30 replies to this topic

[Benzman66]

Hi All,
    Haven't been on too much, but thought this was of interest. Was repairing a couple 2600JRs this week that I picked up and was kind of surprised with the one. While the outside looked just like any other, the board IS different than any others I have ever seen.

While most have the 3 standard chips, the color potentiometer, etc. This one has only ONE chip and no color pot. The layout of all the caps, resistors, is different than the others and this has no metal/aluminum shielding. Did I come upon an unusual one or has anyone else seen these boards? Just curious. I have posted some pics. BTW, definitely an NTSC model as all my carts play perfect on it and the colors and clarity is perfect.

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Edited by Benzman66, Wed Apr 14, 2010 12:54 AM.

[SoundGammon]

...looks like a 2600 "on a chip" to me. Wonder if there are more of them so one could make some cool portables! Can you post ALL the numbers on the chip and who makes it?

[A.J. Franzman]

That is a known (rare) version of the Junior motherboard. Benjamin Heckendorn attempted to use one of those for his very first portable VCS project, but accidentally fried it and couldn't find another. His old website detailing the attempt may still be on the web. There are some possible small sacrifices to be made if using such a board/chip, though: like all PAL VCSes, the 1-chip Jr. has only a single audio output, so a "stereo" mod is impossible. It probably can't use the recently-developed pause switch mod either.

Edited by A.J. Franzman, Wed Apr 14, 2010 1:35 AM.

[DickNixonArisen]

All praise his heckish name

[A-T-A-R-I]

Wow! One chip!

Edited by A-T-A-R-I, Wed Apr 14, 2010 10:43 AM.

[Longhorn Engineer]

A-T-A-R-I, on Wed Apr 14, 2010 10:32 AM, said:

SoundGammon, on Wed Apr 14, 2010 1:00 AM, said:

...looks like a 2600 "on a chip" to me. Wonder if there are more of them so one could make some cool portables! Can you post ALL the numbers on the chip and who makes it?

Here are the numbers, in exact order as printed;
C101688-002
ATARI 1987
RP2A10
38 BL2 46

This system looks like it was never used, the board is perfect and the housing looks new. I couldn't even find a scratch! Works great. I was going to keep for myself, but wonder what it would be worth if I listed it since it is a rarity? Maybe I could be the next "Tanner?" LOL.

I wish. I have one here to. Giving it to Marty for the Atari museum

[Benzman66]

SoundGammon, on Wed Apr 14, 2010 1:00 AM, said:

...looks like a 2600 "on a chip" to me. Wonder if there are more of them so one could make some cool portables! Can you post ALL the numbers on the chip and who makes it?

Here are the numbers, in exact order as printed;
C101688-002
ATARI 1987
RP2A10
38 BL2 46

This system looks like it was never used, the board is perfect and the housing looks new. I couldn't even find a scratch! Works great. I was going to keep for myself, but wonder what it would be worth if I listed it since it is a rarity? Maybe I could be the next "Tanner?" LOL.

[5-11under]

I always wanted one of these for a portable. The way I understood it, though, before seeing this one, is that it was a glop-top. Oh well.
5-11under

[bohoki]

what is your serial maybe ones made after it are the same as well

my serial is at860977345 and it has loads of chips inside

one chip is the only way i thought they could keep it under 50 bucks yes sir-ee

[Benzman66]

bohoki, on Wed Apr 14, 2010 1:02 PM, said:

what is your serial maybe ones made after it are the same as well

my serial is at860977345 and it has loads of chips inside

one chip is the only way i thought they could keep it under 50 bucks yes sir-ee

Serial is A19B2057527

[Video]

Wow....so ATARI made an AoAC?!!?  COOL!  Man, I sure hope some more of those are around... I got a couple JR/s myself, maybe I should crackem open?

[A.J. Franzman]

You don't even have to open the case to tell -- Ben's old site gave the details of what to look for, just by peeking through the slots in the case bottom. I believe the large copper "ground plane" areas of the bottom side of the circuit board are different. A regular Jr. has solid ground planes, while the 1-chip Jr. has "waffle" patterned ground planes. Or vice-versa. Something like that.

BTW, I believe there is a schematic of this board, or at least a pinout of the chip (sorry, I forgot its code name) online somewhere too.

Edited by A.J. Franzman, Thu Apr 15, 2010 1:30 AM.

[Benzman66]

It is vice-versa.
Regular Jrs HAVE the waffle back, the single chip ones DON'T.
At least that's the way mine are.

[A.J. Franzman]

Thanks. I had a sneaking supicion that it was so, from seeing the solid ground planes on the top side of the one shown above.

Edited by A.J. Franzman, Thu Apr 15, 2010 7:28 PM.

[fiddlepaddle]

Longhorn Engineer, on Wed Apr 14, 2010 10:39 AM, said:

A-T-A-R-I, on Wed Apr 14, 2010 10:32 AM, said:

SoundGammon, on Wed Apr 14, 2010 1:00 AM, said:

...looks like a 2600 "on a chip" to me. Wonder if there are more of them so one could make some cool portables! Can you post ALL the numbers on the chip and who makes it?

Here are the numbers, in exact order as printed;
C101688-002
ATARI 1987
RP2A10
38 BL2 46

This system looks like it was never used, the board is perfect and the housing looks new. I couldn't even find a scratch! Works great. I was going to keep for myself, but wonder what it would be worth if I listed it since it is a rarity? Maybe I could be the next "Tanner?" LOL.

I wish. I have one here to. Giving it to Marty for the Atari museum

Obviously, you're talking about Marty Mcfly here, right?  I can tell you have access to his Delorean since you were able to quote post #7, which hadn't been posted yet at the time...

[johnon]

fiddlepaddle, on Fri Apr 16, 2010 8:50 PM, said:

Obviously, you're talking about Marty Mcfly here, right?  I can tell you have access to his Delorean since you were able to quote post #7, which hadn't been posted yet at the time...

...I was just about to say something about that...and given he hadn't edited his post, I'm really confused. Also, how did A-T-A-R-I's name end up in the quote tag?

[Longhorn Engineer]

I think benzman and A-T-A-R-I are the same people

[Benzman66]

Nope. I am in Pittsburgh and have been on Atari Age for nearly a year longer than A-T-A-R-I.

There's only one Benzman66 on the internet!  

Edited by Benzman66, Sat Apr 17, 2010 11:35 AM.

[maiki]

So mine is a regular Junior right? (1991 made in China)

[atari2atari]

maiki, on Tue Apr 10, 2012 7:51 AM, said:

So mine is a regular Junior right? (1991 made in China)

Probably not a unicorn, no, however I've been working with one of these "unicorn boards" recently (see this thread, "Unicorn Boards and Harmony Cart Menus - Single-chip 2600 Compatibility?," for some discussion on it) and also examined and opened quite a few Atari 2600 Jrs. looking for more "unicorns. "  I don't think that the "waffle type" PCB is always a clear indicator.

The best way to know is to open her up and take a look!

Out of curiosity, what is the serial number on the bottom?  That can also be an indicator, or at least help us to date your Junior . . .

-a2a

Edited by atari2atari, Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:37 AM.

[maiki]

atari2atari, on Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:29 AM, said:

Out of curiosity, what is the serial number on the bottom?  That can also be an indicator, or at least help us to date your Junior . . .

-a2a

long rainbow
X 11A4 304699
Atari Corporation
Made In China
PAL-B

[atari2atari]

maiki, on Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:41 AM, said:

atari2atari, on Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:29 AM, said:

Out of curiosity, what is the serial number on the bottom?  That can also be an indicator, or at least help us to date your Junior . . .

-a2a

long rainbow
X 11A4 304699
Atari Corporation
Made In China
PAL-B

I'm thinking not a unicorn, based on that serial number, from this thread, "Atari 2600jr Unicorn", (that you were also participating in, I note) - -

Uzumaki, on Mon Apr 18, 2011 3:42 PM, said:

Pioneer4x4, on Mon Apr 18, 2011 11:38 AM, said:

LittleJoe, on Thu Apr 7, 2011 9:06 AM, said:

I've finally come across one of these. Single chip C101688.   My Harmony (1.3 firmware) doesn't seem to work with it, going to have give the latest firmware a try.

Is there anything external that identifies it as being single chip?

Nothing definitive but it seems like serial number that begins with A19 are those made in 1990's and would have a single chip board.

But, it's always worth cracking it open and taking a look!  Or, at least, that's my philosophy as a hardware guy!

-a2a

Edited by atari2atari, Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:50 AM.

[maiki]

Well I hoped for Unicorn in that thread. But now I think I prefer regular board. Time will tell what it really is.

[the.golden.ax]

So far I think only two have been found? The original post and the one I sent to Longhorn correct? They are fairly uncommon.

[atari2atari]

maiki, on Tue Apr 10, 2012 9:17 AM, said:

Time will tell what it really is.

Or, just open it up and find out!

Alternately, run PITFALL II on it, and see if you get the same issues with pixels on the left-hand side of the screen that I observed here, and then you will know if it is a "unicorn" or not - -

Unicorn Boards and Harmony Cart Menus - Single-chip 2600 Compatibility? - Post #11

That thread post  has the following this video in it - -






-a2a