Atari VCS clone came home after 30 years

[Atari VCS clone came home after 30 years]

I wish the chinese or taiwanese were still makig this specific type of joystick even though they were notorious for breaking.That looks like my first atari too and I know it was clone but also is the main reason I still by homebriew Atari 2600 games.

Mine had a white box with arabic simbols and english letters saing 2600 TV Compatible, 128 built in games even though it was claiming they were 444 on the front of the console.

[Repairing my VCS, help needed.]

5 hours ago, vitoco said:

Now, I have another problem. Some of my games start OK at power on, but some of them do not, or just sometimes. From 17 cartridges, 3 of them (Warlords, Math Gran Prix and Championsip Soccer) start with this screen:

 

 

I think this is more likely to be the contacts of your cartridges or the cartridge slot on the Atari, try cleaning all the pins on the cartridges with alcohol. Atari cartridges rarely break, most of the time they just need some cleaning and that is all you don’t even need to take a part the cartridge just use some Q tips and contact cleaner or isopropyl alcohol and rub the golden pins on the edge connector of every faulty cartridge. You might need a flat blade screwdriver to push the release the sliding cover that is fairly easy there are videos on you tube how to do it if you struggle.

[2600 wireless controller solution]

On 6/9/2020 at 9:13 PM, WaverBoy said:

I just snagged a pair of 8BitDo M30 2.4GHz wireless controllers for my soon-to-be-delivered Analogue Mega SG console and I was of course hoping that they would work flawlessly with my Atari 2600 but apparently that’s not the case. Has anyone found a simple ready-made adapter that works nice and easy?

If you are not afraid from opening your 8bitdo receiver and trying the solution that RevEng found for his 8bitdo bluetooth receiver. It worked for me might work for you too here is a link.

 

[bluetooth to 2600]

On 7/5/2020 at 1:21 PM, fluxit said:

Did you get the pink led?  I was trying to power my dongle via the USB port, and so far as I've been able to determine, if it doesn't see a USB host when powered via its USB port, the device will halt with a pink led after syncing your bluetooth controller.  At least that is what I've seen with my current firmware.

Yes I got the pink color when using the second power source and when it was only plugged in the Atari my led was blinking weak like it was struggling with the power so I thought that the current might not be enough. Anyway you found the solution which I am very greatful for, here is a picture of my Atari synced with the PlayStation controler, works perfect on Uno Cart and on the Pluscart, the Harmony seems to take it for a paddle but if you just leave it for a minute or so it starts working ok. The only down side is everytime I switch to a new game means I turn the power off which makse the 8bitdo lose its connection with the controler so then I have to press the PlayStation button to sync it back again.

[bluetooth to 2600]

On 6/5/2020 at 12:23 AM, RevEng said:

Even though it's been reported that they don't work with the 2600, I picked up an 8Bitdo Bluetooth Receiver for MegaDrive/Genesis, on the hunch I could make it work with the 2600. (my hacks were the first 2-button genesis-pad games running on the 2600. I have some familiarity with the scheme)

 

The reason that genesis pads work at all on the 2600, is the +5v line on the 2600 is connected to the genesis controller SELECT line, which results in two things - it selects the B and C buttons for reading (instead of A and START) and more importantly, it back feeds power to the multiplexer chip in the controller.

 

My hunch was the 8Bitdo adapter wasn't amenable to being backfed. I popped open the adapter, soldered a single jumper between pins 5 and 7 to ensure both were powered. Sure enough, when I plugged it into my console it lit up and worked like a charm.

 

Overall the 8Bitdo adapter is quite neat. According to their faq, you can connect to the adapter with: Xbox One S/X Bluetooth controllers, DS4, DS3, Switch Pro, JoyCons (including NES and FC versions), Wii U Pro, Wii remote, as well as all 8BitDo Bluetooth controllers.

 

I've been using my adapter with a wiimote. The 1+2 buttons map to genesis B+C, which is perfect for 2600 2-button games.

 

The one issue I have with the adapter is the plug is a bit tight going into my 7800, and it's made out of rigid plastic. It fits, but I'm not happy with the amount of pressure required to seat it fully. I may wind up taking some sandpaper to it later.

 

[edit - added pics...]

 

 

Thank you very much for the good idea. I am starting the mod now hope it works as I was trying to power mine trough power bank and that did not work, I realy dont care about the warranty of the 8bitdo as I was almoust certain I will have to mode it somehow

[VidCo's Mysterious Thief: hack could make it a good game]

Hi guys, I am verry happy to see this topic.

Now I know that someone else experienced the same while playng the game. I still can't undrstad why they made it soo hard froms the first level?

I have spent like an hour of play just to get to level 2 and then I dye.

Hope someone makes a hack !!!

[[Final] Dog Walk]

I think the game is great if only you can add support for save key or even Atari Vox that would be great.