Power supplies

[carlsson]

After the informal discussions about various power supplies, I got curious and looked through all the uploaded images in the hardware database. This is what I found is written down on each power supply:

Japan: 9V DC 1.2A + 16V DC 250 mA
Sweden, Italy, CV Mk II: 9.2V AC 1A + 16V AC 250 mA
Hong Kong, South Africa, Austria, Wizzard: 9V AC 1A + 16V AC 250 mA
Rameses: 9V 1A + 16V 250 mA (not specified AC or DC)

Only the Japanese power supply has a pinout printed on the case:

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#   _ _   1 = 16V
#  / v \  2 = 16V
# |1   5| 3 = N (NC?)
# |2   4| 4 = -9V
#  \_3_/  5 = +9V

I don't know if this pinout is the same on all power supplies, except the 16V lines also are separated by positive and negative current to create the AC. From what I know, I suppose there is a big rectifier or other circuit inside the Creativision that converts those voltages to DC. I have seen some pictures.

Now to the computer version, the Laser 2001. As mentioned elsewhere, recently an early machine was spotted and seems to take the same inputs as the Creativision series does. This is different from later Laser 2001 and Salora Managers who seem to use this pinout:

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#   _ _   1: -5V, 50 mA
#  / v \  2: +12V, 500 mA
# |1   5| 3: NC
# |2   4| 4: GND
#  \_3_/  5: +5V, 850 - 1000 mA

(courtesy of Luca's power supply, since mine wrongly illustrates a 6-pin DIN)

Well, clearly both different voltages and a different layout. Without digging too deep into the technical details, is it known which voltages the Creativision uses internally? Is there a circuit inside which brings down the 9V AC/DC to 5V and similarly converts 16V to 12V? For me, the confusion is rather major although in practise it is a non-issue as long as you have the original power supply and it still works.

[MADrigal]

After the informal discussions about various power supplies, I got curious and looked through all the uploaded images in the hardware database. This is what I found is written down on each power supply:

Japan: 9V DC 1.2A + 16V DC 250 mA
Sweden, Italy, CV Mk II: 9.2V AC 1A + 16V AC 250 mA
Hong Kong, South Africa, Austria, Wizzard: 9V AC 1A + 16V AC 250 mA
Rameses: 9V 1A + 16V 250 mA (not specified AC or DC)

That's not 100% correct.

CV Japanese: works in DC (signal rectifier is inside the external power supply)
All other models, incl. Rameses, Wizzard and Funvision: all work in AC (signal rectifier is inside the console)

Laser 2001 "early": works in AC (never seen an original adapter, but I assume it's the same as CV Mark-2, read below)
Laser 2001 "later": works in DC, same as mine and Anders'.

Voltages: 9V for "earlier" models (all except CV Mark-2) and 9.2V for "later" model (that's CV Mark-2). But 9V and 9.2V is just written in power supplies stickers, and in my opinion, all power supplies are exactly the same (internally).

Only the Japanese power supply has a pinout printed on the case:

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#   _ _   1 = 16V
#  / v \  2 = 16V
# |1   5| 3 = N (NC?)
# |2   4| 4 = -9V
#  \_3_/  5 = +9V

I don't know if this pinout is the same on all power supplies, except the 16V lines also are separated by positive and negative current to create the AC. From what I know, I suppose there is a big rectifier or other circuit inside the Creativision that converts those voltages to DC. I have seen some pictures.

Yes, all consoles power connectors have the same pinout, except the Japanese which comes in DC except AC.

Well, clearly both different voltages and a different layout. Without digging too deep into the technical details, is it known which voltages the Creativision uses internally? Is there a circuit inside which brings down the 9V AC/DC to 5V and similarly converts 16V to 12V? For me, the confusion is rather major although in practise it is a non-issue as long as you have the original power supply and it still works.

Yes, internal circuits convert 9V into 5V, and 16,5V into 12V. The original VTech data-sheets show that - did I send you copies of those .gif diagrams?

Creativision and Laser 2001, all work with 5V and 12V (5V is used for 6502, RAM, etc. and I think that 12V is used for RF modulator and cassette tape player).