Adam no image problem

[+Tarzilla]

A friend of mine picked up an Adam computer, in original (slightly beat up box) That thing is massive!

 

We hooked it up, used the same RF box that works with his ColecoVision but we don't get proper video. We can type on the keyboard which goes to the printer in typewriter mode, but what we see is this:

 

with a border of a different color.

 

instead of this:

 

 

We get a black screen but proper sound in Gorf if we have the cartridge in.

 

Anyone encountered this before?

 

Also, anyone have a spare Adam they want to part with (printer not required as I intend to buy the power cord that eliminates the printer)

[coleconut]

PM Sent

[adamcon]

A friend of mine picked up an Adam computer, in original (slightly beat up box) That thing is massive!

 

We hooked it up, used the same RF box that works with his ColecoVision but we don't get proper video. We can type on the keyboard which goes to the printer in typewriter mode, but what we see is this:

 

type blank.png

with a border of a different color.

 

instead of this:

type.png

 

 

We get a black screen but proper sound in Gorf if we have the cartridge in.

 

Anyone encountered this before?

 

Also, anyone have a spare Adam they want to part with (printer not required as I intend to buy the power cord that eliminates the printer)

Very first thing to do is take the entire ADAM apart right down to the bottom case. Clean out the dust, unplug and clean all connectors such as the one between the cv board and the bottom board, carefully pull clean and reseat all the chips that are removeable. This usually does wonders. OH, and make sure which channel you have the ADAM switch set to; it is on the back right next to the composite out plug.

[NIAD]

That is really odd that you will get an almost completely blank "cyan" screen seeing as that is the proper default background color for the Electronic Typewriter Mode and SmartWRITER Word Processor. Per your description of output to the printer working, it sounds like the issue lies with the small RF PCB or RF connector that is located at the back/left of the ColecoVision Delta Board (the top board in the Memory Console with the cartridge connector).

 

Before disassembling the entire Memory Console which totals 32 screws, 2 large PCBs (ADAM Logic Board and CV Delta Board), 2 small PCBs (Power and Reset) and RF Shields, I would grab a Composite cable like the ones used to connect a DVD player to a TV and plug one end into the MONITOR port on the back of the Memory Console and the other end into your TV's Composite Video input. You will not get any sound via this hookup, but if you get a good picture, than we have isolated the problem to the RF PCB. As long as you have a display device with Composite inputs to use with this ADAM, you won't even have to bother trying to get the RF output fixed and then can purchase a 5-pin DIN Monitor Cable to plug into the Auxillary Port for Composite video and audio.

 

Oh yeah, I am assuming that the Memory Console you have is the Stand-Alone version with the ColecoVision built-in and not the Exp. Mod. #3 version that attaches to a ColecoVision game system?

 

If the above works or not, I would follow adamcon's suggestions to give the entire system a thorough cleaning and take pictures as you disassemble the system for reference when putting it back together. It's pretty straight forward, but then again, I have done this countless numbers of times over the years. Just go slowly when removing and reseating the socketed chips and pay close attention to how they are oriented in the sockets.

[+Tarzilla]

Thanks for the info, I hope to find time this week to try the composite cable and I probably have a 5 pin DIN in one of my boxes of cables that I have accumulated over the years.

If not then I'll see if I can find 17+ hours free to dissemble it...

 

It is the Memory Console, not the Expansion Module #3.

[NIAD]

I should have mentioned that 5-pin DIN Monitor Cables are not all wired the same and therefore compatible with the Adam. For best results, a C=64 or Vic-20 cable made for use with the 1702 monitor should do the job nicely.