Just got my Vectrex32 how do I connect it to my PC?

Iwantgames:) · September 27, 2018, 09:31:02 PM

I tried on both my laptops and my desktop and one laptop didn't even see it, the other laptop and the desktop saw it but said it was unrecognized. What am I doing wrong?

Vectrex32 · September 27, 2018, 09:36:00 PM

So it sounds like you've got the mini-USB connected into the Vectrex32 and into your PC, right? The only other thing to know is that the Vectrex32 needs to be plugged into the Vectrex and the Vectrex needs to be turned on. The reason is that the V32 doesn't get its power from the USB connection; it gets its power from the Vectrex.

(In one design iteration of the board, I actually tried to have the V32 powered from the USB. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get it to work reliably.)

- Bob

Iwantgames:) · September 27, 2018, 09:44:42 PM

yes i have the Vectrex turned on. both of my windows machines see it but say its unrecognized. neither of these has internet as they don't have wifi, one is a XP machine and the other is windows 7. My Linux Mint laptop doesn't even see it

Vectrex32 · September 27, 2018, 09:49:34 PM

Well, then I don't know what the problem is. I suggest you return it to me - I'll pay return postage - and I can either give you a refund or send you a working V32.

I'll send you the info for returning it by Private Message.

I'm very sorry for the problem.

- Bob

Iwantgames:) · September 27, 2018, 09:54:45 PM

I think its just something I'm doing wrong or its my computers. the cart seems like it works I can run the programs on it on the vectrex. I'll try to figure it out

Vectrex32 · September 27, 2018, 10:00:10 PM

Hmm... that's weird. I've never seen the USB fail when the rest of the V32 works. And one of your PCs in Win7, so that should certainly be modern enough. The V32 just shows up as a USB drive and a serial port, so there's nothing unusual about the drivers it needs. I even would've expected it to work on WinXP and Linux.

Maybe it's a bad USB cable?

- Bob

Iwantgames:) · September 27, 2018, 10:06:58 PM

it is a old cable, maybe i should try buying a new one. ill get one tomorrow and see

Iwantgames:) · September 27, 2018, 10:10:07 PM

haha just unplugged the cable and the end broke, safe to say its a bad cable

Iwantgames:) · September 28, 2018, 04:38:32 PM

Got me a new cable and all is well. When it doubt its probably user error

Vectrex32 · September 28, 2018, 04:47:02 PM

Glad to hear it's working. I don't think a bad cable counts as "user error" though.

- Bob

Iwantgames:) · September 28, 2018, 05:44:40 PM

just tried Vecalebeth and the possibilities of this cart really are awesome. Now to see if I can whip something up myself (I usually never finish my game programs, so many poor abandoned programs on many systems lol but maybe this one could be different)

Vectrex32 · September 28, 2018, 10:00:54 PM

What's Vecalebeth? That's not on the Vectrex32 cartridge. Did someone else write it?

- Bob

Iwantgames:) · September 28, 2018, 10:04:55 PM

It's the only game in the Game Swap section of these forums

it's kept me from looking into programming my own thing all day lol

Vectrex32 · September 28, 2018, 10:08:47 PM

OK, my head is spinning. It was posted in my own forums and I didn't even know it. I thought I had things set up so I'd be notified of any posts.

But gosh, this is great.

- Bob

Iwantgames:) · September 28, 2018, 10:13:06 PM

It's a awesome port of Ultima Akalebeth too! Definitely a awesome piece of programming! My attempt will not be nearly as cool but I'll settle for just completing a project for once lol