TRS-80 not reading games

[Atari 5200]

I have a TRS-80 and it powers up find, but when I turn the power button on with a game inserted it only displays a green, boxed in screen. I've cleaned the carts and tried to clean the pins. When I insert the cart into the slot and remove it about forty times, the cart is VERY dirty. I clean and repeat, but still, I can't get it to play a game.

Please HELP!!! Any advice would be great!

[Atari 5200]

Today I have spent more time and done some more work on the TRS-80. I have never had a system behave in this manner. As stated before, the system powers up fine and there is the green box on the tv. I cleaned the pins with a toothbrush windex. I have also taken an emery board to the pins in the system and the carts themselves. I cleaned them up pretty good and was hoping to get some other result than my last. Unfortunately, I did not. Still I have the same predicament and I don't know what to do next. Certainly all of my carts are not dead. I have three carts and all present the same problem.

[almostgotthemall]

This may or may not apply to your TRS 80, but a weak power supply was to blame on mine for not initializing cartridges.

I no longer have one, so I cannot give you any voltages to check for.

I had the exact same problem on my C64 as well. It would boot no problem, but not with a cartridge. That ended up being a weak power supply as well.

[InsaneDavid]

Check for cold solder joints on the backside of the cartridge connector.

[Atari 5200]

Check for cold solder joints on the backside of the cartridge connector.

But opening it will cause me to void the warranty...NOOO!!

Thanks, but what do cold solder joints look like?

[Atari 5200]

Check for cold solder joints on the backside of the cartridge connector.

But opening it will cause me to void the warranty...NOOO!!

Thanks, but what do cold solder joints look like?

[InsaneDavid]

Check for cold solder joints on the backside of the cartridge connector.

But opening it will cause me to void the warranty...NOOO!!

Thanks, but what do cold solder joints look like?

Usually you want to use a continuity tester but look for any connections on the backside of the connector that look rough or broken or unlike all the other ones.

[InsaneDavid]

Check for cold solder joints on the backside of the cartridge connector.

But opening it will cause me to void the warranty...NOOO!!

Thanks, but what do cold solder joints look like?

Usually you want to use a continuity tester but look for any connections on the backside of the connector that look rough or broken or unlike all the other ones.

[Atari 5200]

Okay, Thanks!! I'll get on it asap.

[Atari 5200]

Okay, Thanks!! I'll get on it asap.

[Atari 5200]

Okay...I was looking at the sticker that says all of the warranty crap on it and I noticed there seemed to be two stickers covering the screw hole. Could this mean that this console had been serviced before? Also, what would you do...Attempt to take the sticker off or punch a hole through the sticker? BTW, would a hair dryer work?

PS: InsaneDavid, were you the one with the modded white genesis that played megadrive games. If you still have it, I'm REALLY interested in it.

Thanks!!!

[Atari 5200]

Okay...I was looking at the sticker that says all of the warranty crap on it and I noticed there seemed to be two stickers covering the screw hole. Could this mean that this console had been serviced before? Also, what would you do...Attempt to take the sticker off or punch a hole through the sticker? BTW, would a hair dryer work?

PS: InsaneDavid, were you the one with the modded white genesis that played megadrive games. If you still have it, I'm REALLY interested in it.

Thanks!!!

[InsaneDavid]

Okay...I was looking at the sticker that says all of the warranty crap on it and I noticed there seemed to be two stickers covering the screw hole. Could this mean that this console had been serviced before? Also, what would you do...Attempt to take the sticker off or punch a hole through the sticker? BTW, would a hair dryer work?

Honestly, (with the exception of Coleco tabletops that have the screws hidden beneath the control panel sticker) I usually just punch right through those.

PS: InsaneDavid, were you the one with the modded white genesis that played megadrive games. If you still have it, I'm REALLY interested in it.

Yes I was and yes I do - the messy mod. It's not a stock white system, it's a paint mod - not great work but from about a foot away it looks really nice. I've seen far worse posted here. Anyway, was just using it to test some RF leads two days ago, works great...

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=750691

[Atari 5200]

Well, I finally opened my TRS-80 today! A hair drier and a knife in the other hand worked very well. Unfortunately, I found no visable problems inside it...so still I have no idea what is wrong with the damned thing. Absolutely nothing looks damaged and everything looks fine! Oh, and yes, the the TRS-80 had been serviced before. There were two stickers on it, the bottom was punctured. Anyway, what should be my next step?

[InsaneDavid]

Anyway, what should be my next step?

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand.. you'll have to wait for a TRS-80 expert as that's where my basic repair knowledge goes out the window as I'm not familiar with the TRS-80's inner workings.

[Atari 5200]

DAMMIT!!! </dramatics>

Oh, well...I try some more reasearch on the net and try to find some info...I thank you very much for helping me!!!!

For helping me I shall reward you, let's go have a cold one, I'm buying.

[vintagegamecrazy]

I had an Arcadia 2001 that wouldn't read a cart at all once, I tried everything but I think the processor was dead or something, if yours won't read try the power supply voltage, check it with a voltometer if that if fine it may be a processor or bios problem.

I wouldn't lose sleep over it if it won't work, you can usually snag a bare bones console only model 3 from Ebay for around $20 shipped.

[YoshiM]

First off, what model Color Computer do you have? 1, 2 or 3? Next what cartridges are you trying?

[Atari 5200]

http://www.chez.com/ldocquir/mvp/ima.../trs80m2_1.jpg

It looks like that and the carts im using are typing tutor, space assault, and chess. The carts have radioshack trs-80 color computer on them. So I guess I'm using the right carts.

[dendawg]

I have a TRS-80 and it powers up find, but when I turn the power button on with a game inserted it only displays a green, boxed in screen. I've cleaned the carts and tried to clean the pins. When I insert the cart into the slot and remove it about forty times, the cart is VERY dirty. I clean and repeat, but still, I can't get it to play a game.

Please HELP!!! Any advice would be great!

Clean your cart slot using the method described below.
http://www.digitpress.com/livefaq/in...light=contacts

Then, dissasemble your carts and thoroughly clean them using a Scotch-Brite pad and isopropyl alcohol, 70% minimum. If you live near a Meijer's, they have a brand of alcohol called Reality that's 99%. Don't worry about hurting the contacts, you won't cause any damage if you don't press down hard. [/b]