AtariKari

quote: I'm not sure, if Manuel added CC-protection into his final code. But you sure can get a CC-protection free earlier version, if you browse the Stella-Mainling-List archive. Or try the game on an emulator, and if you like it, buy the cart to support us homebrewers Of course, I was planning on doing that anyway . This brings the list of games that don't function on the Cuttle Cart to three: Pitfall II, Miner 2049 and Gunfight. I started another thread on this, but wanted to see if anyone here didn't have any more to list...

In Miner 2049er Vol. 2, the screen is shifted down so that only the top 2/3 of the game is visible. Anyone else with a Cuttle Cart get this? It would be cool to keep a running tab on what games are difficult / impossible to run (Pitfall II). It would help me narrow my collecting efforts, for now at least

On the soft-of-off-topic-topic of the Cuttle Cart: what bankswitching format should I use to get Gunfight to run? Using auto detect yields a garbled screen everytime. Back to the topic, soft-of: I'd really like to see a 2600 Alarm Clock. One could mod the 2600 Video Time Clock on Hozer. You'd have a customer for sure, here!

Just to make the problem a bit more specific: the copyright on the Thrust screen is still yellow, but all that _ought_ to be green is red. A similar problem occurs on other games with a wide color palette, such as SeaQuest. Perhaps messy soldering to the TP5 location? Or is it maybe just a symptom of the mod style itself? [ 12-13-2001: Message edited by: AtariKari ]

So I built a potentomiter knob into the case of my Junior, because the color appeared to be off on some games and ok for others. This is after doing the composite video mod, BTW. Unfortunately, the color for some games appears to be off for good, i.e. the title screen for Thrust is entirely red as opposed to the red/green text here: Thrust title screen Could anyone recommend a possible fix, outside of doing the chroma/luma mod? I'm running the signal through a VCR to boost it, BTW. Also, if I were to put a DVD player in place of the afforementioned it would still provide the boost, ci?

I tweaked the 2600 to Pitfall and it looked OK, but now some games are off for sure (Double Dunk, Thrust) while others appear to be on color. I may drill a hole tonight and stick a makeshift knob into the pot...BTW, Chad: I recently purchased a Cuttle Cart from you. It is the wisest 100 bucks I have spent in a long time. Thanks! How many do you have left, BTW...must leave work ...

Thanks for making such an awesome game, Thomas! I've been trying it on the Cuttle Cart lately, and plan to buy a hard copy soon just to show support. Question: I've just completed the composite mod faq, and am trying to tweak the color potentometer (sp?) to look correct. What is the correct color for the Thrust title screen? I've got pink, although I'm not sure that's right.

Thanks, man! It's not really that difficult...aw, shucks...really. The first time I did it, I used a bit of wire from a nearby basket, and my old record player cables. 20 min, assuming I knew how to solder as consistently as I do now. Dunno about the PAL mod. It would _seem_ to me that the composite mod just redirects what is already coming out of the system. As such, it'd work on a PAL system, provided you could locate the chroma/luma locations...But, I really have NO idea and all this is speculation in the hopes someone else gets it to work. It is truly worth the effort!

You could try this: Atari Age video boost Please let me know if this works. I'd like to take a stab at it just because...

Hi - After taking a forced hiatus from working on the project, last night I tried running my 2600 Junior (Atari Age composite video modded) through a VCR to see if it boosted the video signal, as had been suggested earlier. Success! The picture is wonderful, and tonight I'll tweak the color pot to get it perfect. I highly recommed this mod to anyone with a system, period. If anyone would like some very rudimentary guidance on newbie soldering for this project, I'd be happy to help. Actually, I may try Heckerdorn's hack just to see what it does to the signal. That will have to wait till the weekend, tho. My next stab may be to extend the joystick ports to the front of the machine and glue them there. I'm assuming this is simply a matter of getting a pair of 9-pin cords from Radio Shack, but am open to any more elaborate projects. My remote 2600 controllers should be here tommorrow, putting the final icing on the cake, so to speak. Life is good. Thanks for the help, all! Mike

In my experience, Ozzies hate Fosters. Nearly all vie for XXXX or VB, the later being more prevalent in most areas. In my five months in the country, I never once saw Fosters on tap. A lot of research was put into this too, BTW.

Which one is "spanner in"? Seriously.

Thanks! This job is a big break for me, and in this city those seem to be rare indeed... *gulp* O...K. I've printed out several pages of schematics, etc. and will run screaming to some poor Radio Shack guy soon enough. I can see it now: "Hi, I'm working on my first soldering project. I think this is called a schematic. Help me." "Couldn't I just sell you a phone? It'd be much easier." "I don't mind-I'll work hard." "I wasn't talking about you." Or something like that. I'll keep you guys posted. BTW, I am working on a Junior Model, so stuffing an extra board in there is not an option. Besides, how will I save space to nail a Cuttle Cart dedicated CD player on top when I'm done with this? I'll write some type of "Help Me, Too" file when I finish this. First, I'll give mod #2 a shot, likely tonight. The third looks so daunting I'd rather exhaust all options first. Hopefull,

My vote would be for a mod on the 2600 Clock cart on Hozer to turn it into an Atari 2600 Alarm Clock. I lack the skills to code one, but would be the first in line to buy several. I'd just settle to get my 2600 working again. The mod on the "How To" section provides less than optimal results. Check re: She's Dead Jim on this board to help me out! Thanks,

You know I've considered the TV repair option, but I'm really having fun working (read wrecking) on the mod myself. That may change if I can't get any progress within the next few days, however. So I'll be stopping by Radio Shack again tonight, and would appreciate a list of what I'll need. -pause to take phone call- I just got a new job! WOOHOO! I've been working on this for weeks; WOO HOO! Ahem. *cough* Notwithstanding that I will most likely drink myself into a coma tonight (why do we tend towards destruction in moments of triumph? Entropy?), I'll get the parts and maybe give the Heckerdorn hack a shot soon...The big question, John, et. all, is will this one have a better shot of working? Do I need to add any parts in addition to those on his site? Also, I am devoid of any electronicspeak capacity, so please clarify the following. All apologies for requesting to be walked through so slowly, and all appreciation in advance: -----cut from John's mssg----- 1. Do the chroma luma mod in the FAQ. If you only want composite, use just one transistor for everything. -where do I place said transistor? Both Heckerdorn's faq and the Atari Age one don't list one in the parts list. 2. First put your circuit into a protoboard (a plug-in board that Radio Shack sells) -how? what parts to attach here? should Radio Shack guys be able to guide me through this? What size to fit it back in to the 2600 casing? and verify before you solder components together (still gotta solder wires) -again, how? 3. Start with just VCC,GND,SYNC, and one LUM line. This should give you a picture, then add the other LUM's, chroma, and sound -this is off the Heckerdorn hack, yes? I'm assuming you'd suggest I move slowly and test the signal as I go, using Heckerdorn's hack. The transistor suggestion just threw me, as well as the breadboard idea (though I know what a breadboard is, I'm not sure what to do with it). Thanks again, man this is fun!

Hey all - First off, it is very reassuring to get so much feedback as I blunder my way through this. Thank you. The 2600 community is far more cooperative and supportive than, say, the Jaguar group. Its a sad thing to see message boards like JI (JI) turn from a community to the standard shouting match. Many publishers/developers don't get the respect and support they deserve there. But I digress... I thought at first that the sync problem (if that is indeed whats wrong) was caused by my having a new TV that refreshed at a higher rate than the 2600 was spitting out. Several of your posts indicate that I may have to boost the signal strength, so I'm going to err on the side of optimism and blame that. I'll be going to Radio Shack again after work to get the required pots for the Heckerdorn hack (B. Heckerdorn, save me now!. Thanks for the link, RangerG. I hoped to get this done earlier today, but bought the wrong pots. It is amazing what you can forget on a short subway ride into the city... The main question I have now is whether or not this hack works with any digree of success. How much success has anyone had with this one? Does it end up boosting the signal, or do I need to eventually do the other hack for that, given that I have no VCR? The 2600 truly is a tank, BTW. I have had much fun failing at this over and over again, thanks to such a resilient construction, I can only assume. Once I finally get this to work, I'll help anyone else along that needs it.

I just redid the soldering. Cleaned up the contacts, respliced the wires. Same result I tried through a different TV, no help. Will give it a shot with a third TV soon. I am using a new 27" RCA with A/V inputs in the back, BTW. I checked the inputs with a Jaguar earlier and they work fine. Could I have melted something beyond repair and not know it? The resistors have taken a little heat, but not so much that I have melted through...The main symptom, I think, has something to do with the rolling screen, and the brevity of its display. If someone would give a hypothesis as to what / where this fault may lie, it would help greatly. The signal I do get is great, but it doesn't last. I have purchased some new 22 Ohm resistors and a few pots, and will now try Heckerdorn's variation on the hack...wish me luck, I'd settle for blind luck if I can get it.

RangerG - Hey, thanks man! I've learned a lot about the process of soldering / desoldering in the past few hours, but my failure to get a constant video is disheartening. When I get this puppy up and running, I'll provide you with any tech help required! I'll keep you posted. Hopefull...

Hi - I was bound to happen. I took a stab at the 2600 Composite Video Mod, using the instructions from the "How To" section on this site. *ahem* This is my first soldering project. *ahem* Ever. Below gets a bit garbled, I'd say techy but I'm not quite sure I know what I'm talking about... PROBLEM: Upon completion of the mod, I can get a slowly _rolling_ video signal, but only for a split second when I flip the TV into Alt. Input Mode. Then it cuts to "Unusable Signal," no video, and stays that way indefinitely. I am quite proud that anything works, but obviously I am a little short of a working system. This is my only 2600 and I have just purchased a Cuttle Cart. Below is a little drawn out and long, but I am trying to be as meticulous as possible. Please help! On my system, in the R41 (Chroma) location, the bands are actually colored: Gold, Red, Orange, Orange (bottom to top) on my system, but the piece itself (a transistor (?) is in the right place on the circuitboard. The "Gold/Red/Grey/Blue" transistor from the "How To" guide is actually located adjacent to C19, on the right-hand side of TP5. -question- is it the color, or the location of the piece that determines which one to solder the jumper to from TP5? I'm pretty sure it is the latter, but am trying to find anything to troubleshoot on... My soldering job is not so great, so TP5 has a big blob over it. -question- How precise need one be? There is no solder from TP5 that touches any other wires; though it does bleed over to touch the adjacent transistor (R42). -question- Does R41 have a line on the circuit board that connects it to the transistor directly below it? I dropped too much solder there, and can't remember if it was the case before. Clearing away the excess solder, it does look like there is a pre-formed line downward, but I'm unsure... -question- does the quality of the jumper cable play a huge role in signal quality? I literally used a piece of wire I found around the house. -final question- What is causing the video roll, then sudden cut of video signal?! The only way I can get the signal to return is to flip from TV "AUX" mode to "regular" then back again. This only returns the signal for a split second, then it dies again. PLEASE help! I'm going to Radio Shack as soon as I get several responses from you guys. A desolderer is already on my list... thanks so much in advance, if I can get this to work it would make the weekend!

While in Australia I managed to find several copies of "CRACKER PET": Crack Pots with the Activision in-game logo removed. The label is actually a pretty cool dragon sticker. End label is standard white block on black face. The quality of the cart looks similar to the scans posted here. I'm assuming it is from somewhere in Asia originally, because I found them with some 2600 clone systems from Taiwan (?maybe?). I'll post scans of these once I get back to Chicago for X-mas...Cool name regardless...

Matthew - I agree completely on the necessity of the Cuttle Cart. Buy this puppy, stat! I recieved mine last week, and have had a ball uncovering new titles and playing many great old ones, all on my TV. How else would most of us have a chance to play the immortal Mangia? Now if only I could get the nerve to solder the composite video leads...my soldering skills are untested, and I'm not sure if I want to risk my Jr. to decipher my talents. How difficult would you guys say this is for a soldering newbie?

Hello, world (first post). Ahem, while I lack the skills to make one, it'd seem like a pretty easy mod on the 2600 Clock program from Hozer: Just Add Beeps... It'd be a neat, admittedly extravagant utility. Starting the day with your 2600 could be a little extreme, though...But man would it be cool. Glad to be on board, BTW.

What is the station frequency again? I missed the first post...I'll be tuning in for sure. Good luck!

Just out of curiosity, could you give some history on the copy? I'd understand if you'd rather keep the value / trade for it private, but how did you get it? Former employee? UK collector? How did you track the person down? Cool site, btw!

Hi - (newbie) My best find was a Vectrex, Web Wars and Star Trek for $35, at a flea market in Chicago four years ago. I kept it together long enough to ask how much "the old TV over there" was, but just about lost it after buying the thing. Then there was the Entex Turtles for .07 in Madison, WI. 2600-wise, I picked up a color-label Ram-It in Richmond for 25 cents. I just got back from Austrialia, where I got two boxed "GENERAL" 2600 clones, which use 5200 joysticks. $2.50 USD. BTW, if anyone could direct me towards a clone resource, it'd be much appreciated. Worst loss: passed on a Miracle keyboard cart for the NES. It didn't have a keyboard, so what's the point