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CollectorVision Phoenix Game Console


retroillucid

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I can't speak for Opcode's project other then he said (on FB) there would send out an update soon.

 

The Collectorvision Game system development is still on-going. New board is using BGA FPGA package which has added some time since the boards had to be shipped out to get assembled instead of being able to be hand assembled. I hope to have another update sometime around the middle to end of November.

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Most likely this product will be a 2018+ release at the earliest (just a educated guess). Even so it might be well worth the wait.

 

It would be awesome if this CollectorVision game system could some how have a 64 bit MAME emulator built in. There are several commercial arcade ROM images that have been released as Freeware software on the following website:

 

http://www.mame.net/roms/

 

Some other websites have free public domain rom's that can be legally downloaded also. However some websites have commercial arcade ROM images that still have valid copywrites in place. A 64 bit MAME emulator would be another awesome thing to have if the product is capable of doing this. If not then one can always use a Windows PC with the 64 bit MAME emulation.

Edited by HDTV1080P
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Thanks for the update. It is much appreciated. Definitely I look forward to seeing these two projects come to fruition as both sound like really good and amazing products. However, much like with the Ataribox, I will still have to maintain my "wait and see" approach to both. That being said, I am rooting for both as it would be nice for other retro products to be offered besides the usual NES, SNES, and 2600 fair.

 

I can't speak for Opcode's project other then he said (on FB) there would send out an update soon.

 

The Collectorvision Game system development is still on-going. New board is using BGA FPGA package which has added some time since the boards had to be shipped out to get assembled instead of being able to be hand assembled. I hope to have another update sometime around the middle to end of November.

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Unlike ataribox we can show our early prototype system working ;) (from GameOn Expo)

 

post-45248-0-79910800-1508442507_thumb.jpg

 

This is also a FPGA system, so running a mame emulator is not likely. With this being an open source project, it shouldn't be hard for someone to port the arcade games that have been ported to other FPGA systems to our board.

Edited by Bmack36
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This is also a FPGA system, so running a mame emulator is not likely. With this being an open source project, it shouldn't be hard for someone to port the arcade games that have been ported to other FPGA systems to our board.

That’s fine if MAME arcade rom emulation does not become a reality. Being able to play ColecoVision games is the main reason people will purchase this product (for both cartridges and SD card media). The confirmed compatibility with MSX, Sega Master System, and ATARI 2600 over SD media using HDMI is a nice bonus. And maybe one day a firmware update will be issued to offer 8 bit videogame compatibility for other systems.

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  • 2 months later...

Latest specs & prototype PCB for the CollectorVision Game System (CVGS)

 

CPU

- Spartan 6 FPGA

- SRAM 512Kb

 

 

Power Input

9-30V off the shelf power supply

 

 

Video Output:

- HDMI, VGA

- With optional adapter: RGB, Composite

 

 

Sound output:

- HDMI output

- 3.5mm stereo output for headphones or for non-HDMI sound output

 

 

Compatible systems (Launch)

- Colecovision

- MSX1

 

 

Cores to be added after system launch

- Sega Master System

- Atari 2600

- TI99/4A

 

 

Controllers:

- 2 standard Colecovision controller inputs (DB9)

- PS/2 keyboard input

 

 

Cartridge Slot:

- ColecoVision

 

 

SD Card Slot:

- Standard SD card slot

Load up rom files from the SD card

post-11933-0-69633000-1514572604_thumb.jpg

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May I ask why you selected a PS/2 interface for keyboard input when all modern keyboards are USB?

 

A few questions regarding controllers:

  1. Will it be compatible with the Roller Controller and the Driving Controller?
  2. Will it be compatible with the Atari 2600 paddle controllers when the Atari 2600 is added to the FPGA core?

Very excited for this - keep up the great work :)

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May I ask why you selected a PS/2 interface for keyboard input when all modern keyboards are USB?

 

A few questions regarding controllers:

  1. Will it be compatible with the Roller Controller and the Driving Controller?
  2. Will it be compatible with the Atari 2600 paddle controllers when the Atari 2600 is added to the FPGA core?

Very excited for this - keep up the great work :)

I'll let Bmack36 answer your questions as he's the brain behind this project

 

But.....here's 2 pictures that might answer one of your questions ;)

post-11933-0-49305800-1514573821_thumb.jpg

post-11933-0-34266000-1514573836_thumb.jpg

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Very cool! I was just thinking about this upcoming system after reading about the developments with OpCode's own unit. Definitely I am excited to hear more about this project, as definitely having new hardware to play existing games is a very good thing, considering that ColecoVisions are getting up there in age.

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I have not reread through all this but the sgm won't work with this ?? I would think you would want it to since a ton of your homebrews and others you need the sgm to play them ? If not , it is what it is and I can understand but that would be a deal breaker for me . I would love to buy one or two if it supported the sgm . I am just giving my input since I have so many sgm games . Reguardless , two thumbs up guys it is very cool . :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

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I have not reread through all this but the sgm won't work with this ?? I would think you would want it to since a ton of your homebrews and others you need the sgm to play them ? If not , it is what it is and I can understand but that would be a deal breaker for me . I would love to buy one or two if it supported the sgm . I am just giving my input since I have so many sgm games . Reguardless , two thumbs up guys it is very cool . :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/265958-collectorvision-game-system/?p=3772906

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While USB keyboards are gaining in popularity. High-end state of the art X299 motherboards released in 2017 and most desktop motherboards still have a PS/2 keyboard input. Personally, I prefer a PS/2 keyboard since it offers 100% compatibility with older software. USB keyboards are 99% compatible with most software. Now maybe in the future there is a possibility that in 5-10 years that PS/2 keyboards might be going out of production and motherboards might remove the PS/2 keyboard interface (However I cannot say for sure this will happen). I do know that modern motherboards over the last several years have removed the second PS/2 input that was used for a trackball and mouses. Trackball and mouses are now 100% USB.

 

It would be ideal if this ColecoVision clone would have at least one USB 3.0 or USB 3.1 port for future use. I see that this product will also Emulate a TI99/4A with a future firmware update. I would purchase a few of these ColecoVision clones if a future firmware update would be able to emulate a Coleco ADAM computer. The ADAM computer has official native Coleco Supergames plus it can play Family Feud, Jeopardy, and other unique games. In addition many games designed to run from the OPCODE Supergame module will work on a ADAM computer without the official OPCODE supergame module. Since the ADAM has more memory. However games that require the special SGM sound chip will not work on a ADAM computer without an actual SGM. Maybe CollectorVision can work out a licensing agreement with OPCODE games so that the OPCODE SGM can be emulated in the Spartan 6 FPGA CPU with a firmware update. Some people would be willing to pay $50 more for the system if it was 100% compatible with SGM games. It is my understanding that the SD card slot will also be used to offer firmware updates for this system.

 

I love the HDMI port on this ColecoVision clone, and with the 3.5mm stereo output a HDMI to DVI adapter can be used on older displays. Also that 3.5mm output is needed for VGA, RGB, and composite. Most people purchasing this product will most likely use the HDMI output, unless they have an older display that lacks HDMI.

 

I will miss the front expansion port for module #1, module #3, and the OPCODE SGM, however this CollectorVision game system will have so many other positives that most people can live without those features.

Edited by HDTV1080P
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Go hunt down msx carts of each Colecovision homebrew cart I own ?

Only ColecoVision game cartridges work in this system. The MSX and any other systems being emulated will require the games being purchased on a SD card or downloaded from a website and placed on a SD card. I do wonder if it would be possible to make a cartridge adapter that would plug in the original ColecoVision cartridge slot and on the other end a Atari 2600 cartridge interface (Of course a third party firmware update would be needed if such a adapter was possible).

Edited by HDTV1080P
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.... all desktop motherboards still have a PS/2 keyboard input.

 

It is simply not true that all desktop motherboards still have PS/2 keyboard input. Just check out the Asus range of mid to high end desktop motherboards as an example (including their X299 boards). The inclusion of PS/2 on motherboards, and the availability of PS/2 keyboards, has declined dramatically over the past decade.

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No, you simply put the MSX rom files you want to play on your SD card ;)

 

I'm not complaining, well only a little, but I'd much rather have SGM compatibility built into the unit. Although having MSX compatibility is an awesome thing, for me, having ColecoVision SGM compatibility would be even better.

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It is simply not true that all desktop motherboards still have PS/2 keyboard input. Just check out the Asus range of mid to high end desktop motherboards as an example (including their X299 boards). The inclusion of PS/2 on motherboards, and the availability of PS/2 keyboards, has declined dramatically over the past decade.

Thanks for the information. When I posted that I was looking at EVGA X299 and other brands which still have a PS/2 port on the motherboard. My ASROCK X99 motherboard purchased in 2015 has a PS/2 port. You are correct I looked at the top of the line ASUS X299 motherboard and they removed the PS/2 port. The old X99 ASUS motherboards still had PS/2 ports. I revised my post to say most desktop motherboards has a PS/2 port. It appears PS/2 ports are slowly going away and being replaced by USB. I mentioned that in my post before revising since that is what happen with the mouse/trackball port several years ago on 100% of all motherboard.

 

I also would like to see at least one USB 3.1 or USB 3.0 port on this product.

Edited by HDTV1080P
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I'm not complaining, well only a little, but I'd much rather have SGM compatibility built into the unit. Although having MSX compatibility is an awesome thing, for me, having ColecoVision SGM compatibility would be even better.

 

Keep in mind that it doesn't mean it could not be added in the future, we never knows...

 

The good thing about the CollectorVision Game System is we can always do system updates wich could include even more features

 

 

 

 

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Keep in mind that it doesn't mean it could not be added in the future, we never knows...

 

I can hope that an agreement can be reached between you guys and Eduardo to have SGM games officially supported. While I also appreciate the addition of the MSX emulator, there have been certain upgrades from the MSX versions when ported to ColecoVision (better sprites in Mappy, improved difficulty in Kung-Fu Master, etc) and it's always just nice to get use out of the games you have bought. Inserting a cart into a system makes it *feel* like a console system. Loading up a ROM file makes it feel like a Raspberry Pi. And don't get me wrong, I *love* the Pi and use it daily, but I also really like to use my cart games as well.

 

Either way though, I will be buying one if not more systems because I think it looks fantastic and I love the features you guys have added. I think if you can get the SGM on board it would benefit everyone, Eduardo included. But that's just my personal take on things...

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