Atari 2600

[Chirpychicken]

I have just secured an ebay bargain atari 2600 jr with 17 games including the 32 in 1 cart for £40 delivered with some none original quickshots and all the leads and psu. All working according to the seller.
I will post a report and pics when it arrives. I have already treated myself to a pair of paddle controllers.

[Jonesey]

Presumably you're a collector/enthusiast? Which is cool.

What I mean it's just about emulated on everything everywhere.

I still play HERO, Keystone Kapers, Pitfall, River Raid, Yars' etc. except nowadays it's homebrew style on the WiiU.

[Chirpychicken]

I have wanted one since 1979 - but have never had one. I played on them at friends many a time. I have Stella and a wired usb kempston for river raid, H.E.R.O and pitfall on my laptop (and a pile of other roms). I have always wanted the original hardware though. I have discovered you can get a harmony cartriage with upto an 8gb sdcard to play the entire rom collection on the original hardware for around £50 which sounds like it may be my next investment (from atariage site).

[PumaG]

I've still got my original 6 switch 2600 in original box, but in bits, as it ended up displaying Black and White. The first major electric item I took apart to poke around with. There was a pot that could be turned to get the colour back but it would never hold. Will have to look up repairers one day, i noticed some people do s-video conversions but schematic are all for NTSC version.
When my kids get to go in the loft they often admire it "coooool", then we talk about collecting more games.
I was lucky enough to get a home computer before most of the best games came out though, so they won't mean much to me. Although whilst on holiday in Kenya in the early 90s the workers in the restaurant/bar pulled one out on tropical rainy days with a big old wood grain TV.. I remember thinking eeeew that's a bit old hat (10 years was a long time in those days) , then being surprised with the fun we all had on River raid (much better than my early release games, combat, indy 500 etc) going for the high score.

[super charlie]

Just got a composite mod board for mine but haven't mustered up the enthusiasm to solder it on yet (i'm shit at soldering). Anyway, get Solaris, it's awesome!

Cheers
Charlie

[merman]

Added a 2600 to my collection last year. Paddles, original Atari stick and twenty loose carts.

[Chirpychicken]

Well it arrived today and so far I can only get it to work in black and white. The games all seem to work.

From a quick google possible fixes are:
1. Rubbing alcohol on a cart and putting it in/out to clean cartriage slot contacts
2. Opening her up and moving a white disk around (this seems most likely having watched a youtube fix)
3. Going over bad solder joints (hope not!!)
4. Checking the black and white switch is working

If anyone has any other ideas please let me know

[venusian]

Sure it's a UK unit? ISTR one of NTSC or PAL-SECAM get you a monochrome image on a PAL screen.

[Dio]

If you have Space Invaders the NTSC and PAL versions look very different.

And are you using a CRT? Modern TVs which use digital colour recovery methods often choke on the very hacky signals that the early computers and consoles send.

[Chirpychicken]

When i opened it up the black and white/colour switch was not moving inside it was locked in black and white. I managed to get it moving againand now locked it in colour mode .

The picture was still not perfect so i used the tuning disk inside on the motherboard and gently turned it until the colours and picture were perfect

To make things even better 2 ebay purchases arrived today H.E.R.O and stargate. I absolutely love H.E.R.O I paid slightly over the odds to get it for £17 but its pretty rare. Stargate was snagged for £2 and plays great.

I just need to track down river raid now.


I might even splash out on one of those harmony sd card carts on atariage so i just have the entire collection.

[silentshark]

H.E.R.O, yes, loved that on my C64 back in the day.. funny that it's still being played, and sought after today.

[super charlie]

Solarisssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

[gumboot]

If you have Space Invaders the NTSC and PAL versions look very different.

And are you using a CRT? Modern TVs which use digital colour recovery methods often choke on the very hacky signals that the early computers and consoles send.

Ooh... there must be a market for a dedicated retro hardware upscaler.

[Chirpychicken]

I forgot to mention Solaris is on the way for £3

[Baggypants]

I have a 2600 Jr from ages ago, this thread reminds me I picked up River Raid for 10 dollars when I was in the US last year and I've never tried it.