Colecovision hookup?

[j_factor]

I have a newly-acquire Colecovision. It came with the power supply, but nothing to hook it up to the TV.

Someone told me that Colecovision uses a "generic TV switchbox", as opposed to a hookup that's specifically for the console. Is this true? and where can I get one?

[Cantaloup]

If I remember right, the Colecovision has an RCA-style phono jack on the back that outputs a combined video and audio signal. The best way to connect this to a modern TV is to use any RCA style cable (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_jack) and an RCA to coaxial adapter (http://www.atariage.com/howto/connect.html). That way you can plug it directly into any cable-ready TV without one of those old-style switch boxes.

[Dave Farquhar]

I've used a regular RCA cable and an RCA-coax adapter successfully to hook up a Colecovision to a modern TV. It's easier to track those down than switchboxes these days, and they give a slightly better picture.

I believe the switchboxes for the Colecovision, Atari 2600, Intellivision, and even early home computers like the C-64 were all pretty much interchangeable.

[j_factor]

Ok, so I have to buy an "RCA" cable. I always thought RCA meant composite, but now I see what that is.

Thanks guys. :)

[Aswald]

Radio Shack would have the cable and switchbox.

[j_factor]

Okay, so I got the exact opposite of what the site says to use. Instead of an RCA cable with a coax connector to plug it in the TV, I got a coax cable with an RCA connector to plug it in the system. Hopefully that works...

[j_factor]

I can now confirm that the above works perfectly. Hurray!