Can't get my 2600 going, please help.

[DemonoidTentacle]

Hey guys,

 

So I recently got a 2600 after a bit of searching. My only problem is that I can't get the damn thing to tune in. I hope I am simply doing something wrong.

 

Firstly, I have tried it with a RF cable running directly to the TV, and tuning it in.

 

I have tried it running the RF cable directly to a VCR, and tuning it in.

 

And I have tried it running the RF cable through a SEGA MK-3092 RF adaptor, and tuning it in. But since the Atari runs a different cable to the Master System, I have had to run it through the "Antenna" inlet, instead of the "Computer" inlet.

 

None of these have worked for me.

 

It's a PAL woody 6-switch, and I'm trying to run it on older PAL TV's, if that helps.

 

I'm not getting any image or sound.

 

Should I be using a different RF adaptor?

 

I'm also asuming the console actually works. I got it off a mate who hasn't used it in 20 odd years. I replaced the power adaptor because it was generating some serious heat, so it has a new power adaptor.

[disjaukifa]

Hey guys,

 

So I recently got a 2600 after a bit of searching. My only problem is that I can't get the damn thing to tune in. I hope I am simply doing something wrong.

 

Firstly, I have tried it with a RF cable running directly to the TV, and tuning it in.

 

I have tried it running the RF cable directly to a VCR, and tuning it in.

 

And I have tried it running the RF cable through a SEGA MK-3092 RF adaptor, and tuning it in. But since the Atari runs a different cable to the Master System, I have had to run it through the "Antenna" inlet, instead of the "Computer" inlet.

 

None of these have worked for me.

 

It's a PAL woody 6-switch, and I'm trying to run it on older PAL TV's, if that helps.

 

I'm not getting any image or sound.

 

Should I be using a different RF adaptor?

 

I'm also asuming the console actually works. I got it off a mate who hasn't used it in 20 odd years. I replaced the power adaptor because it was generating some serious heat, so it has a new power adaptor.

 

I only have three suggestions:

 

1st: Is the new power adapter have the correct output in Volts and Milliamps?

2nd: Are you setting your console to the correct channel, I know one of my 2600s can be set between channel's 2 and 3.

3rd: This one is a little more involved and requires a multi-meter, open the unit up and make sure the motherboard is getting power when you turn on the switch. I've fixed a friends Atari 2600 4 switch by just replacing the power button which had gone faulty.

 

Hope this helps

 

-Disjaukifa

[Vaughan]

I just bought a 2600 Vader (PAL) and I'm tuning it into a PAL TV (Old style.)

 

I plugged it into the antenna connection at the back of the TV. Then I used the TV's remote to select the input type. It defaulted in AV1 (which is the first SCART input). It has an AV2 (Second SCART input) and a S (S-Video input) and last but not least, something that wasn't catagorized - that was the anetenna input.

 

Then I switched to channel 3 using the remote.

 

Then I saw a lot of white snow, but at the bottom of the picture you could just about see a straight line.... that tippd me off the Atari was there, but it was badly "out of tune". I then used the "manual tune" on the remote to fine tune it in.

 

Voila! I have an Atari!

 

Sorry if this post was a bit long-winded, but I wanted to let you know every step I had to take. It's a long way of saying "It wasn't quite as easy as just plugging it in".

 

Hope it helps!

[alex_79]

Note that "channel" here refers to the frequency of video and audio carriers defined for the various television systems in the world. While TV sold in US have corrispondence between the channel number on the remote and the channel defined in US TV system (system M), this is not true for TV sold overseas, where usually each "number" on the remote can be programmed to hold any channel (aka frequency). In fact PAL TV needed a channel tuning before using them for the first time. So you must always use manual or automatic tune option to find the right channel on a PAL TV so that you can use a game console through RF. Then you can store the channel in any "number" on the remote.

 

Also note that there are different kind of PAL Atari 2600. Where did you buy your console from? According to the wikipedia page I linked, Australia used system PAL-B for both VHF and UHF frequencies. The PAL 2600s sold in Europe were PAL-I (sold in UK and Ireland, output on channel UHF 36, no channel select switch) or PAL-B (rest of Europe, output on channel VHF 3 or 4 depending on the channel switch position). Channel specs differs between different systems, so for example channel UHF 36 in system I is different than channel UHF 36 in system B or G. To use a console with a different system than your TV you could sometimes adjust the variable inductors on the console mainboard (for example you can make a PAL-I unit work on a PAL-G TV), otherwise an A/V mod is needed.