Anyone do a Coleco power mod?

[KalessinDB]

So I've only started poking around with my Coleco... I know there's a Component Video mod that I intend to get done eventually, I know there's a power button swap that fixes a majority of the problems with it, and I know that there's a big ugly +5, -5, and +12v power brick.

This thread deals with that last part.

Specifically, I've been trying to get rid of power bricks. Now with a little googling I found that another mod that can be done replaces some of the dram with +5v only (http://www.arcadecomponents.com/f/Colec ... lation.pdf)... and I've seen at least 1 ebay seller who's said he will customize a CV however you want it, including putting a standard PC power cord into it. Now I'm assuming that he routes that to a USB wall charger, then gets the +5v from that... my question is 2fold: 1, does anyone know if you have to change out anything OTHER than the dram in order to do this and 2: does anyone provide this service? I'm not quite "Don't know what side of a soldering iron to hold" dumb, but I'm pretty inexperienced and I would rather not experiment with ancient tech that's a bear to replace if you screw it up.

[ApolloBoy]

I recently converted my CV to only use 5V and it was a lot of work to do. Obviously you have to do the RAM conversion first, since the stock RAM uses all three power rails. However, the 12V rail is also used for much of the video circuitry, and by cutting that off you can't mod the CV for composite anymore or use the Expansion Module 1. I even tried to run the video circuitry off 5V but it didn't work. You pretty much have to do a component mod if you're converting the entire system for 5V. The new Super Game Module coming out next month only uses 5V so you don't have to worry about that. As for the -5V, I think some controllers might be negatively affected by the loss of that rail but I know for a fact that regular controllers work fine without it.

The approach I took was different from what you propose in that I built a voltage regulator PCB so I could use the power supply from a model 1 Genesis. I also modded it for component using discrete components as opposed to a mod board, but blacks come out as a dark blue so I have to adjust my monitor every time I play the CV.

[bacteria]

In my Unity project, just using 12v to then feed to regulators. You can get the 5v from a couple of 7805's working together and also feeding to a negative voltage regulator to get -5v. You then connect the three voltages plus ground to feed to the console's voltage lines and job done. The external power supply then is just one 12v transformer and that's it.

[KalessinDB]

Thanks for the tips. Not concerned about loss of Composite Mod/Expansion Module 1 - I already HAVE a composite modded CV, I picked up a second one for a steal specifically with the intent of Component Modding it, and as to EM1... I have Ataris for that

Chances are, when I can get my hands on the Component kit I'll try to find someone willing to do the modding for me since I'm really not that good with a soldering iron