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ColecoVision Neo


opcode

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I wasn't going to say anything until later this year, but since you asked me...

Have you checked the F18A specs? It is actually a lot better than the V9958. I have a preliminary spreadsheet in my hands and it seems a lot more appropriated for a console too. ;)

As for the OKI9842, the FPGA solution I started developing last year is quite more flexible. Besides, not using legacy stuff has advantages, we don't risk finding out in a beautiful morning of summer that chip X is forever sold out.

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Back when me and Luc where evaluating replacement options for the TMS9918, we considered the V9958 (I even bought a large stock of it), then the SMS chip, then FPGA. Each had its pros and cons. V9958 is the most compatible, but it is more computer centric, so it requires lots of VRAM, sprites aren't the best, and the new bitmapped modes are a pain to use with games.Vertical scroll also has problems (it drags the sprites with it).

The SMS VDP is a lot more suitable for games, but it isn't as compatible as the V9958, and it cannot reproduce the TMS9918 palette properly.

 

FPGA was also the desirable alternative, but compatibility was an issue. In addition to that I would need to create all the necessary extensions. But now that the F18A is available, and it seems to be quite compatible, it would be an option depending on price. Also, the extensions Matthew implemented are just perfect. We have subtle stuff, like selectable color palettes, 32 sprites on the same scanline, but also radical improvements like new video modes that are better than Famicom/NES but still look like 8-bit stuff, not to mention hardware scroll. So it is all already there, and I hope to start supporting it with the SGM games (if you have the chip you can play DKA with arcade perfect color palette and no flickering at all).

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There are internal power supplies that will fit in that area, but it is a tight fit and a plastic post has to be cut off for it to fit. Plus the supplies are expensive (~$40+). I have modded one of mine and am delighted with the result but it is an expensive and tricky mod to do.

 

i didn't think it was so tricky. pricey, i will agree with you there.

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I would buy one, I also thought something like this would be cool for the Intellivision where you would take the main chips off the old board and pop them into sockets of the new board. Anything that's easy to replace with more reliable new parts like capacitors, diodes etc. Would already be on the new board and most importantly have better video out like Svideo built in instead of RF.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I would suggest using a single 5V+ source. There are some Radio Shack power supply bricks that give 5V+ at 1A or even 2A at a very small price, it should be enough to power up a modern Colecovision, instead of the enormous PC power supplies.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well if you start with a +12V power supply, it is easy enough to generate +5V and -5V with moderator chips. And +5V power supplies tend not to be that accurate in my experience (and usually over). So it depends on the voltage tolerance of your design components.

 

I've been thinking about the open source ColecoVision fpga project lately. I have an extra FPGA board at the moment, maybe I should look into what other components it requires. The think I don't know is how accurate the video chip emulation is. But it seems to me that it did the sound chip fairly accurately. I've always thought that it would be the best way to make a handheld ColecoVision.

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For this project I would prefer to not use FPGAs, since it is hard to guarantee 100% compatibility.

 

Whatever the core components are, I'm looking forward to finding out how "simpler" a remake of the main CV console PCB will be, in terms of reducing the number of components on the board. :)

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For this project I would prefer to not use FPGAs, since it is hard to guarantee 100% compatibility.

 

Right. My comment was kind of a side note, as opposed to a suggestion. Although if there ever was a ColecoVision flashback unit, it would surely be done on an FPGA. The tricky part is to track down who has the rights to the popular arcade titles to arrange licensing. In my opinion there is no point to a flashback unit that is without the ColecoVision arcade hits.

 

Back on topic, you'd prefer to use a drop in replacement for the 9928, instead of switching to a more advanced alternative like the F18A? There is some merit to each approach I suppose. If you keep with the 9928 and then use the genlock to overlay graphics from a more capable chip, that would be a dream come true for me. I've often thought that I should experiment with a set up with two 9928s stacked on top of each other, as suggested in the TI manual. But I've never actually done it (it is always easier to think about doing things than it is to actually do them).

Edited by hardhat
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For this project I would prefer to not use FPGAs, since it is hard to guarantee 100% compatibility.

 

I'm sure. But I'd still like to try making a handheld ColecoVision for myself. I was looking more into the FPGA and it outputs RGB that would be suitable to input directly into the 4.3" LCD that I recently bought from Newhaven Displays. So I just need to gather the other parts I guess and figure out the I/O. The package with the FPGA sources is not that enlightening about how to actually make it for me to build one for myself.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

While you're at it, you should replace that crummy power switch with something that actually works; maybe a push button that locks into place. That slide switch in the standard ColecoVision is total cack.

 

How hard would it be to make the Sega Master System compatible with the ColecoVision? There's an expansion slot on the bottom of the unit (albeit one covered by a plastic door) and the machine is said to be close to the CV architecturally. It's already compatible with the SG-1000, and that's just a stone's throw away from the ColecoVision hardware.

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While you're at it, you should replace that crummy power switch with something that actually works; maybe a push button that locks into place. That slide switch in the standard ColecoVision is total cack.

 

How hard would it be to make the Sega Master System compatible with the ColecoVision? There's an expansion slot on the bottom of the unit (albeit one covered by a plastic door) and the machine is said to be close to the CV architecturally. It's already compatible with the SG-1000, and that's just a stone's throw away from the ColecoVision hardware.

 

The memory and I/O is totally different and as I remember the SMS doesn't offer a way to remap things from the outside, so that would only possible if a new SMS console is created.

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  • 4 weeks later...

New system board is a great idea. New new shell would be cool too. Perhaps remove controller holder (CV mini). Put controller ports on front of system, add on/off led, upgraded video output options, provide better on/off button, fix memory flakeyness.

 

Not sure if you guys have seen the "Omega", a Neo Geo MVS MV-1C (arcade board) made into a console. The guy who created the Omega put in new video - RGB, component, s-video, composite, built in AC to DC power supply - no more brick, added new bios, joystick ports.

 

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Two thoughts:

 

Why go half-way? Why not provide a new case as well? Make it an entire console?

 

Several systems are similar to the Coleco. What about making a Dina 2-in-1 system?

It's been done using an actual ColecoVision PCB in a couple different variations over the years by the likes of DJPubba, DoubleDown and other enthuisiasts (see pics of the MiniCV and PM CV by DoubleDown). Personally, I doubt that a new ColecoVision (CV2 or Neo) will ever come to fruition and really don't see the need as there are no shortage of CV systems and numerous people who have the skills to maintain, repair and mod them for all our modern need.

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Two thoughts:

 

Why go half-way? Why not provide a new case as well? Make it an entire console?

 

Several systems are similar to the Coleco. What about making a Dina 2-in-1 system?

Personally, I doubt that a new ColecoVision (CV2 or Neo) will ever come to fruition and really don't see the need as there are no shortage of CV systems and numerous people who have the skills to maintain, repair and mod them for all our modern need.

 

We never say never. ;)

Edited by opcode
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You see, sometimes things take a while to happen. The SGM took years, most of that was spent on bizarre configurations very different from the current hardware that we are about to get. So I learned a couple of lessons in the process: 1) Define the configuration early on and stay focused. 2) Keeps things simple and down to Earth. In the end we can come with a super ubber new ColecoVision, but then we would need new software to support that, and truth is, probably very little software would be released to take advantage of the new hardware. And as cool as creating a new hardware is in terms of "what-if" scenarios, like "what a ColecoVision 2 would have been able to do had Coleco released it around 1987?", in the end most CV fans would say "yeah, that is cool, but it isn't a CV anymore".

That said, if I was going to add new features, I would add things that can be used as a complement to regular CV games, like smooth scrolling, configurable color palette or better sound. Those are things that you can add to your game as options, so those who have the new hardware can enjoy the improvement, which the people with the plain vanilla CV will still be able to play the game.

At this point I feel more inclined to go one of the following routes:

1) Create a replacement PCB that works exactly like the original, no new features. The advantage would be a brand new board, with some components replaced by modern counterparts, better audio & video output, etc.

2) Create a new PCB with a few modest improvements, like the SGM added, faster CPU, updated VDP (V9958 or F18A) and perhaps improved sound (cause sound is never good enough). Things that we can take advantage as options, not mandatory to run the game.

 

The biggest problem with option 2 is to have a new board that still can fit inside the existing CV case, cause a new case as big as the CV case would costs a small fortune to manufacture.

 

Eduardo

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