multicart help

[noah98]

Thanks, but I just picked up a Solar Quest today for $25. It came with box, manual, and overlay. I think the quality of the box and overlay are just fair, but it's better than nothing.

I can't believe that I have a multicart and some loose games, but I'm still buying games for overlays!

[gliptitude]

yeah noah i am of the same mind, buying games for the overlays. i really insist on having them. it's essential for Web Wars and my Web Wars overlay is pretty scuffed up, almost looks like it smeared during the printing process, so i'm in the market for another. It still conveys the 3D effect for the game and i'm not obsessive over completeness and condition, but it seems a shame that my favorite game relies on my most compromised overlay.

... are the dip switches the only thing that prevents the vectrom from fitting into a gce cartridge shell? perhaps a hole could be made in the case the way it is in the case that the multicart comes in? i was assuming this from the beginning as you'd have to have access to the switches. Shouldn't be too hard to cut a hole if that's the only issue.

[noah98]

You might be able to cut a hole out of the original cart case, but I'm not sure if the screw will interfere. In the one that comes with it, he had to cut out a hole, and it's covered with a sticker. I think the biggest problem is that the pcb is large. I don't like the way it sticks out of the case.

I attached a comparison picture for you.

Attachments:

[noah98]

Here's a document that I made that has all of the dip-switch combinations for the games (U=switch up, D=switch down).

Attachments:

[vectrexmad]

Feb 17, 2012 0:14:46 GMT -5 noah98 said:

The pcb for this multicart definitely won't fit into a standard cart shell because it is quite big due to the dip switches. I agree that not having even a single screw is definitely a design flaw. I will say that the adhesive that I used worked remarkably well, and it is very sturdy now. In it's original form, it was flimsy and loose.

I've been on an overlay quest, but haven't had much luck. I've mostly been re-buying games I already own if they come with an overlay. Right now I'm trying hard to get one for Web Wars and Solar Quest.

Here' a link to a YouTube video where they put the Vectrom 32:1 PCB into an Intellvision module case. Seems you don't need any application of glue, and just two screws are required to close the case and secure the PCB?

youtu.be/ujeO-KMms94

[VectorX]

^Has there been any changes with that multicart since that video?

[gliptitude]

Well I had this Vectrom cart and liked it a lot, but sold it to my friend's girlfriend along with a Vectrex (as a gift for her father who is a tinkerer and a programmer). I plan on buying it again from the guy in France on ebay. ... Am still interested in rigging a better case for it though...

Found this listing on ebay today of the Vectrom mounted in a standard GCE case:

www.ebay.com/itm/Vectrex-Multigame-Vectrom-/200925295401?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item2ec814b329

Aside from the nifty Vectrex label that lines up with the dip switches on the standard Vectrom case, this GCE mod looks like a more attractive solution to me. I can easily imagine building around the back to completely enclose the PCB, (I have a little experience with resin casting).

I asked the french Vectrom seller on ebay if he could sell the PCP separate from the case, or all of it un-assembled. Did not get a reply.

Anybody know if there is a trick or any danger to breaking open a Vectrom cart to get the PCB out? Does the screwless assembly involve adhesive bonds to the PCB???

xxx BTW I tried to attach a picture of the case mod from the ebay listing, using the Attach File option, and repeatedly got an Error message.

[VectorX]

^You might want to try the latter later, as there's been some problems over the last several days with posting.