Just got Atari 2600 on E-Bay....hook-up problems

[JamesMor]

Hello,

 

I am sure that there must be a MILLION posts on this subject, but when I have attempted to do searches I was getting hundreds of subjects that did not seem to match up.

 

Anyway, here is my dilemma, I just picked up a couple of consoles and some Atari games from E-Bay. This is very exciting for me. My problem is that neither console seems to be working with my TV. The gentleman who sold me one of the consoles swears to me that it was working - and he has pretty good feedback, so I am hesitant to doubt him.

 

I had to purchase a 75 to 300 Ohm converter as my TV does not have TV antenna screw mounts. I have tried hooking the machine into the TV with and without my cable connection - no go on 3, 2, 0 or Aux. I know that there is a signal coming out of the power box.

 

What could my problem be (besides ignorance)?

 

Thank you

James

[Raedon]

first, stock 2600's just output RF, so forget about the AUX/Line in's. Check what the 2600 is switched to.. more then likely channel 3. Then change your tv to channel 3.. if the magic doesn't happen now, it never will. Go get one of these

It's just a RCA to Coax adapter. You can get one at Radio Shack for $1.99. Plug it up to the TV Cable TV input and if that doesn't work nothing will.

[CPUWIZ]

Mild advertising.

[MegaManFan]

It's just a RCA to Coax adapter.  You can get one at Radio Shack for $1.99.  Plug it up to the TV Cable TV input and if that doesn't work nothing will.

 

Ohh, you can?

 

Picture me sitting down to lunch with all of my extended family. My wife, who went out shopping before lunch (so she could buy some gifts I +won't+ see) has just hit Radio Shack. I asked her to pick up an RCA to Coax converter if they had one, or if not, an RF switchbox (Game to TV) because I forgot to bring one home from Omaha. When the phone rings, I answer it, and she says, "Honey they have NO idea what it is you want." I asked if she explained what it was for, and she said yes. Then the clerk starts to ask her something, I get put on hold. Across the table my brother-in-law asks what's going on? So I decided to quote an AtariAger: "Radio Shack - you've got questions, we've got blank looks." He cracked up and so did everybody else.

 

And the bottom line is, since they either didn't have a clue, didn't have one -- or BOTH, she ended up getting me one when she drove back to Omaha for her job Saturday morning (and that's a LONGER story).

[AtariDude]

I suggest you begin here:

 

http://www.atariage.com/howto/connect.html

 

The information that you need should be there. Best of luck

[Grimsta]

yeah radio shack didnt have a clue when I called them either.

 

Coaxial (F-type) to Female RCA Adapter

Radio Shack part #278-276

 

that is the exact name of it according to this site here....I ended up having to tell them the part number and then they found it....so I suggest that you just go in there and tell them you need the "Radio shack part #278-276" and you will be on your way...its only like $3 also...you will be playin before you know it

[JamesMor]

Hello,

 

The switch box that was sent to me must have been fried....I purchased a new one (that does not require the antenna hook-ups) and everything is now working fine!

 

Now, if only I can get Donkey Kong...

 

Thanks again for your help

James

[Raedon]

2600 DK scares me.

[BeerGnome]

congrats james!

I have noticed however that the new RF boxes can be iffy sometimes,

namely if your are running it in line with cable TV it can sometimes fuzz out channels , and generally mess with reception.

it would appear that modern boobtubin technology has usurped the uselfness of such items.

the best adaptor is the barrel type, only one slight problem.. thats all it adapts and its either the RF device (atari) or nothing.

but the Barrel thigamajig does provide the best picture quality besides Modding your unit to feed composite video and audio.

I'm sure a lot of folks here on this forum have a seperate TV they use for nothing besides gaming. and if you want to dive into vintage console collecting perhaps its an option you want to perhaps consider.

 

for personal refrence, I use my computers monitor for playing all my games and everything is right here around me. I Have a Video capture/TV tuner card that allows the input of composite and RF signals, namely the ATI all in wonder card. all the RF devices are run to the Cable in. and I use the sega auto RF box to the RF in from that I atached a cable splitter with a short piece of Cable TV cable. I used to work for the cable company and have all this crap laying around. any one need a 4" long RG6 cable jumper?

now from the splitter I attached the male RF to female co-ax connectors and hooked up the Consoles to that.

now, everything is set to channel three, I turn on the TV tuner in the computer and viola Atari on the computer monitor, or genises, or coloeco, or intelevision, yadda yadda.

just one thing to consider however is making sure your video capture is set to both fields or you might loose sprites when playing atari. something about the Flicker in atari used to display lots and lots of sprites at once.

 

the great thing about this setup is the ease of hooking up the Super charger to the audio out of the computer for the Playbin program

 

well.. just a suggestion, good luck and welcome to AA. and dont forget to hook up the atari at your next party to the main TV. it WILL be a hit