6 replies to this topic

[Yannick Jean-Ray Stevens]

So a family member shipped me a Vectrex, arrived in the mail today...and geniuses that they are, they put NO PADDING IN THE BOX.

So now I have a broken Vectrex. The screen isn't smashed thank god, but it did break loose from the housing and is loose in the system. I can fix that. It powers up just fine, I'm pretty sure most of the circuitry is fine, EXCEPT for the board directly on the back of the CRT, which has a break right through it (photo attached).

I'm not super familiar with circuit boards, I've fixed a couple of NES's before and a couple of red ringed 360's (no towel trick obviously, opened it up and replaced the heat sinks) and am decent when it comes to sauldering, but I imagine since it's snapped it's pretty much fubar'd. Are there any options to fix it, or will I have to replace it? What's the market on a broken Vectrex that I can cannibalize to fix this thing, bearing in mind that I live on an Island and it's pretty doubtful that I'll be able to find one here.

Thank god I didn't have to pay anything for this thing, and I still got a stack of games with it (Solar Quest, Space Wars, Cosmic Chasm, Berzerk, Blitz!, Rip Off, Hyperchase and Bedlam, most of which are complete). Worst case scenario I'll run down to the local pawn shop where they have a system for about 200 dollars.

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[FABombjoy]

If you don't mind trying, that looks perfectly repairable, assuming that there are no damaged parts on the component side. The tube socket is the only one of concern as the rest of the parts are nothing special.

It appears that there are only 2 broken traces, so I'd just run jumper wires over the breaks and give it a shot. You could glue the PCB halves back together if you like, but it might be perfectly function as-is once the broken traces are bypassed.

[Richard H.]

<sub>Just scrape off the solder mask (green coating) at each end of the broken tracks and solder a wire across.

I'm not saying it will definitely fix it (as the CRT may be cracked), but it's worth a try.</sub>

Edited by Richard H., Wed Dec 21, 2011 12:23 PM.

[Yannick Jean-Ray Stevens]

I'll give it a shot!

[Ataritard]

...And then next time you see the family member that sent it to you, thank him for the Vectrex and then kick him in the balls.

[Keatah]

Use epoxy for the glue. the 2 part kind where you mix it. Solder first then glue.. Easy shit man..

[Pioneer4x4]

Yep, I would use a lenghth of solid core wire bent to the shape of the trace, scrape the trace coating clean and solder the wire the entire length. Also if that is the tube's circuitry it has extremely high voltage during and after use!