Any way to shrink 5200 console?

[7800fan]

I have nearly a dozen game consoles connected to my TV. 5200 is one of the few I have that isn't connected mainly because it's a huge console.

 

Colecovision was fairly large but nearly half are empty space just to serve as controller storage so it was easy (albeit messy) hack to shrink Colecovision system in half. 5200 however uses very large board and the best easy shrink is by cutting off about 3 inches from the back.

 

There are schematics everywhere, couldn't someone cook up a PCB that is smaller by getting rid of useless RF circuit (modern TV don't support it anyway), replace as many off the shelf ICs and components with SMD version, and optimizing space using today's computers that are cheap and far more powerful that what Atari could have when they designed the 5200 originally. The only things that aren't readily available would be POKEY, 2 video chips, and ROM. (burn EPROM or flash ROM if custom BIOS is desired or use original, cannibalize other chips from broken 5200)

[SpotAnime]

Kevtris made his own PCB and stuck it in a 7800 case. He called it the 5200 Jr.

 

http://kevtris.org/Projects/5200jr/index.html

[Wrathchild]

Perhaps the work being done on the 1088XEL board could be a basis for a 5200 board?

[toiletunes]

I have something similar, I call it the XEGS

[+-^CrossBow^-]

Kevtris made his own PCB and stuck it in a 7800 case. He called it the 5200 Jr.

 

http://kevtris.org/Projects/5200jr/index.html

Actually he took it even smaller than that. He put this custom PCB and work into a 2600jr?! Even more amazing in all honesty!

[0078265317]

We discused this many years ago. There was this also.

 

http://www.atarimuseum.com/videogames/consoles/5100/5100.html

[ApolloBoy]

I have something similar, I call it the XEGS

Zing. Edited May 24, 2017 by ApolloBoy

[PacManPlus]

There was also this: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/185369-compact-5200-system/?p=2333485

 

How I WISH that this was available for purchase...

[+sramirez2008]

There was also this: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/185369-compact-5200-system/?p=2333485

 

How I WISH that this was available for purchase...

 

Me too! That custom mini console with controller is awesome.

[0078265317]

I forgot about that one.

[CZroe]

My smaller 5200 is my Atari 800XL. Amazingly, they even crammed in a keyboard and all my chips are socketed. Just replaced the 4051 shift register encoders last night.

[7800fan]

So no file or something that I can submit to get PCB made? I could try to copy schematic to Eagle but the 2 video chips are custom and would probably need custom Eagle file.

 

*looks at the schematic*

 

My eyes are going to bleed. If I do go this route and it works, I will offer finished Eagle file that you can submit to get PCB made.

[7800fan]

Looking over the schematics to catch any gotchas, I noticed 5200 has 5 separate 5v rails. Are those really necessary or was it because the power supply from 80s were often noisy? It'd be easy to rig up something that is efficient, quiet, and capable of max 2A but those are very under-utilized as nothing official was made for expansion port and I am not planning to use 2600 adapter so that won't be a factor.

 

There is very little difference between 2 and 4 port version. I only have 4 ports schematic but if I am reading it right, only 1 of the 4 analog mux chip are used for player 3 and 4 and can be omitted. Other 3 analog muxes are for P1 and 2, P1 and 3, and P2 and 4. Go figure.

 

The analog sound circuit isn't going to be easy, lots of odd parts that I can't find in Eagle.

[SignGuy81]

I would instead just get a huge entertainment center to put all my consoles on, even if it went wall to wall and I had to build it myself. I wouldn't try to shrink the consoles. Now that you have shrunk your Colecovision now you have to have somewhere too to put the controllers? So did it really save that much space?

[7800fan]

Controller goes on top of the console if I intend to play soon, and I have a box nearby for controllers if I am not going to play for a while. I did need to have some space above the console to insert and remove cart so it's plenty to leave the controllers.

[Big_Mo]

Shrink? Call the CMDF...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kixUvjMnKpI

 

...but it only lasts 12 hours at a time.

[ApolloBoy]

Now that you have shrunk your Colecovision now you have to have somewhere too to put the controllers?

Uhh put them in the same bin where I store controllers for all my other consoles?

[SignGuy81]

Uhh put them in the same bin where I store controllers for all my other consoles?

 

But then you will have to shrink the controllers because there may not be enough room in the bin.

[ApolloBoy]

But then you will have to shrink the controllers because there may not be enough room in the bin.

That's actually not a bad idea considering how horrible and bulky the 5200 and CV controllers are.

[7800fan]

 

But then you will have to shrink the controllers because there may not be enough room in the bin.

 

 

There are fully functioning controller that is about the size of US half dollar coin. It might be possible to shrink 5200 controller quite a bit with modern analog stick and small numeric keypad but there's limit to how far one can go with controllers. If you can't handle it, it's too small. I'll keep my 5200 and CV controller stock because I got big hands. (Not Andre the Giant big though)

[Atarikid96]

Chainsaw? Maybe a hit of acid lol. It would LOOK smaller at least, or maybe bigger, or like a bunch of swirls. Depends lmao.

Edited June 7, 2017 by Atarikid96

[7800fan]

LOL would rather have 5200 smaller and still working. I am not even sure I can do it, there's shit ton of parts in between about 28 chips to connect and I only got free Eagle version that allows at most 100mm x 80mm PCB, and that 4 big chips plus BIOS chip would cover most of that space.