Sega light gun vs XG-1

[Sega light gun vs XG-1]

I agree with Paul Westphal,

 

The light gun that "Best Electronics" sells are more accurate than the XE gun, especially with Crossbow. I have used both guns and prefer the "Best" version. It may look a little cheesy, but it works well.

[Repairing the cartridge port on the Atari 7800]

Well guys,

 

I was able to get it working again. I took the lid off, took off the black cartridge guide (2 screws on the bottom side of the PCB hold them into place), and upon very close inspection, I found there were tiny strands of q-tip cotton on the left side of the cartridge port, just enough to cause some issues on games. I used some compressed air, blew it all out, and now it's good to go. So glad I didn't have to solder in another cartridge port, I think I counted somewhere around 36 solder points for the cartridge port

 

Good deal! By the way, if anybody is interested, Best Electronics apparently has new old stock brushed aluminum tops for the 7800 for $15.00. If anybody's top is a little scratched up (like mine is) it's good to know you can still get replacements from somebody, I had just asked him through email a few nights back and was happy to find out you could still get them.

[Repairing the cartridge port on the Atari 7800]

Thanks for the heads up, I'll head over there and check it out.

[Repairing the cartridge port on the Atari 7800]

FireTiger,

 

The power supply is new old stock, I just checked both "Ballblazer" and "Jinks", both games boot right up and work fine. I even played them for a few moments just to make sure.

 

For 2600 games, games like "Frankenstein's Monster" and "K.O. Cruiser" work fine, put "Pac-Man 4K" doesn't work unless it in inserted into the cartridge slot, and then pulled out slightly. The PCB inside of "Pac-Man 4K" may be a slightly thinner than the other games PCB's. This is why I think that the issue may be the connectors inside the 7800's cartridge port. I take it nobody on the boards has ever had to replace this part on their consoles before? I'd just pick up another 7800, but this one has the Electronic Sentimentalities AV mod already installed, so that's why I'd be willing to fix the cartridge port if at all possible.

[Repairing the cartridge port on the Atari 7800]

Hi guys,

 

Recently the cartridge port on my 7800 has been giving me a lot of trouble.

 

Before I elaborate on the problem, I want to mention that I keep each and every game cartridge clean with q-tip and alcohol (91%), and the cartridge port itself has been cleaned as well, so the problem is not the common "dirty game syndrome".

 

Here is the problem; It's almost as though some of the tiny pins on the inside of the cartridge port have been slightly bent back and some games will not register when the system is turned on. Some games like 'Water Ski' only work if I apply a small amount of pressure to them while the system is on. Otherwise the screen will appear black. I am in the process of ordering a new cartridge port from Best Electronics in California. My question is, has anybody else ever had to replace their cartridge port on their Atari 7800? Does anybody know how many solder points are holding the cartridge port in place? Can anybody give me some idea of how difficult this project may be? I have soldering experience from working on the inside of electric guitars, so I would be up for the repair as long as the cartridge port isn't being held in place by 50 pins or something extreme like that.

 

The games that absolutely refuse to play are 'Beef Drop' 'Failsafe', games with thicker PCB's like 'Crossbow' and 'Food Fight' work perfectly fine, that's why I think that some of the pins may be bent out of place.

[KC Munchkin]

I would like to purchase KC Munchkin & Bentley Bear's Crystal Quest when they are available. I can do any payment method you would prefer.

[Another 7800 Game to update like Donkey Kong XM?]

So that's how I can turn that music off. Thank you

[Did Atari have a QA team?]

Fascinating question! I work in the QA world too and I often wonder how Atari may have handled software testing back in the early 80's. It's interesting to read about recording the games with a VCR, that certainly would have worked. I'm always interested to learn about how testing was done long before the invention of all the free software tools I use and take for granted every day at work.

[This "Shirt Box" Is Excellent For 7800 Cartridge Storage!]

"Looks like there is a label slot holder on one side. You could stick a label identifying the system/cartridges (7800/2600/ColecoVision/etc.)."

 

Trebour, you read my mind! That was another big selling point for these boxes. I'd eventually like to make some fancy labels on the computer and print them out on thick paper. Maybe somebody on the forum could design a template.

 

Dauber,

 

Definitely! The 'Pac-Man Collection' is the next game on the list to get. The revamped Ms. Pac-Man in the collection looks really good too. Probably a little closer to the arcade version than the original port from '84.

 

TravisTouchDown,

 

Thanks! You will be able to pick up 7800 fairly quickly if you keep digging through the ebay collections. There are about 25-30 very solid games that can be found fairly easily still factory sealed for not too much. I was always a big Lynx fan too. Great portable. We had one back in the early 1990's, it felt like having a game system that was 10 years ahead of the Gameboy. The Lynx version of RoadBlasters was amazing at the time! Lemmings and Joust had awesome Lynx ports too.

 

JohnnyBritish,

 

Unfortunately, this is true. I went back to the original Target where I first bought them over the weekend and the boxes were all gone. Online looks to be the best option at this point.

[Atari 7800 Dust Cover's on ebay]

Bald_Bull_Jr,

 

Thanks. I had no idea they were such a hit on this forum, it's neat to see such a handy item being made by hand here in the states.

 

Trebor,

 

You will be happy with the dust cover, they look really nice on the console. Every time you look over and see it on your console, you will want to fire it up and play some games. The NES version Rygar was a wonderful game, but one that I sadly never finished. That purple spider boss usually ended up eating me for lunch. Loved the music in that game too, great tunes!

[is there some kind of trick to playing desert falcon?]

For some reason, I never could seem to get into Desert Falcon. I really want it to be Zaxxon, and it just isn't. If you try to rush through the level, you die pretty quickly and miss all the items on the ground level. Every few months I give it another try, but I usually end up putting it back in the closet along with the other ones that usually don't get played: Touchdown Football, Karateka, Crack'ed, Super Huey and Fight Night. The games that I consider the skeletons of the 7800 closet

Your mileage may vary, maybe it's just misunderstood.

[Atari 7800 Dust Cover's on ebay]

The seller even folded it up nicely and put a dryer sheet on the inside of it. She was a really pleasant lady to do business with.

[This "Shirt Box" Is Excellent For 7800 Cartridge Storage!]

I found this tweed "Shirt Box" while shopping at Target a few night ago. When I saw it, I knew exactly what it could be useful for storing:

 

http://www.target.com/p/threshold-shirt-box-set-of-2-assorted-colors/-/A-14815406#prodSlot=medium_1_1&term=shirt+box

 

You can store 54 cartridges in 3 rows of 18

Or 57 cartridges if you place them like I did in this picture

 

This is a nice way to keep dust off of your games, kind of gives the collection a classy look. Great for 2600 and 7800 games.

 

 

[Atari 7800 Dust Cover's on ebay]

I've been meaning to post this for a few weeks now. A couple of months ago I ordered an Atari 7800 dust cover from a seller on ebay named "papa*nannysfunstuff" and I'm so pleased with it that I wanted to post a few pictures of it on my 7800. It's made out of vinyl and features big embroidered white stitching of "Atari 7800" on the top. I know the seller also has these for the 5200, 2600, Jaguar, and A8 computers as well. I don't personally know the seller and I'm not related to them in any way, but I really admire her work and wanted to mention it on here. I just wanted to say that this cover is awesome and well worth the $18.00. It fits tightly on the top of the console and keeps the dust out of the cartridge port very nicely. Looks totally 80's and very sporty.

 

 

[7800 Serial Number List (updated 06/30/2017)]

I've been meaning to post mine for a while:

 

A1785005462

 

It has an expansion port and the AV/S-Video mod with the TIA-9 switch installed by "Electronic Sentimentalities"

Love my 7800!

[Almost there ;)]

Wow! I'm very exited about all three games! Finally got to play the original KC Munchkin & KC's Krazy Chase a few weekends back on the Odyssey II, what a pleasure! As for Bentley Bear's Crystal Quest, I've been waiting for a sequel to Crystal Castles my whole life! Awesome work! Can't wait to buy them and check them out! Do I need to preorder or can I just get them in the AtariAge store?

[Kung Fu Master glitchiness]

Well, reading about the games shortcomings sort of helps heal my bruised ego after being outbid by a ton when I tried to pick up a copy on Sunday, apparently, somebody REALLY wanted it:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/331182113619?ssPageName=STRK:MEDWX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1435.l2649

 

Good Grief!! It's one of the few 7800 games I've yet to pick up because I don't see a complete boxed copy come up very often.

[Things About AtariAge and the 7800 Community]

Absolutely! It's been a pleasure to read through the 7800 section of AtariAge since I rediscovered the Atari 7800 over the last year. I finally decided to start posting because the conversations have become way too interesting to ignore. The Atari 7800 always had a weird sort of mystique to me. I can remember seeing it at Toy's R Us. I remember my peers snubbing it when it was released back in the mid 80's, and I only knew of one kid who had it (he hated it and wanted a Nintendo by the way), but I sure couldn't get Food Fight and Robotron on our crummy NES, and those games were genuinely fun!

I never imagined being able to find newly released games for the 7800 in 2014, this is a great time for classic gaming, and it's always exiting to see new developments in the small but tight Atari 7800 classic gaming community.

[ikari 7800]

It's really funny that somebody else asked if there is a continue code for Ikari Warriors like on the NES version because I was wanting to post the same question here a few weeks back.

When I finally scored a copy of Ikari Warriors for the 7800, I kept trying to enter the old "ABBA" NES cheat on the controllers to no avail. Ikari is as tough as nails, just gotta prod through the level a lot slower I guess. Commando is a little more exiting and fast paced, both are a lot of fun depending on what your looking for.