VTech Talking Lesson One Challenger

kick52 · December 17, 2007, 07:58:17 AM

I think this is exactly the same as the American Talking Whiz kid something.
It is a nice machine. I have 3 glitch switches (pic is old), two overclock-glitch body contacts, and an output jack.
It has some nice glitches and sometimes it goes into a loop which you can change using the switches.

Unfortunately I was probing with a big coin and accidently touched the big power/amp section and now it won't work anymore

Circuitbenders · December 17, 2007, 03:45:49 PM

have you checked for the common V-tech blown resistor / fuse problem?

kick52 · December 17, 2007, 04:57:16 PM

I hope you have something there.
I'll look tonight thanks.

kick52 · December 17, 2007, 06:49:11 PM

I can't really find anything that looks like a fuse..

I can see a diode like thing which is labeled Z1 though apart from that there is nothing really special.

Circuitbenders · December 17, 2007, 08:59:31 PM

It probably won't look like a fuse. More likely it'll look like a really low value resistor possibly in a bit of plastic tubing.

Or it could be that Z1 thing, bypass it and see.

kick52 · December 17, 2007, 10:37:20 PM

Nope, nothing happens at all, even if I rub everything with the coin, no life whatsoever.
Shame, that little box was good

Also I can't find anything with plastic tubing.. Looks like it is screwed hard.

rusty sheriff · March 16, 2008, 11:08:16 PM

Thanks for the heads up on the bizzare Vtech fuse/resistor thing. Mine was located next to the battery pack, lovingly glue gunned on completeing the link between batteries. I'm playing with a similar one at the moment... Just waiting for the paint to dry...

computer at sea · March 17, 2008, 01:22:28 AM

Shame about the Talking Lesson One Challenger. I have a Talking Whiz Kid Smart Start Plus (V-Tech must be Japanese, right) that looks exactly like your machine there and it is a monster.

Circuitbenders · March 17, 2008, 01:50:22 AM

Anyone else nothiced the massive difference in quality between some v-tech machines?

Some of them have well made boards with good soldering and decent components, where as others look like they were soldered together using lumps of lead and string in some chinese concentration camp.

Unfortunatly thats probably not too far from the truth.

kick52 · March 17, 2008, 07:43:48 AM

I really need to get some more stuff to bend. I haven't had a decent bend this year, and there aren't many car boot sales going on. I'm going to try one next Sunday, hopefully I can pick up something really sweet.

BTW: I have a Yamaha DJ box thing, I'm not sure I will bend it though.

rusty sheriff · March 18, 2008, 07:58:29 PM

Quote from: Circuitbenders on March 17, 2008, 01:50:22 AM
Anyone else nothiced the massive difference in quality between some v-tech machines?

Some of them have well made boards with good soldering and decent components, where as others look like they were soldered together using lumps of lead and string in some chinese concentration camp.

Unfortunatly thats probably not too far from the truth.

Yeah, it's too true! My computer was very difficult to get at the ic's, my soldering as a result was a bit sketchy in places. Here's the finished article...

kick52 · March 18, 2008, 09:02:21 PM

ROFL!

BTW, video/samples or it didn't happen.

mcguinty · April 06, 2008, 08:27:28 AM

I just got that same Whiz kid plus and I love it. There are thousands of bends in that thing.

I'd also like to hear some of your bendss

kick52 · April 14, 2008, 08:59:44 PM

Quote from: mcguinty on April 06, 2008, 08:27:28 AM
I just got that same Whiz kid plus and I love it. There are thousands of bends in that thing.

I'd also like to hear some of your bendss

I would but I don't have the machine anymore