The Colecovision console from the early Eighties might be not essentially the most memorable platform of its period, nevertheless it retains a retrocomputing following to at the present time. The unique {hardware} is usually a bit dear in 2023, so [nanochess] has constructed one in all his personal on a breadboard. It’s totally purposeful from unique Colecovision cartridges, and we see it within the video under the break working Frogger.

Behind the mess of wires is a surprisingly easy circuit with only some logic chips past the Z80 processor, the assorted reminiscence and EPROM chips, and the video and sound chips. We’re informed the complexity is significantly diminished by means of a Texas Devices  TMS9118 video controller as an alternative of a 9918.

Had we been constructing it we’d most likely have taken the much less courageous step of utilizing coloration coded wires for the assorted indicators, as a result of we keep in mind the enjoyable and video games related to wiring old-style 8-bit computer systems by hand solely too effectively. However we now have to confess that it reminds us of a misplaced youth figuring out Z80 handle decoder schematics, so it’s very pleasing to see one constructed at the moment.

Should you’re hungry for extra Coleco goodness, this isn’t the primary handmade Colecovision we’ve introduced you.