2 technical Coleco questions

blanka · Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 1:16 am Post subject: 2 technical Coleco questions

Can anybody look these things up for me for Coleco Zaxxon and Coleco Frogger:

Dimension of VFD Panel (glass size) and number of pins.
Text on microcontroller (the big chip). If it is under the panel, but you still see a rectangle chip with 54 pins from the back, or you see nothing (as no pins coming through the board as it is a surface mount one), I also know enough: then its a Hitachi 38820.
Thanks!

Rik · Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 1:35 pm Post subject:

I think I can get these... Could use the excuse to take them apart and photograph them. (I have a gutted Frogger somewhere...)

Zaxxon has two VFDs, you need the info for both?

For the CPU, you just want the model #, not the die code? Hitachi 38820 is the CPU model, but there should be a 3-digit code that's unique to the game that indicates what program is manufactured on the chip... Not sure how much detail you want.

My ultimate plan is to have CPU information for all of these games on the website... And internal pictures of as many as possible.

Rik

blanka · Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 5:11 am Post subject:

If you look it all up, I'll be happy with all details. I was wondering how much the Gakken and Coleco Frogger differ, and whether the Zaxxon has any special exceptional tech inside.

Rik · Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 5:31 am Post subject:

I have a Frogger VFD display on my desk, but I wasn't sure if it was from a Coleco or Gakken game, so I wanted to double check before I used it... Smile

As for Zaxxon, what's special about it is that it has two VFD displays, one mounted on each side of a semi-transparent mirror. That gives the floating ship effect. Here's a picture of the inside of it from my Game Guts page:

The true 8-way joystick I think is also unique to Zaxxon...

Bandai's Zaxxon uses on large VFD display with the transparent mirror mounted half way along the VFD. I have a description of that one here:
http://www.handheldmuseum.com/Guts/BandaiFLZaxxonGuts.htm

I'll get measurements and chip details tomorrow...

Rik

Rik · Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 7:43 pm Post subject:

Coleco Frogger:
CPU:
Konami M58846-701P
VFD: Itran CP5090GLR (or CP5084GLR, possibly others)
Dimensions: edge of glass to edge of glass:
4 7/16" tall x 2 3/16" wide (4.4375" x 2.1875") (inches)
(Or approx 11.3cm x 5.6 cm)
30 pins along the right side, in two banks of 15.

CP5090 has happy, smiley frogs all the way to the edge on the 'log' portion of the screen. CP5084 has 'unhappy' frogs on the very edge where you die if you don't jump off the log... (other minor differences too, but those are the most obvious).

Coleco Zaxxon:
CPU:
Hitachi HD38820A62
ZAXX
(Actaully has ZAXX printed on the chip, thought that was cool... Smile

)

VFDs:
Small one (your ship):
2 3/16" x 1" (2.1875" x 1")
(Approx 5.6cm x 2.5 cm)
38 pins

Large one (everything else):
3 7/8" x 1 7/8" (3.875" x 1.875")
(Approx 9.8cm x 4.8cm)
59 pins

(Couldn't see the manufacturer of the VFDs while installed...)

Hope that helps...
Rik

blanka · Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 11:13 pm Post subject:

OK, thank you. That means the Gakken Frogger is completely on par with the Coleco. I was wondering if they used different panels or chips, but that is not the case. The Gakken has the 5084 too.
And although I don't like the game of Coleco Zaxxon, the tech specs make me very curious to take one apart. Anyone in Europe that has one (it may be FUBAR on the outside, and non working)?

Rik · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 2:13 am Post subject:

Yeah, it just depends on what Coleco Frogger you have. There's several different variations. My 5084 VFD may have come from a Gakken Frogger, but I think I've seen Coleco's with similar sprites on it. But other than slight graphical changes, the displays appear to be identical.

blanka · Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 12:50 pm Post subject:

Just received the big beast from the US today. Mine has brown PCBs by the way. 2 questions: Is the mirror glued? I was trying to peek inside, but the mirror just locks the PCBs. 2nd: Is the control panel sticker supposed to be kind of azure color? Or should it be bright blue like the rest if the side art and the color around the fake fire button on the stick? Was wondering if id had yellowed over time.

blanka · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 5:06 am Post subject:

Bump, can anyone say how the colour blue should look like on the control panel?

Rik · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 12:17 pm Post subject:

Oh yeah, I meant to look at mine... I'll do that when I get home. Looking at the picture on the website though, it appears mine has an aqua-ish color to it vs the definite blue of the side stickers. I have two of these though, I'll re-compare them side-by-side and see...

It's possible they were blue originally and have discolored from the glue on the sticker, thus they'd all look like this.

As for the mirror, the one I have that I opened for the pictures the mirror just fell out of... It's possible that it was _supposed_ to be glued in place, but it seems to just sit in a little spot made for it. I think there's a front and back to the mirror too, if you put it in backwards, the 3D affect will look a little weird, so pay attention to that if you take it completely apart.

Rik · Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2012 12:50 am Post subject:

Both of my Zaxxon's definitely have a different shade of blue on the control panel. One's a little lighter than the other, but neither look like the side stickers...