Disaster! My Cable on my Atari 2600 Split!

[classicgamingguy]

Hi, All:

 

Okay, here's my dilemma: I went to play my Atari 2600 yesterday evening, and I found the cable that connects to my TV SPLIT IN TWO!!! My question to all the gurus out there is: Can the cable be spliced back together? The cable is attached to the Atari 2600 and cannot be removed. Is this a simple fix and has anyone else experience this? Not sure if a mouse got it or it was weak in that area to begin with and just decided to fall apart..

 

ANY help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

-Steve

[+GroovyBee]

You should just be able to buy a replacement RF connector that goes on the end of the cable which is still connected to the 2600. It might mean the cable is really short though .

[Pitfall Harry]

Hi, All:

 

Okay, here's my dilemma: I went to play my Atari 2600 yesterday evening, and I found the cable that connects to my TV SPLIT IN TWO!!! My question to all the gurus out there is: Can the cable be spliced back together? The cable is attached to the Atari 2600 and cannot be removed. Is this a simple fix and has anyone else experience this? Not sure if a mouse got it or it was weak in that area to begin with and just decided to fall apart..

 

ANY help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

-Steve

 

It's not as bad as you think. The video cable for your Atari 2600 is actually very easy to remove once you open up the game console's plastic case. After removing the screws and opening it up, you will find that the video cable isn't even soldered to the main circuit board. Both ends of the video cable (the external end that connects to your TV and the internal end that plugs into the Atari's main circuit board) are exactly the same. That is, the video cable has a male RCA connector at both ends. It is very easy to remove the entire cable and replace it with a new one. If you have another dead Atari lying around, you can scavenge the good video cable from that. Or, you can take your split cable and show it to the guys at Radio Shack and they should be able to fix you up with a replacement. No soldering or splicing is required.

[classicgamingguy]

Okay, that sounds like good advice. Is there a temporary fix I can do to the cable? And technically, would splicing work?

 

-Steve

[keilbaca]

You can splice it directly to a coax cable if you like, so you don't need that box anymore.

 

The unfortunate thing is that due to the shielding being stripped, you're going to get interference static.

[+Random Terrain]

Tip: Next time don't try to live out your Pitfall Harry fantasies by swinging from your Atari 2600 cable.

 

[pinball22]

It's really hard to look at that pic... every time Harry gets to the far side of the pit I'm thinking "Jump! Now!".

[Pitfall Harry]

Tip: Next time don't try to live out your Pitfall Harry fantasies by swinging from your Atari 2600 cable.

 

 

Nice little Animation!

[+Random Terrain]

Nice little Animation!

Thanks. I made it back in 2003.

 

A bit of his feet seems to be sticking that didn't used to, so I just fixed it with Easy Gif Animator:

 

[Pitfall Harry]

Nice little Animation!

Thanks. I made it back in 2003.

 

A bit of his feet seems to be sticking that didn't used to, so I just fixed it with Easy Gif Animator:

 

 

 

It reminds me a lot of the gif I have on my web site.

 

Pitfall Harry's Lost Video Game Cavern

[+Random Terrain]

It reminds me a lot of the gif I have on my web site.

Oh yeah, yours is bigger and faster. I spent many hours back in 2003 trying to get the speed as close to the original game as possible. Now I could probably capture actual gameplay and turn it into a similar looking gif without needing to spend all of those hours.

[classicgamingguy]

Tip: Next time don't try to live out your Pitfall Harry fantasies by swinging from your Atari 2600 cable.

 

 

 

I can't say that I did that....maybe my cat decided to play Pitfall Harry one night when I wasn't looking...

[nathanallan]

Steve, while you're at it you may as well upgrade the cable since it's going to be replaced. Use better insulated cable. And if you want to stick to original parts I have one you can trade me something small for if you need it.

[classicgamingguy]

Sounds like a good idea. What did you have in mind for a trade? Anything in particular you're looking for?