ColecoVision Portable

The ColecoVision Portable (also known as the ColecoVision To Go) is a legendary, hand-built handheld console created in 2005 by master hardware modder Ben Heckendorn (Ben Heck). Commissioned as a custom, one-of-a-kind request for a client, this project successfully crammed the bulky 1982 home console into a functional, battery-powered portable footprint.

Technical Architecture & Design

To transform the classic system into a handheld device, Ben Heck had to radically redesign and consolidate the original hardware:

• The Display: The handheld integrates a vibrant 5-inch TFT LCD screen into the center of the control layout.
• Custom Integrated Controls: The ColecoVision controller is notoriously complex, using a diode matrix to decode a joystick, two side fire buttons, a spinner wheel, and a 12-key numeric pad onto a single 9-pin connector. Ben replicated these diode patterns, combining the main action inputs of a rugged Super Action Controller with the keypad layout of a standard controller.
• Power Subsystem: The unit runs autonomously on a rear-mounted Sony InfoLithium L-Series battery (NP-F550 or better) operating at roughly 7.5 Volts.
• Case Fabrication: The body was precision CNC-cut from sheets of durable Sintra and acrylic plastics, layered in a striking black, gray, and red color scheme.
• Secret Elements: Following a personal signature tradition, Ben Heck hid secret written messages physically inside the layers of the rear casing plate during assembly.

Dual-Purpose Functionality

While built primarily for handheld travel, the portable includes rear breakout hardware features that keep it true to its home console roots:

• A/V Passthrough: Built-in Composite video and mono audio RCA jacks allow the user to hook the portable straight up to a CRT television.
• External Controller Ports: The bottom plate houses two standard DB-9 controller ports, enabling users to plug in original Player 1 and Player 2 OEM hand controllers for multiplayer gaming on a larger display.

The Legacy Connection: Ben's Composite Mod:

While the physical handheld is a locked, permanent museum piece, the open-source engineering behind it fundamentally changed the community restoration scene. To get the portable's screen to work, Ben pioneered Ben's ColecoVision Composite Video Mod.

This simple analog hack bypasses the failure-prone factory RF modulator box using a single 2N4401 NPN transistor, a 1k-ohm resistor, and a 1k variable potentiometer. It captures clean composite video directly from the motherboard's Texas Instruments video display processor chip, allowing any enthusiast to display crisp text and clear visuals on standard composite monitors.