Games 'crashing' to green screen

[nightglider1]

Hi all!

 

Picked up an Intellivision console (original) recently, as well as a few games. LV Poker/BJ, PBA Bowling, and PGA Golf (all used) and AD&D "Cloudy Mountain" (new in shrinkwrap).

 

AD&D and LVPBJ work just fine, Golf "loads" OK, and Bowling initially didn't get past a black screen. I have since cleaned the Bowling cart contacts with denatured alcohol, and now it "loads" OK.

 

The problem is that while playing Golf or Bowling, the game will randomly "crash" to a green screen (there's no pattern -- sometimes it's early in the game, sometimes late). This hasn't happened at all with AD&D or LVPBJ.

 

Anyone have any thoughts?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

-- Pete

[edintv]

Hi,

 

Have you cleaned the Intellivision contacts? and also in my expierence alcohol is not enough to clean a Cart, you have to use an Ink eraser (the ones with 2 sides, one for pencil and the other for Ink), if the cart has screws, open it and apply the eraser on the contacts, they will get shining and you forget about dirty contacts for a few years!

[nightglider1]

Hi,

 

Have you cleaned the Intellivision contacts?

 

No, in fact I realized that I forgot to ask what a good method is to clean the contacts in the console. Is there a thin swab I can use to slide in the connector?

[nightglider1]

<grumble>

 

I just rec'd a box of Intellivision goodness via ebay, and of the games I've tried, all work but wind up "crashing" to green. On top of that, now my LVPBJ and AD&D carts are doing it.

 

I read elsewhere that a bad power supply can cause such issues, so I opened up the console and took readings, both at the power supply input (VAC off the transformer), and output (VDC off the ribbon cable). All of the readings are right where they're supposed to be.

 

Any advice? Also, as asked in my previous reply, what's a good way to get into the cart slot to clean the connectors within?

[edintv]

Hi,

 

Have you cleaned the Intellivision contacts?

 

No, in fact I realized that I forgot to ask what a good method is to clean the contacts in the console. Is there a thin swab I can use to slide in the connector?

 

I use a oil in spray (normal luv for mechanic work) and cut a piece of cardboard thick and wide similar to the size of a cart, after the oil insert several times the cardboard until is clean. and remember to use the erasor on the carts..

[nightglider1]

I'm hesitant to use any kind of oil.

 

What if I sprayed electrical contact cleaner in the cart slot? That should work, right?

[edintv]

I'm hesitant to use any kind of oil.

 

What if I sprayed electrical contact cleaner in the cart slot? That should work, right?

 

Look, I was also hesitant to use the oil, but had worked wonders. That trick was passed from a guy who was trained in Mattel. (he attend all warranty claims, he did so for my system when i was a kid) he had almost 30 years working with video games.

 

In the other way, I have no trust in the electrical contact cleaner, had done more damage than fixes (on computers in my expierence) the mix of the chemicals and the dust is very dangerous, use an air blower instead.

 

I have some pictures of before and after a cart cleaned with the erasor

Edited August 24, 2010 by edintv

[nightglider1]

Well, the contact cleaner helped a bit in the cart slot. All carts "load" just fine now. There are still occasional "crashes" to green, though. I will try disassembling the carts and cleaning them as well.