Atari PAC-MAN Fan Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 After being frustrated with the Atari 5200 for about a year now, I am wondering who's idea it was that came up with that stupid switch-box. Also, I just got watching the AVGN's Pong Consoles episode, the RCA Studio II has the same thing. Did the same guy create them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HammR25 Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Yeah, running power through the switch box never made sense. Then again after the NES came with a non-switch box that automatically changed the channel when the console was powered on made all the others seem like crap. I was a bit miffed when the NES had that and the 7800 still had the old manual switch box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister-VCS Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 After being frustrated with the Atari 5200 for about a year now, I am wondering who's idea it was that came up with that stupid switch-box. It was my idea. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMaddog Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Yeah, running power through the switch box never made sense. Then again after the NES came with a non-switch box that automatically changed the channel when the console was powered on made all the others seem like crap. I was a bit miffed when the NES had that and the 7800 still had the old manual switch box. The NES switch box used the RF signal to automatically switch "on" from the coax connection on the back. My guess is that it's amplified because it was too strong for the older TV I had and I needed an altunator to reduce the signal a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari PAC-MAN Fan Posted January 13, 2017 Author Share Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) Oh. Sorry if I was a little too harsh. I'm new here so i didn't think that you would actually respond. What was the reason you made it like that? Do you regret making it that way? Did you also create it for the RCA Studio II? Edited January 13, 2017 by Atari PAC-MAN Fan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister-VCS Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Oh. Sorry if I was a little too harsh. I'm new here so i didn't think that you would actually respond. What was the reason you made it like that? Do you regret making it that way? Did you also create it for the RCA Studio II? My brother was a fireman in NYC back in the day and I wanted to get him a few fires... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metal Jesus Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 The first time I saw the spark when using it and then learned it was actually part of the experience - I couldn't believe it. Ah..the wild, wild west of the 1980s and home electronics... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bohoki Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 i think its rather brilliant when it works but when the fiddly bits inside have problems you are done its not really servicable inside you can see their intended design with the length of the controller wires they meant the black behemoth to be a fixture on your coffee table with only one wire going to your tv (hopefully covered under a throw rug) thats also why they had controller storage the only thing they really needed was a springloaded cover to protect the sandwich hole 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari PAC-MAN Fan Posted January 13, 2017 Author Share Posted January 13, 2017 You both are absolutely right. It is part of the experience, but when I see that disturbing spark it kind of bums me out because I know at some point the thing is gonna break. They are not easy to find either and are about $40 for one that works. When that spark flashes, it fries the power supply which forces me to spend even more money. The Atari 5200 overall is an expensive little creature. Actually, scratch the "little" part. It's a HUGE expensive creature. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) The first time I saw the spark when using it and then learned it was actually part of the experience - I couldn't believe it. Ah..the wild, wild west of the 1980s and home electronics... You both are absolutely right. It is part of the experience, but when I see that disturbing spark it kind of bums me out because I know at some point the thing is gonna break. They are not easy to find either and are about $40 for one that works. When that spark flashes, it fries the power supply which forces me to spend even more money. The Atari 5200 overall is an expensive little creature. Actually, scratch the "little" part. It's a HUGE expensive creature. lol Okay..hold up here...hold the heck up! You both do realize that what you should be doing is leaving the cord plugged into the switch-box, and THEN plug in the power supply to your AC right?! If you do it this way, you will not see any sparks and it is less likely to cause a problem with the switch-box internally. As for them not being serviceable, that isn't really true either. There aren't that many parts inside them and the parts that are there are essentially over the shelf electronics that can be purchased. I've repaired two myself for the same problem. They each had blown up transistors inside them. I suspect from the previous owner plugging in an Atari 8-bit power supply instead of the 5200 one. Edited January 13, 2017 by -^Cro§Bow^- 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIKE5200 Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 I thought it was a great idea back then in 82 until 83 they made 2 ports. No more reaching back of the Tv.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simbalion Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 My switch box has been working fine ever since I got my four port years ago. I have a spare I should test. It was NIB, but that doesn't always mean working! And I agree, don't unplug or plug in the switch box with the power supply plugged into the outlet! I am wondering if that was the cause of more than a few of them going dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldSchoolRetroGamer Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Okay..hold up here...hold the heck up! You both do realize that what you should be doing is leaving the cord plugged into the switch-box, and THEN plug in the power supply to your AC right?! If you do it this way, you will not see any sparks and it is less likely to cause a problem with the switch-box internally. As for them not being serviceable, that isn't really true either. There aren't that many parts inside them and the parts that are there are essentially over the shelf electronics that can be purchased. I've repaired two myself for the same problem. They each had blown up transistors inside them. I suspect from the previous owner plugging in an Atari 8-bit power supply instead of the 5200 one. ^^ THIS ^^^ I have never seen what the big deal is over this personally. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briwayjones Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) oops Edited January 13, 2017 by briwayjones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassGuitari Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 The Atari 5200 must have been one of the first half-dozen or so systems I got when I started out collecting in the early '00s. I'd had an Odyssey 2, Intellivision, and Atari VCS that I only had those manual switchboxes for. I thought the 5200 switchbox was great! Great, clean picture, and no screwing around behind the television!A pretty universal general rule with electronics is to always plug the power into your outlet LAST. That should always be the last step of setting up any system or computer or what-have-you. Connect the video cords, controllers, etc., then connect the power cord to the console, THEN plug the power adapter into the outlet. If you see sparks from your 5200 switchbox, it's because you're dumb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnice Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 (edited) Having played lots of the video game systems from the late 70s - early 80s, I have to say the 4-port switch box on the 5200 was a GREAT idea for its time: Everything else back then required you to reach behind the TV to manually change a switch box from "TV" to "GAME". Remember: The TVs were all CRTs with no front inputs. Imagine being a small kid trying to get your arm to reach behind a large wooden console TV from that time period (we're talking 26 inches!), just enough to change the switch box...it wasn't always easy! And who knows what you might find behind that big TV: - Will you get dust all over your clothes? - Is the family pet hiding behind there and will scratch or bite you? - Is the outlet you're using for the TV properly grounded, or will you get a pleasant shock by coming into contact with the wrong thing before locating the switch box? These were all possibilities... Edited January 16, 2017 by jnice 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tep392 Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 You both are absolutely right. It is part of the experience, but when I see that disturbing spark it kind of bums me out because I know at some point the thing is gonna break. They are not easy to find either and are about $40 for one that works. When that spark flashes, it fries the power supply which forces me to spend even more money. The Atari 5200 overall is an expensive little creature. Actually, scratch the "little" part. It's a HUGE expensive creature. lol Hook everything up before plugging the power supply into the wall. No spark, no worries. That's actually how the manual says to do it. But who read manuals back then. I certainly didn't. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted January 17, 2017 Share Posted January 17, 2017 Back in the day... (when televisions had only one or two inputs) I really liked that 5200 switchbox! Back then with other game units one had to get up and manually reach behind the TV set to switch from cable or antenna to the game machine. Later it became a rats nest with switch boxes for multiple devices, ANT, CABLE, GAME, etc. Now day's we are spoiled as it's all built into the TV with the switching selector in the remote control, but back then... HECK YEAH! I guess that is just one piece of tech that's become obsolete for people that no longer use 'classic' display methods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simbalion Posted January 17, 2017 Share Posted January 17, 2017 On a small, 13 inch TV like I use for most of my vintage systems, the self-switching box doesn't really make a difference. Now, start thinking about the console TVs of the late 70's through the 80's and it really does make sense! I can remember some of those having the antenna hookup in spots that were virtually inaccessible without pulling the whole TV away from the wall. Same could also be said of smaller sets sitting in entertainment centers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGHMW Posted January 17, 2017 Share Posted January 17, 2017 The 5200 switchbox was great for its time, but, it's so much better when the unit is a/v modded, with composite and S-video and stereo audio (actually dual-channel mono) and with the power jack on the unit itself as opposed to the switch box type. I only wish that the a/v-modded units would (somehow) work with the CX-55 VCS cartridge adapter, but, it doesn't. That's the ONLY drawback I can see with the a/v/power jack mod. It's so much better especially on a newer HD set (I set my Insignia for the "wide" mode so it sits the full screen), but, nothing like it used to on a CRT, in which I got rid of all of mine months ago (too dangerous, too heavy and also too bulky). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atari-dna Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 They're easy to maintain, I quite like the 4 port and switchbox setup. It's where my nostalgia is for this system. Suggestion (as per the 5200 User manual): Plug power and video cable into switchbox BEFORE plugging the power adapter into the wall socket... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reklen Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 I get the best picture from this setup, no interference whatsoever, unlike the 2600 and 7800. How does the two port stand up, is the picture as good, or as bad as the 2600? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynxpro Posted February 3, 2017 Share Posted February 3, 2017 After being frustrated with the Atari 5200 for about a year now, I am wondering who's idea it was that came up with that stupid switch-box. Also, I just got watching the AVGN's Pong Consoles episode, the RCA Studio II has the same thing. Did the same guy create them? Here's the deal. Atari did a lot of marketing surveys of people asking what they wanted in a video game console. Back then, most kids played with the console sitting on the floor with a bunch of cables snaked out from the back of it and to the back of the television. This was in America's living rooms. And guess who tripped over those cables? Moms. Who ultimately was the Decider when it came to Christmas gifts? Moms. There you go. And Emerson had already sold an unsuccessful console on the market with the same wiring scheme. Let us remember that the 5200 was the first console with an actual Pause button on the controller and the first *major* console to feature an analog joystick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari PAC-MAN Fan Posted February 4, 2017 Author Share Posted February 4, 2017 You're right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TitleSeventeen Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 I don't get the disdain for it myself. Admittedly I only just recently got a 5200 after looking for forever. It's a concept years ahead of its time, mine seems to work very well. I quite like it over the dumb slider switch boxes that seemed to be made of the absolute cheapest metal and parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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