Bringing a Colecovision back to life

[Sky7]

Finally got around to cleaning up a boxed Colecovision I picked up several months ago. It displayed the typical issues. Garbled screen, intermittent sound. I dis-assembled the console and did a complete cleaning. Isopropyl alcohol with a toothbrush to clean the cartridge slot and motherboard. Some WD-40 on the power switch.

 

Got everything back together and it works like a charm. Nice clean picture and sound. No garbled screen graphics. Some tips to follow if your Colecovision is giving you some of the same issues.

 

-S7

[eebuckeye]

How did you get the front label off without cracking, etc?

[Sky7]

How did you get the front label off without cracking, etc?

 

You take a flat blade screwdriver on the bottom edge and slowly pry across. You have to go slow but it will simply pop off.

 

-S7

[+5-11under]

Yep, no need to remove the front label/panel.

[eebuckeye]

Excellent.. I thought the label had to come off and I'd never get it looking perfect again. thanks

[phattyboombatty]

Attempting to pry the metallic label off is a huge misunderstanding that a few newbies have tried and then cried. After removing all 8 screws from the underside of the ColecoVision, there's a normal amount of sticking that occurs between the top and bottom halves. It may even seem like the dang thing will never come out!

 

What you have to do is gently pry around the bottom side, underneath the lip of the front bezel. A plastic or nylon tool is recommended, as a metal screwdriver will ultimately leave marring. If it doesn't "pop" right out after a while, I suggest gently pulling apart the bottom half from the front bezel. It'll take a little effort.

 

Incidentally, as many CVs as I've taken apart over the years, I've never figured out exactly what on the front bezel is holding the bottom tray in like that! A screw that is partially sticking out from the inside of the front bezel, or what?

Edited August 12, 2015 by phattyboombatty

[NIAD]

There is a lot of important information in the pinned thread "ColecoVision and ADAM Information" including an article on how to open up a CV without messing with the front/bezel label. I think a video on how to do so is also linked to or you can just search Youtube for it.

 

Congrats on getting the CV working, but get ready to open up the system again in the near futfure seeing as WD40 is only a quick fix for the Power Switch. There is a very detailed HOW TO in the pinned thread that I mentioned above.

Edited August 13, 2015 by NIAD