Yeah, the developer said on AtariAge that the adapter works "through the SG-1000 compatibility mode, hence slightly off colours." This is also why the Power Adapter for the MegaDrive/Genesis doesn't work since its VDP doesn't support legacy video modes like SG-1000.
@@johnhancockretro I burned an EPROM with a game converted from MSX, but the colors on the first SMS look really dim. I think that the reason is that the V9918 implementation inside the SMS VDP is sorta "unofficial". It would be really nice if someone finds a hack to improve that colors. Maybe some hardware filters in the composite output could do the job.
I mean it's the same with some other console successors. The MSX, for example, uses the same 16 colors (YUV composite) as the SG 1000. The main difference between the two is the sound chip. Anyway, the MSX2 has a 9 bit (8 level) RGB palette with 256 colors that aren't exactly 1:1 with the MSX either. The SMS has a smaller range of colors, though, using a 6 bit (4 level) RGB palette of 64 colors. Meaning the differences between the SMS & SG 1000 (or ColecoVision) are greater. It's also similar to the PC Engine, which you could call a "spiritual successor" to the NES. If you look up the 5 in 1/6 in 1 Fami-Collections, it's a "multi-cart" of NES games, emulated on the TurboGrafx. But the colors are also off. Due to the NES only supporting around 54 colors (YIQ composite), while the PCE has the same color space as the MSX2 (9 bit RGB) and VS System (uses 60 unique colors out of the color space). Just look at Super Mario Bros (NES, PCE, & VS system).
This works only on the Master System because the Master System has a video mode that supports the SEGA SG-1000. This device won't work on a Genesis with a power base converter, because the Genesis lacks the SG-1000 video mode. The Master System has backwards compatibility with the SEGA SG-1000. The SG-1000 and Colecovision are identical hardware, but the SG-1000 has faster VRAM, a different boot ROM and different memory addressing, hence the hardware trickery inside the Colecovision conversion cartridge. This is the explanation why this conversion cartridge works.
They weren't just similar they used the exact same CPU and VDP the Texas Instruments TMS9918, the VDP in the SMS was an enhanced version of the TMS9918A designed by Yamaha and the VDP in the Genesis was a 16-bit extension/enhancement of the SMS VDP (and the PSG in the 2612 is identical to the PSG in the SMS) which is why it can run SMS software basically directly with just a cartridge port adapter. (yes I am aware that the Genesis VDP removed the legacy TMS9918A graphics modes) The Genesis VDP was not as commonly believed at the time derived from Sega's arcade hardware, although the System 18 arcade board used one to add two additional background layers and an extra 80 sprites. In that case the internal color and pallet RAM was not used and it used the pins on the VDP for external color RAM and pallets and a second 64K bank of VRAM all of which had been left unconnected on the Genesis PCB. System 18 was basically a System 16B with a Genesis VDP added alongside the System16 graphics processor. System C and C2 were low cost arcade boards that used the Genesis VDP, again with external color RAM and pallets. It's a shame that Sega cheaped out and didn't connect those pins to the expansion port on the Genesis, if they had then the Sega CD would have been very different. It could have expanded the colors and because the first and second VRAM banks are interleaved it would have effectively doubled the speed of the VRAM
That's kinda funny. The Colecovision games likely just adresses each color by a certain number on the palette and the Master System just has other colors on that specific number. But funny that it works! :D
John, The SMS VDP doesn't map to the exact same hues as the VDP in the actual console does. So this is just how it is when using this adapter on the SMS. It works by switching the SMS over to SG-1000 mode. So again, the VDP colors are how they were mapped as best fit from the VDP on the colecovision. It only bothers me on a few games where I'm used to how it should look and suddenly looks different. And the experience you are showing with some games missing graphical detail or like the menu only showing a few of the titles at the top on the AtariMax is the same as what I was experiencing and demonstrating with my short video I did with some direct captures. The graphic issues missing sprites or just not working in a playable state is a much larger issue I feel. But for the standard normal released games, it has worked just fine for me and that was originally was it was intended to do according to the Devs. Homebrews weren't really the focus in this case for this device.
The SG1000 was pretty much the same hardware as a ColecoVision, but it has a slightly different VDP that has a different color pallete. This device uses the SG1000 compatibility mode in the Master System to play the ColecoVision games, but since the color pallete is not 1:1 with the Coleco, the colors are going to be different.
Colecovision and SG1000 have the same palette but that palette isn't very precisely compatible with the 6-bit RGB supported by the SMS VDP. So SG1000 games don't look right either. Sega could have used different video output circuitry for better SG1000 emulation but I guess they didn't think it was worth it.
It's possible that the Sega Master System's hardware palette doesn't have 1:1 colors with the Colecovision's hardware palette and the software is matching on an estimation of the closest color.
This is pretty much it. It's using the SG1000 compatibility mode in the Master System, and the SG1000 is basically the same hardware as a ColecoVision, but the color palette is different.
@@rustymixer2886 Not a clone it just used the same off the shelf chips. If you hand two different people a TMS9918A SN76489 and Z-80 and tell them to make a console with that it's going to come out pretty much the same. MSX1 was the same way because it used the same chips.
Didn't play much Coleco back in the day so the colors ain't an issue. Homebrew and flash cart issues are much more concerning since I'd like to get into Coleco game dev.
The reason why the colors are wrong is because the ColecoVision used a different graphics chip than the Master System, and the colors that the Master System produces don't precisely line up with the colors that the ColecoVision produces. The same goes for SG-1000 games on the Master System.
The Master System's graphics chip is an enhanced version of the TMS9918 used in the SG1000/2000 Colecovision, MSX1 and the TI99 home computer. Color pallet is different because it was different on the SG1000/2000 even though they used the same graphics chip (they may have used slightly different variations Texas Instruments made a bunch of them all basically compatible with each other but with slight differences). It is essentially a hack of the SG1000 backwards compatibility mode on the SMS. The TMS9918A was super popular because it was an off the shelf VDP you could just buy and drop into your design with a comparable feature set to custom VDPs of the time which saved you a lot of money when designing a computer, console or arcade board.
Too bad this doesn't work with the mega sg. I 'd buy it in a heartbeat. Sold my SMS long ago. Thank for this cool find John, please keep us updated. Take care.
Very Cool! I love SMS, got one B4 NES back in 86 & never had a Colecovision growing up. I don't give a shit about the colors, & also especially since I am unfamiliar with ever playing the games. Now after playing them like this I will be disappointed playing the original versions with bland colors. Thanx for sharing
Good video! Cool item! If the color righted around with a patch or something like that! It might be an okay buy! It's something to see Colecovision games playing on a Sega Master System!
The Master System is known for having bright colors, so I guess these games just become more "Master System-y". For some games this might even improve the graphics, who knows
I missed this! Definitely looking to grab this one. EDIT: I believe the reason why the colors are off is due to the adapter using the SG-1000 color palette. I know when I messed around with some ColecoVision hacks on my stream ages ago, they showed the same result.
John, I think the idea of being able to play Coleco games on Master System is a dream to those that have any affinity towards these two systems. I know I’ve always wondered/pondered about the relationship between these two consoles and if they could play each other’s games. Personally, the fact that we can play Coleco games at all on the SMS is amazing, color palette change included. In fact, the SMS’ cool pastels are a fun way to experience these games IMO. Additionally, most CV systems are on life support, so fragile and beat up at this point. It was not a robust hardware as most people know. The controller sockets just ate the dust on mine, and the power button is notorious as well. This saves a ton of frustration. It also frees up space on the shelf. To complain about the color palette is small potatoes for the convenience and quality of life the Colecoco provides.
WoooW this is something definitely mind blowing. I know that both the mastersystem,colecovision and mark 2 systems do have similar hardware but that only those pins are in reversed order or there are some different memory locations in reverse etc.. But i never through it to be possible to run colecovision games on a mastersystem. Sure you might could hit pause and hit certain buttons to emulate the number pad on the mastersystem, but wouldn’t it be not better to be able to connect an og colecovision controller or an alternative number pad controller to it for a better experience and increase compatibility with it??? Either way this is something definitely impressive😁
There's the same issue with playing Korean SMS carts that Zemina "ported" from MSX games that used the SG-1000 video mode, it's always darker but doesn't really distract from the gameplay. It's still nice to see this adapter in action after reading about it on AtariAge.
Once again Mr immortal one I love the content 🤘 will be picking this up definitely!!! Any lag due to the emulation? HD retrovision cables are an absolute must for anything retro 🤘
@@Kcalien that would be for show only, as the Coleco converter doesn't work with a Genesis/MegaDrive, the graphics mode it uses is not built into the Genesis video display processor.
The Mark 3 is basically a slightly enhanced Colecovision. I'm curious, though, as to why it won't work with a power base converter or master gear converter, for that matter, as one is just a pass through and the other a slight step down because of the color palette, though many game gear games can be played on a master system with the proper work around, but not all.
Very cool I definitely don’t mind the colours it’s just great to be able to play colecovision on the master system as I never grew up with or played the coleco but I did grew up with the Atari 2600 👍 thanks for video John
This could be cool. Sometimes I can really appreciate an adapter like this allowing me to play on retro hardware but forgoing the need to own another massive 2nd generation console.
If you can put up with the homebrew problems, this device frees gamers from dealing with increasingly buggy (as the years go by) Colecovision consoles and it frees gamers from those dreadful Colecovision controllers. These points merit more emphasis. But a good review-thanks.
This product would have had better results on an SG-1000 or SG-1000 II. The color palette on the SMS is not correct, but I bet it would be on the aforementioned consoles. But, then again, how many people have those ;)
The Sega sg-1000 and the Colecovision were both MSX computers. MSX was a computer standard created by Microsoft and was huge in Japan and Korea. In America the only successful MSX product was the Colecovision. Coleco's Adam computer would have been compatible with any other MSX PC.
The Genesis VDP is a 16-bit extension of the VDP in the SMS which was in turn an enhanced Texas Instruments TMS9918A (this is why the Genesis can run SMS software with just a cartridge adapter) so I wonder if it's possible to get Colecovision software running on the Genesis with some graphics mode emulation running on the 68000? (the Genesis VDP removed the legacy TMS9918A graphics modes which is why a few SMS games that use those won't run on the power base convertor)
I just tested my ColeCoco adapter last night using 5 common cartridges on my Master System II and am getting a ton of graphics corruption, especially at the "Play Select" screens. I will do more research.
I have a colecovision and I don't have a SMS , it will not bother me if I had it, for the compatibility it,s a bit annoying but for 69 $ you can't expect the compatibility of having an SGM included
unlike a modern computer, 8bit systems had fixed colors. and you can tell that by just looking at games from diff systems. nes doesn't have the same colors as c64 or 2600 or colecovision etc. same is true from master sys and colecovision. so adapter has no choice but to map colecovision colors to their closest approximates on the ms.
A guy walks into a bar, and quickly notices a pirate sitting at the bar. The pirate is wearing a tricorn hat, has a parrot perched on his shoulder, a metal hook for a hand, and a wooden peg leg. Strangely, this pirate also appears to have a small wooden rudder sticking out of the rear top of his pants. The guy who walked into the bar is curious, and decides to approach the pirate. "Excuse me," says the guy. "Did you know you have a rudder sticking out of the back of your pants?" The pirate replies, "Arr.... it drives me nuts!"
The Colecovision games look good on this. I would rather play Colecovision games on the Sega Master System with this adapter, then deal with RF-Interference on my Sony Trinitron. My Master System is connected to my Sharp Aquos via Composite Cables, I do not have the skills to Composite-mod my Colecovision.
Sure glad I bought a real Coleco Vision on E-bay instead of this thing that I would not be able to use anyway since I have a Genesis and a Atarimax Ultimate SD for Coleco Vision & Adam Flash Cart that would not work even if I had an original Power Base Converter of that new Mini Power Base Converter.
Why can't someone develop a device similar to the "Game Genie" that you can plug into an Nes or Sega Genesis system to play Colecovision games... Not aa many collectors own a Sega master system.
Would this work on a Genesis? Keep in mind the Genesis was built in such a way that Master System games would play on it perfectly (as it replicates the functionality.) You yourself mentioned the "Power Base Converter" not being compatible, but I imagine that, in theory, it would work with some modding.
The device itself is not the responsible for the colors being off, it's the Master System VDP that selects those colors when in SG-1000 compatibility mode, and there's nothing that can be done about it. I have no idea what the deal with the other glitches is, though...
@@xtokumaru my guess would be a little bit of incompatibility, as the SG-1000 and Coleco used slightly different video display processors, so there may be some edge cases where certain graphics functions don't work exactly the same.
I have a lot of Colecovision games but out of the five consoles I own, none of them work. Whenever I've wanted to play Coleco stuff I usually have to turn to my Telegames DINA 2-in-1. This seems like a reliable workaround because of the junky Coleco hardware. I might have to look into this. Do Colecovision controllers work on the SMS?
Has potential, if in the future it can play better most of the homebrew catalog could be even better. Color thing is fun for me because as a kid I had a TV/Monitor that came with a bad adjusted option for color and all my Atari and NES games looked the same for 5 years. It was normal for me until a day as a teenager I began to play with controls and adjusted the color as was intended to play, and oh man it was a game changer for me re-play my whole library with other color palette not so ugly. Maybe the color palette thing is related to how Master System translates color code. Anyway interesting finding, thanks as always John.
In the atariage forum that John sites, they mention that theoretically is could work. Not sure if they ever went all the way with a full test. I have a GG and MGC to test it out once I get one. I’ll definitely report back on it with my experience.
I have the master system adapter to play sega master system games on my sega game gear. I put in the ips mod so image is crisp i wonder if this will work through the mega system adapter.
i had coleco master end colecovision catridges end when the game start aftre freeze , audio sound bad , i cleaned pins still not working maiby the problem is internal the catridges
Just wanted to post that the SMS cant duplicate the Coleco color palette directly. This site explains why www.smspower.org/Development/Palette
Yeah, the developer said on AtariAge that the adapter works "through the SG-1000 compatibility mode, hence slightly off colours." This is also why the Power Adapter for the MegaDrive/Genesis doesn't work since its VDP doesn't support legacy video modes like SG-1000.
@@johnhancockretro I burned an EPROM with a game converted from MSX, but the colors on the first SMS look really dim. I think that the reason is that the V9918 implementation inside the SMS VDP is sorta "unofficial". It would be really nice if someone finds a hack to improve that colors. Maybe some hardware filters in the composite output could do the job.
How do I order one?
I mean it's the same with some other console successors. The MSX, for example, uses the same 16 colors (YUV composite) as the SG 1000. The main difference between the two is the sound chip. Anyway, the MSX2 has a 9 bit (8 level) RGB palette with 256 colors that aren't exactly 1:1 with the MSX either.
The SMS has a smaller range of colors, though, using a 6 bit (4 level) RGB palette of 64 colors. Meaning the differences between the SMS & SG 1000 (or ColecoVision) are greater.
It's also similar to the PC Engine, which you could call a "spiritual successor" to the NES. If you look up the 5 in 1/6 in 1 Fami-Collections, it's a "multi-cart" of NES games, emulated on the TurboGrafx. But the colors are also off. Due to the NES only supporting around 54 colors (YIQ composite), while the PCE has the same color space as the MSX2 (9 bit RGB) and VS System (uses 60 unique colors out of the color space). Just look at Super Mario Bros (NES, PCE, & VS system).
This works only on the Master System because the Master System has a video mode that supports the SEGA SG-1000. This device won't work on a Genesis with a power base converter, because the Genesis lacks the SG-1000 video mode. The Master System has backwards compatibility with the SEGA SG-1000. The SG-1000 and Colecovision are identical hardware, but the SG-1000 has faster VRAM, a different boot ROM and different memory addressing, hence the hardware trickery inside the Colecovision conversion cartridge. This is the explanation why this conversion cartridge works.
The SG-1000 mode on the SMS has incorrect color palette. This is most likely why it is the way it is with this adapter as well.
What if you used some sort of graphics mode emulation running on the 68000?
You are what I've come to know is called "the paragraph guy" 😄
Coleco and the sg 1000 were similar in design. The backwards compatibility of the sms to the sg 1000 makes this possible. Genius
They weren't just similar they used the exact same CPU and VDP the Texas Instruments TMS9918, the VDP in the SMS was an enhanced version of the TMS9918A designed by Yamaha and the VDP in the Genesis was a 16-bit extension/enhancement of the SMS VDP (and the PSG in the 2612 is identical to the PSG in the SMS) which is why it can run SMS software basically directly with just a cartridge port adapter. (yes I am aware that the Genesis VDP removed the legacy TMS9918A graphics modes)
The Genesis VDP was not as commonly believed at the time derived from Sega's arcade hardware, although the System 18 arcade board used one to add two additional background layers and an extra 80 sprites. In that case the internal color and pallet RAM was not used and it used the pins on the VDP for external color RAM and pallets and a second 64K bank of VRAM all of which had been left unconnected on the Genesis PCB. System 18 was basically a System 16B with a Genesis VDP added alongside the System16 graphics processor.
System C and C2 were low cost arcade boards that used the Genesis VDP, again with external color RAM and pallets. It's a shame that Sega cheaped out and didn't connect those pins to the expansion port on the Genesis, if they had then the Sega CD would have been very different. It could have expanded the colors and because the first and second VRAM banks are interleaved it would have effectively doubled the speed of the VRAM
Heck I don't mind the different colors. Playing Coleco on SMS is awesome! Thanks for the heads up John!👉🏼🙂👈
Yeah called sg1000 mode
@@rustymixer2886 👍
That's kinda funny. The Colecovision games likely just adresses each color by a certain number on the palette and the Master System just has other colors on that specific number. But funny that it works! :D
Colecovision =nSg1000
John, The SMS VDP doesn't map to the exact same hues as the VDP in the actual console does. So this is just how it is when using this adapter on the SMS. It works by switching the SMS over to SG-1000 mode. So again, the VDP colors are how they were mapped as best fit from the VDP on the colecovision. It only bothers me on a few games where I'm used to how it should look and suddenly looks different. And the experience you are showing with some games missing graphical detail or like the menu only showing a few of the titles at the top on the AtariMax is the same as what I was experiencing and demonstrating with my short video I did with some direct captures. The graphic issues missing sprites or just not working in a playable state is a much larger issue I feel. But for the standard normal released games, it has worked just fine for me and that was originally was it was intended to do according to the Devs. Homebrews weren't really the focus in this case for this device.
The SG1000 was pretty much the same hardware as a ColecoVision, but it has a slightly different VDP that has a different color pallete. This device uses the SG1000 compatibility mode in the Master System to play the ColecoVision games, but since the color pallete is not 1:1 with the Coleco, the colors are going to be different.
Colecovision and SG1000 have the same palette but that palette isn't very precisely compatible with the 6-bit RGB supported by the SMS VDP. So SG1000 games don't look right either. Sega could have used different video output circuitry for better SG1000 emulation but I guess they didn't think it was worth it.
It's possible that the Sega Master System's hardware palette doesn't have 1:1 colors with the Colecovision's hardware palette and the software is matching on an estimation of the closest color.
This is pretty much it. It's using the SG1000 compatibility mode in the Master System, and the SG1000 is basically the same hardware as a ColecoVision, but the color palette is different.
@@homiedclownbingo most don't know sg1000 was like a clone of colecovision
@@homiedclownvery cool. BTW I noticed that Sega master system pallet is very close to the of the EGA one 😊
@@rustymixer2886 Not a clone it just used the same off the shelf chips. If you hand two different people a TMS9918A SN76489 and Z-80 and tell them to make a console with that it's going to come out pretty much the same. MSX1 was the same way because it used the same chips.
The Colecovision uses the zilog z80 Like the master System.
Didn't play much Coleco back in the day so the colors ain't an issue. Homebrew and flash cart issues are much more concerning since I'd like to get into Coleco game dev.
The reason why the colors are wrong is because the ColecoVision used a different graphics chip than the Master System, and the colors that the Master System produces don't precisely line up with the colors that the ColecoVision produces. The same goes for SG-1000 games on the Master System.
The Master System's graphics chip is an enhanced version of the TMS9918 used in the SG1000/2000 Colecovision, MSX1 and the TI99 home computer. Color pallet is different because it was different on the SG1000/2000 even though they used the same graphics chip (they may have used slightly different variations Texas Instruments made a bunch of them all basically compatible with each other but with slight differences). It is essentially a hack of the SG1000 backwards compatibility mode on the SMS. The TMS9918A was super popular because it was an off the shelf VDP you could just buy and drop into your design with a comparable feature set to custom VDPs of the time which saved you a lot of money when designing a computer, console or arcade board.
Bummer about the color but amazing that it works!
Too bad this doesn't work with the mega sg. I 'd buy it in a heartbeat. Sold my SMS long ago. Thank for this cool find John, please keep us updated. Take care.
Great stuff John! Thanks for sharing
Very Cool! I love SMS, got one B4 NES back in 86 & never had a Colecovision growing up. I don't give a shit about the colors, & also especially since I am unfamiliar with ever playing the games. Now after playing them like this I will be disappointed playing the original versions with bland colors. Thanx for sharing
Good video! Cool item! If the color righted around with a patch or something like that! It might be an okay buy! It's something to see Colecovision games playing on a Sega Master System!
That would be cool!
I love your reviews, your caps and your eyebrows!
The Master System is known for having bright colors, so I guess these games just become more "Master System-y". For some games this might even improve the graphics, who knows
I missed this! Definitely looking to grab this one.
EDIT: I believe the reason why the colors are off is due to the adapter using the SG-1000 color palette. I know when I messed around with some ColecoVision hacks on my stream ages ago, they showed the same result.
John, I think the idea of being able to play Coleco games on Master System is a dream to those that have any affinity towards these two systems. I know I’ve always wondered/pondered about the relationship between these two consoles and if they could play each other’s games. Personally, the fact that we can play Coleco games at all on the SMS is amazing, color palette change included. In fact, the SMS’ cool pastels are a fun way to experience these games IMO. Additionally, most CV systems are on life support, so fragile and beat up at this point. It was not a robust hardware as most people know. The controller sockets just ate the dust on mine, and the power button is notorious as well. This saves a ton of frustration. It also frees up space on the shelf. To complain about the color palette is small potatoes for the convenience and quality of life the Colecoco provides.
6:56 nice version of BombJack. It seems they based this version on the c64 one since it has Jean Michel Jarre's Magnetic Fields part II song on it.
Awesome video John I would definitely pick this up if I had a Master System I unfortunately do not have the space at the moment.
WoooW this is something definitely mind blowing.
I know that both the mastersystem,colecovision and mark 2 systems do have similar hardware but that only those pins are in reversed order or there are some different memory locations in reverse etc..
But i never through it to be possible to run colecovision games on a mastersystem.
Sure you might could hit pause and hit certain buttons to emulate the number pad on the mastersystem, but wouldn’t it be not better to be able to connect an og colecovision controller or an alternative number pad controller to it for a better experience and increase compatibility with it???
Either way this is something definitely impressive😁
Spyhunter! Wow!! Brings back memories!
There's the same issue with playing Korean SMS carts that Zemina "ported" from MSX games that used the SG-1000 video mode, it's always darker but doesn't really distract from the gameplay.
It's still nice to see this adapter in action after reading about it on AtariAge.
Once again Mr immortal one I love the content 🤘 will be picking this up definitely!!! Any lag due to the emulation? HD retrovision cables are an absolute must for anything retro 🤘
Hmmmm that’s a very interesting device to have.👍🏼
This is cool,, always wanted a colecovision but now I don’t have to buy one I can use my master system!! Awesome…
I want to see the genesis tower of power with master system converter and Coleco master on top!
@@Kcalien that would be for show only, as the Coleco converter doesn't work with a Genesis/MegaDrive, the graphics mode it uses is not built into the Genesis video display processor.
That's cool. I have an adapter that allows me play SMS games on the first Sega Genesis.
The Mark 3 is basically a slightly enhanced Colecovision. I'm curious, though, as to why it won't work with a power base converter or master gear converter, for that matter, as one is just a pass through and the other a slight step down because of the color palette, though many game gear games can be played on a master system with the proper work around, but not all.
Very cool I definitely don’t mind the colours it’s just great to be able to play colecovision on the master system as I never grew up with or played the coleco but I did grew up with the Atari 2600 👍 thanks for video John
This could be cool. Sometimes I can really appreciate an adapter like this allowing me to play on retro hardware but forgoing the need to own another massive 2nd generation console.
The colors are off and this is expected, as this is most likely due to the fact it uses the SG-1000 compatibility mode.
It upsets me that it can’t work on a Power Base Converter. My dreams of making a massive Tower Of Converter Power is in ruins!!
The color palette is a problem with the Master System and the Mark III. The same thing happens if you try to play SG-1000 on these systems.
I used Cologne to make Quest for the Golden Chalice for my Consolized GBA using the Epilogue GB Operator.
If you can put up with the homebrew problems, this device frees gamers from dealing with increasingly buggy (as the years go by) Colecovision consoles and it frees gamers from those dreadful Colecovision controllers. These points merit more emphasis. But a good review-thanks.
You are correct with that. Coleco hardware is notorious for going out.
I like the colors. Reminds me of old computers, EGA graphics? also, it has that pink/skyblue neon sign look. so I like it.
I second Johns eyebrows
Thirded ;-)
The color issue is concerning. Maybe the adapter is color blind. :) Thanks for the video, John.
Good call!
It's impossible for the adapter to match the colors. It literally cannot be done.
That is nuts!
This product would have had better results on an SG-1000 or SG-1000 II. The color palette on the SMS is not correct, but I bet it would be on the aforementioned consoles. But, then again, how many people have those ;)
The Sega sg-1000 and the Colecovision were both MSX computers. MSX was a computer standard created by Microsoft and was huge in Japan and Korea. In America the only successful MSX product was the Colecovision. Coleco's Adam computer would have been compatible with any other MSX PC.
This is the kind of product should have been made originally
What a cool device!
Awesome! I can't wait to spend $70 dollars to play my Colecovision games with wrong colors.
Cool gadget! ;-)
The Coleco and the SG-1000 were both somewhat based on the MSX standard. I almost bought a Telegames Dina back in the day still regret not getting it.
ive heard rumors that they run HOT be careful during long sessions
my mark iii gets hot too 😢
I wanna play MSX games on a SMS
awesome video BTW how do you like your ewin chair? have had mine since 2021 and love it
The Genesis VDP is a 16-bit extension of the VDP in the SMS which was in turn an enhanced Texas Instruments TMS9918A (this is why the Genesis can run SMS software with just a cartridge adapter) so I wonder if it's possible to get Colecovision software running on the Genesis with some graphics mode emulation running on the 68000? (the Genesis VDP removed the legacy TMS9918A graphics modes which is why a few SMS games that use those won't run on the power base convertor)
Seeing Atari and Donkey Kong on an early Sega system is funny
I just tested my ColeCoco adapter last night using 5 common cartridges on my Master System II and am getting a ton of graphics corruption, especially at the "Play Select" screens. I will do more research.
Post on the Atariage forum and please include pictures.
That is really cool! I was wondering if the Coleco controller could work with this too?!
Don’t think so
That was my 1st system back in 82. The only thing I have left of it is the cartridge donkey Kong. I don't think those colors look so bad.
Spy Hunter is Miami Vice now. 🌈
I have a colecovision and I don't have a SMS , it will not bother me if I had it, for the compatibility it,s a bit annoying but for 69 $ you can't expect the compatibility of having an SGM included
unlike a modern computer, 8bit systems had fixed colors. and you can tell that by just looking at games from diff systems. nes doesn't have the same colors as c64 or 2600 or colecovision etc.
same is true from master sys and colecovision.
so adapter has no choice but to map colecovision colors to their closest approximates on the ms.
Zaxxon drives me nuts!
A guy walks into a bar, and quickly notices a pirate sitting at the bar. The pirate is wearing a tricorn hat, has a parrot perched on his shoulder, a metal hook for a hand, and a wooden peg leg. Strangely, this pirate also appears to have a small wooden rudder sticking out of the rear top of his pants. The guy who walked into the bar is curious, and decides to approach the pirate. "Excuse me," says the guy. "Did you know you have a rudder sticking out of the back of your pants?" The pirate replies, "Arr.... it drives me nuts!"
I just purchased one. Did you try it with the Mega Sg? The Mega Sg plays all SG-1000 games, so I wonder if it will work with this.
Wow nice I like this
I kind of like the alternate pallette.
Dude stop complaining it looks fine damn
The Colecovision games look good on this. I would rather play Colecovision games on the Sega Master System with this adapter, then deal with RF-Interference on my Sony Trinitron. My Master System is connected to my Sharp Aquos via Composite Cables, I do not have the skills to Composite-mod my Colecovision.
this same oversaturated color palette was a problem when playing SG-1000 games on the Mark III
Sure glad I bought a real Coleco Vision on E-bay instead of this thing that I would not be able to use anyway since I have a Genesis and a Atarimax Ultimate SD for Coleco Vision & Adam Flash Cart that would not work even if I had an original Power Base Converter of that new Mini Power Base Converter.
I’d pick this up since I don’t have a Colecovision.
There are many Coleco games adapted to play on Master System through Master Everdrive
I need to find these
"I was like no way. Way!!"
So why would you need to play coleco games on a master system anyways?
Damn. If it was sgm compatible I would buy one instantly.
I have purchased three different colecovisions and I still don't have a working console SMH.
This is so cool. Can Coleco Vision play SG 1000 games?
I wonder if the color pallette is correct on the Mark III, which as I recall had a different palette than the US.
Doesn’t work on the Mark III
Mark III has the same palette issue.
Why can't someone develop a device similar to the "Game Genie" that you can plug into an Nes or Sega Genesis system to play Colecovision games... Not aa many collectors own a Sega master system.
Would this work on a Genesis? Keep in mind the Genesis was built in such a way that Master System games would play on it perfectly (as it replicates the functionality.) You yourself mentioned the "Power Base Converter" not being compatible, but I imagine that, in theory, it would work with some modding.
In the forum link I provide you could ask the question.
I wonder if I can use this in a master system to game gear adapter in a game gear to analogue pocket adapter. 😂
It's payback for ColecoVision after they came up with the Atari 2600 adapter. Lol.
Just change TV settings a bit if color difference bothers you.
Im suprised this is news to you as colecovision is playable on master system with any old flash cart.. MSX can also be played on master system
The device itself is not the responsible for the colors being off, it's the Master System VDP that selects those colors when in SG-1000 compatibility mode, and there's nothing that can be done about it. I have no idea what the deal with the other glitches is, though...
@@xtokumaru my guess would be a little bit of incompatibility, as the SG-1000 and Coleco used slightly different video display processors, so there may be some edge cases where certain graphics functions don't work exactly the same.
I have a lot of Colecovision games but out of the five consoles I own, none of them work. Whenever I've wanted to play Coleco stuff I usually have to turn to my Telegames DINA 2-in-1. This seems like a reliable workaround because of the junky Coleco hardware. I might have to look into this. Do Colecovision controllers work on the SMS?
Shame it doesn't work with the power base converter. It'd be cool to play Colecovision Games on my Nomad. It would've looked ridiculous...lol
Has potential, if in the future it can play better most of the homebrew catalog could be even better.
Color thing is fun for me because as a kid I had a TV/Monitor that came with a bad adjusted option for color and all my Atari and NES games looked the same for 5 years.
It was normal for me until a day as a teenager I began to play with controls and adjusted the color as was intended to play, and oh man it was a game changer for me re-play my whole library with other color palette not so ugly.
Maybe the color palette thing is related to how Master System translates color code.
Anyway interesting finding, thanks as always John.
Thanks for the comment
Makes sense: the SG-1000 is a clone of the Coleco Vision.
The palette might be a result of differences in the video hardware.
Does it recognize Colicovision controllers if you plug them into the master system?
👍👍™️
I have to wonder if this would work on The game gear with a master gear converter, since the game gear and Master System are very similar
In the atariage forum that John sites, they mention that theoretically is could work. Not sure if they ever went all the way with a full test. I have a GG and MGC to test it out once I get one. I’ll definitely report back on it with my experience.
I have the master system adapter to play sega master system games on my sega game gear. I put in the ips mod so image is crisp i wonder if this will work through the mega system adapter.
Does that work on Game Gear with Master System Conveter 😅
Any luck on this with a Game Gear?
That was totally unexpected. If you put it on a PowerBase converter, will it work on a Mega Drive?
They are saying in the AtariAge forums it will not.
@@chrisbraun2789 that is sad. It would be amazing for the mega tower...
nope
It is the same dark, oversaturated colors that you see if you play SG-1000 games on SMS.
bingo most don't know sg1000 was like a clone of colecovision
Did you try connecting to a CRT?
Did you watch the video ? ;)
@@johnhancockretro just a few mins.
So now someone has to port these Coleco games to SG1000 and even colours will match...
Will this work with the Master Converter for Genesis
?
I think he said it didn’t work with the Powerbase converter at the beginning?
As mentioned in the video early on, no.
The Genesis VDP doesn't have the SG-1000 video modes like the SMS does, so this is definitely a "no".
@@johnhancockretro Maybe if you plugged that all into the SNES to Genesis converter then tried on the SNES?
How do I order one?
Follow the link in the description.
where can i get this?
Link in description
i had coleco master end colecovision catridges end when the game start aftre freeze , audio sound bad , i cleaned pins still not working maiby the problem is internal the catridges
Does it work with the sega genesis master adapter
Nope
For the price of this cart you're better off just spending a bit extra and buying a colecovision and a multicart. Real hardware is always better.