Lock-On 2600 cart adapter for 7800 and CV EM1

[Swami]

I did a ssearch and I don't think anyone's posted about this in this forum. Over in the atari 7800 forum, a user by name ChrisKewl is making cart adapters for carts that don't fit in the 7800 or ColecoVision EM1 cart slot for $30 + shipping. The original EM1 cart adapter is extremely rare and likely very expensive. I have never seen one on eBay. The ColecoVision EM1 has complete compatibility with the Atari2600 and nice color production, as far as I know, so this makes it a nice alternative to the actual 2600. 

 

[Ruggers Customs]

This is nice for the 7800 and I plan to get a couple for myself. It will prevent having to cut out a little of the 7800s cartridge tray in order for all carts to fit.  However, I'm curious which 2600 carts don't work or "fit" for the Colecovision Expansion module 1?  I've yet to come across any 2600 cart that doesn't fit easily into the Expansion module.

[mumbai]

3 minutes ago, Ruggers Customs said:

I'm curious which 2600 carts don't work or "fit" for the Colecovision Expansion module 1?  I've yet to come across any 2600 cart that doesn't fit easily into the Expansion module.

The Supercharger...

 

Not sure what is meant by "fit easily", but I used personally track cartridges that would fit, but far too snugly, into the expansion module so as not to be surprised the next time around. I stopped after that list grew past maybe two dozen entries. I don't really play with oddball 2600 releases with which one might expect such an issue.

 

I guess YMMV, but our experiences don't seem to match up.

[Swami]

53 minutes ago, Ruggers Customs said:

This is nice for the 7800 and I plan to get a couple for myself. It will prevent having to cut out a little of the 7800s cartridge tray in order for all carts to fit.  However, I'm curious which 2600 carts don't work or "fit" for the Colecovision Expansion module 1?  I've yet to come across any 2600 cart that doesn't fit easily into the Expansion module.

The SuperCharger and the second release version of TigerVision carts (I've read the earlier version with spring-loaded cart protector flap fits). A few others, possibly Activision, Imagic and Mattel, may not fit so well and need some patience. From Colecovision.dk, it sounds like Supercharger and Tigervision carts were the reason the free by mail EM1 cart slot extension was made available. For all I know, they may have fixed the issue in later runs of the EM1 by expanding the slot.

 

http://www.colecovision.dk/atari.htm

 

[Ruggers Customs]

Thanks guys, that's fascinating!  I did not know this so thanks for educating me.

[mumbai]

32 minutes ago, Ruggers Customs said:

Thanks guys, that's fascinating!  I did not know this so thanks for educating me.

Honestly, the clearest evidence that there's an issue at all lies with Coleco manufacturing the extender/adapter for the expansion module at all, and not half-assing its construction in the least. Given the build quality, I always assumed it was something that Coleco perhaps intended to market on a broad scale.

Edited June 29, 2020 by mumbai
apostrophe

[mumbai]

39 minutes ago, Swami said:

A few others, possibly Activision, Imagic and Mattel, may not fit so well and need some patience.

Yes, those can be uncomfortably tight fits at times. Same, too, with later Atari Corp. cartridges (the ones without the plastic guard over the board contacts) ... they fit, but I wouldn't say there's a reasonable amount of leeway between the casing and the port frame.

 

39 minutes ago, Swami said:

For all I know, they may have fixed the issue in later runs of the EM1 by expanding the slot.

They didn't, as far as I've seen. Beyond mainboard revisions, the only significant changes in the NTSC expansion module I've seen relate to the internal metal shielding and the fit with the plastic buttons and sliders.

 

 

[Swami]

10 minutes ago, mumbai said:

Yes, those can be uncomfortably tight fits at times. Same, too, with later Atari Corp. cartridges (the ones without the plastic guard over the board contacts) ... they fit, but I wouldn't say there's a reasonable amount of leeway between the casing and the port frame.

 

They didn't, as far as I've seen. Beyond mainboard revisions, the only significant changes in the NTSC expansion module I've seen relate to the internal metal shielding and the fit with the plastic buttons and sliders.

 

 

Thanks for the additional info. Searches tend to have threads with the obvious supercharger and lots aalong the line of "I think there were some".

[mumbai]

7 minutes ago, Swami said:

Thanks for the additional info. Searches tend to have threads with the obvious supercharger and lots aalong the line of "I think there were some".

Indeed. I think that speaks to how much people have actually made use of the expansion module, the content of their Atari 2600 collections, or both. Which is a shame, as I think the expansion module #1 is one of the better efforts Coleco put forth for the system, despite the too-smart-for-its-own-good cartridge port design that's the subject of this thread.

Edited June 29, 2020 by mumbai
wording

[Swami]

18 minutes ago, mumbai said:

Indeed. I think that speaks to either how much people have actually made use of the expansion module, the content of their Atari 2600 collections, or both. Which is a shame, as I think the expansion module #1 is one of the better efforts Coleco put forth for the system, despite the too-smart-for-its-own-good cartridge port design that's the subject of this thread.

Well, the four switches are supposedly the most compatible of the 2600/7800 line with 2600 games/homebrews, but have the worst color. There is disagreement over whether the heavy sixer or jr has the better color. There are very very few games that won't work on one 2600 or another, though. Supposedly, everything works on the EM1, though I need to try some of the new trackball hacks and two light gun games. One of the things on my list of things to do is to find out if the color from the ColecoVision EM1 is better than the heavy sixer or junior, although I imagine it can be subjective, especially visualizing the "expected hues" for comparison.

 

Point is, with the cheap cart extender available, perhaps the EM1 could be the best overall 2600, blasphemous as this may sound to 2600 enthusiasts. Biggest issue is you have to remove the EM1 to play CV games.

[mumbai]

19 hours ago, Swami said:

Well, the four switches are supposedly the most compatible of the 2600/7800 line with 2600 games/homebrews, but have the worst color. There is disagreement over whether the heavy sixer or jr has the better color. There are very very few games that won't work on one 2600 or another, though. Supposedly, everything works on the EM1, though I need to try some of the new trackball hacks and two light gun games. One of the things on my list of things to do is to find out if the color from the ColecoVision EM1 is better than the heavy sixer or junior, although I imagine it can be subjective, especially visualizing the "expected hues" for comparison.

I'm going to have to take your word on the above, but it seems right to me. If you ever do get around to evaluating the color output from the EM1 relative to the heavy sixer and junior, please post your findings.