Vertical lines problem

[Mr. Jinx]

I recently bought an atari 2600 (sixer) which is modded.

However, the screen looks very disorder. There are vertical lines all over the screen and vertical objects are not straight but jagged.

 

The mod is from BetaGamma called "PureVideo 2600VEC Video Encoder Kit".

 

Any idea what could be causing this?

 

ps: already tried a ferrite core

Edited September 1, 2017 by Mr. Jinx

[RamrodHare]

Just guessing, I'd say you have a bad mod.

It might help to know if you are using a Pal system or NTSC. Also you should be using a TV that matches. what type of cable are you using? There's a lot of details you've left out that might help us figure out what's going on.

Edited September 2, 2017 by RamrodHare

[Mr. Jinx]

Thanks for your reply.

A bad mod was what I would have though also, but I have two of these systems with exactly the same problem.

I bought it from someone in the UK, where he said it worked 100% ok.

 

Could it have something to do with the 110/240v difference (I live in the netherlands)?

The adapter supports both, but maybe it is causing interference or something.

 

The TV I use is a samung UE32ES6710.

It is connected with a composite cable directly to the TV.

 

I included some pics of the mod itself.

The connection points are all checked with a multimeter, and are ok.

It is configured for PAL, which is the system we use over here.

 

_{ps: Modding such a classic machine might look bad, but this mod can be reverted. Everything is left original, it's just a small circuit board on top which can be safely removed.}

Edited September 2, 2017 by Mr. Jinx

[RamrodHare]

Is the power adapter the original Atari brand or a newer aftermarket one? Aftermarket power supplies have been known to cause some issues. Have you tried connecting it to a different TV to see if it still has the same problem?

[Mr. Jinx]

The power adapter is a newer aftermarket one. I tried some other adapaters but didn't see a change.

Also tried different TV's. On some TV's the screen is rolling in black and white. On other screens it is the same, with all vertical lines misaligned.

[Video]

Sounds like issues you get trying pal system on NTSC TV or something.

[RWAP]

Bas (who designed the 2600VEC) would be willing to look at these consoles for you - but whilst tbe VEC is encoded for PAL (note it does not support SECAM), this output issue has not been reported before in over 500 units sold...

 

I wonder if the units have the PAL version of the TIA chip (C011903-1x) or the NTSC version - the position indicates that they should be the PAL version, but you never know.

[Mr. Jinx]

One of them is "C011903-03"

The other one is "7946MS C02871 C011903" ?

[Mr. Jinx]

Small update:

This mod was not installed by the original creator (Bas) but by someone else not related to his business.

However, Bas was kind enough to take a look at this.They installed hundreds of these mods and never saw this behavior.

[Blackgear]

Hi, just see this topic. I've installed the same video mod and I have the same issue:

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/280489-betagamma-computing-purevideo-2600vec-video-quality/

 

 

Did you solved this problem?

 

This is a Sunnyvale Light Sixer PAL, from UK, used in Italy on a Panasonic Plasma screen. The tv supports both pal and ntsc so this is not the problem.

Edited July 31, 2018 by Blackgear

[RWAP]

Small update:

This mod was not installed by the original creator (Bas) but by someone else not related to his business.

However, Bas was kind enough to take a look at this.They installed hundreds of these mods and never saw this behavior.

Bas can't recall looking at these machines, so has no idea what he did in the end!

 

I have however, posted some thoughts on the other topic - http://atariage.com/forums/topic/280489-betagamma-computing-purevideo-2600vec-video-quality/

 

Certainly it appears that it could be that sixers are more problematic (as including the OP, these are the only machines we know of where problems similar to this have been reported - albeit by a maximum of 3 individuals).