Paul Green

So I got an Atari 2600 Vader pal off eBay and swapped the Tia and it came back to life. I was about ready to put it back together when I thought I should try another game cart (I had been using Pele's soccer this point) and found that not other games will work I desoldered and re-tensed the springs in the cart slot but this did nothing. My working assumption is that peles soccer doesn't use either a pin on the cart or some other function that every other game does. Anyone got any ideas here? Thanks

I was thinking the same. I don't currently have access to a scope however but the thinking cap is on! Thanks for the reply

Hi, I have a little experience in repairing 2600s but this one is proving beyond me The problem is on the main PCB, the switch board is fine (I have tried with a spare). All 3 main chips (Tia, riot, and the CPU) are good as I have tried on a spare 2600 I noticed that I got an exceptionally faint picture from the RF modulator. So after one circuit tracing I thought the 4050 could be the issue. I replaced the 4050 with a socket an a cheap copy from China and I get a picture in pal but I'll has vsync problems from mild (1 scroll a second) to bad (about 10 scrolls a second) depending on the game. I am using video output via a standard video amp board which is again proven good. All the colours and brightness are fine. I thought this might be the Chinese 4050, but when I replaced with a TI chip which again works (tried on a spare) I get no picture at all. I have traced all the Tia video output, and every pin is connected and I can trace the vsync signals from Tia to 4050 thorough the resistor network and out. I believe this console was either over or reverse volted at some point In it's life. The only thing I can think of is that the oscillator circuit has drifted out of specifications which is making the vsync off. Can anyone make any suggestions or fixed similar?