Is this 2600 damaged?

[zonaps2]

Hi,

I get this CX 2600A from a flea market.

 

It cost just $5 and came with all that is seen in the picture. I'm from Uruguay and here is very rare to find one of this in working condition. So I tested at home on an old TV and what shows is something like this (made on photoshop):

 

I connect it with the old RF adaptor that came with it, then I replaced the RCA cable by one from a playstation that I had.

 

I disassemble it and everything seems pretty good to me, just little rust on the modulator and the green layer that cover the board in some places have a bump. (I don't know nothing about electronics).

 

Can I fix it? I am making something wrong with the cables?

Here are some pics of the board, maybe it helps.

I wanna make it works!!

Thanks.

Edited July 13, 2007 by zonaps2

[+Nathan Strum]

It looks like you've got a really old switchbox. That's the first thing I'd replace, with one of these.

Edited July 13, 2007 by Nathan Strum

[zonaps2]

I connect it to an old TV using the switcbox, but then I connect it to a modern TV using a direct cable.

I'm not using the switchbox.

The cable is this:

On one end it is male RCA (I plug into Atari), on the other it is coaxial (I think), It fits into my TV antenna connection.

The cable was part of a playstation antenna adaptor.

Is this cable useless? It looks like a normal RCA cable, but one end has a "built-in" antenna connection that fits my TV.

 

PD:sorry for my english

[nathanallan]

It seems that youhave it hooked up okay, the adapter for sale does exactly what you have done with the cable. I don't think the cable is the problem. Maybe a chip inside. I'm no expert, though.

 

Nathan

[Spirantho]

Did you definitely tune the TV to the right channel? It's probably on VHF channel 2,3 or 4, or UHF channel 36 if it's British somehow!

[alex_79]

The console in your pics is NTSC, while the TV system used in Uruguay is PAL (according to this page). If your TV is not NTSC-compatibile you'll only see a black and white piture even if you manage to tune the right channel.

 

Apart from that, I suggest you to clean all the connectors (cart slot on the console, connector on the carts and all plugs and sockets) with a spray contact cleaner. This simple operation fixed some of the used consoles I purchased.

 

Alessandro

[zonaps2]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I already try to tune channel 3 and 2 but that is the image I get. The TV is NTSC compatible.

I'll try cleaning the contacts. It is a shame if it cannot be fixed.

[Kroko]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I already try to tune channel 3 and 2 but that is the image I get. The TV is NTSC compatible.

I'll try cleaning the contacts. It is a shame if it cannot be fixed.

 

Are you sure that the power supply is working ? Can you notice at least a change of the pattern if you switch the Atari on ?

Some sort of reaction on the TV ?

 

What carts did you try ? All or just one ?

Edited July 13, 2007 by Kroko

[ussexplorer]

Oh and I know you probably already figured this out. that is a RF cable NOT a A/V cable. That does not plug into the Yellow connector on the tv.

 

Another common mod I see if since the Switch boxes suck. Somebody purchased a RF Rca cable and replaced one end with a F-Type RF connector. Works reall well.

 

 

Ex: RCA plug goes inside atari unit. RF screw type plug to Television.

 

 

 

Later,

 

Josh

[zonaps2]

Are you sure that the power supply is working ? Can you notice at least a change of the pattern if you switch the Atari on ?

Some sort of reaction on the TV ?

 

What carts did you try ? All or just one ?

 

Yes, it is working. I can see a change of pattern in the TV when the Atari is on.

I've tried all 4 carts, and also without one.

 

Oh and I know you probably already figured this out. that is a RF cable NOT a A/V cable. That does not plug into the Yellow connector on the tv.

 

Another common mod I see if since the Switch boxes suck. Somebody purchased a RF Rca cable and replaced one end with a F-Type RF connector. Works reall well.

 

Ex: RCA plug goes inside atari unit. RF screw type plug to Television.

 

I know that, I plug it into antenna, not the yellow RCA connector.

 

I don't know what else to do, if it is broken seems like it's something I cannot fix.

[opeygon]

I don't know what else to do, if it is broken seems like it's something I cannot fix.

 

don't give up bro!

 

I don't have time to read the whole post but if you are still using the playstation cable I would replace that first.

 

I am like you in that I know little about electronics (just enough to get by) but some things just do not work together. Atari came much earlier than playstation and you may not be able to share cables between the two.

 

Keep checking this thread all the time. Someone will help you out

[zonaps2]

Thank you Opeygon.

 

Here I'm posting a picture of what I see on the TV when the Atari is on.

 

[opeygon]

I realize shipping may be expensive to your part of the world but you may want to think about getting one of these or something like it

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Atari-2600-New-Power-S...1QQcmdZViewItem

 

or this

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/RF-SWITCH-BOX-ADAPTER-...1QQcmdZViewItem

[alex_79]

Those adapters works in north America where F connector is used for rf, but other countries use different plugs. The coax plug in the picture posted by zonaps2 seems to me the IEC connector which is the standard here in Europe for Pal TV. This was already used in the 70s and in fact almost all Atari consoles sold here (except the very first UK units which came with rca plug and switchbox) already had the right connector at one end and they could be connected without switchbox (which in fact wasn't included). If that cable works with the playstation antenna adaptor, then it's should work and the problem is elsewhere.

[zonaps2]

I give up.

I have cleaned ALL the contacts and everything and it doesn't work.

I'll get one from ebay.

I was wonder if the Vader measures the same as mine (CX2600A), so I can take the mainboard from a Vader and put into the woody one.

Edited July 14, 2007 by zonaps2

[A.J. Franzman]

I give up.

I have cleaned ALL the contacts and everything and it doesn't work.

I'll get one from ebay.

I was wonder if the Vader measures the same as mine (CX2600A), so I can take the mainboard from a Vader and put into the woody one.

Yes, a Vader motherboard will fit in a 4-switch Woody console.

 

My best guess is that either you haven't found the right channel yet, or you need to change a setting in your TV to receive NTSC signals. It is also possible that there is something wrong with the console, but that kind of problem is difficult to diagnose remotely from the symptoms you show. I'm fairly sure you don't want to send it to me for repair, anyway. Good luck!

[dodge em]

I'm fairly sure you don't want to send it to me for repair, anyway. Good luck!

 

Maybe you should take him up on his offer. I'm not sure what shipping would cost but you've got nothing to lose it seems.

[zonaps2]

thanks AJ Franzman, but sending it to you will cost the same as buying another one. I'm too far.

 

I have a doubt about NTSC / PAL.

My TV is "binorma" it means that it has both NTSC and PAL-N systems, and also is automatic, depends the signal received it changes to NTSC or PAL.

But I don't know if it is this way with the antenna, I mean, I have an XBOX 360 NTSC and I can connect it to the TV with no problems, but it is connected by A/V not antenna.

 

So I was wonder how can I plug the NTSC Atari to this TV?

I've searched the forum and found an A/V mod (ben heck's looks the easiest), so if I mod it will it work right on my TV?

 

Thanks!

[Tom_Explodes]

Can you take a better picture of the cables, and one of the back of your TV?

[zonaps2]

Sorry for the blurry pictures, my camera doesn't have macro mode.

 

TV set is "binorma" (NTSC and PAL), I know that A/V inputs accept NTSC 'cause I can connect my NTSC XBOX, but I don´t know if antenna accepts NTSC signal, my country is PAL.

 

Here is a pic from my TV:

 

 

and here a pic from a used but in good condition RF adaptor that I get:

 

 

When I turn on the Atari noise pattern changes to "black noise" with horizontal lines.

I was wonder if something is broken maybe modding it with the composite video (ben heck) I can fix it and be able to connect to video input on my TV, just like the Xbox.

 

Thanks again

 

PD: Someone at this forum says that my atari is NTSC, how can you notice that? (pictures at 1st post)

[A.J. Franzman]

Sorry for the blurry pictures, my camera doesn't have macro mode.

 

TV set is "binorma" (NTSC and PAL), I know that A/V inputs accept NTSC 'cause I can connect my NTSC XBOX, but I don´t know if antenna accepts NTSC signal, my country is PAL.

 

Here is a pic from my TV:

 

 

and here a pic from a used but in good condition RF adaptor that I get:

 

Thank you for the pictures. It looks like you have the correct items there for that console to connect to your television.

 

 

When I turn on the Atari noise pattern changes to "black noise" with horizontal lines.

I was wonder if something is broken maybe modding it with the composite video (ben heck) I can fix it and be able to connect to video input on my TV, just like the Xbox.

 

Thanks again

 

PD: Someone at this forum says that my atari is NTSC, how can you notice that? (pictures at 1st post)

Have you tried selecting different channels on the TV, and does only one channel receive the "black noise"?

 

From the first post above, that does look like an NTSC board to me -- but it's a rare early revision that I haven't seen before. The few PAL boards I've seen have had a second quartz crystal and some additional circuitry. However, I know that some regions in South America use unusual variations of the PAL standard (called "PAL-M" or "PAL-60" in Brazil, and "PAL-N" in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay according to my information) and I am not sure if these variations also need the second crystal. Can you tell us the frequency that is marked on the crystal on that motherboard? The crystal is circled in red in this detail of one of the earlier images:

 

Based on what you have told us so far, I agree that either the console is not working correctly, or your TV does not tune the NTSC signal from the antenna.

[mimo]

Are you sure that your TV can accept NTSC RF signal?

My Sony CRT can only use NTSC signal via AV composite or S-video, so I have to mod all my NTSC atari stuff (usually using the AV mod board from 8bitdomain.com

[zonaps2]

Thanks for the responses.

 

A.J. the crystal that you show says this:

 

C016010

NDK 13.

 

Have you tried selecting different channels on the TV, and does only one channel receive the "black noise"?

 

Yes, I've tried different channels, the "black noise" is only on channel 3 and only when atari is on,

but if I change the channel on Atari to ch 2 the noise appears on TV channel 2.

Looks like TV is receiving some kind of signal.

 

Are you sure that your TV can accept NTSC RF signal?

My Sony CRT can only use NTSC signal via AV composite or S-video,

so I have to mod all my NTSC atari stuff (usually using the AV mod board from 8bitdomain.com

 

That's what I don't know!! ,

I bought today some resistors and a board for make the Ben Heck's A/V mod,

because seems that there is no more I can do.

 

I've noticed that it has some kind of repair on capacitor 224:

 

 

the black thing has written in it:

 

CD

CK60AW

202M

 

And, I don't know how somebody in this country have played on it,

If this is an NTSC unit there be some kind of PAL conversion on the board right?

Or It was used on a NTSC TV.

 

Sorry for my ignorance about electronics!

 

Thanks again!!

[A.J. Franzman]

A.J. the crystal that you show says this:

C016010

That's the Atari part number for the crystal. I have a working NTSC motherboard here with the same part number on its crystal, and it also has the frequency "3.579545".

 

This would be in MHz (megahertz), and is the standard frequency of NTSC consoles. If yours does not give the frerquency but has the same part number, I can only assume that it is the same (NTSC) frequency, so it must be an NTSC console. PAL-N which is used in Uruguay requires a different frequency, 3.582056 MHz, and as I said before PAL consoles have two crystals.

 

 

Have you tried selecting different channels on the TV, and does only one channel receive the "black noise"?

Yes, I've tried different channels, the "black noise" is only on channel 3 and only when atari is on,

but if I change the channel on Atari to ch 2 the noise appears on TV channel 2.

Looks like TV is receiving some kind of signal.

I agree, that you have connected the console correctly and your TV is trying to receive the signal.

 

 

Are you sure that your TV can accept NTSC RF signal?

My Sony CRT can only use NTSC signal via AV composite or S-video,

so I have to mod all my NTSC atari stuff (usually using the AV mod board from 8bitdomain.com

 

That's what I don't know!! ,

I bought today some resistors and a board for make the Ben Heck's A/V mod,

because seems that there is no more I can do.

 

I've noticed that it has some kind of repair on capacitor 224:

 

 

the black thing has written in it:

 

CD

CK60AW

202M

It looks as if the capacitor was replaced. This only affects the controller inputs of the right-side port, so it has nothing to do with the main problem.

 

 

And, I don't know how somebody in this country have played on it,

If this is an NTSC unit there be some kind of PAL conversion on the board right?

Or It was used on a NTSC TV.

There does not appear to be any PAL conversion on that board; it is only a normal NTSC console. The only remaining options I can think of are that the console is not working properly, or the TV is not receiving the signal as NTSC. Try to discover if there is some kind of a switch or menu setting that will force the TV to receive in NTSC mode only -- of course, this will be easiest if you have the owner's manual for the TV.

Edited August 4, 2007 by A.J. Franzman

[zonaps2]

Thank you A.J., you explain very clear to me and I appreciate it very much.

 

That's the Atari part number for the crystal. I have a working NTSC motherboard here with the same part number on its crystal, and it also has the frequency "3.579545".

 

This would be in MHz (megahertz), and is the standard frequency of NTSC consoles. If yours does not give the frerquency but has the same part number, I can only assume that it is the same (NTSC) frequency, so it must be an NTSC console. PAL-N which is used in Uruguay requires a different frequency, 3.582056 MHz, and as I said before PAL consoles have two crystals.

 

The crystal only says that, sorry. I trust that you say my Atari is NTSC.

 

The only remaining options I can think of are that the console is not working properly, or the TV is not receiving the signal as NTSC. Try to discover if there is some kind of a switch or menu setting that will force the TV to receive in NTSC mode only -- of course, this will be easiest if you have the owner's manual for the TV.

 

I've tried it already. I've got 6 TV sets in my house, 1 PAL and 5 binorma (NTSC, PAL-N),

one of the TV can be put to NTSC "forced mode" but the same noise appears.

The only "pure" NTSC that I have is an old commodore monitor but it doesn't have an RF input, only A/V inputs.

 

Now I'm going to make the A/V mod, that's my last hope.

I've seen your mod and looks great but a little complicated to me, I don't know nothing about electronics.

I think I'm going to make the Ben Heck' mod, it looks more easy to me.

 

I thank you again for all your help!

Edited August 4, 2007 by zonaps2