Sylvania GTE model - colors are off?

[+-^CrossBow^-]

Not sure as this could be normal and I don't have a screen shot right at the ready to describe this better. But I recently got a Sylvania GTE model Intellivision. It seems to have a more blueish tint to the colors overall than normal. It is in very nice overall condition and looks to have not been used much at all. I was curious if anything inside was different and sure enough...there was. I did take a pic of the main logic board. It has a white colored PCB, the reset switch is still a dome switch, but seems more robust as it has a very satisfying click to it when depressed. Note the use of what appear to be older tantalum axial caps in place of where electrolytic would normally be? Also the color chip in the left center of the board is in a socket (used to those always being soldered in). Note how large a crystal they installed on this board. That crystal stands as tall as the RF modulator and maybe even a tiny bit taller. Another difference is that the RF shield only had two of the tabs soldered down along with the large solder blob attached to the ground pins on the cartridge port. So it was much easier to take apart than usual. And the other tabs were bone dry and clean so they have never had solder on them that was removed. I'm pretty sure I'm the first person inside this Intelly.

 

The power board looks stock but I did notice that it also has a white matching PCB. But a few things were done differently on it. The extra power wire that is plugged in next to the +12 VR was actually installed upright so the plug goes straight down onto the board instead of off to the side. Also, not sure why but this power board generates far less heat than I'm used to from these things. Even the transformer doesn't get that warm when plugged in?

 

Overall it just seems to be built to a higher standard than most of these Intellys I've seen. It also uses 1/4" hex screws like you find in PC cases instead of Phillips on the internal mounts?!

 

 

 

Edited February 20, 2019 by -^Cro§Bow^-

[mr_me]

Should be the same as the early Mattel Intellvisions manufactured in the USA. Sylvania was Mattel's manufacturer before they moved it to Hong Kong.

 

Thanks for posting the photo.

 

There's a lot of resistors between the color chip and the rf modulator. Maybe something has failed there.

Edited February 20, 2019 by mr_me

[+-^CrossBow^-]

No problem and I'm glad I was able to think to do so when I had it opened up.

 

To give a better idea on the color variance I'm talking about. the MTE 201 test cart looks normal. But when Baseball comes up at the end, the fielding player colors is light blue instead of a darker blue? Batting player is still red and the field looked a bit teal instead of green. I did try adjusting this with the color pot on the main board, but all I was able to do was darken the light blue making the green more teal in the process and the red a burgundy color. Or making it all purple. Extremes just go black and white of course.

 

Hopefully that gives a better description of the oddness in the colors. I've currently adjusted it so that the green field looks more green and the red player is a brighter red. But that also made the fielding players an even lighter sky blue color now. Makes for a nearly invisible tank in Armor battle too when going into the water LOL!

[mr_me]

If those resistors and capacitors between the color chip and rf modulator are identical, compared to newer intellivisions, than maybe it's the color chip itself.

 

In an unrelated note, Armor Battle, which is one of the earliest cartridges, had a rom change where they changed the colour of the water and background field.

Edited February 21, 2019 by mr_me