson said:
Considering that Radar Rat Race started as a port of Rally-X that Commodore supposedly were allowed to sell within Japan but not internationally, so they made a few changes to the game and got away with it, seemingly without any consequences from Namco, I don't think the look and feel of a 40 year old copy of another game would stir too many hot feelings today. I think the secret ingredient here is that Atari never held the home computer or console rights to Rally-X and to me they seemed to be the aggressive party. Namco themselves cared about unlicensed coin-ops but probably not so much home versions.
Radar Cat Race?
- J
-
The leaking green thing is a 4.433618 MHz crystal oscillator for the PAL colour signal. There's corrosion on the resistor next to it that should be fixed. Try replacing that crystal and trimming it.
Gameplay crashing issues are usually logic board issues, most commonly the RA-3-9600 RAM chip. If only player 2 is having issues, it could be the AY-3-8914 sound chip. If you have a working unit, try swapping these chips. These chips are the same as the ones in the 2609 NTSC North American Intellivision, only the STIC chip is different of the logic chips (and the replacement of the NTSC color chip with the PAL daughter board).
- James
-
1
-
-
On 7/3/2020 at 11:56 AM, BBWW said:
I have to say the Happy Trails is a very addictive game! I don't think people give it enough love.
Locomotion is fun too.
-
1
-
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
New Intellivision Games from Opcode
in Intellivision / Aquarius
Posted
Exerion is such a hidden gem classic game!