jarreboum

I have absolutely no proof of anything, one way or the other. I'm not an electronic engineer, I'm coming here with a console problem asking for help. I'm sharing my doubts and experience in the hopes that people with actual knowledge could help me, and correct my wrong assumptions. It is sort of gradual, but happened in less than a second. When I was able to get a correct picture, that picture could hold as long as I would use the console, but I never did extended tests. When that picture would change, I would get a correct picture for less than a second, then it would quickly fade to black and white with audio noise. Then after a couple of tries, I could get it working properly again. I noticed that unplugging the console, flicking the switch and waiting a bit, before using it again was a reliable way to make it work. I'm using that TV with other consoles, but only the 2600 uses RF. It's the only console I have that uses RF, and it's the only TV I have that can take RF from the 2600. The TV is digitally tuned. Could it drift the way you are describing? The problem now happens all the time and I cannot correct it any more. Whatever was partially faulty in the console is now completely faulty. I can't do before/after tests any more.

Comparing the schematics, that would be my guess as well. I doubt it's anything before the voltage regulator, though I did order some more caps just in case. Hopefully that's the one.

Indeed! Now my problem would be to identify the guilty cap, as I don't see anyone with a Jr in those threads.

I'm using a CRT TV. The setup hasn't changed at all between when it worked and when it stopped working. The degradation was very progressive, at first it just happened once in a while, then it happened all the time but I was able to restart the console properly, and now restarting doesn't do anything Could it be the power adapter? I don't have an original one, but a cheap one from Chinese eBay. I replaced the voltage regulator with the new one that's part of Tim's RGB mod kit, that didn't change anything.

Hi there, I'm having some problems with my 2600Jr. I had been working fine when I got it, but after a while, and after changing games, the console started to randomly display a snowy black and white picture with static noise coming off the TV speakers. Sometimes unplugging the power cord and turning the power switch on for a few seconds did the trick to bring back the colours, but now it doesn't do that any more: now when I turn the console on, the pictures very briefly appears in colours but quickly switch to black and white with noise. The games are otherwise playable. Being able to have a brief normal picture after the console is fully discharged made me believe that it may be a capacitor problem. But which one? I tried changing the big 2200µF 16V one, but that didn't help. It's quite possible that the "new" capacitors I used could be bad too, I've had trouble sourcing them. I haven't touched any other cap in the machine, there are lots of them all over the place. None look bad, but I don't have the eye for it. I tried installing the Tim's RGB mod, thinking it could be something in the RF modulator, but I couldn't get an image out of the mod. my problem may be interfering with whatever the mod does to output RGB.I've completely uninstalled the board for now. I also installed his new linear voltage regulator, which I'm still using. What could be the problem here?

Have you triple-checked with a continuity tester that your sync is correctly wired? Does the display work with other consoles?

Sound advice, thanks! Yeah, making an entirely new board just for this model would make no economical sense. I'm glad you went with the flexible adapter though, you could have told us to just use a bunch of wires instead and leave it at that. Which reminds me, the FM board is a pain to install on the Master System 2, with loads of wires to solder to chip legs. Would you consider making a similar flexible adapter for that console? Mine is already modded so I'm cool with the mess I made, but it could probably help other people.

Ah yes, I misread the photos. I intend to bend the pins away instead of cutting them, in case I ever need an intact TIA. I just don't like hacking ancient chips. I'm very curious about the flex adapter, it would be the first time I'd work with such a thing. Last time my iron approached plastic it dug a hole in it, eh. So even soldering the chip directly on your board and discarding sockets would make the mod too thick? Or was it a case of simplifying the installation and avoiding chip desoldering?

There goes my Christmas present. Is there a reason for the four additional wires? Or they just couldn't fit on the flex adapter?

The value is in the eye of the beholder. Monetarily, I certainly value more a well modded system than an original RF one. This system is a board put between the chip and the motherboard. As the original chip is socketed, there is nothing destructive here. You can hijack the original RF hole to use for the RGB cable, either desoldering the original cable or hiding it in the case. The author recommends to replace the original power regulator with a modern one. The old one is probably prone to failure, especially when asked for extra power for the board. Though it does look different, it's nothing more than replacing a failing part, like you would with dead caps. You could try RGB without replacing it, it may very well work.

Right in time for the holiday season? Can't wait.

I'm still patiently waiting for the Jr mod. Once it's out I'll undoubtedly start spamming this thread again.

Could you elaborate on how the palette switch work? I don't have your board yet and I'm not sure I understand what happens when you press the switch. Say if you have PAL/NTSC autodetect, a 60Hz game and press the switch, does it roll through all three NTSC palettes or all six NTSC and PAL palettes? In what order? Same behaviour if the region autodected mode is off? What could be interesting for a v1.1 board is some space to attach an LED, which would briefly flash one to n times when the palette is changed, so we know where we are in the cycle. (and maybe, just throwing it out there, separate switches: one for the PAL / NTSC colour scheme, and one for the Original / Custom1 / Custom 2 palette switch? I'm just thinking out loud here, don't mind me too much)

Damn that's unfortunate. I'm assuming you would be using something similar to Kevtris NES HD mod, with an interposer board and ribbon?

Playing Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Revenge of the Beefsteak Tomatoes, as I received both a couple of days ago. Star Wars is fast and stressful, I like it. It hurts my hand though, but exploding AT-ATs are really gratifying. Tomatoes can be irritating, especially when shooting blocks to build the walls, and I feel the player character is too slippery (unlike in Star Wars, where slippery is good). Still, it gives a challenging game that I can see myself going back to. Just don't forget to switch the difficulty mode to A, as easy B gives infinite lives and a boring game as a result.