How do you have your 7800 hooked up?

[romeoteknik]

Maybe I'm used to HD and certainly XBLA Game Room shows Atari games with perfect pixel displays, but how do you guys have your 7800 hooked up?

I recently got one from Best Electronics since I pre-ordered the expansion module.

I used the Universal Box thing and the picture is fuzzy as heck.

So next thing I did was buy the gold coaxial connector from Radio Shack and some gold phono cables from monoprice and the picture still remains fuzzy.

 

The next step I guess is to AV mod the 7800 which is making this one expensive retro system if I add the system + module and now a mod.

I have a Japanese AV Famicom on my LCD TV and it looks good, so I'm hoping modding will do the same for the 7800.

 

Does anyone have a crystal clear picture and if so, how did you do it?

The only 2 ways I know are XBOX Game Room or playing on the PC.

 

I guess it bothers me because I will not be able to enjoy the new expansion module games that come out.

Boy, when we were kids, I dont know how this was not noticed.

[Lord Helmet]

 

The only 2 ways I know are XBOX Game Room or playing on the PC.

 

I guess it bothers me because I will not be able to enjoy the new expansion module games that come out.

Boy, when we were kids, I dont know how this was not noticed.

 

I use emulation via the Wii for almost all of my classic gaming any more. Crystal clear picture and countless games without having to deal with cartridges, wires, etc. However, you've mentioned the only real drawback. I doubt the expansion model will be compatible with the Wii

[OldAtarian]

Mine is hooked up through the *gasp* 5200 switchbox.

[Koopa64]

Atari 7800 > Composite video cable > RCA to Coax converter > RF switch from another system > TV

 

I gotta be honest here, the video is pretty blurry. Maybe I should try to use a thicker RCA cable.

[Hatta]

Don't use composite cable, use coax. The RF cables that came with Atari systems were all coax. Plug an RCA to F-connector adapter into the jack on the back of the 7800. Plug standard coax into that. Plug the other end of the coax directly into the TV. You may see a small amount of ghosting from interference, but otherwise it's a very good image.

[Koopa64]

OR, I could use a good old Nintendo RF switch. I always get great reception on the ones I have. That's really what is meant to be used on devices with RCA RF. If the device has an F (screw on) style coaxial cable, great.

[ApolloBoy]

OR, I could use a good old Nintendo RF switch. I always get great reception on the ones I have.

The 7800 and many other older systems don't work very well with automatic switchboxes.

[Koopa64]

... Hmm, well I haven't actually tried using a Nintendo RF switch yet. What exactly happens if you use one? The picture doesn't come up?

[Rex Dart]

I've got two 7800s and a 46" LCD TV. When I used their standard RF signal, I'd hook them up with some nice RG-6 coax cable and they looked pretty nice, very little interference. Modded both for composite video and they're about as sharp as playing the same games emulated on my Wii and its component connection. One has snow on the upper third of the screen for some reason, but that's a fault of the specific console or my soldering.

[Rex Dart]

... Hmm, well I haven't actually tried using a Nintendo RF switch yet. What exactly happens if you use one? The picture doesn't come up?

 

That's the word. Apparently systems that were designed for these switchboxes output some extra voltage along with the video signal to "throw" the switch; systems like the 7800 designed for direct connections don't give this extra voltage and won't "switch" the switchbox.

[jimhmphry]

a a/v famicom or a a/v modded famicom because my a/v famicom looks great but my modded famicom will roll sometimes on my tv maybe try a old vcr to help boost the signal on the 7800 it has worked for some of my old sys.

[urborg]

My 7800 is connected to a 29" CRT TV. Picture is quite good. Less sharp then from my Atari 130XE, but still good. I don't use original Atari cable that comes with a console unit though, as it catches jam from the outside like an antenna. I just bought a good coaxial cable (4 meters), plugs and make a cable on my own. Picture is much better, not crystal clear, but I'm satisfied.

[Underball]

A/V mod it.

[Atarifever]

I don't understand the question. Mine is hooked to a 13 inch personal TV from around 1997. I have one of those gold connector things hooked to the end of the standard cable. It looks fantastic!

 

Of course, I currently have my Xbox 360 hooked up via composite cables to a 13 inch SD "Diamond Vision" TV from Hart. One of the cables isn't even plugged in because the TV only had the two inputs. It looks fantastic!

Edited October 20, 2010 by Atarifever

[Jinks]

I go as mentioned in a previous topic, 7800 to vcr with a heavy rca cable to coax adapter to connect to the vcr, then component cables from the vcr to the 7.1 surround bass cranked!and the same from there to the tv 50" samsung plasma which stopped trying to burn everything in after the second year of use. It gives great sound and picture, clear and never seen ghosting or anything. I think the key is your connection from the back of your 7800 to your first device has to be very short I use a 3' cable, and good quality cable and use no switch box. Hello they sell the adapters on this site!!,

I have never used a emulator and do not own a cuttle cart(have to wait for the h2)

I can not imagine not using a real 7800 or Atari for playing atari games when I got 5 ataris 30-40 different joysticks 30-40 7800 games and 130 or so 2600 games, BTW I really like to trip on joystick wires and sit directly in front of the tv due to the short atari joystick wires, its just like the 80's.

[Mayhem]

My NTSC 7800 is S-video modded, I'd like the same on my PAL 7800 actually...

[OldAtarian]

... Hmm, well I haven't actually tried using a Nintendo RF switch yet. What exactly happens if you use one? The picture doesn't come up?

 

That's the word. Apparently systems that were designed for these switchboxes output some extra voltage along with the video signal to "throw" the switch; systems like the 7800 designed for direct connections don't give this extra voltage and won't "switch" the switchbox.

 

Is the 5200 switchbox automatic? I have my 7800 plugged into the coax connector of that and it works fine.

[Deteacher]

A/V mod it.

 

+1 for the best suggestion for crystal clear picture. Get a mod kit for S-Video and/or composite.

[Jinks]

A/V mod it.

 

+1 for the best suggestion for crystal clear picture. Get a mod kit for S-Video and/or composite.

IMO

I would not touch the thing, as sometimes is proven to make the 7800 a doorstop and takes up time to do, also from what I have read, there is brightness issues etc. everyone has problems and and no two 7800s are exactly the same and no 2 mods are the same with mixed results depending on the tv type used.

My switchbox is my surround sound system, I can turn it from atari to blueray and so on.

Take your old switchboxes and ditch them!!

[OldAtarian]

A/V mod it.

 

+1 for the best suggestion for crystal clear picture. Get a mod kit for S-Video and/or composite.

IMO

I would not touch the thing, as sometimes is proven to make the 7800 a doorstop and takes up time to do, also from what I have read, there is brightness issues etc. everyone has problems and and no two 7800s are exactly the same and no 2 mods are the same with mixed results depending on the tv type used.

My switchbox is my surround sound system, I can turn it from atari to blueray and so on.

Take your old switchboxes and ditch them!!

 

Just plug your 7800 into an old VCR and use the VCR outputs to change to composite.

[Koopa64]

Is the 5200 switchbox automatic? I have my 7800 plugged into the coax connector of that and it works fine.

 

I don't think that really matters; it's only if the 7800 is attached directly to an automatic RF switch as it's video connection. My 7800 has to go through two Nintendo RF switches and it makes it to the TV just fine.

 

Speaking of which, I found a really thick RCA cable (had nice black plugs too!) and used that instead of the thin little piece of garbage I was using before. The difference in picture quality was night and day! No longer a blurry image, it looks about as clear as my NES or Super Nintendo now! Hell, the brightness in Seaquest was dramatically improved after doing that. I think now I love my Atari more now than I did before! Especially since I have some awesome games coming in for it.

[Underball]

A/V mod it.

 

+1 for the best suggestion for crystal clear picture. Get a mod kit for S-Video and/or composite.

IMO

I would not touch the thing, as sometimes is proven to make the 7800 a doorstop and takes up time to do, also from what I have read, there is brightness issues etc. everyone has problems and and no two 7800s are exactly the same and no 2 mods are the same with mixed results depending on the tv type used.

My switchbox is my surround sound system, I can turn it from atari to blueray and so on.

Take your old switchboxes and ditch them!!

This is just silly. Out of the dozens of people on the 7800 forum, I've run into maybe 2 or 3 people who couldn't get the easier composite mod working, mostly out of their own lack of knowledge of electronics, or just not paying attention.

 

I've modded half a dozen 7800's, without a hitch.

 

saying "everyone" has problems is just plain not true.

[Rex Dart]

IMO

I would not touch the thing, as sometimes is proven to make the 7800 a doorstop and takes up time to do, also from what I have read, there is brightness issues etc. everyone has problems and and no two 7800s are exactly the same and no 2 mods are the same with mixed results depending on the tv type used.

My switchbox is my surround sound system, I can turn it from atari to blueray and so on.

Take your old switchboxes and ditch them!!

 

Okay, I had to address this.

 

No, 'touching the thing' will not necessarily kill your 7800.

Takes up time? Everything does. If you're playing an atari and posting about it online, you have time.

Brightness issues, if you have them, can be fixed easily and are a matter of taste anyways.

Not everybody has problems.

Many 7800s ARE exactly the same. Also, many mods are the same.

Mixed results from mixed TVs are to be expected to some degree.

 

And I've never seen a surround sound received with RF inputs, though I'm sure yours is pretty rad.

[Underball]

IMO

I would not touch the thing, as sometimes is proven to make the 7800 a doorstop and takes up time to do, also from what I have read, there is brightness issues etc. everyone has problems and and no two 7800s are exactly the same and no 2 mods are the same with mixed results depending on the tv type used.

My switchbox is my surround sound system, I can turn it from atari to blueray and so on.

Take your old switchboxes and ditch them!!

 

Okay, I had to address this.

 

No, 'touching the thing' will not necessarily kill your 7800.

Takes up time? Everything does. If you're playing an atari and posting about it online, you have time.

Brightness issues, if you have them, can be fixed easily and are a matter of taste anyways.

Not everybody has problems.

Many 7800s ARE exactly the same. Also, many mods are the same.

Mixed results from mixed TVs are to be expected to some degree.

And I've never seen a surround sound received with RF inputs, though I'm sure yours is pretty rad.

 

Gotta be one of those "home theater in a box" jobs that comes with speakers, a dvd player, VHS deck, etc.

 

at any rate, the soldering, assembly of the easier video mod takes all of 15 minutes. it's as easy as tying your shoes.

 

and nothing will give you a clearer picture than an a/v or s-video mod. Not a VCR or a home theater receiver/32x-segaCD in a box.

[WERY]

Maybe I'm used to HD and certainly XBLA Game Room shows Atari games with perfect pixel displays, but how do you guys have your 7800 hooked up?

I recently got one from Best Electronics since I pre-ordered the expansion module.

I used the Universal Box thing and the picture is fuzzy as heck.

So next thing I did was buy the gold coaxial connector from Radio Shack and some gold phono cables from monoprice and the picture still remains fuzzy.

 

The next step I guess is to AV mod the 7800 which is making this one expensive retro system if I add the system + module and now a mod.

I have a Japanese AV Famicom on my LCD TV and it looks good, so I'm hoping modding will do the same for the 7800.

 

Does anyone have a crystal clear picture and if so, how did you do it?

The only 2 ways I know are XBOX Game Room or playing on the PC.

 

I guess it bothers me because I will not be able to enjoy the new expansion module games that come out.

Boy, when we were kids, I dont know how this was not noticed.

 

You can do like this:

http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/161176-video-mod-for-7800-ntsc-version-only/page__p__1984415__hl__Videomod%207800__fromsearch__1#entry1984415

 

There is no need to know swedish, you just look at the schematics of the amplifier and do like in the pictures and it will work great on both CRT and LCD and other new televisionsets.