ColecoVision - Atari module switch

[+5-11under]

Hi everyone,

 

There's been some suggestions to have a switch installed on a ColecoVision to be able to switch between ColecoVision operation and Atari operation, while keeping an Atari expansion module plugged into the system.

 

There's 5 lines on the expansion slot that need to switch "open" to run the ColecoVision. Pins 11, 27, 31, 35, 39. Closing them will run the Atari, of course.

 

Note that I haven't actually tried this with any sort of switch yet, so I don't know the limitations on wire length, bandwidth requirements, etc. I just masked off the appropriate pins to get the ColecoVision to activate.

 

Bonus: if you want to add a pause button (aka "Add-a-Halt^TM") to the ColecoVision (not to the Atari), put a switch between pin 50 (Wait) of the expansion slot and ground. Note that this doesn't turn the audio off. You might want to account for that, too.

 

Maybe this will be useful to some of you.

Thanks,

5-11under

[S1500]

So would it be worth more to do the shorting on the Coleco side, or the Atari expansion module side? To me, optimal(to preserve such hardware) would be to have something in the middle that opens those pins. Problem would be to fashion a connector board for the "male" part of it.

 

But which pins go where in reference to the ports?

[+5-11under]

I'm not sure exactly what you mean, but on the ColecoVision side, the schematic shows what pins are used for what.

[parkfun101]

For the Colecovision Pause feature portion of this old thread, I have documented some info for those who want to play around with it. It does not pause the sound, only the gameplay.