NoahsMyBro

I don't know how helpful this will be, but here goes: A few months ago I worked on repairing a dead 4-port. In the process, I learned that upon entering the 5200, the power is split and sent down 2 paths. You'll see along the back-right of the board a large black heatsink with 2 voltage regulators (VRs) attached, one on the front and one on the back of the heat sink. Similarly, near the right-middle of the board, in front of the RF shielded box, are 2 transistors (MJE-210s). The power is split and sent to 2 different paths. One path uses one of the VRs and transistors, the other uses the other VR and transistor. I don't really know anything about the voltage regulators. I do know that if you send power to one of the transistors and not the other, the switchbox relay clicks and a blank screen seems to be sent to the TV. If you solely power the other transistor, no screen appears and the switchbox relay doesn't click, but the power LED illuminates. My uneducated suspicion/belief is that one transistors powers up the video circuitry, while the other powers up the computer part of the system. SO, perhaps your system is OK insofar as the logic side of things, but the video circuitry is damaged, or vice-versa. I'd think the video side is functional and the computer side is not powering up from your description. Of course, I'm pretty ignorant about this so take it with a grain or several of salt. Also, in case you want to experiment on your own, to activate the transistors independently of each other, with power connected to the system, I shorted 2 of the 3 pins (legs) of the transistor using my multimeter probe. The legs are labelled C, B, & E, for Collector, Base, and Emitter. I don't remember which 2 legs I shorted, and I was warned that it is important not to short the wrong 2, so I'll try to figure out which legs it was when I get home, and update my post then. If anybody else wants to jump in and post the info first that's even better. Finally, I'm guessing this post will do better in the Hardware forum. I don't know if you can move it, or if you want to ask a mod to do so, but it's a suggestion. Steve

Pitfall

I guess I've already beaten this dead horse all the way through to China, but I'm also still waiting, for both QB & Thrust+. Maybe the 2 packages are locked away somewhere smoky, playing cards and laughing at me.... ..........Steve, posting with a bloody bludgeon raised over a horse carcass, from Tianemen Square..................

I recently repaired a 5200, and found a standard RCA-phono plug on the system board, adjacent to where the included cable is soldered to the system board. I believe it's wired parallel to the exisiting cable. I suspect you could just plug a replacement cable in right there and use it, but am not 100% sure. It's possible (although I think unlikely) that your system won't have that jack, considering I was working on a 4-port. If you try it and it works fine, I'd love to know about it. Steve

Stellar Track

I'm still waiting for #86. I've never recieved anything at all. In mid-to-late October I emailed Andrew and asked about it - my cart status has been listed as 'PACKED' for a very long time. Andrew replied that he had experienced some family problems, and offered to send me a refund immediately, or the game by the end of the month. I expressed my sympathy for whatever problems he had faced, and told him I was in no hurry, but to get my game to me when he could. So far, nothing.

I think I'm pretty familiar with the 5200, and I'm only operating right now on about 3 hours sleep over the last 2 days, but I can't think of any 5200 games that are anything like your description. Sorry. PS: Cafeman: I spent several hours last night completely disassembling a poorly designed, not-so-great quality, fairly new (P4-1.9g, 256mb) laptop computer last night, and trying to reassemble it. I couldn't reassemble it without having extra screws leftover at the end. At about 8:15 this morning I drank a cup of coffee, revisited the problem, took it all apart again and finally managed to put it back together correctly, using all of the screws. Behold the power of coffee!

This morning I sent in a much better postcard! Keep an eye out for it. Steve

Keystone Kapers

Human Cannonball!

With the understanding that I'll still only get one entry into the contest, I assume it's OK for me to try and mail in a snazzier card than the one I mailed in this morning, right? I'd hate my posted card'o'glory to be the pitiful blank card with the hand-drawn logo!

Well shoot! What's special about Monday?

Hi Guys - I just remembered about the contest last night. Obviously pushing the deadline, I was at the Post Office (in NJ) at 8:05am this morning, sending you guys my postcard. Regrettably, it's a lame generic Post Office postcard devoid of graphics/pics, but hopefully it will get there by Saturday. BUT, if you happen to be running behind processing things and it shows up Monday, maybe I'll get lucky. Keep an eye out for a badly hand-drawn fuji, Steve

Are you all forgetting Star Raiders??? Favorites: Ballblazer Star Raiders Miner 2049'er Ms. Pac-Man Berzerk Dreadnought Factor Baseball Football Kaboom --> but only with a paddle controller Missile Command Joust Space Dungeon Biggest Disappointments: Zaxxon SW: Death Star Battle Kangaroo Frogger Choplifter

Actually, in New Orleans you'll immediately declare yourself an outsider if you call the carbonated non-alcoholic beverage Pop, Soda, Soda Pop, etc... In the Big Easy Coke, Pepsi, and the rest of their ilk are known as 'soft drinks', presumably because they aren't an alcoholic 'hard' drink. Believe me, moving from a laid-back place like N.O. to the hostile Northeast US after 30 years or so is quite a culture-shock.

If my memory is correct, and we're talking about a 10-yr. old's memory from 24 years ago (go ahead, do the math...), pack-in Combats DID come with boxes. Of course, I'm talking about early runs of the VCS, before there were 4-switches, Jr.s, etc.... I know that as various revisions were made to the packaging many pack-ins were eliminated; the Comabt box might have been ditched at some point as well.

I assumed they are 2 of the 3 (Start|Pause|Reset) buttons up top.

Favorites...../.....Underdogs Buffalo (-3) vs. New England..................New England Tampa Bay (-7) vs. Minnesota................Minnesota Houston (-3) vs. Cincinnati.....................Cincinnati Indianapolis (-3) vs. Tennessee.............Indianapolis Oakland (-3) vs. San Francisco...............San Francisco Tie-Breakers: Peyton Manning's total passing yards.......... 180 Eddie George's total running yards.............. 140

I'll tell you what - if you buy it and want, I'll rebuild a pair of my original controllers and sell the pair to you for $30 + shipping. Steve

Very cool touch! Reminds me to check out Google now....

WooHoo!!! Yay! Go Cafeman! You don't need no stinkin' sleep! Just more Joe! How are you going to get cracking on your next 5200 Tour De Force (Anyone up for 4-player Gauntlet? Warlords?) if you're sleeping? As the great philosopher Warren Zevon sang, 'I'll sleep when I'm dead....' I assume you've already got my order request in your inbox. If not, let me know so I can be sure to get my order in pronto. Keep on brewin', Steve HEY! In the screenshot at the bottom of the Koffi page, is that a SHADOW (!!!) of Koffi??? WOW! Very cool!

POSTED Oct. 20: It's now Oct. 28. I haven't received any Thrust-related emails yet since the above message was posted. Can anybody involved give us an update on this? Sorry to keep whining about this, but it's annoying to think that people have already, for less money, ordered and received complete Thrust+ DC packages from the Atari Age store since payment was sent in for the original copies 4 months ago. I don't mid exhibiting patience and waiting; I understand things happen. All I'm asking for is some communication.

Maybe I'm just too nice a guy, but I find I can't myself fairly review the homebrews for others. I think about how much effort must go into every single one of them, from the programming to the packaging to the distribution, and I am amazed and thankful anybody goes to the trouble. I can't believe anybody gets rich doing these projects. I've bought close to 20 homebrews over the last 4-5 years, more if you include Songbird & Scatalogic in the homebrew category. Some have been great, some have been mediocre. One (*ahem* cough* THRUST!*cough*ack*) is terrific on the emulator, and simply hasn't arrived yet. But I don't want to publicly criticize any of the homebrew productions for fear of discouraging more in the future. To some extent I have bought some of these products simply to encourage more in the future, whether form the same individual or others. I probably sound like a chump or somebody with too much money, but I don't believe I am. I do suspect I'm acting foolishly, but I thought I'd own up to it anyway. For the record, I have liked most of the homebrews I have. The best ones that come to mind right now include: SCSIcide, PickUp, Vault Assault, Thrust (only tried on the emulator), and if they count, BattleSphere & Protector. Anyway, that's my $0.02 for today.

A) Is there any manual online somewhere for the 5200 Diags cart included on the menu-driven 5200 multicart? Can the diags cart be used to test the various inputs of the controllers? B) I've recently repaired a previously fried 5200 (see earlier thread). The colors are somewhat off. Is there a pot to adjust the colors? Is it the large pot on the lower-right of the motherboard, near controller port 4? Thanks, Steve

Wow John, I didn't know you were a Daddy, or a new Daddy either! Congrats to both you and Sean (& of course to your respective wives also) !