iFixit - Answers With Device "Vectrex"

Vectrex: Game & Sound But No Picture

Sat, 28 Mar 2026 17:55:11 -0700

*Update After Cleaning the pins of the J204 connector the screen emits a glow after turning the brightness up all the way and the tube on the back of the crt has a glow which did not happen before as seen in pictures.

*Edit Here are some photos of the power board. As far as I can tell none of the capacitors look damaged. I also took a picture of the board on the tube itself, not sure what that is called. Sorry for the weird angles but its the best I can do without removing the board.

I have a vectrex with game and sound both working but zero picture, no dot in the middle of the screen or anything. The only thing I have done to repair the vectrex was replace a fuse which brought back game & sound function. I am not very tech savvy and this is out of my league, any help is appreciated.

⟐ Commented March 28, 2026 at 17:55 MST

Vectrex: Is is possible to fix the plug

Wed, 04 Dec 2019 03:18:57 -0700

So awhile ago I used to play the vectrex system with my sister and one day my dog chewed of the outlet plug. I was wondering if there is anyway for you to fix that because I’ve been wanting play with it again

⟐ Commented December 04, 2019 at 3:18 MST

Vectrex: The screen does not come on, but everything else works fine.

Sun, 15 Sep 2019 02:18:38 -0700

Sound works when turned on, tried to fiddle with brightness, but screen does not output anything.

⟐ Answered September 15, 2019 at 2:18 MST

Vectrex: No display image in the vectrex

Sat, 02 Mar 2019 15:42:17 -0700

My vectrex has no image displayed on the screen after replacing two chips in the logic board with the same type. The filament of the tube does not light up. I measured the filament for continuity and it is ok but no voltage on it. It worked before I replaced these chips. Is there any way that the logic board sends commands to light up the filament? I do not think so.

However, I do not hear any sound when powering up the vectrex,shouldn’t I regardless of the screen working or not?

Please help

Only 6,7 and 8 pins at the output transrofmer have 12v on them. These are in the primary. The secondaries have no voltage. Probably a blown HV transformer?

⟐ Answer edited March 02, 2019 at 15:42 MST

Vectrex: Monitor out of focus

Thu, 10 Jan 2019 08:08:37 -0700

Using the test cart for my vectrex one of the last tests that it does checks the focus and I can't figure out how to adjust it. I have set the DAC to zero and adjusted the other four potentiometers for height width scale and tilt but it has no effect on the focus.

Vectrex: Vector display has collapsed into a single vertical line.

Mon, 12 Feb 2018 16:04:54 -0700

I found a Vectrex for 10 bucks at a local swap meet! Score! But wait, it can't be that easy right?

When I fire up the unit the Vector display has collapsed into one single vertical line in the center of the Screen. This would seem to indicate that the beam emitter is not drawing vector lines on the X-axis.

I've done some research and found this service manual online and trouble shooting guide online:

http://www.playvectrex.com/shoptalk/vecm...

http://www.playvectrex.com/shoptalk/vecg...

I've cracked the system open and reseated all of the ICs as the trouble shooting guide indicated that the sort of trouble I was having might be related to "IC Creep". I'm not that technically inclined, so maybe somone here can take a look and come up with some additional suggestions.

Any ideas?

⟐ Answer accepted February 12, 2018 at 16:04 MST

Vectrex: My Vectrex has no sound. What's wrong with it?

Tue, 23 Jan 2018 12:49:14 -0700

My Vectrex has no sound. What's wrong with it?

⟐ Answer edited January 23, 2018 at 12:49 MST

Vectrex: it works but I only have a half screen

Fri, 20 Oct 2017 13:48:55 -0700

my vectrex works..but have only half the screen lit up

⟐ Answered October 20, 2017 at 13:48 MST