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Jay Convertino’s Righteous Tentacle is a physical, open-source reproduction of the ColecoVision—not an emulator or an FPGA recreation. Its files document an NTSC Revision F design intended to let builders assemble a working console without sacrificing an original machine. The trade-off is that this is a hands-on hardware project: builders must source vintage chips, fabricate boards, assemble the electronics and work with RF video.
What is the Righteous Tentacle?
Righteous Tentacle is Convertino’s reverse-engineered ColecoVision project. It recreates the original console’s hardware approach in reproducible KiCad designs and physical boards, with accompanying documentation and mechanical files. The target is the original NTSC Revision F main board, not every ColecoVision revision or regional variant. The project repository describes the work and its files; Hackaday’s project page outlines the goal of a build that does not require cannibalizing an original console.
Convertino’s project files are released under the MIT license, subject to the repository’s licensing qualifications. That does not automatically relicense third-party datasheets, reference material or externally sourced designs included alongside them; check those materials’ terms separately. Righteous Tentacle is a maker project, not an identified commercial kit or assembled console.
How Convertino reverse-engineered the console
The work involved more than redrawing a published schematic. Convertino documented an original console with teardown photography and high-resolution board scans, traced board connections, captured digital and analog signals, and reconstructed the schematic and PCB designs in KiCad. He also compared the results with existing ColecoVision schematics. The repository says those references helped check the work, but were not treated as definitive: the examined board was a different revision, had its own differences, and one referenced schematic contained errors.
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The result includes a recreated main board and RF board, along with scans, signal captures and reference material intended to make the design inspectable and buildable. The project describes its main-board release as Revision F. Some routing was adjusted to make home fabrication more practical, so this is a close reproduction rather than a claim of electrical identity in every detail. The repository documents the design and revision notes.
What hardware does it reproduce?
The project wiki lists these target specifications. They describe the design; the available coverage does not provide independent test results or cartridge-by-cartridge compatibility testing.
| Subsystem | Project-documented specification |
|---|---|
| CPU | Zilog Z80 at 3.56 MHz |
| Video processor | Texas Instruments TMS9928 |
| Sound | Texas Instruments SN76489 |
| System ROM | 8 KB |
| Main RAM | 1 KB |
| Video memory | 16 KB |
| Cartridge support | 8, 16, 24 and 32 KB ROM cartridges |
| Expansion | Expansion port |
| Controllers | Two Atari/Sega-compatible controller ports |
| Video output | RF only |
These specifications come from the project wiki. The documented RF-only output is an important practical distinction: the design favors the original style of connection rather than adding composite or HDMI output. A modern television may not accept RF directly, so display compatibility depends on the television and any suitable external equipment.
How close is it to an original ColecoVision?
The stated goal is a close physical and functional reproduction of a specific NTSC board revision. The project aims for original PCB dimensions and routing that follows the original as closely as practical, and says the board is designed to fit the original ColecoVision case. It also provides a 3D-printable case option for a build that starts without an original shell. Hackaday’s project overview describes those physical goals.
The design retains period-style architecture and uses original-compatible parts where possible, with substitutions or adjustments where needed. It is not a modernized console with new display outputs or built-in game storage. Nor should “compatible” be read as an independently verified guarantee for every cartridge, peripheral or regional version: the published materials establish the project’s intent and specifications, not a comprehensive independent test record.
What files and revisions are available?
The main repository includes or links to KiCad project files, schematics, PCB layouts, Gerber archives, RF-board files, parts information, build notes, datasheets and references, board scans, teardown photographs, signal captures, and mechanical models or case files. The project identifies KiCad 7.x as the requirement for working with its design files. A builder who only sends supplied Gerbers to a fabricator may not need to edit the KiCad project.
The repository lists release 1.0.2.F as fixing the solder mask on the expansion-bay connector. Its earlier releases include 1.0.1.F, which added power and reset switches to the case, and 1.0.0.F, the initial Revision F main-PCB release. These version details were visible in the repository in August 2026; check the repository’s release page for any later changes before starting a build. View the project files and release notes.
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- Officially licensed Atari titles. Titles include Asteroids, Centipede, Millipede, Breakout, Missile Command, Crystal Castles and many more. Game save options.
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- Includes Atari console, games instructions, 2 wireless joysticks, USB power cable, HDMI cable, and user manual. System connects directly to TV.
- Includes two 2.4 GHz wireless joysticks, inspired by the original Atari joysticks, include paddles for paddle games like Breakout, Warlords and many more.
- User Guide Languages: English, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, German, Dutch, Japanese and Arabic. Dynamic RGB LED lights.
What does a build involve?
Public design files make a reproduction possible; they do not make it plug-and-play. A complete build involves electronic parts sourcing, board fabrication, through-hole assembly, mechanical work and troubleshooting. The TMS9928 is discontinued, according to Hackster’s project coverage, and the availability and condition of vintage chips can vary. The project does not establish a current parts total or a guaranteed source for every component.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute- Review the design first. Read the repository’s build notes, schematic, parts list and revision information. Confirm that the NTSC Revision F target suits your intended use.
- Plan component sourcing. Identify the required ICs, passive components, connectors and cartridge connector before ordering boards. Verify vintage IC provenance and seller return terms; ordinary distributors may not stock discontinued chips.
- Fabricate the boards. Use the project’s Gerbers with a PCB fabrication service, a PCB mill or a suitable home etching process. The documentation notes that through-hole leads or wire can complete connections on boards without plated-through holes.
- Inspect and assemble carefully. Check the bare boards before soldering. Convertino recommends installing the cartridge connector before the CPU because the CPU can obstruct access to some connector pins and make it easier to damage the connector with heat.
- Complete the RF and mechanical sections. Assemble the RF board and connectors, then choose an original case or make the project’s printable case. Fit and finishing depend on fabrication and print quality.
- Add controllers and test methodically. Check power, clock, video, audio, cartridge access, controllers and expansion functions against the schematic and signal documentation. A fault may require solder inspection and measurement with suitable test equipment, not just visual assembly.
Possible build failures include a wrong regional or board-revision assumption, a faulty or misidentified vintage IC, incorrect RF-component values, solder bridges, poor joints, inaccessible connector pins from assembly order, case-fit problems and controller wiring or switch-orientation errors. Because the documented output is RF, a working console can still be inconvenient to use with a display that lacks a compatible RF input.
A separate controller project completes the picture
Convertino also published a separate open-source ColecoVision controller project, with a single-sided PCB, a 3D-printable shell, keypad and directional controls, and two fire buttons. Its project materials specify KiCad 7, MIT licensing for the author’s work, and version 1.0.1 as the release that changed the ARM/FIRE button arrangement to match the original controller.
The controller parts list includes 28 1N914 diodes, 18 Omron B3F-10XX switches, a cable and screws, plus printed shell and control pieces. The repository recommends ABS and specifies 100.5% scaling for the shell and 100% for the buttons. These are the project’s build instructions, not independent print-fit testing; material, printer calibration and tolerances can affect the result.
Who is this project for?
Righteous Tentacle is best suited to experienced electronics hobbyists, retro-hardware builders and preservationists who want to study or reproduce the ColecoVision at board level. It is also useful to PCB designers interested in how a vintage console can be documented and reconstructed without treating an old schematic as unquestionable truth.
- A good fit: You can source vintage parts, solder and inspect through-hole boards, and troubleshoot hardware with schematics and test equipment.
- A less suitable fit: You want a finished console, a guaranteed low-cost build, broad PAL compatibility, or straightforward HDMI output.
- Before committing: Confirm the regional target, check the latest revision files, assess chip availability, and decide whether RF output and the case approach work for your setup.
The project’s value is not that it makes every obstacle disappear. It turns a specific ColecoVision board into a documented, reproducible design, giving builders a path to investigate and recreate hardware without dismantling a working original.
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