The "Beyond" Game Module for the Colecovision

 Hi folks!

I finally revealed what was the "Beyond" Game Module project i was working on since end of May 2021. But this project is way much older as between 15 - 20 years ago, i had a discussion with Daniel Bienvenu (now AKA Amy Purple) that it was real easy to connect a game console (say...the Intellivision) to the expansion port of the Colecovision or any device that has an A/V output. I don't remember much of the conversation but that still "stucked" in my head since then.

Now past May (2021), the idea resurfaced so went to get all my old schematics, datas, etc. and began to make the "AV-to-CV" adapter. After an hour, it was finished. So a couple of days later, i tested it with a Jakks TV P&P Ms.Pac-Man:

Sorry for the hand, just blocking the "AV-to-CV" adapter (for now). And right after that, i've tried out a Famicom clone (or aka Famiclone) with the Pac-Land cartridge:

Took those pictures on May 31, 2021. So the AV-to-CV adapter works! But with this, you can plug any game console or device with AV output (DVD player, Camera, etc..). After that, i was thinking...could this be really useful ??!? Huummmm....good question. So i've put this aside until November, when i saw someone by the name of Robb Alvey on the FB Colecovision Lunatics group, which he has posted Retropie images called the CVPie...wait....why not use a real PI and plug it in the CV expansion port ? OK i know...why do this when you can use it as a standalone device ? Well first, you can play Megacart games and SGM (Super Game Module) games with the CoolCV emulator by Oscar Toledo (aka Nanochess). I've always wanted to buy one of these SGM but the last time, they sold like hot cupcakes on the fly and buying one on UPAY...are you nuts ??? Some sellers are asking over $800!! Really!! I'm not a money-tree damnit!! So have to wait for the next batch of SGM (if any will be made). 

But Robb gave me an idea...a great idea in fact! Plugging an actual PI on the CV so i could play Colecivision games (even if i have an Atarimax Ultimate SD cart) but also SGM games (and even ADAM games too). But...why stop there ? A Pi with EmulationStation (let's call it by it's all-well known name: Retropie!) can emulate so many game consoles and systems! And not only that...Arcade games, old computer games, electronics games...etc!! So was born the "Beyond Game Module"...so to speak because at first i wanted to call it the Ultimate Game Module but "Ultimate" was already used for the Atarimax cart and also the Colecovision Flashback conversion kit (The Ultimate Colecovision Flashback). The next name was "Infinite Game Module" but after rethinking of it...can't ever be infinite because of space on a Micro SD card or USB key...so scratch that name. 

But if you ever saw one of the Disney Toy Story movies, the you must know the catch phrase of Buzz Lightyear "to infinite and...beyond!".....beyond ? Beyond!! That's it! Playing new games and game consoles, etc... is expanding "beyond" what the Colecovision can do. So i finally found the name of my new game module: the Beyond Game Module!

So on December 4th, 2021, i reveal the first pictures of the Beyond Game Module on FB Colecovision Lunatics group: 

And after a few days, here's the final splash screen of the Beyond Game Module:

I was going to show it off January 1st, 2022 but since i cought the ?&?**$@ Omnicron virus, had to wait another 5 days so now, January 5th, i have finally shown the Beyond Game Module. Here's the video of the BGM when i plug it and boot it on a Colecovision:

And here's a video showing which games systems and electronics games i've put on the Micro SD card: 

As for now since it's still a work in progress, i can play these:

* Colecovision Games with Megacart & SGM games (& also ADAM games)

* Sega SG-1000 Games

* Atari 2600 games

* MSX & MSX2 games

* TI99/4A Games with Speech Synth.

* Many Classic Handheld games (like Coleco Pac-Man tabletop)

* Entex Adventurevision games 

* Entex Select-A-Game (all 6 games)

* Arcade games (about 185 Golden age games- the best ones!)

* Löve (my OdySim - need to modify it to make it work)

* Arcade hacks (like Donkey Kong Xmas and Halloween)

* Vectrex games

* And also Atari 7800, NES and SMS games.

I will eventually put more like Intellivision, Magnavox Odyssey2, Bally Astrocade, Channel F, Game Boy, etc. Always dreamed to expand the CV and now this has come true (and for less than $100!!). ;)

Here's some more pics: 

The next post will be how to make your own PI-to-CV connector (schematics, part list, etc), which is simply the AV-to-CV adapter. This will be my gift to all Colecovision fans to celebrate the 40th anniversary! 

Until next folks, take care and have fun! =)

- Sly DC -