Yesterware

After fiddling with a broken ColecoVision "Hand Controller" I saw how simple the wiring was and decided to see if I could re-purpose a cheap aftermarket NES Classic controller to make a more comfortable control option for my ColecoVision.  It actually worked pretty easily so I decided to turn my scribbled diagrams into something that might be easier for others to use. Just a disclaimer, this diagram and instructions are provided freely and without warranty.  It's not my fault if you damage anything by following these diagrams/instructions. The original ColecoVision hand controller uses diodes between all of the connections to make it possible to register multiple button presses.  Because the direction buttons each have a dedicated address line this isn't so important for them, however without using diodes it will not be possible to register simultaneous presses of the other buttons.    I tried incorporating the same IN14148 diodes into my controller mod, but...

[Updated June 2020]  As with all hobbies these things can be learning processes. After initially completing this mod, I discovered some new things and made some changes.  Primarily, I've re-incorporated the RF box for actual composite video, figured out the black & white picture problem, added a buffering capacitor to the audio output and tapped the audio from a different location to maintain compatibility with the ColecoVision Expansion Module #1.  The Expansion module doesn't work with RGB out, but now it's at least usable with composite Genesis 2 cables.  Background ColecoVision wasn't something I had or even played growing up, but several years ago someone gave me one.  Since its only AV output is RF and that makes it hard to have multiple systems connected at once, it sat in a box for about 10 years until I stumbled across Ben Heck's tutorial on a very straightforward composite video mod. The Picture Quality Produced by the Ben Heck composite ...