From the Workbench: PiColeco, SGM & Coleco Flash Pro
Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2026 3:24 pm
Just wanted to share a few projects I’ve been working on lately. These are my own takes on some familiar ColecoVision hardware, with an emphasis on serviceability, durability, and a few added features.
**1) PiColeco**
I originally needed a PiColeco to help test my SGM revision, and that eventually led me to designing my own version of the PCB, case, and label.
My goal wasn’t to reinvent the concept, but to make a version that incorporated some of the things I personally wanted in the hardware. The case is held together with screws from the rear, so it can be opened and serviced without damaging the label. The reset opening is positioned directly over the switch, with the reset button sitting flush with the surface. Once programmed, there’s also no need for an external flash button.
For the PCB, I created a new layout using thicker and more direct signal traces, a heavier power trace, ground planes, rounded board corners, and some other refinements. It supports 64KB games as well as some 128KB titles.
I may offer these for around **$29.99**. There are already quite a few PiColeco options available, so whether I produce many will probably depend on whether people find these particular improvements worthwhile.
**2) SGM with Optional Halt Switch**
This is my version of the Super Game Module. It uses a CPLD and can be reprogrammed.
I’m also offering an optional **Halt Switch** version. The Halt model includes an LED to indicate when the system is halted, along with a good-quality switch designed to resist dust, dirt, and liquids.
Pricing should be:
**Standard SGM — $29.99**
**SGM with Halt Switch — $34.99**
I expect to start listing these shortly.
**3) Coleco Flash Pro**
This is essentially the big brother to the PiColeco and a project I’m particularly excited about.
The **Coleco Flash Pro (CFP)** is STM32-based and can handle games up to **1MB**, loaded from a microSD card.
Expected price is **$39.99**.
I still have a few bugs to work out, so the CFP is probably a few weeks away from being ready.
And there’s one more project in the works: my own take on the idea of an **“SGM2.”** I’ll have more to share about that soon. There have been some interesting ideas for expanding the ColecoVision beyond the original SGM, and I thought it would be fun to explore what I could do with the concept as well.
Lots of tinkering going on here lately.
**1) PiColeco**
I originally needed a PiColeco to help test my SGM revision, and that eventually led me to designing my own version of the PCB, case, and label.
My goal wasn’t to reinvent the concept, but to make a version that incorporated some of the things I personally wanted in the hardware. The case is held together with screws from the rear, so it can be opened and serviced without damaging the label. The reset opening is positioned directly over the switch, with the reset button sitting flush with the surface. Once programmed, there’s also no need for an external flash button.
For the PCB, I created a new layout using thicker and more direct signal traces, a heavier power trace, ground planes, rounded board corners, and some other refinements. It supports 64KB games as well as some 128KB titles.
I may offer these for around **$29.99**. There are already quite a few PiColeco options available, so whether I produce many will probably depend on whether people find these particular improvements worthwhile.
**2) SGM with Optional Halt Switch**
This is my version of the Super Game Module. It uses a CPLD and can be reprogrammed.
I’m also offering an optional **Halt Switch** version. The Halt model includes an LED to indicate when the system is halted, along with a good-quality switch designed to resist dust, dirt, and liquids.
Pricing should be:
**Standard SGM — $29.99**
**SGM with Halt Switch — $34.99**
I expect to start listing these shortly.
**3) Coleco Flash Pro**
This is essentially the big brother to the PiColeco and a project I’m particularly excited about.
The **Coleco Flash Pro (CFP)** is STM32-based and can handle games up to **1MB**, loaded from a microSD card.
Expected price is **$39.99**.
I still have a few bugs to work out, so the CFP is probably a few weeks away from being ready.
And there’s one more project in the works: my own take on the idea of an **“SGM2.”** I’ll have more to share about that soon. There have been some interesting ideas for expanding the ColecoVision beyond the original SGM, and I thought it would be fun to explore what I could do with the concept as well.
Lots of tinkering going on here lately.
