Getting Rid Of Those Damn CV Power Bricks

[GarrettCRW]

After watching the AVGN rip into the monster that is the Colecovision power brick, I have to wonder: Why hasn't anyone started selling power cords that replace those F^%#ing power bricks? After all, the understanding of the various classic systems has reached such a point that a replacement could be safely conceived and put into production. And now with the Nerd's videos, the silliness of these space hogs has been completely exposed. So, why is it that the only replacement to emerge so far has been the cords for the NES and Super NES that Messiah used to make before the NEX became their main product line?

[Pantechnicon]

The answer probably has something to do with manufacturing costs versus potential sales demand. Even for a large electrical manufacturing firm this has to be an important consideration before investing time and materials into making a new product. Honestly, I can't imagine there being any more than a couple of thousand people - probably even less than a thousand - who care enough about Colecovision to want something like this. On the other hand, there are potentially hundreds of thousands of gamers who believe it all started with NES/SNES and that's the end-all and be-all of their retro pursuits. You can't walk through a mall anymore without tripping over a pirate Famicom kiosk. But nobody makes pirate Colecovisions (at least not anymore) (http://www.vidgame.net/misc/dina.htm).

I'm not saying somebody couldn't whip something up for the CV in his garage, and sell them online, but I'm pretty sure he'd be selling them at a loss.

[Gapporin]

Plus, I don't know of any other console where assault with a power supply is actually feasibly possible.

[Jorpho]

Isn't the 360 power supply just as huge?

You''d think the N64's way of doing things (with the bulk of the power supply right next to the console) would have caught on.

[InsaneDavid]

You know a very short extension cord from the Colecovision power adapter to the outlet resolves this problem without the need for manufacture of an alternate power adapter. It's also pretty much what the alternate would be, another short cord from the brick to the outlet like the TurboGrafx-16, PSTwo, GameCube, etc. I mean, the answer to this complaint is sitting right there on the shelves of every hardware store.

[CosmicMonkey]

Everyone needs a Fusion Reactor sat next to their telly. Then you could power your Xbox360, PS3, Colecovision and recharge your Gundam, all at the same time.

[kaedesdisciple]

For the modern consoles, as long as the plug isn't on the brick itself, I'm okay with having external power bricks. They don't add to the internal heat of the console, they don't add to the weight of the console, they don't need any additional space on my surge strip and they're easily replaceable should something happen to them. The downsides are that they do need a place to live and there is a bit of additional wiring.

For something like the ColecoVision, yes yes absolutely yes I would LOVE to have an internal power supply. I know someone does them, it's just a matter of tracking him down and offering him enough money to do it cause I'm scared of frying my own.

[doubledownon11]

Ooh, here's an internal power supply for the CV!:

http://img310.imageshack.us/img310/7405/internalpowersupply6gt.jpg

The reason its in addition to the standard power port is that the Roller Controller draws it's power from the CV power supply. Unfortunately they never thought about that for the Driving Controller which requires 4 C cell batteries or the Parma battery eliminator.

Also the Super ColecoVision in my signature has my internal power supply mod as well, but that customer didn't care about Roller Controller compatability which is why it is in place of the original.

Pretty simple mod really, just a matter of finding a triple output power supply with the proper voltages/amerages that's small enough to fit inside the console and doesn't require air movement to prevent over-heating and/or power loss. 8-)

[Jorpho]

You know a very short extension cord from the Colecovision power adapter to the outlet resolves this problem without the need for manufacture of an alternate power adapter.

Waaaaait a minute. I just started watching the AVGN review, and rather than what is depicted there, what you describe is precisely what was done with the ColecoVision power adapter that I used when growing up. (Hence my comment about the similarity of the XBox 360 power supply.)

Maybe this design was unique to the Canadian market?

[Ze_ro]

Maybe this design was unique to the Canadian market?
For what it's worth, I think I own three CV power supplies, ALL of them having two cables rather than being wall warts. Were these really not released in the states?

--Zero

[InsaneDavid]

For what it's worth, I think I own three CV power supplies, ALL of them having two cables rather than being wall warts. Were these really not released in the states?

My boxed Colecovision says "nope, wall wart here." Every Colecovision power supply I've ever seen has been the giant box at the end of a single cord, no middle placement. I'd love to see a picture of one of the alternate power supplies - I wonder if Coleco got a bunch of complaints and just modified the existing supply channel.

[kaedesdisciple]

Ooh, here's an internal power supply for the CV!:


The reason its in addition to the standard power port is that the Roller Controller draws it's power from the CV power supply. Unfortunately they never thought about that for the Driving Controller which requires 4 C cell batteries or the Parma battery eliminator.

Also the Super ColecoVision in my signature has my internal power supply mod as well, but that customer didn't care about Roller Controller compatability which is why it is in place of the original.

Pretty simple mod really, just a matter of finding a triple output power supply with the proper voltages/amerages that's small enough to fit inside the console and doesn't require air movement to prevent over-heating and/or power loss. 8-)

Dude! How much to do everything in your sig to my CV? It works just fine, it's just like my favorite system and I want it properly decked out.

[thepiratemonk3y]

these things right here come in real handy around the house. especially with all my game consoles and their bricks. you can also buy ones with surge protection but they are a lot more expensive.

http://tinyurl.com/2k9bzf

they have them on woot every now and again, they are definitely worth picking up if you find them on there.

[PingvinBlueJeans]

Maybe this design was unique to the Canadian market?

For what it's worth, I think I own three CV power supplies, ALL of them having two cables rather than being wall warts. Were these really not released in the states?
Correct...the power supplies you guys are referring to were only issued in Canada.

[Jorpho]

Perhaps the CSA (Canadian Standards Association) wouldn't certify that whacking huge wall wart?

[boatofcar]

Perhaps the CSA (Canadian Standards Association) wouldn't certify that whacking huge wall wart?

Are wall warts in general uncommon in the great white north?

[Jorpho]

Oh, no, I see plenty of them, but nothing that size. (But as has been established, very rarely does anyone see a power supply of that size.)

[Ze_ro]

I'd love to see a picture of one of the alternate power supplies
I found two of them sitting around, so here's a pic with them next to some other large power supplies I had sitting around. Kinda ruins the sense of scale, but hey, they don't see so ridiculous anymore, do they?

Oh, and what's this? Look at the labels, there's even a variant!

--Zero

[doubledownon11]

I never could figure out why Coleco only sold the dual-leaded power supplies in Canada and not the US or other countries as well. But I think you are all forgetting about the largest power supply of all, the Coleco Adam's Printer/Power Supply combo. This bohemeth is damn near as big and heavy as the console itself. But if you don't want to deal with that you could always make yourself a new smaller power supply, thusly:

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/4139/adamsetupxj3.jpg

You can spot the open frame power supply in the lower left corner of the pic. And yes it does fully power the Adam including the Digital Data Drives, which is how I loaded Donkey Kong Jr. (Super Game Pak) that is shown on the screen. I just need to get a small enclosure to house it. It's a little smaller than the original printer. 8-) And before anyone asks yes the controller on top of the Adam is one of my Conversions. It is an Atari Jaguar Pro Pad converted to a ColecoVision/Adam Super Action Control Pad. Here's a better pic:

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/9920/cvsuperactioncontrolpadha6.jpg

I'm also working on a VGA output mod for the ColecoVision. I've got it working, I just need to get it buttoned up inside the console.


Dude! How much to do everything in your sig to my CV? It works just fine, it's just like my favorite system and I want it properly decked out.


I sold that console by itself, (no controllers or games), just the console and the AC cord for $450.00. That price included the console itself, and all of the modification work, which not noticable in the picutre, also featured my replacement On/Off & Reset buttons and the "Intro Skip" BIOS upgrade, in addition to the obivious upgrades on the rear.

[Jorpho]

But I think you are all forgetting about the largest power supply of all, the Coleco Adam's Printer/Power Supply combo. This bohemeth is damn near as big and heavy as the console itself.

As it was hidden in the printer, it is indeed easy to forget about.

[Steve W]

But nobody makes pirate Colecovisions (at least not anymore) (http://www.vidgame.net/misc/dina.htm).

Heh heh, according to that article the tornado that hit the Telegames warehouse was supposed to have destroyed their remaining stock. But that's not entirely true, piles and piles of them ended up in a couple local stores that were essentially electronic junk and old computer stores. I bought mine for $8.95, along with heaps of Atari 2600, 5200, Intellivision, Lynx, and Atarisoft Colecovision games that Telegames had sold off to them too. And the crazy power supply for the Dina has the same oddball power requirements of the original Colecovision, just with a different plug.

[Carey85]

As an electrician, it amazes me that Coleco was ever able to get the wallbrick UL listed in the first place, for a couple reasons. It could fall out of the receptacle, causing bodily harm, especially for children. I also see the potential for that heavy bastard to possibly loosen or rip a receptacle box that has been cut into the wall out. Just my observations...