10 replies to this topic

[hunternfs]

Hello I new to the atariage forum. I was wondering if anyone would please help me with my coleco adam I just bought. So I have everything hooked up right and I can play colecovision games on it just fine but when I push the computer reset button the screen is black. The printer when it is turned on slides all the way to the left, daisy wheel spins, and paper moves up a little. I do have a couple tapes with it, smaart filer and letters and forums. I don't know what to do with them I put them in and nothing happens. And the adam came with a nintendo switch box so I am useing the cable and switch box from my atari 2600 jr if that makes a difference. Also I am using a lcd tv. From what I read I should be looking at a screen that looks like the printer when I push WP. This is everything I have for the adam and everything I am doing. If anyone knows what is wrong or what I am doing wrong I would much appricate your help. Thank you.

[Mark_Coleco]

hunternfs, on Fri Mar 12, 2010 8:06 AM, said:

Hello I new to the atariage forum. I was wondering if anyone would please help me with my coleco adam I just bought. So I have everything hooked up right and I can play colecovision games on it just fine but when I push the computer reset button the screen is black. The printer when it is turned on slides all the way to the left, daisy wheel spins, and paper moves up a little. I do have a couple tapes with it, smaart filer and letters and forums. I don't know what to do with them I put them in and nothing happens. And the adam came with a nintendo switch box so I am useing the cable and switch box from my atari 2600 jr if that makes a difference. Also I am using a lcd tv. From what I read I should be looking at a screen that looks like the printer when I push WP. This is everything I have for the adam and everything I am doing. If anyone knows what is wrong or what I am doing wrong I would much appricate your help. Thank you.

Do you have the ADAM where its connected to a colecovision unit or is it the standalone version of the ADAM?

When you turn the power on, you should first see the typewriter screen, when you first turn it on do you HEAR a chime or is there no sound?

I can't really help but these are some details others will need to know.

[hunternfs]

Do you have the ADAM where its connected to a colecovision unit or is it the standalone version of the ADAM?

When you turn the power on, you should first see the typewriter screen, when you first turn it on do you HEAR a chime or is there no sound?

I can't really help but these are some details others will need to know.


I have the standalone version. When I power it on all I see is a blank screen. But if I turn off put colecovision game in turn on and push game reset it works. So I have tryed it with the game in and out and the same with the tapes in and out of the computer. I push the computer reset and nothing happens. Blank screen. NO Sound or Chime. Thanks for your help.

[coleconut]

Quote

I have the standalone version. When I power it on all I see is a blank screen. But if I turn off put colecovision game in turn on and push game reset it works. So I have tryed it with the game in and out and the same with the tapes in and out of the computer. I push the computer reset and nothing happens. Blank screen. NO Sound or Chime. Thanks for your help.

The ADAM has two main boards in it. An ADAM board and a Colecovision board and since the latter seems to work, it looks like obviously something on the ADAM side.
When you power up, the system does a check on devices attached then if all is well, the printer should do a reset (that familiar buzz....click)then the electronic typewriter screen come up with a chirping sound. YOu dont see that.
And pulling reset with a tape installed at this point should now load that tape.
Do you have a keyboard plugged in?, and is it plugged in snug and into the front jack (the side jack, although it looks identical is meant for the disk drive)
Pull the expansion bay cover off. Are the two tape drive connectors snug?
Are there any expansion boards installed in any of the three slots? If so, immediately send them to me
I personally would be tempted to take the thing apart and put it back together again noting along the way obvious things like loose connections, chips which need reseating. I have revived some machines by doing just that.

Did the previous owner have any success with it? Is the issue a relatively new phenomenon or has it sat in a basement for 20 years and this is the first attempt to fire it up?

[hunternfs]

coleconut, on Fri Mar 12, 2010 12:46 PM, said:

Quote

I have the standalone version. When I power it on all I see is a blank screen. But if I turn off put colecovision game in turn on and push game reset it works. So I have tryed it with the game in and out and the same with the tapes in and out of the computer. I push the computer reset and nothing happens. Blank screen. NO Sound or Chime. Thanks for your help.

The ADAM has two main boards in it. An ADAM board and a Colecovision board and since the latter seems to work, it looks like obviously something on the ADAM side.
When you power up, the system does a check on devices attached then if all is well, the printer should do a reset (that familiar buzz....click)then the electronic typewriter screen come up with a chirping sound. YOu dont see that.
And pulling reset with a tape installed at this point should now load that tape.
Do you have a keyboard plugged in?, and is it plugged in snug and into the front jack (the side jack, although it looks identical is meant for the disk drive)
Pull the expansion bay cover off. Are the two tape drive connectors snug?
Are there any expansion boards installed in any of the three slots? If so, immediately send them to me
I personally would be tempted to take the thing apart and put it back together again noting along the way obvious things like loose connections, chips which need reseating. I have revived some machines by doing just that.

Did the previous owner have any success with it? Is the issue a relatively new phenomenon or has it sat in a basement for 20 years and this is the first attempt to fire it up?

Yes I do not see the typewriter screen . The printer humms then clicks and nothing on the screen but solid black. So from snow on tv I turn adam on and black screen the computer reset nothing happens then colecovision reset button says turn off and put game in. Yes the tape drives are snug and so is keyboard in front. Sorry no expansion boards for ya. The last owner said everything worked and he had tested everything. Obviously he was wrong. I am kind of afarid to take apart cause I really want this to work and I would like to make that my last resort. I would pay someone to fix it before I toke it apart. Thanks for help. Any other ideals that I can try.

[Mark_Coleco]

One thing not to do is have a tape in the drive when you turn on the unit or off.

And keeps the tapes away from the computer at least 4 feet, cause the ADAM has a magnetic surge and radiation in general that can damage(erase) those tapes.

I dont know if you have the system check manual but it says to roll the printers paper advance knob to make sure its not jammed.

and check if the computer reset switch isn't stuck, stuck forward slightly...

Edited by Mark_Coleco, Fri Mar 12, 2010 3:57 PM.

[hunternfs]

Mark_Coleco, on Fri Mar 12, 2010 3:51 PM, said:

One thing not to do is have a tape in the drive when you turn on the unit or off.

And keeps the tapes away from the computer at least 4 feet, cause the ADAM has a magnetic surge and radiation in general that can damage(erase) those tapes.

I dont know if you have the system check manual but it says to roll the printers paper advance knob to make sure its not jammed.

and check if the computer reset switch isn't stuck, stuck forward slightly...


I'll attach the manual.

After I turn it on and the printer slides to left, wheel spins the paper does move forward unjammed. And the reset button is free no friction at all. When I power on the system should I immediately see the type writer screen without having any tapes in it?? Thanks again for everybodys help!!

[Mark_Coleco]

Yes you should see the typewriter right away with no tapes in.

Just curious does the red light, light up on the keyboard?

and if you hold down the space bar does your printer move with it?

Edited by Mark_Coleco, Fri Mar 12, 2010 5:00 PM.

[hunternfs]

Mark_Coleco, on Fri Mar 12, 2010 4:05 PM, said:

Yes you should see the typewriter right away with no tapes in.

Just curious does the red light, light up on the keyboard?

and if you hold down the space bar does your printer move with it?

Well after all your help Coleconut & Mark_Coleco. I had to do something so your help would not be for nothing so I took it apart and this little piece of aluminum fell out (was 1/8" thick 1/2" wide about 2" long). I don't know what it does or where it goes but everything works perfect now. You guys have giving many troubleshooting ideals that I will print out and keep for future references. Thanks alot for help!!!!!!!

[Mark_Coleco]

OMG, glad that's all it was, keep that foil just in case, I never opened my adam nor have I seen pictures, but that foil must be for something...

[coleconut]

Quote

Well after all your help Coleconut & Mark_Coleco. I had to do something so your help would not be for nothing so I took it apart and this little piece of aluminum fell out (was 1/8" thick 1/2" wide about 2" long). I don't know what it does or where it goes but everything works perfect now. You guys have giving many troubleshooting ideals that I will print out and keep for future references. Thanks alot for help!!!!!!!

Hmmm, heat sink? I dont know. I've opened many ADAMs but it doesnt come to mind immediately what this is. Musta been shorting something out somewhere. Or maybe a hardware virus?
Anyway glad to help.

Edited by coleconut, Sat Mar 13, 2010 10:19 AM.