28.5 watt ColecoVision compatible power supply (The best quality PS every made for the ColecoVision)

[HDTV1080P]

This new 28.5 watt ColecoVision compatible power supply is new for the year 2020 and is the best quality power supply made for the ColecoVision. It was released on June 12^th 2020 and is currently on the Amazon and EBAY websites. The Col USB Power supply solution with the 17 watt 3.4 amp USB-C Power supply Kit use to sale for around $84.99 on EBAY and was ideal for those that wanted to power their ColecoVision over a USB connection. However, for only $49.99 the 28.5 watt ColecoVision compatible power supply is both cheaper and better quality power supply and comes with a Mean Well GP25B13A-R1B power supply and a custom Gold Plated ColecoVision Power Cable. For those that prefer to purchase their own ColecoVsion compatible Power Supply from Mean Well, or already own a compatible Mean Well Power Supply, the Gold Plated ColecoVison Power Cord sells for $14.99 on EBAY. I noticed a big picture quality improvemnt with the Roller Controller and other devices that use to cause screen interference on a channel 3 and 4 RF connection to the TV. This new 28.5 watt ColecoVision Power supply and cable is so well shielded that the picture quality was greatly improved since EMI/RFI interference is eliminated or greatly reduced. In the past most Mean Well Power supplies were made in China, however recently this new model power supply is made in Mean Well's Taiwan factory. The high-quality Gold Plated ColecoVsion power cord was engineered in the USA and made in China with the help of automated machines.   

 

·      This Mean Well GP25B13A-R1B is the best quality ColecoVision compatible power supply every made (high-quality shielding improves picture quality by eliminating or reducing EMI/RFI interference). A massive amount of USA and international safety certifications means a green adapter with high safety, high reliability, and high quality. UL listed, FCC certification, TUV certified, CB certified, Russia EAC certified, Europe EMC Certification, Europe CE Certification, and German GS certification. This power supply is RoHS compliant.   

 

·      Complies with the mandatory energy saving standard USA EISA 2007/DoE (Energy Efficiency level VI). No load power consumption of less than 0.3 watts.

 

·      Combined power cord length is a total of 12 feet (366cm): AC USA Power cord 6 feet (183cm) plus DC ColecoVision power cord 6 feet (183cm).

 

·      Excellent short circuit protection, overload protection, and over voltage protection.

 

·      This Mean Well Power Supply is engineered in the United States and made in Taiwan using high quality parts (The enclosed top of the line ColecoVision compatible power cord was engineered in the United States and made in China using high quality materials with the help of automated machines. This high-quality ColecoVision Power cord is ROHS compliant and is made with UL approved materiel).

 

·      Power supply operating temperature is between  -4 to 158 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 to + 70 degrees Celsius).  A storage temperature of up to 185 degrees Fahrenheit (85 degrees Celsius).  

 

·      3 year Warranty from Mean Well with an outstanding Mean Time Before Failure rating of 620,000 hours.  

 

 

    1. Mean Well GP25B13A-R1B AC to DC Switching power adapter for use with the ColecoVision videogame system. Works anywhere in the world between 100-240 volts AC 50/60Hz with power cord styles for every country. The Mean Well GP25B13A-R1B is a high-end 28.5 watt power supply for use with the ColecoVision videogame system (outputs +5 volts up to 2.5 amps, outputs -5 volts up to 0.3 amps, and outputs 12 volts up to 1.2 amps). Excellent short circuit protection, overload protection, and over voltage protection. Energy Efficiency level VI certified with a no load power consumption of less than 0.3 watts. A massive amount of safety certifications including UL listed, FCC certification, TUV certified, CB certified, Russia EAC certified, Europe EMC Certification, Europe CE Certification, and German GS certification. This power supply is RoHS compliant. Power supply operating temperature is between  -4 to 158 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 to +70 degrees Celsius). A storage temperature of up to 185 degrees Fahrenheit (85 degrees Celsius). Power supply has a LED indicator for power on notification. Mean Well offers a 3 year warranty for this power supply. Outstanding Mean Time Before Failure rating of 620,000 hours. This Mean Well Power Supply is engineered in the USA and made in Taiwan using high quality parts.        

 

    2. One factory new ColecoVision compatible power cord (around 10 inches (25.4CM) in length). This 18 gauge UL2464 PVC cable is dual shielded with a both an Aluminum Foil Shield and a Braid Shield. The power cord contains a high-quality Ferrite Bead on power cable that eliminates or greatly reduces EMI/RFI noise. Both ends of the power cable has gold plated pins. Power cable was engineered in the United States and made in China using high quality materials with the help of automated machines. This high-quality ColecoVision Power cord is ROHS compliant and is made with UL approved materiel.    

 

Questions and Answers

 

Question: Can this High-end ColecoVision 28.5 Watt Power Supply be used on any ColecoVision in the world?

 

Answer: Yes as long as it is an original ColecoVision game console manufactured by Coleco. The ColecoVision game console was manufactured between August 1982 to January 1985 and was offered in both NTSC and PAL. This high-end 28.5 watt Power Supply works with both NTSC and PAL ColecoVisions and also the power supply has a input voltage between 100-240 volts with 50Hz/60Hz at 0.8 amps (works with power cord styles for every country).

 

Question: Can this ColecoVision High-end 28.5 Watt Power Supply power the OPCODE Super Game Module, Roller Controller, Expansion Module #1 ATARI 2600 adapter, Expansion Module #2 Steering Wheel, and also the Expansion Module #3 ADAM computer?  

 

Answer: Yes this 28.5 watt ColecoVision power supply works perfectly fine with the OPCODE Super Game Module, Roller Controller, Expansion Module #1 ATARI 2600 adapter, and Expansion Module #2 Steering Wheel (Technically the Steering Wheel uses its own internal power supply). However, this 28.5 watt ColecoVision power supply and also the original 80’s ColecoVision power supply was never designed to power the Expansion Module #3 ADAM computer. However with extensive testing the Expansion Module #3 ADAM computer worked with the keyboard and MicroSD Floppy Emulator using this 28.5 watt ColecoVision power supply instead of using the ADAM computer DB9 power supply (However not enough power to power things like the Digital Data Drive with this 28.5 wattt power supply if the ColecoVision wiring harness is used instead of a ADAM computer wiring harness). Also, the ColecoVision wiring harness was never designed to power the ADAM computer and there may be some hardware variations of the ColecoVision and Expansion Module #3 ADAM computer that would not work 100% correctly. So if one wants to use all the functions of the Expansion Module #3 ADAM computer with the Digital Data Drive and other hardware devices, then one should continue to use or purchase a dedicated ADAM power supply so that one can power the ColecoVision with the Expansion Module #3 ADAM computer attached.   

 

Question: How does this 28.5 Watt ColecoVision compatible power supply compare to the original 1982 ColecoVision power supply and all other power supplies that have been released?

 

Answer: This Mean Well GP25B13A-R1B is the best quality ColecoVision compatible power supply every made (high-quality shielding improves picture quality by eliminating or reducing EMI/RFI interference). A massive amount of USA and international safety certifications means a green adapter with high safety, high reliability, and high quality. This Mean Well power supply is 28.5 watts and can power just about anything possible that is added in the future to the ColecoVision videogame console (This Mean Well GP25B13A-R1B power supply is capable of offering 3 to 4 times the current output when compared to the original 1982 ColecoVision power supply). Also this Mean Well ColecoVision compatible power supply for $49.99 is better quality at a cheaper price when compared to the Col USB plug that costs around $84.99 when sold as a 17 watt 3.4 amp USB-C Power Supply kit.

 

Question: Why is the ColecoVision wiring harness (ColecoVision compatible power cord) detachable from the Mean Well GP25B13A-R1B power supply and not soldered directly on the circuit board inside the power supplies plastic case?

 

Answer: We originally contacted Mean Well to get the ColecoVision wiring harness directly soldered and professionally installed at their robotic factory in Taiwan (which would also mean the 3 year warranty would still be valid if Mean Well solders the wiring harness directly inside their power supply). However, Mean Well informed us that the minimum QTY required to install the ColecoVision compatible wiring harness is a minimum order of around 2,000 power supplies. Since we have calculated the demand for a ColecoVision power supply being only around a QTY of 500, we ended up having a high-end Chinese factory with the help of automated machines make a detachable ColecoVision compatible power cord. Yes, we could have manually soldered the ColecoVision wiring harness directly to the inside of the Mean Well power supply, however we decided not to do this since it would void the 3 year Mean Well warranty. Therefore the advantage of the detachable ColecoVision compatible power cord is that the 3 year warranty on the Mean Well power supply is still valid, and if the power supply were to go bad in 10 to 20 years there is a possibility that one might be able to buy another compatible Mean Well power supply and plug their existing ColecoVision compatible power cord into the replacement power supply.

 

Question: You claim that this 28.5 Watt Mean Well GP25B13A-R1B power supply is the best ColecoVision compatible power supply on the market, however according to Mean Well's website there is a 46.5 Watt Mean Well GP50A13A-R1B power supply that exists with better specs. Why is the Mean Well GP25B13A-R1B a better ColecoVision power supply?  

 

Answer: The Mean Well GP50A13A-R1B costs around $15 more and yes on paper the specs are better, however after doing extensive testing we discovered that the Mean Well GP25B13A-R1B power supply is a much better power supply when it comes to short circuit protection (also the Mean Time Before Failure Rating on the GP50A13A-R1B is less hours and only 280,000 hours versus 620,000 hours for the GP25B13A-R1B). We discovered that the Mean Well GP50A13A-R1B power supply is poorly engineered for short circuit protection, and if one takes a screw driver and touches the 5 volt rail to the 12 volt rail on the DIN plug the power supply is good for only one short circuit and needs to be thrown away since it never recovers. During a 6-month period we purchased 4 different Mean Well GP50A13A-R1B power supplies and all 4 power supplies had to be thrown away because of the defective short circuit protection. If one shorts the 5 volt rail to the 12 volt rail the power supply short circuit protection is destroyed and never recovers because of an engineering design flaw with that model. The last thing we want to do is own a power supply that stops working completely if there is a rare condition where a ColecoVision Expansion Module causes a brief short on the 5 and 12 volt rail if someone forgot to turn off their ColecoVsion while plugging in a Expansion Module. An engineer at Mean Well also verified and was able to duplicate the problem of the Mean Well GP50A13A-R1B power supply going dead and never recovering when the 5 volt and 12 volt channels are shorted together with a simple screw driver inserted into the DIN plug. However the better quality Mean Well GP25B13A-R1B power supply that is also around $15 cheaper in price, is the power supply that has perfect short circuit protection, and one can short the 5 volt and 12 volt rails together several times with a screw driver for an hour or more and the power supply will always recover once the short is removed. However if one owns or prefers to use a different power supply like the Mean Well GP50A13A-R1B with their ColecoVision they can purchase the ColecoVision compatible power cord without the power supply (When using a different power supply with the ColecoVision compatible power cord, just make sure the power supply has the correct pin configuration, voltages, and minimum amp rating like 5 volts DC (min 0.9 amps), -5 volts DC (min 0.1 amps), and +12 volts DC (min 0.3 amps).           

 

*** Disclaimer *** Even though the Mean Well 28.5 watt power supply for the ColecoVision has a massive amount of safety certifications including UL listed (The 120 volt USA AC power cord is also UL certified). The enclosed high quality 18 gauge ColecoVision compatible power cord uses UL recognized material but is not UL listed. UL listed is an optional safety certification in the United States and is not required.

 

 

GP25B-spec.pdf GP25x13A-rpt.pdf GP25B,D-FCC-Cer.pdf EAC-cer.pdf GP25B,D-CB-cer.pdf GP25B,D-CE-dec.pdf GP25B,D-EMC-Cer.pdf GP25B,D-TUV-cer.pdf

Edited June 15, 2020 by HDTV1080P

[Bill Loguidice]

Where is this sold?

 

[Greg2600]

1 hour ago, Bill Loguidice said:

Where is this sold?

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/28-5-watt-ColecoVision-compatible-power-supply-The-best-quality-PS-every-made-/114258620533

 

It's on eBay.  I'm just hesitant to be the guinea pig and have my modded CV KO'd, will wait for an independent review.

Edited June 15, 2020 by Greg2600

[Bill Loguidice]

39 minutes ago, Greg2600 said:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/28-5-watt-ColecoVision-compatible-power-supply-The-best-quality-PS-every-made-/114258620533

 

It's on eBay.  I'm just hesitant to be the guinea pig and have my modded CV KO'd, will wait for an independent review.

Yeah. I wonder why the terminating plug is not grounded?

[Bill Loguidice]

1 hour ago, Bill Loguidice said:

Yeah. I wonder why the terminating plug is not grounded?

Never mind about the grounded comment.

 

[+-^CrossBow^-]

1 hour ago, Bill Loguidice said:

Never mind about the grounded comment.

 

To be fair, using a ColUSB doesn't provide you with a dedicated ground either when you are using a phone charger like device on it. And the original PSU for the CV didn't have a dedicated ground plug either as most wall wart/brick supplies didn't and still don't.

 

[HDTV1080P]

7 hours ago, Bill Loguidice said:

Yeah. I wonder why the terminating plug is not grounded?

There is one advantage of having a power supply without a ground, no ground loop noise on an analog composite video modified ColecoVision. I have seen high-end 3 prong power supplies having a ground loop issue with the Commodore Amiga, Commodore 128, Coleco ADAM, ATARI computers, and other systems. Certain power companies have more noise going across the ground plug. There are composite video ground loop emulators that exist if someone is using a 3 prong power supply with composite video. Or purchase a 2 prong power supply that has absolutely no ground loop problems because it is not connected to the ground.   

 

That being said I have installed a ColecoVision wire harness on some high-end ATX power supplies that are grounded with a 3 prong cord. These ATX power supplies put out 0.5amps on the -5 volt DC rail (600 watt version is 1 amp on the -5 volt DC rail). I should have said that the Mean Well GP25B13A-R1B is the best quality ColecoVision compatible power supply in production with the -5 volt DC feature. If you go back to 2010-2014 time frame the ATX power supplies are king of performance quality. Technically the ATX power supplies are better quality power supplies, however there are two problems with using ATX power supplies with classic 80’s systems like the ColecoVision and ADAM computer: The first problem is since around the year 2014 no company makes a ATX power supply with the -5 volts DC feature anymore, so since they cannot be purchased anymore, by default the Mean Well GP25B13A-R1B is a better power supply. The ADAM computer and ColecoVision computer require -5 volts DC to operate. The second problem with ATX power supplies is that consumers do not like the size of the power supply when compared to a small attractive desktop power supply like the Mean Well GP25B13A-R1B.  

That being said here is a link to pictures of 3 ATX power supplies that use high quality 3 prong power cords.

 

600 Watt Titanium Nicked Coated ColecoVision Power Supply

 

 

550 Watt Power Supply for the ColecoVision

 

 

550 Watt Smurf Power Supply for the ColecoVision videogame system

 

 

Edited June 16, 2020 by HDTV1080P

[KevinMos3]

Is there an Adam version?

[HDTV1080P]

16 hours ago, KevinMos3 said:

Is there an Adam version?

No there was not a ADAM version created. However the following is a link to a ADAM compatible power supply.

 

 

Edited June 21, 2020 by HDTV1080P

[+Swami]

Watch out for Cardillo with that logo on it.

 

Edited June 21, 2020 by Swami

[+-^CrossBow^-]

I've been hesitant to post but I might as well.

 

I received this power supply late last week and tried it several times over the weekend playing various games on my SD flash cart. The power supply itself and the cable harness it uses  are very well constructed and I'm quite impressed by this. However, even with the quality of the cabling they have used and even with the brick as far away from my CV as possible, I do have some siwtching noise in the video signal that can be seen on most games. I was using Rock'n Bolt as an example this weekend as it seems to show it quite easily. I'm not sure if I can get a picture of it, but it shows up as fairly quick moving diagonal lines across the screen from right to left. Using my original coleco PSU brick does not produce this and that is with them plugged into the same outlet to reduce any variables. My CV is also composite modded by me and has one of Yurkie's old composite mod boards in it, but instead of using the TRRS jack that is soldered to his board, I removed it and installed actual RCAs to the back of mine and wired those in place. Point being, that my CV usually has a nice picture on it so it was immediately noticeable when the noise was showing up on the video signal.

 

I don't have one of the RGB boards or any other fancy mods in place other than the +5v ram upgrade, but I can say that at least with mine there is added noise on the power that is being picked up by the CV and can be seen in the video signal that doesn't appear with the original PSU. I will continue to use this new PSU as I do like the construction of it and much smaller size and weight as compared to the originals. For the price it seems more than fair and my results may not be typical in regards to the added noise in the video. I will see if there are other things I can do to try and reduce it to get a better idea, but that is my initial impressions of using it for several hours over the weekend.

 

[Greg2600]

Well thanks for posting, as I have the same Yurkie CV mod, though I use the TRRS, so I might have the same issues as you are.  I wonder if our seller has a similar setup to test that?  BTW, is your RF still operational (mine is)?  Does it get the same interference?

[HDTV1080P]

4 hours ago, -^CrossBow^- said:

I've been hesitant to post but I might as well.

 

I received this power supply late last week and tried it several times over the weekend playing various games on my SD flash cart. The power supply itself and the cable harness it uses  are very well constructed and I'm quite impressed by this. However, even with the quality of the cabling they have used and even with the brick as far away from my CV as possible, I do have some siwtching noise in the video signal that can be seen on most games. I was using Rock'n Bolt as an example this weekend as it seems to show it quite easily. I'm not sure if I can get a picture of it, but it shows up as fairly quick moving diagonal lines across the screen from right to left. Using my original coleco PSU brick does not produce this and that is with them plugged into the same outlet to reduce any variables. My CV is also composite modded by me and has one of Yurkie's old composite mod boards in it, but instead of using the TRRS jack that is soldered to his board, I removed it and installed actual RCAs to the back of mine and wired those in place. Point being, that my CV usually has a nice picture on it so it was immediately noticeable when the noise was showing up on the video signal.

 

I don't have one of the RGB boards or any other fancy mods in place other than the +5v ram upgrade, but I can say that at least with mine there is added noise on the power that is being picked up by the CV and can be seen in the video signal that doesn't appear with the original PSU. I will continue to use this new PSU as I do like the construction of it and much smaller size and weight as compared to the originals. For the price it seems more than fair and my results may not be typical in regards to the added noise in the video. I will see if there are other things I can do to try and reduce it to get a better idea, but that is my initial impressions of using it for several hours over the weekend.

 

Thanks for your post and I am sorry you are experiencing picture quality issues with your setup. So far I have had very good feedback from people using this power supply. It’s a popular power supply on Amazon and EBAY.  I have around 5 different ColecoVision to test on. I tried several different original game cartridges, ATARIMAX 128 in 1 USB flash cartridge, and the ATARIMAX Ultimate SD Wafer Drive (also called Ultimate SD cartridge).  All games on all my ColecoVisons worked flawlessly for picture and sound quality including the Rock’n Bolt game. The unmodified original RF output on all ColecoVision’s works fine with this power supply. Also a late 80’s composite video with audio output works fine on the ColecoVision. However I know there is different third party modifications to peoples ColecoVision’s and perhaps certain third party modifications might require the original ColecoVison power brick since it uses a transformer instead of a high quality switching power supply from Mean Well or a high-end ATX power supply with the legacy -5 volts DC feature.

 

If you are experiencing picture quality issues then there are a few possible causes of why and steps you could do to isolate the problem:

 

1.     Your ColecoVision might be defective or the third party video modification might have not been done correctly (grounding issue?). Using an unmodified ColecoVision with a RF channel 3 and 4 NTSC output (or PAL RF output for European ColecoVision’s) should solve the problem. Try an unmodified ColecoVision with the original RF output.

 

2.     Each brand new ColecoVision power supply shipped out is hand checked visually and electrically for a few minutes. However, in the rare chance that the Mean Well ColecoVision power supply is defective the Amazon and EBAY dealers that sell the power supply offer a 60 day return and exchange policy. So if you still have problems on an original unmodified ColecoVision with RF output then you can send it back for a refund or an exchange.

 

3.     Now if the video problem only occurs on a third party modified ColecoVsion, and no problems on a unmodified ColecoVision. Then the problem might be that certain third party modified ColecoVisions might only work with a power supply that uses a transformer and for some reason any switching power supplies would not work with your third party modified ColecoVision. But it would be odd for someone to make a third party video modification that only works with a transformer based ColecoVision power supply. It could be the modification has a bad ground or solder joint that only shows up when a modern switching power supply is used. 

 

4.     If you wanted to try another power supply you could go with one of the rare high-end out of production ATX power supplies with the negative 5 volts feature. But some people do not like the size of the power supply since its even bigger when compared to the original ColecoVision power brick.

 

5.     The last option that you could try with your modified ColecoVision, is that you could try the 46.5 Watt Mean Well GP50A13A-R1B power supply that is compatible with the ColecoVision power cord that you own. However that Mean Well GP50A13A-R1B power supply is poorly engineered for short circuit protection, and if one takes a screw driver and touch the 5 volt rail to the 12 volt rail on the DIN plug the power supply is good for only one short circuit and needs to be thrown away since it never recovers. During a 6-month period I purchased 4 different Mean Well GP50A13A-R1B power supplies and all 4 power supplies had to be thrown away because of the defective short circuit protection. The better quality Mean Well GP25B13A-R1B power supply that you own was around $15 cheaper in price, and the power supply has perfect short circuit protection, and one can short the 5 volt and 12 volt rails together several times with a screw driver for an hour or more and the power supply will always recover once the short is removed. 

 

I hope the information helps you to try and isolate the problem. The ColecoVision videogame systems are around 38 years old, and some of the problems can be with the ColecoVision itself or a third party video modification that works better with the original Coleco transformer. There is always a possibility that some repair company or individual might be able to repair the original 1982 ColecoVision power cubes. However a better long term solution would be to make sure the third party video modifications work with switching power supplies.   

Edited June 22, 2020 by HDTV1080P

[MrPix]

The CV system was designed for use with transformer-based power supplies with linear regulators, These pass through very little noise and what nise does pass through is generally of very low frequency. Modern switch mode power supplies use high speed switching at typically between 400 KHz to 1 MHz, and the Mean Well supply is no different.

In the supply in question, the 5V line is loaded enough to work well, but the 12V line is very lightly loaded. This results in some unfiltered switching noise passing through on the 12V line. The Mean Well PSUs have adequate bulk electrolytic capacitors on the outputs, but these are just to handle consumption surges and do not work well to filter out high frequency switching noise.

The CV consoles being in their late 30s doesn't help - many will work one way and a few will work another just because of variations in the aging of the caps.

It seems likely the console in question needs a re-cap, and the recap needs to focus on the smaller caps as these are the ones that filter the higher frequency noise. Also, adding some 1uF and .1uF caps near the video section will do a lot to filter out the type of noise that's being imposed on the video signal in some consoles.

[+-^CrossBow^-]

Here we go again with stating my CV is flawed or defective in some way? I've down this road before only with a homebrew game. Look, I only know that when I was using the ColUSB and the original PSU that I don't recall this added noise that can be seen in the video output. But since my ColUSB burnt out on me, I can't compare it with this new solution to confirm that either. But I believe the ColUSB was still basically using small linear based regulation in it and not switching.

 

So this CV was recapped by myself personally about 2 years ago now and that includes the pain in the butt ones inside the RF modulator which I've since installed on the bottom of the PCB and above the top daughter PCB of the RF modulator to get at them easier next time. It has the +5 RAM mod because the original video ram was faulty. That modification was also done by me about 4 or 5 years ago now? It does have one of Yurkie's composite mod boards installed, but again I removed the TRRS jack off it and ran wire from the AV jack points off the composite mod board to external RCA jacks along the back or at least for the video I did. The actual composite mod board sits attached sideways along the right hand side of the colecovision mainboard outside of the RF modulator as I found it produces better video results if it wasn't under the RF shielding near the video ram as most installations show to do.

 

This CV did have an issue with one homebrew game that was due to the center ground tab on the bottom RF shield missing on this particular unit. But I received it this way nearly 20 years ago when I found it at the local flea market. It was only discovered when the game in question turned out to check for the presence of ground off pin 13 of the cartridge port which, turns out to only be attached to ground via that center tab under the mainboard. That was repaired by running a direct wire from a local ground point off the board elsewhere to pin 13.

 

So for all intents and purposes the system is a modded system, but it has never presented any issues in normal game play when using either the original PSU that I got with it 20 years ago or the ColUSB. I moved this new PSU around to either side of my console and even brought it in closer and further away with no change on the video output. So it didn't matter the proximity of where the PSU brick for this meanwell supply was in relation to the console as the noise on the video was still ever present. Game play wise, everything works as it should. Just adds diagonal lines across the screen that move from right to left that weren't present before. Aside from this issue, I think the rest of the power supply is excellent in the construction and use of it all. It also has a very tight grip on the power plug pins that my original PSU and ColUSB didn't quite have so it is very secure and makes excellent connections to the power port of the CV.

 

But you know what, I do have a stock CV...well mostly. It just had the power switch replaced out on it but still has the stock video ram and only RF. I never installed a composite mod into it because it actually has a very nice RF picture from it by default. But I wouldn't say it is more clear than my composite and it is quite possible that I might not even see these interference lines on a CRT or through RF at all due to the RF still not being as clear as composite or above is.

 

 

 

[HDTV1080P]

39 minutes ago, -^CrossBow^- said:

Here we go again with stating my CV is flawed or defective in some way? I've down this road before only with a homebrew game. Look, I only know that when I was using the ColUSB and the original PSU that I don't recall this added noise that can be seen in the video output. But since my ColUSB burnt out on me, I can't compare it with this new solution to confirm that either. But I believe the ColUSB was still basically using small linear based regulation in it and not switching.

 

So this CV was recapped by myself personally about 2 years ago now and that includes the pain in the butt ones inside the RF modulator which I've since installed on the bottom of the PCB and above the top daughter PCB of the RF modulator to get at them easier next time. It has the +5 RAM mod because the original video ram was faulty. That modification was also done by me about 4 or 5 years ago now? It does have one of Yurkie's composite mod boards installed, but again I removed the TRRS jack off it and ran wire from the AV jack points off the composite mod board to external RCA jacks along the back or at least for the video I did. The actual composite mod board sits attached sideways along the right hand side of the colecovision mainboard outside of the RF modulator as I found it produces better video results if it wasn't under the RF shielding near the video ram as most installations show to do.

 

This CV did have an issue with one homebrew game that was due to the center ground tab on the bottom RF shield missing on this particular unit. But I received it this way nearly 20 years ago when I found it at the local flea market. It was only discovered when the game in question turned out to check for the presence of ground off pin 13 of the cartridge port which, turns out to only be attached to ground via that center tab under the mainboard. That was repaired by running a direct wire from a local ground point off the board elsewhere to pin 13.

 

So for all intents and purposes the system is a modded system, but it has never presented any issues in normal game play when using either the original PSU that I got with it 20 years ago or the ColUSB. I moved this new PSU around to either side of my console and even brought it in closer and further away with no change on the video output. So it didn't matter the proximity of where the PSU brick for this meanwell supply was in relation to the console as the noise on the video was still ever present. Game play wise, everything works as it should. Just adds diagonal lines across the screen that move from right to left that weren't present before. Aside from this issue, I think the rest of the power supply is excellent in the construction and use of it all. It also has a very tight grip on the power plug pins that my original PSU and ColUSB didn't quite have so it is very secure and makes excellent connections to the power port of the CV.

 

But you know what, I do have a stock CV...well mostly. It just had the power switch replaced out on it but still has the stock video ram and only RF. I never installed a composite mod into it because it actually has a very nice RF picture from it by default. But I wouldn't say it is more clear than my composite and it is quite possible that I might not even see these interference lines on a CRT or through RF at all due to the RF still not being as clear as composite or above is.

 

 

 

Also try unplugging the RCA video cable and reseating it to see if the picture quality improves (You could try reseating both ends of the 10 inch ColecoVision power cord to see if it is loose). There is a ferrite bead on the dual shielded ColecoVision power cord that works as a low pass filter to eliminate high frequency noise from switching power supplies.

 

However you are saying you are experiencing a diagonal line across the screen that moves from right to left. That is the same problem that can be seen on both transformer based and switching power supplies that use a 3 prong electrical cord on a Coleco ADAM, Commodore Amiga, and ATARI computers. That is a ground loop problem. However ground loop problems that are generated from the power supply only occur on 3 prong power supplies and not 2 prong power supplies. This means something in your system is causing a ground loop on the composite video output. A video ground loop eliminator would most likely solve the problem. On the original Coleco ADAM 3 prong transformer based power supply I use a composite video ground loop eliminator that fixes the problem. However if I switch the Coleco ADAM, Amiga, and ATARI to a 2 prong power supply the ground loop is eliminated without the need for a composite video ground loop eliminator.

 

I have never seen a 2 prong power supply like the Mean Well produce a ground loop issue, its only been 3 prong power supplies. It really sounds like something in your system is causing a ground loop.

This composite video ground loop eliminator from B and H Photo works very well to eliminate ground loops. They have a 30 day return policy if for some reason it does not solve the problem in your system.

 

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/813217-REG/RDL_EZ_HK3_EZ_HK3_Audio_Video.html

Edited June 22, 2020 by HDTV1080P

[+-^CrossBow^-]

Then based on what you are saying, I should be seeing the same interference regardless of which PSU I'm using? But that isn't the case here? Why would I make it up? Hey I'm all about having different options for things and I really like the overall design of this PSU you have in place. the power dongle that plugs into the back of the CV does seem very well constructed as I said and Mean Well supplies are used all over the world in commercial and consumer grade stuff so I don't fault that either. I'm just stating what I can see with my own eyes on my setup.

 

I guess I will have to see if I can record it via my camcorder, but my new 4K camera produces an odd slightly moving checkerboard pattern when it records that isn't actually present on the TV and only shows up in the camera so again it would be difficult to video what I'm seeing as it would likely be obscured by this odd patterning that my camera produces when recording facing my LCD directly.

 

[HDTV1080P]

11 minutes ago, -^CrossBow^- said:

Then based on what you are saying, I should be seeing the same interference regardless of which PSU I'm using? But that isn't the case here? Why would I make it up? Hey I'm all about having different options for things and I really like the overall design of this PSU you have in place. the power dongle that plugs into the back of the CV does seem very well constructed as I said and Mean Well supplies are used all over the world in commercial and consumer grade stuff so I don't fault that either. I'm just stating what I can see with my own eyes on my setup.

 

I guess I will have to see if I can record it via my camcorder, but my new 4K camera produces an odd slightly moving checkerboard pattern when it records that isn't actually present on the TV and only shows up in the camera so again it would be difficult to video what I'm seeing as it would likely be obscured by this odd patterning that my camera produces when recording facing my LCD directly.

 

Did you try reseating the cables like I mentioned and did you try another ColecoVision without the third party video modification?

 

It is disappointing but no one makes transformer based power supplies anymore, switching power supplies are the latest designs. There is a ferrite bead on the dual shielded ColecoVision power cord that works as a low pass filter to eliminate high frequency noise from switching power supplies.

 

I am not saying you are making anything up, but all I am saying is that there is something causing the ground loop or interference problem on your system. Yes it could be a incompatibility with the third party composite video modification on your ColecoVison with switching power supplies. That problem does not show up on RF and other composite video ColecoVsions. I have around 5 systems I tested on before releasing the product.  

Edited June 22, 2020 by HDTV1080P

[+-^CrossBow^-]

Well, if it helps at all..I just tested it all again but using RF this time. While the RF is bad and shows a lot of snow and interferrence (This RF has always been crappy on this one hence why I composite modded it to begin with), it does show a different pattern with some sawtooth like patterns on the screen when using the supply that I do not see when using a normal PSU with it. So it is something that I can see on RF as well.

 

I will try my other CV that is pretty much all stock and see what does next and let you know. I might try and still find a way to record this in some way so you can see for yourself what I'm seeing.

 

Okay, I see something similar with the other stock CV through RF. With the original PSU I get a nice stable RF picture (That might even be better than the composite I have in my other unit) with light snow interference typical of RF. Using the meanwell supply I still have a nice bright picture, but it isn't as stable with the image shifting slight in a few places a few pixels to the left and right and there is a noticeable pattern in the image in addition to the snow.

 

Both the original PSU and the mean will are plugged into a 20A load capable surge strip that is directly connected to the power outlet with the other receptacle empty. In all cases of my testing, I only have one of these supplies plugged in at a time on this strip to ensure neither is interfering with the other.

 

Having said that, I did just notice something odd on my composite modded unit I've never noticed before. With both supplies my initial picture through RF is black and white until I plug in the composite cable and then color comes through on the RF. My guess is that it has something to do with the composite being tied off the composite video from the RF modulator as all the composite mods require along with the ground and +12 from the same points. So there is something odd with the composite mod taking too much of the signal or causing a voltage drain on the RF modulator it seems that I've not noticed before. I will have to look at that in more detail but I wonder if all the comp mods might do this? They are all based off the same designs near as I can tell.

 

[HDTV1080P]

14 minutes ago, -^CrossBow^- said:

Well, if it helps at all..I just tested it all again but using RF this time. While the RF is bad and shows a lot of snow and interferrence (This RF has always been crappy on this one hence why I composite modded it to begin with), it does show a different pattern with some sawtooth like patterns on the screen when using the supply that I do not see when using a normal PSU with it. So it is something that I can see on RF as well.

 

I will try my other CV that is pretty much all stock and see what does next and let you know. I might try and still find a way to record this in some way so you can see for yourself what I'm seeing.

 

OK I will wait to hear after you test the second ColecoVision system you own. 

Edited June 22, 2020 by HDTV1080P

[+-^CrossBow^-]

I don't own 3...just the two. And I just added those results in my original statement above you.

 

[HDTV1080P]

1 hour ago, -^CrossBow^- said:

Well, if it helps at all..I just tested it all again but using RF this time. While the RF is bad and shows a lot of snow and interferrence (This RF has always been crappy on this one hence why I composite modded it to begin with), it does show a different pattern with some sawtooth like patterns on the screen when using the supply that I do not see when using a normal PSU with it. So it is something that I can see on RF as well.

 

I will try my other CV that is pretty much all stock and see what does next and let you know. I might try and still find a way to record this in some way so you can see for yourself what I'm seeing.

 

Okay, I see something similar with the other stock CV through RF. With the original PSU I get a nice stable RF picture (That might even be better than the composite I have in my other unit) with light snow interference typical of RF. Using the meanwell supply I still have a nice bright picture, but it isn't as stable with the image shifting slight in a few places a few pixels to the left and right and there is a noticeable pattern in the image in addition to the snow.

 

Both the original PSU and the mean will are plugged into a 20A load capable surge strip that is directly connected to the power outlet with the other receptacle empty. In all cases of my testing, I only have one of these supplies plugged in at a time on this strip to ensure neither is interfering with the other.

 

Having said that, I did just notice something odd on my composite modded unit I've never noticed before. With both supplies my initial picture through RF is black and white until I plug in the composite cable and then color comes through on the RF. My guess is that it has something to do with the composite being tied off the composite video from the RF modulator as all the composite mods require along with the ground and +12 from the same points. So there is something odd with the composite mod taking too much of the signal or causing a voltage drain on the RF modulator it seems that I've not noticed before. I will have to look at that in more detail but I wonder if all the comp mods might do this? They are all based off the same designs near as I can tell.

 

If the RF picture quality on your second ColecoVision has a better picture quality when compared to the composite video using the original ColecoVision power supply, then there must be something wrong with the composite video modification. Composite video and audio should always 100% of the time have a better picture and sound quality when compared to the modulated RF video and audio. If not then there must be something wrong with the video modification.

 

It seems your ColecoVision system is having a problem using all third party power supplies including the high end Mean Well power supply along with the Col USB plug. On my 5 ColecoVision systems I have a improved picture quality using the Mean Well power supply versus the COL USB and original ColecoVison power supply.

 

If the ColecoVision power supply works best on your system then I would recommend continuing to use that power supply.

 

I will be listing the ultimate 600 watt ColecoVision power supply protype on EBAY most likely tonight starting at a penny bid. I would be really curious how your system performs on a high-end ATX power supply. Only the ATX power supplies have a cleaner power output when compared to the Mean Well power supplies. However the -5 volt DC feature is a feature that has not been offered on ATX power supplies since 2014. Also most people do not like the look of ATX power supplies for their ColecoVision system, however they happen to be the best out of production power supply for the ColecoVision.

 

 

A long term solution would be to get a third party graphics card company to make an expansion card for the ColecoVision that would turn off the analog video display and then the front expansion card would have its own video display processor with a HDMI output. However that most likely will never happen unless one could get a company like OP CODE to make a SGM module with a built in HDMI output. The problem is these ColecoVisions are getting to be so old at around 38 years in age that they are not that reliable anymore. They were never designed to last 40 years and they are malfunctioning big time as they reach the 40 year anniversary.

 

We really need a ColecoVision II videogame system to be made with surface mount components and a modern HDMI output.

Edited June 22, 2020 by HDTV1080P

[+-^CrossBow^-]

I'm curious and holding out for the new RGB board since I believe part of the plan is to offer an additional board that would provide a new composite and s-video output from the CV. For sure I plan to pick one of those combos up.

 

And you are correct in that composite should look better than RF in all cases. But this CV has always had a crappy RF picture from it regardless of adjustments made to it. In fact I don't think I had video at all when I first got it and was only getting snow until I adjusted the tuner on it many many years ago. 

 

But that still doesn't explain why my other CV that is still stock still shows additional interference through RF when using this new MeanWell supply setup? I understand you don't see it on your systems, but then you and I live in different parts of the country and we don't have the same AV setups in use I would assume?

 

I will look more into the composite mod on my daily driver but I believe I've also used a few other composite video solutions on it in the past and they all produce the same results on the composite. I hadn't noticed the issue with the RF only being in black n white until I plug in the composite lead until today though.

 

[MrPix]

1 hour ago, HDTV1080P said:

There is a ferrite bead on the dual shielded ColecoVision power cord that works as a low pass filter to eliminate high frequency noise from switching power supplies.

To be fair, while it does filter out transient spikes, it doesn't filter out changes in level of say 11.8 to 12V...

Personally, I'd be looking at if moving the power supply and video cable relative to each other changes the nature of the interference. Hearing the console was extensively recapped a couple of years ago is reassuring.

If you used a ColUSB,do you still have it? If so, does the problem go away when you use it?

[HDTV1080P]

9 minutes ago, -^CrossBow^- said:

I'm curious and holding out for the new RGB board since I believe part of the plan is to offer an additional board that would provide a new composite and s-video output from the CV. For sure I plan to pick one of those combos up.

 

And you are correct in that composite should look better than RF in all cases. But this CV has always had a crappy RF picture from it regardless of adjustments made to it. In fact I don't think I had video at all when I first got it and was only getting snow until I adjusted the tuner on it many many years ago. 

 

But that still doesn't explain why my other CV that is still stock still shows additional interference through RF when using this new MeanWell supply setup? I understand you don't see it on your systems, but then you and I live in different parts of the country and we don't have the same AV setups in use I would assume?

 

I will look more into the composite mod on my daily driver but I believe I've also used a few other composite video solutions on it in the past and they all produce the same results on the composite. I hadn't noticed the issue with the RF only being in black n white until I plug in the composite lead until today though.

 

I am using a 27 inch Sanyo 1080i HD 4:3 stereo CRT TV that I purchased back in 2005. It has component video, S-Video, composite video, and RF with shielded cables. If you want to return the power supply I can take a look at it for you to make sure it still works properly. If you want to send one of your ColecoVision systems in for me to test with the power supply, I might consider doing that also.