A/V jacks placement?

[SignGuy81]

Was wanting to see what most people prefer for A/V modded units, the RCA jacks in the middle area(same place the controller ports would be on 6 switch unit) or near where the original RF cable came out. I've seen it done both ways on 4 switch unit just wondering if there is a preference.

[+DrVenkman]

I don't know if there's a general preference, but speaking for myself, I have a unit with a dead RF modulator. I'm planning to A/V mod it one of these days and I'm not going to bother with A/V jacks at all. I'm going to run an RCA jack out the old RF cable hole. From the outside it'll look almost original except for the thinner double R/W cable. *shrug*

[SignGuy81]

That is a good idea and you just gave me another one as well kinda. In spirit of the original where the RF cable is removable from the board with the jack, what I could do with the bare area of PCB where the RF box was is drill 3 holes there to mount the RCA jacks, and then plug them in right there and run those 3 cables out of the hole where the RF cable went through. I'm going to use cable like this http://www.ebay.com/itm/3FT-6FT-12FT-25FT-50FT-Premium-THICK-RG59-3-RCA-COMPOSITE-AV-SHIELDED-GOLD-CABLE-/230967546783?var=&hash=item35c6bd139f:m:mvmw20849_0wXJIqARN0tvQwith the thick video cable. I figure doing it like this would still look original and cables still easily replaceable just have to open up unit. Thank you!

[+save2600]

I put them where the RF output was. Why not? It's where you mount the new circuitry, so straight enough line there. Nice and clean mod that way.

 

What REALLY bugs the living shit out of me, are people that space the 2/3 jacks out so wide most idiotic of all the jack placements if you ask me. Space them just enough between each other to allow for good/hi-end cables to fit. Also makes sense when tying the grounds together. Anything more than that just looks stupid and unnecessary if you ask me.

[SignGuy81]

What REALLY bugs the living shit out of me, are people that space the 2/3 jacks out so wide… most idiotic of all the jack placements if you ask me. Space them just enough between each other the allow for good/hi-end cables to fit. Also makes sense when tying the grounds together. Anything more than that just looks stupid and unnecessary if you ask me.

I totally agree with that!

[+-^CrossBow^-]

I've noticed that as well in regards to the spacing of the AV jacks. The first console I did (My Genesis), I only space them like just less than half an inch apart. That was TOO close as my cable are very difficult to get on sometimes. Since then I've found that spacing of 3/4 inch from center to center is pretty ideal.

[ApolloBoy]

Longhorn Engineer made a template a long time ago that works pretty well, I used it back when I did modding commissions: http://longhornengineer.com/images/atarivideomods/design/Videomodprintout.doc

[Osgeld]

on 4 switchers I pretty much always, especially now that I made a drill guide, put the jacks on the lower half of the case, more or less inline with the two difficulty switches and the power jack on 1 inch centers

 

I personally like to have the av and the power coming in at the same point so they dont get in the way of swapping joysticks, any other model or system I put them where they fit best on 0.75 inch centers, as even fairly normal av plugs get pretty cramped on half inch centers, let alone premium cables.

 

 

as far as drilling holes, to each their own, since I resell the systems I refurb and mod I have no idea if your 2600A is 3 inches or 10 foot away from the TV (oldschool) style, so I mount the jacks on the back, provide a 5-6 foot cord and leave it up to the end user to figure it out from there, and I never feel bad ... I pay less than 30 bucks for a nasty looking unit headed to the junkyard, and have easily had one just about every single week for the last couple years ... its not a scarce commodity like a sunnyvale 6er

[SignGuy81]

Thanks for all the replies. I have two 4 switch units I'm working on now, one I've already a/v modded before the post and I put the rca jacks in the middle of the back where the joystick ports are on the 6ers but thought I'd ask before I do the next one because I eventually plan on selling them. I got them both in a lot on ebay for 40 bucks came with controllers and stuff, looked very dirty but case not cracked or broken in any way. Got them cleaned up nice and got them working, just waiting on some more parts to come in now.

 

I'm experimenting around with these units to find what I like best before doing any more. Once I figure exactly how I want to do these things I'll be able to roll with them. I think if I go with a power LED I'll probably use red because that is what I believe would have been used at the time had they included them due to the price and availability. And that is kind of another question I have there as well, should I put it beside the word "ON" to the left or instead center it up and down to the left of the on/off switch? Me personally I think to the left of "ON" would look better than centered up and down.

[Osgeld]

matter of personal preference I put them to the left of the on wording, and I like the smaller 3(ish) mm size over the large 5 (ish)mm

 

and yes red is the way to go, that was the most common LED of the era, though green and amber would have been available and cheap when the 4 switchers were out

 

Edited May 3, 2017 by Osgeld

[+DrVenkman]

Man, I do *NOT* like power LEDs on a VCS of any kind! I don't mind people doing A/V mods, mostly because RF units do go bad over time, and because the alterations are made in the back of the unit where you don't see them if you aren't looking.

 

But of course, that's just my opinion. To each his or her own!

[SignGuy81]

Man, I do *NOT* like power LEDs on a VCS of any kind! I don't mind people doing A/V mods, mostly because RF units do go bad over time, and because the alterations are made in the back of the unit where you don't see them if you aren't looking.

 

But of course, that's just my opinion. To each his or her own!

 

I've seen several of your posts before, figured you are a purist when it comes to the 2600 nothing wrong with that and I respect that as well. I've seen though on ebay before I swear people do nothing but an LED mod clean them up and list them for $100 bucks give or take and they sell, no cables or nothing just listed as replacement console. Then when you get into A/V mods and stuff I've seen $140 to $180 just a console only.

 

EDIT: I think I was mistaken I must have seen some that sold with LED plus some other types of mods included because I just looked again and couldn't find any LED only mods.

Edited May 3, 2017 by SignGuy81

[+DrVenkman]

 

I've seen several of your posts before, figured you are a purist when it comes to the 2600 nothing wrong with that and I respect that as well. I've seen though on ebay before I swear people do nothing but an LED mod clean them up and list them for $100 bucks give or take and they sell, no cables or nothing just listed as replacement console. Then when you get into A/V mods and stuff I've seen $140 to $180 just a console only.

 

EDIT: I think I was mistaken I must have seen some that sold with LED plus some other types of mods included because I just looked again and couldn't find any LED only mods.

 

Nostalgia is a fickle thing. Sometimes mods and changes don't bother me, but those power LEDs just rub my sense of aesthetics the wrong way. Same way that, while I have a Vader, it doesn't grab my the same way my Light Sixer does - since a Light Sixer was my first Atari VCS as a kid, I guess that's logical. But again, that's me. People are free to do whatever they want with their own stuff. I do know that I'll never buy a system with a power LED.

 

That said, I have seen systems sold with an AV mod, Power LED and a Pause mod all in the same system, but never a Power indicator alone.

[Osgeld]

its been a while since I have seen LED only systems, but there was a time heh

 

I dont like a lot of power LED mod's, that is why I try to make mine look like it was intended to be there, instead of this obvious wart on top of the case (ie mine is press fit into the hole and does not stick above the surface, and I tend to drive them at very low currents so its not a GD spotlight)

 

on my game gear I thought I would be cute and place a blue led in the power indicator, I was driving that thing well under a single milliamp before it didnt feel like you were staring direct into a blue laser ... course that LED was made for outdoor signs ...lol

Edited May 3, 2017 by Osgeld

[SignGuy81]

This is where I draw the line

 

 

Might not be bad if whoever did this knew what the heck they were doing. That case is ruined.

[Osgeld]

but the giant cheap as crap radio shack switch on the side just screams "classy"