Help Atari 2600 Heavy Sixer issues

[stylinlp38]

Hello, I just picked up an Atari 2600 heavy sixer and would like to fully restore it to new and better than new. Cleaning up the case and switches I can handle based on sever you tube videos. I opened up the case and took a bunch of photos. It was missing 2 screws and the inside is filthy. No problem for me so far. But After Taking the boards out its obvious someone already butchered it? Are those Japanese caps orignal? Also look at the warped board and bubbled up traces. Any opinions of that if it's worth saving? The system does work as is.

Also, the protective felt / rubber pads are missing from the switches.

 

Is there. Link to a list of all the caps and values to replace out right for a full rebuild?

[stylinlp38]

A d d ed

[iesposta]

Actually the pic 6 in the first post is normal.

There are bubbles like that and the exposed horizontal area is where the shield is grounded.

Pic 4 in post 1 definitely someone added a socket.

The only cap that really needs replaced is in pic 1 post 2 bottom left.. .22uF or .11uF electrolytic.

(Unless other caps look bad, but I've never seen any look bad.)

Also that chip that got socketed is probably the one I hear goes bad when controllers don't work properly.

 

The solder on the power connector should be thick, that sometimes cracks, as well as the joystick connectors. The biggest problem with the joystick connectors though is sometimes the wires break inside the part and you can only fix it by replacing.

[iesposta]

That ribbon cable says, "Harrisburg" doesn't it?

I have one like that in a Heavy Sixer I got from Texas.

 

I work in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

I just think that it is cool that I live down the road from where that connector was made for Atari in California!

[stylinlp38]

Oh, that Green Cap in post 2 pic 1 on the bottom left of the photo. Since this unit is 40+ years old I figured I would replace more caps. Ok, I guess its not a total loss then.

 

I was considering buying that componant / svhs board mod but dont know yet. Seems to me I never missed anything better when I used to play my Atari 2600 when I was a kid back in the early 80's and don't see why those 8bit games would need better than compasite output. But, it sure would be nice to have a COAX connector mounted on the back of this machine so I can connect it right to my RF Modulator box. I also have a VCR that will be using the componant input of the RF Modulator. My vintage 1981 Zenith 19" crt tv set only has RF inputs on the back side. I'm wondering if I can add a coax mod to the back of that TV set as well...

 

Ok, I need to source rubber feet for the bottom of this Atari case. 2 are missing. They are 1" wide and 1/8" tall.

Need to source felt / rubber pads for the switches.

Need to source the COAX output mod.

Im also in the market to buy an original Heavy Sixer joy stick.

[Tombstone]

Oh, that Green Cap in post 2 pic 1 on the bottom left of the photo. Since this unit is 40+ years old I figured I would replace more caps. Ok, I guess its not a total loss then.

 

I was considering buying that componant / svhs board mod but dont know yet. Seems to me I never missed anything better when I used to play my Atari 2600 when I was a kid back in the early 80's and don't see why those 8bit games would need better than compasite output. But, it sure would be nice to have a COAX connector mounted on the back of this machine so I can connect it right to my RF Modulator box. I also have a VCR that will be using the componant input of the RF Modulator. My vintage 1981 Zenith 19" crt tv set only has RF inputs on the back side. I'm wondering if I can add a coax mod to the back of that TV set as well...

 

Ok, I need to source rubber feet for the bottom of this Atari case. 2 are missing. They are 1" wide and 1/8" tall.

Need to source felt / rubber pads for the switches.

Need to source the COAX output mod.

Im also in the market to buy an original Heavy Sixer joy stick.

 

I have a large "boneyard" of 2600 parts in my garage, including Heavy Sixers. I can provide you with rubber feet and rubber pads if you need them. You can have them free of charge but I would not be able to ship until Monday as i am on vacation. I also have a box full of heavy joysticks that need repair. I plan to work on them next week. If you are intersted i can let you know when i have one fully working.

[stylinlp38]

Thanks Tombstone. I already ordered a half sheet of rubber feet of ebay but sure can use the pads and I'm interested in buy a repaired heavy joystick. I will try to mssg you.

[Tombstone]

Thanks Tombstone. I already ordered a half sheet of rubber feet of ebay but sure can use the pads and I'm interested in buy a repaired heavy joystick. I will try to mssg you.

Sounds good

[stylinlp38]

Questions on recapping the console. Ok, I read an older thread from a few years back and they talked about 3 of the power supply caps and a Regulator. Are there any other caps on the mainboard I can replace for a full restore? Also, are there any more caps int he shielded box? I also plan to buy the 2600 AV Mod Board from ElectronicSentimentalities if that is the recommended board to get. I emailed them to see what the turn around time is. I plan to run svhs out to my svhs JVC 7900 VCR.

 

1x Standard Regulator 5 Volt 1 Amp 3 Pin 3+ Tab TO-220

2x 0.22uF 100V 5% Mylar Film Capacitor

1x 2200uF 16V AXIAL CAPACITOR

 

The 2200uF caps below are what I found on Amazon. Which one should I get?

 

+/-20% 2200uF 25VDC Al. Electrolytic Capacitor is $20

2200uF 16V AXIAL CAPACITOR $10

A050M CAPACITOR ALUM ELEC 2200UF, 50V, 20%, AXIAL $5

NTE brand CAPACITOR ALUMINUM ELECTROLYTIC 2200UF 16V 20% AXIAL LEAD $5

VISHAY BC COMPONENTS MAL202115222E3 CAPACITOR ALUM ELEC 2200UF, 16V, 20%, AXIAL $6

 

[Zonie]

Yeah, the socket was for the oft replaced hex buffer that is susceptible to static. Funny, there is another thread about 2600 issues and I posted this there.

[stylinlp38]

Help, I successfully recapped the 2200 if 50v cap. And both the .22k 100v caps. Atari works perfect. But then I desoldering the standard regulator and heat sink to read the values. It reads MC78M05CT. M7716
But the regulator I ended up buying at Frys Electronics was the brand NTE 961 IC-NEG VR, 5V, 1A.
They had a million choices and this is the closet I could find. I didn't know of i was suppose to buy the positive or negative version. What should I do?

 

oh! I read another thread about 10 below this one. What I needed is the NTE 960! That is the POS model. I had no way of knowing that. I will go back to Fry's and do an exchange tomorrow and finish recapping then installing that really cool SVIDEO mod kit )

Edited February 28, 2015 by stylinlp38

[stylinlp38]

Ok...I successfully recapped my Atari 2600 heavy sixer and it performs great. But now I am trying to install the Svideo mod I got from

http://electronicsentimentalities.com/2600InstallationInstructions.html

Unfortunately, the kit did not come with any Hookup cables. I assume they used 22awg and 8 different colors! Man, I went everywhere today. RadioShack, Home Depot, Fry's Electronics, Ace Hardware, Walmart, Lowes. If any they only carry like 3 colors! What a waste of day. Now I have to find a company online to mail order them. I will try Digikey first. Amazon do not have more than 5 colors.

[stylinlp38]

Update. I ended up ordering the 6 color 22 awe solid core hookup kit off Amazon. It wasn't pure copper which was a big disappointment but I was able to install the s video mod kit. It was a little rough going because some steps were not clear with photos. Like the underside of the circuit board wiring and I had to drill TWO holes I to the steel shield case. One for over the circuit board and the other for underneath.

 

I picked up a package of 1/2" rubber grommets for the drilled holes at Ace Hardware. I used back to black plastic restore cleaner from meragie? The case cleaned up nicely. I wish there was a way to smooth out the chew marks around the edges. I Picked Up THAT Paint Pen at Marshalls and as you can see in the photos it turned out really nice.

 

So for the final test before putting it all back together. I connected and tried both the composite and the s video outputs to my vintage mint condition 1980 Zenith 19" crt tv set. I had to use an RF Converter with s video and composite and cable inputs. It works! Works perfectly in fact. I was super worried I messed up somewhere in my soldering but I did great. Tonight I'm going to put on the new Atari feet on the case and put it all back together and play Donkey Kong with my heavy sixer joystick. I have the Harmony Cartridge With Thousands Of Games already preloaded and that works flawlessly as well. I will post photos after tonight.. I'm gone like Donkey Kong!

Edited March 20, 2015 by stylinlp38

[stylinlp38]

Finally finished this project. I painted a new orange strip twice around the control panel. Used a plastic restorer liquid and buffed it out. Added the new rubber washers under the switches. It's looks beautiful. The only thing I need to pay attention to next is the wear on the edge of the wood trim.

[iesposta]

Just for your information on what many retrogamers think:

 

A Heavy Sixer to me is one that outputs the original RF signal, which is beautiful and rich and unlike any Atari model or clone.

I'm glad you are happy with your system, but to me that is no longer a Heavy Sixer. Even the repainting may be going too far for those that are "nostalgia perfectionists". H6'ers have a more yellow-orange color than the orange of the rest of the light 6 and 4 switch systems.

 

The mod boards should be done on every system other than the original release models.

On the Heavy Sixer, Composite or the better S-Video (to me and others) is actually worse than the rich warm clean RF.

It is similar to the vinyl/CD argument.

 

I actually got a Light Sixer to S-Video mod for convenience, but I'll alway try to keep a Heavy Sixer and tube televisions because nothing compares. This is not always possible for everyone of course.

 

Edit:

 

One "mod" improvement recently discovered is adding a jumper, preferably with a ferrite bead, to bypass the Cartridge Port inductor component which was later dropped. This actually improves operation with a few games that would not work on an H6.

This is the only modification so far that I would allow on my H6 beyond the bad capacitor replacement (and the power regulator - which I haven't had to do on any of the systems that I own, yet). Others parts were dropped or changed to "cut costs" and they ended up making the RF output weak and washed out.