Atari 5200 HELP - Black and White only

[MattMan]

Could use some help with my 5200 4 port.

 

I recently had to repair the console after it sat for 7 years. Ended up having to replace the RAM. But after that I noticed it was only displaying games in black and white only. I tried adjusting the potentiometer but it did nothing. Next I installed a new potentiometer and I did see color but only for a few minutes and now it's back to black and white only. Anyone have any ideas what the problem could be?

[The Lizard King]

PAL display for an NTSC signal?

[+-^CrossBow^-]

You still using the RF out for your video as well? Could be the RF modulator that needs the adjustment, or you might need to leave the 5200 on with a game running and then have your TV go through the channel scanning process if you are using a modern HDTV with it.

[MattMan]

You still using the RF out for your video as well? Could be the RF modulator that needs the adjustment, or you might need to leave the 5200 on with a game running and then have your TV go through the channel scanning process if you are using a modern HDTV with it.

Tried adjusting the RF modulator but that didn't seem to help. As for the TV it's the same TV I've had for the past 20 years that I've always used with this 5200. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

PAL display for an NTSC signal?

Nope not that.

Edited July 24, 2018 by MattMan

[Charlie_]

Could use some help with my 5200 4 port.

 

I recently had to repair the console after it sat for 7 years. Ended up having to replace the RAM. But after that I noticed it was only displaying games in black and white only. I tried adjusting the potentiometer but it did nothing. Next I installed a new potentiometer and I did see color but only for a few minutes and now it's back to black and white only. Anyone have any ideas what the problem could be?

I had this problem with one of my systems many years ago. Mine would get color after a long warm up time. I replaced a chip on the board.. swapped it from another system.

I don't remember what chip it was, but I would start with the graphics chip.

[Tempest]

I had this problem with one of my systems many years ago. Mine would get color after a long warm up time. I replaced a chip on the board.. swapped it from another system.

I don't remember what chip it was, but I would start with the graphics chip.

 

Yeah I had something similar with mine. I had an old S-Video mod in it (with the ANTIC chip on a little board) that would occasionally do this. Usually reseating the ANTIC chip did the trick. I have no idea why this happened, but all I can think of is that the chip wasn't making full contact with the socket for some reason.

[MattMan]

Well still don't know whats wrong with it I tried replacing the ANTIC , GTIA, chip and others as well, replaced the RF Modulator, replaced the potentiometer still black and white. So I gave up and just ordered a broken 5200 off ebay for 30 bucks that just needed a CD4052BE chip replaced on controller port 1. I'm back in business. Thanks for the suggestion though, maybe someday i'll have another go at this and see if I can't figure out whats going on.

[+DrVenkman]

Well still don't know whats wrong with it I tried replacing the ANTIC , GTIA, chip and others as well, replaced the RF Modulator, replaced the potentiometer still black and white. So I gave up and just ordered a broken 5200 off ebay for 30 bucks that just needed a CD4052BE chip replaced on controller port 1. I'm back in business. Thanks for the suggestion though, maybe someday i'll have another go at this and see if I can't figure out whats going on.

I don’t have pics of my 5200 boards handy but have you replaced the 4050 hex buffer chip in the video circuit and examined any tiny electrolytic caps for leaks or splits?

[MattMan]

I don’t have pics of my 5200 boards handy but have you replaced the 4050 hex buffer chip in the video circuit and examined any tiny electrolytic caps for leaks or splits?

No I have not tried that I don't actually have an extra 4050 chip unless i snag it off my now good 5200. If I feel ambitious I might give it a try.

[+DrVenkman]

No I have not tried that I don't actually have an extra 4050 chip unless i snag it off my now good 5200. If I feel ambitious I might give it a try.

 

I had an issue with a black and white (luma only) 800XL and it turned out to be the 4050 hex buffer. Similarly, I had an issue on another machines where the chroma values all got messed up (the Atari BASIC "READY" prompt was a darker shade of blue rather than the white it was supposed to be). Turned out to be a tiny failed electrolytic. When you looked closely it had split around the top, but it required magnification to tell for sure.

[bohoki]

my oridinal atari 2600 starts out in color but after about 15 minutes it goes black and white and no it is not the color bw switch because when i play ghost manor i can select boy and girl but it goes black and white

 

its probably a dry capacitor or something and i have a JR that i use its just annoying to have something die that was all mine (i'm used to other peoples stuff dying but i thought i kept this in good environment)

[MattMan]

You know what upsets me about this whole thing the most is when I put the system away 7 years ago it was in perfect working condition. Some how from sitting one of the RAM chip went bad and of course this color issue. It was carefully packed away in it's original box any lovingly placed on display. I know I should have played it more!! The weirdest thing of all is all 3 controllers still worked. If anything I would have expected at least a controller to have been broken.

 

Lesson learned. Do not ignore your 5200 PLAY IT!

[+-^CrossBow^-]

I would go with the 4050 at fault here too. I've seen it do the black n white thing as well as somewhat scrambled images because I believe the sync is handled by the 4050 on most of these as well.