Atari Sixer Reset Switch Problem

[ToxBox]

I have a reset switch problem on my heavy sixer, my game cannot start with it as combat game is blinking in different colors in background. In the first image, there is a little metal right next to it, is this normal? And 3rd show that reset switch is little loose. How I can fix this? I also tried to clean it and it didn't work.

 

 

 

[chas10e]

that little metal is the contact strip inside the switch

 

there is a spring in there too & looks from 3'rd pic it may be loose also

 

good instructions how to clean & fix said problems here

 

( keep them round dust covers on handles (no more available @ Best Electronics )

[zborgerd]

If you find that the switch is not bad, you may want to look into replacing the RIOT chip. I had weird problems with my game select switch causing strange things to happen. Occasionally I had weird colors but most often it caused games to lockup.

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/218031-6-switch-tele-games-game-select-crash/

 

If you think it's just a switch, Best Electronics actually has replacement switches. Be aware that they have a pretty large minimum credit card order.

[atari-dna]

if you want to mail me the switchboard I can repair it for you, including desoldering cleaning and reassembling the switch

 

If interested, let me know.

[shadow460]

The switch contact has slipped out. They're a bear to get put back together, but it's doable. I've had springs shoot out of 'em more than once and land somewhere in the wild blue yonder.

[freewheel]

I'm so impressed with a reset and select switch on the FB 4, that I'm debating wiring them into custom 2600 joysticks. They don't use all the pins so there's electrical room. Not entirely sure how to make nice buttons on a stick, but I wonder if the extra buttons on a Genesis controller would be a plan (I believe all 8 "buttons" on it are simple switches, no internal components like in NES or recent generations that have to multiplex over fewer wires).

 

I may start doing this on any 2600 that I open up and mod - should be a pretty simple coupla connections. Not having to lean forward to restart a game is HEAVEN.

[BigO]

freeweed, the Genesis controller isn't quite that simple. It has a multiplexer chip that allows an external signal (I think it's +5v) to select one of two sets of four buttons.

 

Without the external input, one set of four buttons does act like simple switches. Provide that external signal and the console can read the other set of four buttons as simple switches.

 

Schematic diagram: http://gamesx.com/wiki/lib/exe/fetch.php?media=controls:genesis_pad_schematic.png

Edited September 20, 2014 by BigO

[iesposta]

The switch contact has slipped out. They're a bear to get put back together, but it's doable. I've had springs shoot out of 'em more than once and land somewhere in the wild blue yonder.

^^ That's exactly what I was going to type.

You can even open the switch without unsoldering it from the board.

 

The 2 spring back switches are the hardest ones to do this, almost impossible.

[freewheel]

freeweed, the Genesis controller isn't quite that simple. It has a multiplexer chip that allows an external signal (I think it's +5v) to select one of two sets of four buttons.

 

Without the external input, one set of four buttons does act like simple switches. Provide that external signal and the console can read the other set of four buttons as simple switches.

 

Schematic diagram: http://gamesx.com/wiki/lib/exe/fetch.php?media=controls:genesis_pad_schematic.png

 

 

Hmm.. thanks. I wonder why they went that route? I guess future expandability like the eventual 6-buttons. I always figured with only 8 switches they were fine with a vanilla DB-9 connection. Guess I was under-thinking the situation.

 

Still... should be easy enough to find something similar. A 2-button stick won't cut it, I kinda want reset AND select. Guess I can tear apart a Genny controller and remove their multiplexer, but that's a bit too custom for my taste.

[Keatah]

I may start doing this on any 2600 that I open up and mod - should be a pretty simple coupla connections. Not having to lean forward to restart a game is HEAVEN.

 

I did that once, leaning forward to reset a game, and nearly lost my cream cheese, hot dog, and doritos. Killer heartburn from swallowing it back down to prevent messing the VCS.

[BigO]

 

 

Hmm.. thanks. I wonder why they went that route? I guess future expandability like the eventual 6-buttons. I always figured with only 8 switches they were fine with a vanilla DB-9 connection. Guess I was under-thinking the situation.

 

Still... should be easy enough to find something similar. A 2-button stick won't cut it, I kinda want reset AND select. Guess I can tear apart a Genny controller and remove their multiplexer, but that's a bit too custom for my taste.

Looked at the schematic of the 3 button controller a bit closer. Assuming it's accurate, Up and Down aren't multiplexed, they're always available.

The lines that feed Left and Right are available with the external select HI. With the external select LO, those two lines will always output a ground.

A & B are multiplexed on one line: B available with external select HI.

C & Start are multiplexed on one line: C available with external select HI.

 

Pin 7 is the external select. Pin 7 on the 2600 outputs a steady +5V so supplies a HI to that pin.

Edited September 20, 2014 by BigO

[freewheel]

That would explain why B is used as a fire button when people hook these up to 2600s. If my memory is working correctly. And C could be used for a reset, if one were so inclined.