Can I FIX This MB MicroVision? | THE Computer Game System!

[@myflyisopen.8732]

I had one in the early 80's. Got it for $5 at a discount store, with games for $1. I loved it! I think it's still in my attic!

[@wolfcanine100]

poor screen rot. nice job fixing these up. im about to buy my first one

[@markharrisllb]

When you said "…it’s making some funky noises." I had to rewind because I thought I’d misheard. I had. I know nothing about game consuls, hand held or otherwise but I've never even heard of anything like this. I’m sure you'll get it sorted in the end.

[@jasondoesthings919]

Every time you fix something odd like this makes me want one😂😂😂 I think you will get it sorted.

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks Jason! Yeah, I always find myself on ebay after watching YT vids. Hard to resist! 😁

[@TheCod3r]

Hey look its the loser 😂

[@chris-pike]

Good to see more of your fixes there Steve shame this was not one of them but maybe you will fix it at some point , for me just watching your vlogs is really good event if you dont always manage to fix things its still good entertainment - Nice 1 👍

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks Chris! I hope to have another go at this one! 👍

[@danieldavis2055]

The MicroVision was both revolutionary and at the same time jaw droppingly flawed from the outset. You noticed that the actual cartridge board itself was small- if they had just encased the board instead of making the cartridge the whole front, they could have solved one of the system's most common points of failure: ESD. Because they designed the damned thing where you had to remove the whole front to change games, they didn't have any shielding protecting the vulnerable parts underneath. Even a small bit of static could be enough to ruin a system. The second point of failure was the screen, as you noted. Milton Bradley used screens that, while economical at the time, were prone to screen rot. The vast majority of MicroVision systems you'll find listed as nonworking these days have either or both of these issues.

[@goku445]

The wikipedia for this console is very interesting.

[@ToxoRetro]

Everybody's favourite video rental shop had a simulator based on it!?! Even The Sweet made a song about it. 😜 Another frustrating day in the office. Keep trying buddy. Don't think it'll fix it, but I'd be tempted to put some capton tape behind the transistor to prevent the risk of bridging. Best of luck Steve!

[@StezStixFix]

😁 Thanks Toxo! Yeah, it does seem odd to have the legs of a transistor sitting over an exposed metal jumper. Good shout on the Kapton tape! 👍

[@ToxoRetro]

@@StezStixFix, bad shout on my spelling. 😝 You knew what I meant. 😁

[@StezStixFix]

@@ToxoRetro Haha, I've called it Krypton tape before, so it's all good! 🤣

[@ToxoRetro]

Fair play @@StezStixFix. You don't want to be using Krypton tape around Superman. 😝 Talking about it before, someone thought I'd said "Captain tape". 🤣 As if Birdseye use it all the time. 😜

[@StezStixFix]

@@ToxoRetro Haha, brilliant! 🤣

[@JoeyDoesTech]

Really nice try pal. I bet you'll get this one up and running eventually 😃 Great video regardless.

[@StezStixFix]

Cheers Joey! Much appreciated mate. I've got a plan for it. It's been annoying me all week and I need some closure 😁

[@CTCTraining1]

Good try. I like an honest video. Fingers crossed, something will turn up. Makes me think there might be a market fo4 a specialist lending library for old games machines where repairers could borrow units to check measurements (not sure about removing components though 😀). Keep up the great work 👍

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks Chris, much appreciated! Yeah, it would be really useful to have something to reference against. 👍

[@TheCod3r]

Wait a minute Stez... You have a friend? 😂😂😂

[@StezStixFix]

😁 well, he's more of an acquaintance really 🤣

[@TheCod3r]

@@StezStixFix haha 😄 well you have more "acquaintances" than I do haha

[@StezStixFix]

@@TheCod3r 😂

[@pedromimoso8804]

Great video, as you usually do. I just know you will find the fault. But no pressure, because we can wait. That thing is really micro vision, man! Such a tiny screen! Well, at least you could sing a bit... 😁😁😁 Keep up the great work, Steve!

[@StezStixFix]

Haha, thanks Pedro! 😁

[@mystamo]

MB.. Actually stands for Mo Bina.. You've been corrected :) Great videos Steve.

[@Ratchet_effect]

Steve my brother put a Sign up in the Pub "Can you help me, with this broken device" Before your all pissed and pushed home in a Tesco trolley 😂🖖👍 Lock down madness Tesco/Aldi Drunk trolley races..Yes! they are a real thing. Tiddler hmm.. sounds like a Men's rest room thing in the pub toilets LOL!!

[@StezStixFix]

😁 yes, my brother. I'm sure I'd get some sage advice from my customers. I'll give it a go! It's likely it will be on fire, but it'll still be fun! 🤣

[@Ratchet_effect]

Oh you'd get some advice alright but more likely, along the lines off; Stop watering down the Vodka & Stop pissing in the Whiskey 😂🤣 No! don't set it on fire, but then again, you'd have fun! explaining that the fire chief and brewery 😂 Seriously though I see Vince has a solid offer for you so, you'd be daft not to take him-up on it to be quite honest. Hows the TV BTW ?|?

[@StezStixFix]

Yes, I have taken Vince up on his offer, so will wait for that to arrive and it should be a big help! The TV is still in pieces in my spare room. I'm hoping to have another look at it tomorrow, but for now it's in the same sorry state! 😊

[@kennethbarker852]

1st class video to watch thank you take care kind regards from me kenneth

[@anthonyrobinsonmiller9477]

Screen bleed or rot is well documented about these units, I had one brand new in the late 70,s and it was left in a loft for years, when it was powered up decades later it had suffered this exact same problem

[@mystamo]

But on a more decent level of support. I'm nearly certain that it is the Zebra connector. Had my fair share of run ins with those with minimal success.. The key is some sort of compound they put on them before assembly as well as the condition of them fails over time. If you could source some new zebras at the same pitch it may work. I fixed a Fluke meter in this way.

[@MicroMageRepair]

ASSumption....I like it! :D

[@StezStixFix]

Haha, thanks Micro! 😁

[@adamgrimsley2900]

Wow...that's a beauty

[@jamesearl5071]

It's the taking apart that counts 😊

[@midinotes]

These CPUs were very susceptible to static electricity damage so quite possible this one suffered the same fate. I had one as a kid and it just stopped working out of the blue after a few years, similar problem. Pretty sure it's static electricity frying the chips. Seems to also remember the cartridges have their own CPUs as well as opposed to a ROM.

[@KorAllRBare]

🐨 With the screen being so dodgy I would try using Deoxit on the PCB tracks connecting to the rubbery part of the screen, I would also clean the rubbery bit, but first where there is no contact made and if Deoxit doesn't damage it, if that doesn't work a bit of extra padding might help to achieve a more reliable contact between the screen and zebra contacts APU I Dropped a 👍

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks 🐨! I keep meaning to get some Deoxit. I'll order some up and give it a go. Appreciate the advice, as always! 👍

[@Tidder007]

This was an interesting one. That shorted transistor looked very promising. Also, such a strange contact pad for the display, a bit surprised there wasn't more holding that together. Fingers crossed you find another one of these and come back to it someday. Are those 9v in series, as in does it take 18v for this sucker to do stuff?

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks Tidder, yeah I checked the 9v and they are in parallel. So it's not too bad I guess. Never seen anything take two 9v batteries before, I bet this thing hardly needs them replacing at all! I've been looking on eBay for another one, and they can go for silly money. Will keep my eyes peeled though, because I do kinda like it, and I really want to have a go and actually play on it!

[@Tidder007]

@@StezStixFix Very interesting, such a cool and oddball piece of tech!

[@ToxoRetro]

@@StezStixFix, the only thing I know of that takes multiple PP3s are metal detectors - certainly unusual in most electronics. 👍

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks Toxo, yeah that's a good shout! Definitely seems overkill for such a basic device as this, but i guess it wasn't really that basic in 1979! 😊

[@ToxoRetro]

Probably programmed in Basic too, @@StezStixFix. 😂

[@theonemanopinion2764]

The signature to the left of the examiner sticker is identical to mine… so I’ve concluded I’m a clone of examiner 6!

[@MyRegardsToTheDodo]

"It's got a very nice pouch..." until you smell it. Or atleast mine smelled pretty badly. Luckily my MicroVision only had a bad potentiometer (it was dirty), took the entire system apart, cleaned it, and now it works nicely. I am actually quite surprised how many of these are still around, considering how obscure it is and how expensive it was for a late 1970s/early 1980s toy (it was released in 1979 in the US and in 1981 in Europe).

[@StezStixFix]

😁 Haha, yeah i didn't do the smell test on it! Glad you got yours working, I'm going to try again with this, as I really want to see it in action! 👍

[@Larry]

They're pretty prone to screen rot, so there could be a chance that's the main issue here. The layers of the screen become seperated.

[@555geoneo555]

Hiya Can I ask where you got your andonstar microscope boom arm from please Many thanks George

[@StezStixFix]

Hi George, I got the arm from The Pi Hut, but I modified it to fit on the original base, so that I could still use the led lights! 👍 (thepihut.com/products/articulated-arm-stand-for-usb-microscope?variant=27740549329&currency=GBP&gclid=CjwKCAjw47eFBhA9EiwAy8kzNPKe0L-g8jlgSyOS9YfsgbWjeeQ6YVvZAwZV-cYAiV5GLYJuRLU4exoCkLkQAvD_BwE)

[@555geoneo555]

@@StezStixFix Many thanks looks better than the one it comes with!

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks George. It's definitely better than the original one! Really helps to be able to move higher up too, and get more of the board in view. Really pleased with it 👍

[@555geoneo555]

@@StezStixFix And my last question. Did you ever fix your mates tv ? 😆

[@StezStixFix]

@@555geoneo555 😁 not yet! I'm actually going to be taking another look at it tomorrow. If I can do anything, I'll definitely be making a video on it 👍

[@Spardin]

What's interesting about this the consoles processor is actually on each game the "console" part is just a pad and screen

[@jinxnatorx]

Where is the captain Bodge shirt 🤔 strezzzzzzy brother

[@StezStixFix]

Haha, I'm sure it'll make another appearance soon Jinxy! 😊

[@jinxnatorx]

@@StezStixFix yep look forward to it lol

[@Cluffo11]

I knew you weren’t paying attention while I was telling you what was wrong with it. Your eyes kind of glazed over.

[@StezStixFix]

I vaguely remember some noises coming out of your face 😑 Can I hang on to it for a bit? I've got a plan and it doesn't involve setting it on fire or anything.

[@Cluffo11]

@@StezStixFix Keep it as long as you need mate.

[@Tidder007]

........friend.... hahaha. Man your vids are so enjoyable, thank you.

[@Tidder007]

LOL! dude that shout out... I'm not even sure how to feel right now.

[@StezStixFix]

Haha, thanks Tidder! 😁

[@StezStixFix]

Yeah, the shoutout had to be edited after your request . I didn't think anyone would notice! 😁

[@Tidder007]

@@StezStixFix Haha, sorry man. I would have gladly waited, I don't want to make an ASS out of U and ME. ;)

[@StezStixFix]

@@Tidder007 🤣 haha, hopefully it's all good. Didn't mean it to sound so obvious and flippant, it just came out that way! 😊

[@OOOHBILLY]

A worthy attempt was made.

[@Abubububu]

Test the contrastwheel on the back…?

[@wraith9]

Nice

[@DanBird]

I thought you had at it the end, still a great video nonetheless.

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks Dan! Yeah, i was really hopeful when i found that shorted transistor! 😬

[@jasonrichardson1999]

Fourth comment and first of the non-patreon viewers

[@StezStixFix]

Nice! Thanks Jason 👍

[@ralphj4012]

You may want to investigate the keypad; the buttons are not working properly and it may be in a permanent reset state.

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks Ralph, I never thought of that! I will definitely check that out 👍

[@dominikschutz6300]

There is a backlit mod, maybe does something :)

[@jeffcarriere]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍❤❤❤

[@wolfcanine100]

you can order new lcd's for these online. but they 100$ though

[@rvdcullen]

Only $20 now! Just bought a few to fix some of mine. Guy in Canada has them.

[@Mister_E_or_Mystery]

awww cool vid though

[@Dorff_Meister]

I don't recall ever seeing something that needs two 9-volt batteries. Interesting.

[@HappySingh-ri9qh]

This devices was real sensitive static ⚡️

[@Cool_Retro]

Microvision's all have bad screens. Replacements are available. I need to replace the one I have.

[@GamingHistorySource]

screen rot.

[@wolfcanine100]

your lcd controller chip went bad in this model it seems

[@johnathanjamesjohnsonjr7408]

…👏👍🖖

[@spudhowley]

"800855". Classic.

[@kevinbarrett5396]

I kinda hope tidder is a reference to boobie woobies.

[@FartyPants49]

What the hell is this "friend" thing. I don't understand

[@jkfdkjjd]

Hey pal, I think you can fix that game by THROWING IT IN THE TRASH! Does it even have RTX ON? NO? THEN WHAT'S THE POINT!?

[@logothaironsides2942]

What an odd machine that the user must take the front off and expose its innards whenever changing games. I assume it came with one game standard and others could be bought. I wonder how many kids got it as a present and never got another game. Frustrating not to be able to fix it, I suppose if you have had one before , the fault is more obvious.

[@schrodingerscat8621]

Stupid game!

[@gerrylazlo]

having no nostalgia for this particular device, i must say it looks like a pile of garbage lol

[@walter9724]

Quite possibly the ugliest game console ever