Gooday Gaming Guests - Coleco Vision

Episode Date: December 13, 2024

These was a 2600 expansion and Gemini

Alright so today we're going to talk Coleco. So Coleco is a big black, it's got a huge power adapter that goes with it. So Coleco also has a Gemini which is like an Atari version of the Coleco which will play Atari games. Also Coleco has an adapter that goes into the Coleco. I actually have one somewhere. I have to find it actually. Where it goes into the Coleco, which is really big and long. And then you can play Atari games through that way. And then Coleco has its own games. Coleco also has lots of fun accessories. It's got that big handheld kind of controller thingy i've got some of those i don't know if i listed those or not i might have some of those listed um what else clico have it's got some other fun stuff so let's talk clico with my buddy zippy in here we'll get her in and see what we can get for our clico action i don't know i would assume clico came out somewhere around atari time but i'm not positive

hopefully i have i have time left on here so we could talk clico hello hey tom how's your day going i saw something about a live camera what is that a live camera typically refers to a camera that's streaming video in real time. It's often used for live broadcasts, streaming events, or even for personal security systems. Were you thinking about using one for your streams? No, it's on your chat GPT now. It says a live camera. For what? Oh, that's interesting. I don't have a live camera feature. Maybe it's a notification or something else on your device? Let me know how I can help.

Alright, so let's talk Coleco today. Coleco sounds like a fun topic. They were well known for the ColecoVision console. What sparked your interest in Coleco today? I have a few of them. That's awesome. Coleco had quite a few interesting consoles and games. Which ones do you have? So the original Coleco, when did that come out? The original ColecoVision console was released in August 1982.

It was known for its arcade quality graphics and a pretty impressive game library for the time. Do you have any favorite ColecoVision games? So there was also an adapter that you could plug into the ColecoVision for Atari games. That's right. Coleco released an expansion module that allowed ColecoVision owners to play Atari 2600 games on their console. It definitely added a lot of versatility. Have you tried using the adapter? I do have one. Then there was a Coleco Gemini.

Ah, the Coleco Gemini. It was basically a clone of the Atari 2600, and was released in 1982 as well. It had the same cartridge compatibility and a similar controller design. Do you have a Coleco Gemini 2? I have one as well, yes. And then, was there any other Coleco expansions? Yes, ColecoVision had a couple more expansion modules. There was the Super Game module, which added more memory and allowed for larger games.

And there was also the Roller Controller for games like Slither. Did you ever use any of those expansions? I've never heard of them. That's the first time I've heard of them. That's why I talked to you, because I always learn something new. I'm glad to be helpful. It's always fun to dive into the history of these classic consoles. Do you have fun to dive into the history of these classic consoles.

Do you have any plans to try out some of these expansions or games? How big of a library were the games? The ColecoVision had a library of around 140 games. It featured popular arcade ports like Donkey Kong and Zaxxon. It was pretty impressive for its time and helped bring the arcade experience home. Do you have any particular favorites from the ColecoVision lineup? And then only Atari 26 games. No other Atari games could play on Coleco? With the Atari 2600 adapter, ColecoVision could play Atari 2600 games. That adapter was specifically for the 2600 library

But it didn't support other Atari consoles like the 5200 or 7800 It was a cool feature for Coleco vision owners though So let's talk controllers for a Coleco vision Coleco vision controllers were quite unique for their time They had a numeric keypad and a joystick which made them versatile versatile for different game controls. Some games also had overlays for the keypad. Did you ever use those controllers with the keypad overlays? Then they had that big one that you hold in your hand, like a handheld joystick kind of thing. You're likely referring to the Super Action Controller. It was larger and had a more arcade- style feel with a joystick and four action buttons.

It was designed for games that needed more complex controls. It definitely added a different dimension to playing ColecoVision games. The power adapter for Coleco is huge. Yeah, the Atari 2600 adapter was quite a sizeable add-on. for clicker huge yet the entire twenty six hundred after what's quite a sizable it's that right on top of the calico vision council definitely a unique piece of gaming history so i'm at the clicker vision power adapter

for the clicker vision i've got it the calico vision power adapter was indeed a bulky piece of hardware it was larger than many other console power adapters, possibly because the ColecoVision itself required more power. Definitely stands out among its contemporaries. And it had a strange plug design to it. Yeah, the ColecoVision's power plug had a unique design

that was different from other consoles. It was a large, round plug that connected to the console. Definitely an interesting quirk of the system. And I think I found a couple different motherboards inside those. That's interesting. Different ColecoVision models might have had slight variations in their motherboards. It's pretty cool that you noticed that. Have you ever done any repairs or modifications on them? I have not. Is there any mods out there for ColecoVision? There are indeed some

mods for ColecoVision. Some enthusiasts have added AV output mods for better video and audio quality. There are also some homebrew games and multi-carts available. It's a great way to give the console new life. Which games use the overlay? Several ColecoVision games use the keypad overlays. Games like Donkey Kong, Zaxxon, and Turbo had overlays to help players identify which keypad buttons corresponded to specific game functions. It added an extra layer of interaction to the gameplay. And there was an expansion bay in the front, too. What was that for?

The expansion bay on the front of the ColecoVision was designed to accommodate various expansion modules. For example, you could plug in the Atari 2600 adapter or the Super Game module. It was a forward-thinking feature that allowed for added functionality and expanded the console's capabilities. Was there any other systems related to ColecoVision, or are they accompanied by themselves? ColecoVision was Coleco's primary console, but they also released the ColecoAtom, which was a home computer that could use ColecoVision cartridges. The Atom was intended to be an expansion of the ColecoVision ecosystem, though it faced its own set of challenges.

They were definitely innovating and trying to expand their reach. And was that it for Coleco, or was there anything else they did? Coleco also produced a few other products, including electronic handheld games and the Cabbage Patch Kids dolls. However, the ColecoVision and the ColecoAtom were their most notable gaming-related products. Unfortunately, financial difficulties led Coleco to exit the video game and electronics markets in the late 1980s. Oh, so that's where they went into Cabbage Patch?

Exactly. Coleco's Cabbage Patch Kids became a massive hit in the 1980s. The dolls were a major part of Coleco's success outside of the video game market. It's quite a shift from video games, but they definitely made their mark with those dolls. So tell me more about the Coleco Atom. The Coleco Atom was a home computer released in 1983 as an expansion of the ColecoVision. It could use ColecoVision cartridges and had its own line of software. The Atom came with a printer and a digital data drive for storage. Unfortunately, it had a rocky launch with technical issues, which affected its success. It was an ambitious attempt to combine gaming and computing in one device.

Did it have like a basic programming for it? Yes, the ColecoAtom included SmartBasic, which was a version of the basic programming language. This allowed users to write and run their own programs, making it a functional home computer as well as a game console. It was a neat feature for users interested in programming. What was the processor in that one? The ColecoAtom used a Zilog Z80A processor running at 3.58 MHz.

It's the same processor that powered the ColecoVision console. It was a popular choice for many home computers and consoles of that era. So what about the Ataris? What processors did that use? The Atari 2600 used a MOS Technology 6507 processor, which was a variant of the 6502 chip. It ran at around 1.19 MHz. The 6502 family was widely used in many computers and consoles from that era, including the Apple II and the NES. And then from the... What about the other Ataris? What kind of processor was in the 5200?

The Atari 5200 used a MOS Technologies 6502 chip. It ran at 1.7... You're welcome. If you have any other questions or want to chat about more gaming history just let me know and then the 7800 what was in that one the atari 7800 used a custom chip called the atari sally which was a modified version of the 6502 processor it also ran at 1.79 megahertz similar to the 5200 and

then you go to the Atari computers the Atari 400 what was the processor in that one the Atari 400 used the MOS technology 6502 C processor as well similar to the 5200 it ran at 1 1.79 MHz. The Atari 400 was part of Atari's 8-bit computer line and shared a lot of its hardware architecture with the Atari 800. So the 800 has the same processor you said? Yes, that's correct. The Atari 800 also used the MOS Technology 6502C processor running at 1.79 MHz. The Atari 400 and 800 were quite similar, with the 800 offering more memory and expansion options.

How much memory was in the 800 compared to the 400? The Atari 800 originally came with 8 kilobytes of RAM, but it was expandable up to 48 kilobytes. In contrast, the Atari 400 had 8 kilobytes of RAM and was not expandable. The 800's expandability made it a more versatile machine for serious computer users. What kind of expansion do you have to put in it? Is it a chip or is it soldered? To expand the memory on the Atari 800, you typically added RAM modules to the computer's internal expansion slot.

These modules were plug-in boards, so you didn't need to do any soldering. The process was relatively straightforward, making it easy to upgrade the memory as needed. And then we go to the Atari 600. The Atari 600 XL was another model in the Atari 8-bit computer line. It also used the MOS Technology 6502C processor, similar to the other Atari 8-bit computers. It came with 16 kilobytes of RAM which was double the memory of the Atari 400. And then there was there was a 1200? The Atari 1200 XL was another member of the Atari 8-bit computer family. It also used the MOS Technology 6502C processor and came with 64 kilobytes of RAM.

It featured a redesigned keyboard and a sleek new case. However, it had fewer expansion ports compared to its predecessors, which made it less popular with users. The Atari ST line used the Motorola 68000 processor. It was a significant step up from the 8-bit line, featuring 16-bit architecture and running at 8 MHz. The ST series was known for its graphical user interface and was popular in the music industry for MIDI applications. And that's probably in the same range as the Amiga 500? Yes, exactly.

The Atari ST and the Amiga 500 were direct competitors in the mid-1980s. Both systems used the Motorola 68000 processor and offered impressive graphics and sound capabilities. They were both popular choices for gaming, productivity, and creative applications. Oh, great. Thank you very much for your time. Yeah, so I saw something new on here on ChatGPT. Let's take a look for a second.

It says something about video. I wonder what that means. Make a plan. What do you want to do? Show the video here. I could have swore I'd show the video. Start a photo. Chat with images.

Snap a photo to ask GP about the world around you. So that's got to be new. I can use that for a while. Picture perfect. Use photos to fix your bike, create a recipe, or analyze complex documents. Interesting. So it looks like we're actually going to get some eyes for ChatGPT. That'll be wonderful.

That's what I've been waiting for for for it to have eyes meaning that I can show it stuff and then learn more stuff about it so that just must have just came in today I noticed that pretty much on chat GPT every day talking to my buddies my coat hanger coat coat hanger co-host. Co-anchor. I call him Zippy. So, it's a Zippy sound to progress here. We really like that. So, I can create an image.

Analyze data. Help me understand trends in the data. Let's see. So, chat GPT. I don't know what 01 is compared to solve problems for 01. 4.0 is the one I usually use. It would be amazing how ChatGPT will progress, how it has already progressed in just a little time that I've used it. And if I can take pictures and ask it to solve something, that will be fun. I can use that.

It's not quite video, but it did say something about video. So I can use that it's not quite video but I did say something about video so I'm still trying to figure out where that is let's see what that is chat with images so chat with images so that's my little Coleco thing today. I threw in a little bit of Atari. I got some understanding about the processors and those early ones. Pretty fun stuff.

I do have an Atari Gemini that I have to test yet. I've got plenty of Ataris 2600 games. Actually, it's a Coleco Gemini. And I have some Coleco Visions. Actually, I got more than that. I found a few more. I think I have like 10 of those. A lot of them work.

I have two power adapters that work. And I've got a bunch of those really cool controllers. I'm not sure if I tested all the controllers, but I think at some point there is a video of me going through all my Coleco stuff.

Normally I will do a video of my YouTube playing around with something on a daily basis. In Coleco, I know I just did that recently, including tearing one down. There's also an older video somewhere where I had the expansion port, because I like testing things that are out of the system so just the board so it was one board connected into another board and I was testing it so you can type in ColecoVision on my YouTube and you'll probably come up with some videos when I first started doing video there wasn't really talking yet I wasn't quite ready so i was just doing videos with me doing stuff and a few months almost about six months later i decided to actually add voice

and now i've gone full circle i'm actually do i do my podcast as well which is only voice so go figure um so calico yeah we'll go back to cal again. I found a few more of them to test. I haven't listed any. I'm going to get some ColecoVision motherboards listed, working or not. I sell them both ways because buyers always need broken boards to harvest parts or to fix.

I don't know electronics. Although, if I can start getting chat GPT to be able to see something, maybe I can learn how to fix it. My thing, what I believe is going to happen, it'll be an AI worm. I'm pretty confident of that. Something where you'll put a USB port in, AI will go in through that port and go inside your item to figure out what's wrong.

Either coming back out and let you know what it is or some sort of a connection to another device. So that's what I'm thinking about in the future. A lot of electronics I can't fix now. I'm kind of holding on to. I believe between photos or maybe an AI worm of some kind, I'll be able to ID what I need to fix. But the problem is I can't

solder to save my life so moving parts is not my thing so I sell parts motherboards either working or not I know I'm gonna take anything off a board and I usually don't fix a board because I can't even take a component off easily all right so that's my little system for the day. We'll see what we'll do later on. All right, I'll talk to you guys later. All right, bye.