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CollectorVision Phoenix Release Thread


Bmack36

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4 minutes ago, Tron Unit said:

Ugh I already have that scaler for my Colecovision.  That really kind of defeats the entire point of upgrading to the Phoenix then as all of the video is being scaled through that box which is what I was looking forward to eliminating.  I read it coukd be an HDCP compliance issue with the HDMI cable not supporting it?  Maybe get an HDMI 3.0 cable instead of the one that was included?

This is a temporary measure until the firmware is fixed. It is purely an issue with the pixel clock in the colecovision core that needs to be adjusted to be closer to spec, but the resolution causes a rippling change throughout the core that just takes a lot to resolve. The adapter specified is different to some other similar looking scalars in that this one doesn't add an appreciable amount of lag. A different scalar (that looks similar) was HDMI to scart had so much lag, games were pretty much unplayable.

 

You can verify the issue by pressing * and then 2 immediately after pressing the power button. This loads the 2600 core which has a different video output where the pixel clock is correct.

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Received my Phoenix. Although it didn't work on the first TV we tried, it works on the TV in our family room. I'm super happy with it and I think my 15 year old is enjoying it more than I am. He's loving the Risky Rick, Montezuma's Revenge, Sydney Hunter and Nether Dungeon carts while I've been playing more of Donkey Kong, Dig Dug and Oil's Well. This is going to breathe a ton of life into carts we haven't played in a long time or maybe never played.

 

Thanks!

 

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IMG_5777.thumb.JPG.fa45030fc21f1a97541fb07b35353e71.JPG

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4 hours ago, Bmack36 said:

Also there is no need to update the service menu on the second batch. If you "revert" a second batch phoenix to the service menu posted on the first page in the thread, the video will not work. The menu will still function but nothing on the screen. SO you will need to update blind by pressing # then 3. You should then see the led change to purple while updating and then back to the green.

 

Service Core for Second Batch Phoenix(only needed if accidently flashed with previous service menu). There is no reason to update a first revision phoenix with this version.

SERVICE.PHX 460 kB · 4 downloads

Tried this and my system fails to boot

 

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12 minutes ago, evg2000 said:

Did you turn on the system before pushing # or did hold down # and then turn on?  You need to turn on then press #

I would work with the card sent with my pheonix,  it worked with a much older regular SD card I had around.   I appears the cores shipped with this are newer than what is on the website

 

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Arrived! However, it arrived (not complaining) a few days before the delivery of the champ keypad I bought off ebay. So question for you guys... with just a regular "joystick and fire button" controller (I have an 80s ero-joystick and an atari 7800 joystick on hand)... even if just for "one button game"... is there a way to play anything before my "keypad" arrives? Or do I need the keypad just to boot up and pick a game off the the SD card? FYI I'm not interesting in joystick solutions like NES that have additional buttons that might "map" to * or # 1 etc. as I don't have them :) and my champ keypad is on its way (but may be another week before getting here) so I'm really asking if there's a way with the one-button + joystick style controllers while I wait (or some solution that won't cost $ and that I can have instantly while I wait for the keypad). Yes... a drive to a local goodwill to see if they have a coleco controller is a possibility if I can't stand to wait another week...

 

thoughts?

Thanks!!

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34 minutes ago, DaViD_Boulet said:

Arrived! However, it arrived (not complaining) a few days before the delivery of the champ keypad I bought off ebay. So question for you guys... with just a regular "joystick and fire button" controller (I have an 80s ero-joystick and an atari 7800 joystick on hand)... even if just for "one button game"... is there a way to play anything before my "keypad" arrives? Or do I need the keypad just to boot up and pick a game off the the SD card? FYI I'm not interesting in joystick solutions like NES that have additional buttons that might "map" to * or # 1 etc. as I don't have them :) and my champ keypad is on its way (but may be another week before getting here) so I'm really asking if there's a way with the one-button + joystick style controllers while I wait (or some solution that won't cost $ and that I can have instantly while I wait for the keypad). Yes... a drive to a local goodwill to see if they have a coleco controller is a possibility if I can't stand to wait another week...

 

thoughts?

Thanks!!

I know you said you aren't interested in it but IMO your best bet would be to try and find a cheap SNES compatible controller to but and use for its keypad mappings. Alternatively if you have a PS2 keyboard kicking around I think that works.

 

I am not aware of any way to start games that require a skill select screen without a keypad or keypad compatible controller, but maybe there is a way I have never heard of. There are some games that do not require a level select and can start with the fire button.

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8 minutes ago, zaphro72 said:

I am not aware of any way to start games that require a skill select screen without a keypad or keypad compatible controller, but maybe there is a way I have never heard of. There are some games that do not require a level select and can start with the fire button.

Few. You can start and play Slurpy, and even choose # of players and difficulty level, using just a fire button and directional controls. Start there? ;)

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7 minutes ago, Tron Unit said:

Or maybe they got it and it didn’t work on their TV too so they decided to offload it. ?

I thought of that...but if they were just "off-loading" it (versus scalping)...he/she could have have simply listed it with a BIN to re-coup their costs and selling fees.  ?

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2 hours ago, zaphro72 said:

I know you said you aren't interested in it but IMO your best bet would be to try and find a cheap SNES compatible controller to but and use for its keypad mappings. Alternatively if you have a PS2 keyboard kicking around I think that works.

 

I am not aware of any way to start games that require a skill select screen without a keypad or keypad compatible controller, but maybe there is a way I have never heard of. There are some games that do not require a level select and can start with the fire button.

thanks so much. Maybe I'll head out to a few local gamestops/pawnshops/goodwills and see if there a cheap controller I can use just temporarily just to be able to click "1" and "*" ;)

 

Thanks!

 

p.s. yeah, no PS2 keyboard here either. would a "regular" computer keyboard work??

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1 hour ago, DaViD_Boulet said:

thanks so much. Maybe I'll head out to a few local gamestops/pawnshops/goodwills and see if there a cheap controller I can use just temporarily just to be able to click "1" and "*" ;)

 

Thanks!

 

p.s. yeah, no PS2 keyboard here either. would a "regular" computer keyboard work??

For a lot of games, I use a SNES controller to select and start the game and then switch to an Atari joystick.  They can both be plugged in at the same time which is nice.  This is an excellent replica SNES pad and I just noticed the price has been reduced:  Classic SNES Controller (gamerztek.com).  It is also for sale on Amazon and elsewhere.

 

FYI that PS2 refers to the connection on the keyboard and NOT Playstation 2.  This was the main standard for PC keyboards until USB took over.  PS/2 port - Wikipedia They are filling up landfills all over the world and you can probably find one just by asking your friends if they have one they want to dump.  They also make USB to PS2 adapters which are fairly common, but I've never tried one of those on the Phoenix.

  

When I first got the Phoenix, I was super excited by the classic ports on the thing (and I still am), but as I've owned it, I have wished for a USB interface.  I'm not sure if that would have been too hard to implement or if there would have been so many possible devices that Collectorvision thought it would be too confusing for customers, but it would be really nice to have USB support.  Oh well, maybe we'll get that on the next amazing, bespoke, Colecovision homebrew console.

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I thought about that too. I would imagine the console would need a database of UIDs and/or a way to load drivers. Drivers that are custom-made for the console. Being FPGA doesn't make it easier.

 

Another method would be an adapter that takes USB signals and converts them to DB9. Now, here, the adapter would need special knowledge of the controller.

 

Overall too much work I'd imagine.

 

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14 hours ago, wongojack said:

For a lot of games, I use a SNES controller to select and start the game and then switch to an Atari joystick.  They can both be plugged in at the same time which is nice.  This is an excellent replica SNES pad and I just noticed the price has been reduced:  Classic SNES Controller (gamerztek.com).  It is also for sale on Amazon and elsewhere.

 

FYI that PS2 refers to the connection on the keyboard and NOT Playstation 2.  This was the main standard for PC keyboards until USB took over.  PS/2 port - Wikipedia They are filling up landfills all over the world and you can probably find one just by asking your friends if they have one they want to dump.  They also make USB to PS2 adapters which are fairly common, but I've never tried one of those on the Phoenix.

  

When I first got the Phoenix, I was super excited by the classic ports on the thing (and I still am), but as I've owned it, I have wished for a USB interface.  I'm not sure if that would have been too hard to implement or if there would have been so many possible devices that Collectorvision thought it would be too confusing for customers, but it would be really nice to have USB support.  Oh well, maybe we'll get that on the next amazing, bespoke, Colecovision homebrew console.

Thanks! a local shop had a cheap ($15) 3rd party SNES controller I picked up and so was able to signal "1" and "*" and play some games last night :)

 

I learned a couple of things playing DK, Smurf, Cabbage Patch Kids, PacMan collection, and QBert:

 

* I can't use SNES style "paddle" directional controllers for these games. Just can't.

* The Atari 7800 controller I got (used of course) technically may "work" but has too broad of a "dead zone" in between changing directions, such that trying to change direction with pacman or qbert actually stops the character for a moment before they move in the new direction. 

* The "ergo" controller I bought (also used) is MUCH better... but still did this same thing enough that you couldn't play pacman fluidly when changing directions. Was a bit challenging on qbert too.

 

So do you guys have the recommendations (ideally new) that work well with these sorts of games? Also should mention I like to use my right hand with the joystick and left hand for the fire button... which seems uncommon with most retro joysticks I see where they mount the joystick far left and put the fire buttons far right. Any "centered" joystick options with duplicated fire buttons on left/right for dual-hand use? Not interested in something that's impossible to find... I mean a joystick I can go and buy/order up for-real :)

 

thoughts???

 

Thanks!!

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2 hours ago, DaViD_Boulet said:

Thanks! a local shop had a cheap ($15) 3rd party SNES controller I picked up and so was able to signal "1" and "*" and play some games last night :)

 

I learned a couple of things playing DK, Smurf, Cabbage Patch Kids, PacMan collection, and QBert:

 

* I can't use SNES style "paddle" directional controllers for these games. Just can't.

* The Atari 7800 controller I got (used of course) technically may "work" but has too broad of a "dead zone" in between changing directions, such that trying to change direction with pacman or qbert actually stops the character for a moment before they move in the new direction. 

* The "ergo" controller I bought (also used) is MUCH better... but still did this same thing enough that you couldn't play pacman fluidly when changing directions. Was a bit challenging on qbert too.

 

So do you guys have the recommendations (ideally new) that work well with these sorts of games? Also should mention I like to use my right hand with the joystick and left hand for the fire button... which seems uncommon with most retro joysticks I see where they mount the joystick far left and put the fire buttons far right. Any "centered" joystick options with duplicated fire buttons on left/right for dual-hand use? Not interested in something that's impossible to find... I mean a joystick I can go and buy/order up for-real :)

 

thoughts???

 

Thanks!!

You need a 4-way restricted joystick that cannot do diagonal directions. A good one even used under $75 will be hard to find as it needs arcade joystick stick parts. 

 

Cheaper solutions may be a Sega Master Controller joystick, but they have that weird club top. Otherwise, you just need to be persistent in lifting your finger and pressing intended direction on a cross shaped dpad rather than sliding it around on a one. 

 

Ive got a couple arcade sticks with restrictor gates and a pro stick 2 for the ColecoVision/Ataris along wit a ball top modded SMS controller. 

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3 hours ago, DaViD_Boulet said:

Thanks! a local shop had a cheap ($15) 3rd party SNES controller I picked up and so was able to signal "1" and "*" and play some games last night :)

 

I learned a couple of things playing DK, Smurf, Cabbage Patch Kids, PacMan collection, and QBert:

 

* I can't use SNES style "paddle" directional controllers for these games. Just can't.

* The Atari 7800 controller I got (used of course) technically may "work" but has too broad of a "dead zone" in between changing directions, such that trying to change direction with pacman or qbert actually stops the character for a moment before they move in the new direction. 

* The "ergo" controller I bought (also used) is MUCH better... but still did this same thing enough that you couldn't play pacman fluidly when changing directions. Was a bit challenging on qbert too.

 

So do you guys have the recommendations (ideally new) that work well with these sorts of games? Also should mention I like to use my right hand with the joystick and left hand for the fire button... which seems uncommon with most retro joysticks I see where they mount the joystick far left and put the fire buttons far right. Any "centered" joystick options with duplicated fire buttons on left/right for dual-hand use? Not interested in something that's impossible to find... I mean a joystick I can go and buy/order up for-real :)

 

thoughts???

 

Thanks!!

I can confirm that playing Qbert and PacMan with a d-pad just sux.  I can do ok on the platform games with one though.

 

FYI - When I hear "paddle" I usually think of the Atari analog paddle controller sometimes referred to as a "Tennis Paddle."  The SNES controller is often referred to as a "gamepad."

 

As for joysticks, you should definitely avoid the 7800 controller.  That thing is just terrible.  A nice working Atari 2600 controller is generally easy to find and much better.  I find the direction points to be far enough apart that both 4 way and 8 way games are easy to do. Many of them "out there" still work fine.  Or you can get an updated/upgraded one from Best Electronics or repair one yourself with their parts or something like this:  Atari CX40 Joystick upgrade kit Commodore 64 compatible | Commodore4ever

 

Of course since we are talking about the ColecoVision here, it would be good to mention that some folks actually make Coleco compatible arcade sticks these days.  The AtariAge store is temporarily closed, but Al sells the Edladdin arcade stick with a keypad.  It is also available here:  Seagull CV controller adapter (edladdin.com).  Retrogameboyz also makes sticks to order and I know they can do one with buttons on the left or right:  Arcade Sticks – RetroGameBoyz.  Now that they offer a 5200 model, I'm sure the Coleco is soon to follow, but they already have a Coleco gamepad up there and even a Y cable.

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17 minutes ago, Sargon said:

Didn't Coleco Holdings purchase a bunch of these?  Any word on what they are going to be doing with them?

I am going to guess that they received them and are sending them out to somewhere for rebranding. Then they'll probably add some original CV game roms to the sd card and sell them on eBay.

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10 hours ago, Swami said:

I am going to guess that they received them and are sending them out to somewhere for rebranding. Then they'll probably add some original CV game roms to the sd card and sell them on eBay.

This is precisely what I suspected would happen when I heard they purchased them.  They’ll just acquire the technology and resell it as their own and say they own the copyright.  They’ll rebrand it as Coleco HD or something.  Take all the credit. 

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14 hours ago, CaptainBreakout said:

Woah!  I didn't realize these were being shipped out imminently.

 

I just sent a request to collectorvision to update my address last night... I had to move since I ordered mine in 2019.  I haven't heard a reply, so I hope I did that in time.

If I were you I'd also reach out to whoever lives at your old address as many of these were actually shipped a week or two back and there's no signature required... so it could easily find its way to the doorstop of your old address. 

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14 hours ago, CaptainBreakout said:

Woah!  I didn't realize these were being shipped out imminently.

 

I just sent a request to collectorvision to update my address last night... I had to move since I ordered mine in 2019.  I haven't heard a reply, so I hope I did that in time.

I think these shipped USPS.  If so and you put in a change of address, it should be forwarded to you.

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