19 replies to this topic

[-=Lindsey=-]

Hi All,

N00b poster here with a question

Is there a good source for empty Colecovision cartridge cases? Other that using old carts? I'm looking for about 100 cases.

Thanks in advance.

[5-11under]

First of all, welcome to AA.

I don't have empty cartridge cases, but if you need PCBs for the Coleco ones, I have those readily available, either as a supply-your-own-EPROM-chip or as a programmed, ready-to-go PCB.

Retroillucid or Pixelboy might be able to help out with the cases. Retroillucid is also working towards getting a mold made for the cases, although that may be sometime later in the year.

[ten-four]

-=Lindsey=-, on Wed Jan 4, 2012 11:46 AM, said:

Hi All,

I'm looking for about 100 cases.

Thanks in advance.

100 cases !!!
Do we have a game on the way ?

[Pixelboy]

I don't have any spare cart casings to offer at this time (I'm keeping those that I have for my own projects) but as was stated above, retroillucid will be working to get a new metal mold manufactured this year, and with this mold, we'll have a potentially unlimited source of ColecoVision cart casings to offer to homebrewers. But it's going to take a while before it all comes together...

[-=Lindsey=-]

5-11under, on Wed Jan 4, 2012 12:12 PM, said:

First of all, welcome to AA.

Thanks!

5-11under, on Wed Jan 4, 2012 12:12 PM, said:

I don't have empty cartridge cases, but if you need PCBs for the Coleco ones, I have those readily available, either as a supply-your-own-EPROM-chip or as a programmed, ready-to-go PCB.

I will keep that in mind.

5-11under, on Wed Jan 4, 2012 12:12 PM, said:

Retroillucid or Pixelboy might be able to help out with the cases. Retroillucid is also working towards getting a mold made for the cases, although that may be sometime later in the year.

I was reading about that. Some crazy cost involved in having the mold made. I wonder what the market demand will be for new cart cases. It would be nice if there were enough demand to get the cost per case down.

Edited by -=Lindsey=-, Wed Jan 4, 2012 12:56 PM.

[Pixelboy]

You might want to ask Albert, here on AA. He may have some spare CV casings to offer you. No promises though...

[youki]

we really need to have somebody producing new cases for cv!!!

[-=Lindsey=-]

ten-four, on Wed Jan 4, 2012 12:32 PM, said:

100 cases !!!
Do we have a game on the way ?

Not exactly. I've been hacking on pinball and arcade hardware for years and recently I've turned my attention to console systems. I would like to try my hand at game coding in the future but what I've done first is design a 32K Colecovision cartridge PCB using Flash EEPROM for the ROM with a microcontroller to program the EEPROM. Basically it's a one-game-at-a-time, USB programmable 32K cart. Guess I should put some bank switching options in there too...

I thought about selling some but if I do I'll probably just sell the assembled PCBs and let the buyer supply the case until the new cases become available.

[-=Lindsey=-]

Pixelboy, on Wed Jan 4, 2012 12:52 PM, said:

I don't have any spare cart casings to offer at this time (I'm keeping those that I have for my own projects) but as was stated above, retroillucid will be working to get a new metal mold manufactured this year, and with this mold, we'll have a potentially unlimited source of ColecoVision cart casings to offer to homebrewers. But it's going to take a while before it all comes together...

Do you happen to know what style of case retroillucid will be producing? That's an important consideration for future PCB designs.

[youki]

-=Lindsey=-, on Wed Jan 4, 2012 1:08 PM, said:

ten-four, on Wed Jan 4, 2012 12:32 PM, said:

100 cases !!!
Do we have a game on the way ?

Not exactly. I've been hacking on pinball and arcade hardware for years and recently I've turned my attention to console systems. I would like to try my hand at game coding in the future but what I've done first is design a 32K Colecovision cartridge PCB using Flash EEPROM for the ROM with a microcontroller to program the EEPROM. Basically it's a one-game-at-a-time, USB programmable 32K cart. Guess I should put some bank switching options in there too...

I thought about selling some but if I do I'll probably just sell the assembled PCBs and let the buyer supply the case until the new cases become available.

do you know cv atarimax cartridges?

[-=Lindsey=-]

youki, on Wed Jan 4, 2012 1:12 PM, said:

do you know cv atarimax cartridges?

I don't own one but their carts look awesome. What I've got in mind could be considered more of a development tool than an every day gaming kind of tool. Nothing fancy, just the ability to dump code on to the cart via USB.

[youki]

like the 128 in 1 ? http://www.atarimax..../documentation/

I own both the 128 in 1 and the SD ultimax version , they are fantastic and i use them mainly for development of my CV games.

[-=Lindsey=-]

youki, on Wed Jan 4, 2012 1:32 PM, said:

like the 128 in 1 ?

Similar... but cheaper with way less features

[retroillucid]

First, I would like to say that I was sick as hell (my son as well) for almost a week, that's why I've been off AtariAge for so long
(If I've not replied your message(s) this week, don't be afraid to re-send it)

I'll get the cartridge mold ordered somewhere in March | April ..... I'll use the very same cart as the one I used in the past (made from Opcode Mold) by Pixelboy here in Canada by Moldex
I'll also talk more about this with Pixelboy in the next few weeks

I was also thinking about a Atari2600 cartridge mold too.... but it wil obviously be later this year
Wondering why a Atari2600 mold? ..... eh eh

[NIAD]

retroillucid, on Wed Jan 4, 2012 3:34 PM, said:

First, I would like to say that I was sick as hell (my son as well) for almost a week, that's why I've been off AtariAge for so long
(If I've not replied your message(s) this week, don't be afraid to re-send it)

I'll get the cartridge mold ordered somewhere in March | April ..... I'll use the very same cart as the one I used in the past (made from Opcode Mold) by Pixelboy here in Canada by Moldex
I'll also talk more about this with Pixelboy in the next few weeks

I was also thinking about a Atari2600 cartridge mold too.... but it wil obviously be later this year
Wondering why a Atari2600 mold? ..... eh eh

Glad to see you back online and hope you and your son are feeling better.

I was going to bring up the Opcode cart casing and the mold he had made years ago but see you beat me to the punch.

Did you come across an Atari 2600 Prototype of a Coleco game!!!

[Yurkie]

If you could figure out a way to add a "save state" feature, you would really have a cool programmable cart.

[-=Lindsey=-]

Yurkie, on Wed Jan 4, 2012 5:31 PM, said:

If you could figure out a way to add a "save state" feature, you would really have a cool programmable cart.

Unfortunately, I think that's impossible using only the cartridge port and original game code. It should be possible using the expansion port but it would be a complicated design requiring FPGA (IMO) and at that point it makes sense to just put the whole CV in FPGA and do your save states that way (Again, IMO).

[RelliK111]

retroillucid, on Wed Jan 4, 2012 3:34 PM, said:

I was also thinking about a Atari2600 cartridge mold too.... but it wil obviously be later this year
Wondering why a Atari2600 mold? ..... eh eh

You got me curious are you thinking about also publishing some Atari 2600 games?

[Yurkie]

Do you have any of your USB PCBs available for sale?

[-=Lindsey=-]

Yurkie, on Mon Jan 9, 2012 12:07 PM, said:

Do you have any of your USB PCBs available for sale?

Unfortunately I don't have any for sale right now. I'm still deciding on the final bank switching scheme and I'm going to add RAM. The design I've got now is basically just a 32K cart and I would like to up the RAM and ROM.