Microvision Help

[BurningDoom]

I just received my Microvision in the mail today. Everything seems to work, except one problem, some of the buttons won't work. I press "Go" and nothing happens. But other buttons on it work perfectly fine.

I've tried to Google troubleshooting on this system, and there really is very little to go on.

Does anyone know if this is repairable?

[Hobie-wan]

There's probably just gunk in there that needs to be cleaned out.

[Yancakes]

If it's like most systems, just open it up and clean it with some qtips and rubbing alcohol. It's not the BEST way to do it but unless you have more proper supplies it works.

[BurningDoom]

Not your average buttons. There's this sensor pad. The cartridges fit over the system, like the entire faceplate is a cartridge. The buttons are basically overlays that are fit into the cartridge to lay over the sensor pad (I believe it's a sensor pad, it's just this brown square.

I was hoping someone here, of all places, had some experience with these things since I'm finding very little on Google.

[Hobie-wan]

I last saw and played one when I was maybe 10? Soooo yeah.

[CRTGAMER]

Looks like the cart button overlays are just flexible plastic? Maybe similar design to the Atari 5200 overlays? The 5200 controller buttons have carbon that would rub off onto the PCB contacts and needed continual cleaning. In the case of your Microvision it looks like the box between the LCD screen and paddle spinner. Maybe buttons and contacts underneath that flexible surface of the box?

http://www.handheldmuseum.com/MB/uVUS.htm

Interesting trivia: the console itself is nothing more than controls, LCD panel and a controller chip for the LCD panel. Each cartridge contains the microprocessor, which happens to have a small amount of ROM space on it that MB loaded the game code onto. Makes it a bit more dificult to make a multi-cart for this...

[DinnerX]

I've got one. Welcome to the club. Yeah the pad is weird.

Open up the microvision with a screw driver and look under the brown pad. There is an ultra worthless looking plastic pocket under the pad. The top and bottom of the pocket have electrical contacts. See if they are dirty.




I suppose the pad could be removed and replaced with something sturdier if you have soldering skills and feel like it.

Dumbest button design I've ever seen.

[BurningDoom]

Looks like the cart button overlays are just flexible plastic? Maybe similar design to the Atari 5200 overlays? The 5200 controller buttons have carbon that would rub off onto the PCB contacts and needed continual cleaning. In the case of your Microvision it looks like the box between the LCD screen and paddle spinner. Maybe buttons and contacts underneath that flexible surface of the box?

http://www.handheldmuseum.com/MB/uVUS.htm

Interesting trivia: the console itself is nothing more than controls, LCD panel and a controller chip for the LCD panel. Each cartridge contains the microprocessor, which happens to have a small amount of ROM space on it that MB loaded the game code onto. Makes it a bit more dificult to make a multi-cart for this...

I was thinking that, but I'm afraid of lifting the thing up. The sticker that holds it doesn't look like it's gonna go back. I could use scotch tape to put it back I suppose, but imagine how awful that will look.

But I guess if I can't find a better solution, it's worth a shot since it doesn't work right anyways.

[BurningDoom]

I've got one. Welcome to the club. Yeah the pad is weird.

Open up the microvision with a screw driver and look under the brown pad. There is an ultra worthless looking plastic pocket under the pad. The top and bottom of the pocket have electrical contacts. See if they are dirty.




I suppose the pad could be removed and replaced with something sturdier if you have soldering skills and feel like it.

Dumbest button design I've ever seen.

Thank you, very much. I will definitely try this. What did you use to put the pad back with? The original adhesive clear-sticker thingie doesn't look like it will reseal.

[DinnerX]

Thank you, very much. I will definitely try this. What did you use to put the pad back with? The original adhesive clear-sticker thingie doesn't look like it will reseal.

The pad doesn't need to be removed to open up the console or anything. The rest of the black case just slides off around it when you open up the microvision. The pad stays on the plastic pocket. All the electrical stuff is on the plastic under the pad so the pad shouldn't need to be removed.

EDIT:You're talking about the brown pad on the microvision right?