Enthusiastic Noob Needs Help ENNH

[Dr.Wecki]

Was out garage sailing today. Got a 10$ Vader. The guy told me it was brand new (which was funny, but I figured his kids didn't play it 30 years ago). Anyways, sad story short, when I got the RCA to Cable adapter from radio shack I saw...

 

1) Snow that turns to a black screen when the power is turned on. There is one thin vertical line on the left side of the screen.

 

 

Needless to say I am determined to fix this thing.

 

I popped it open and the only thing that was weird was that the video/audio out plug was corroded (it was definitely a virgin before today too)

[url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/7324874710/"][img=http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7229/7324874710_007ac0de8c.jpg][/url]

 

 

 

I also notice this (the little silver speck on the green) ... (probably my doing)

 

[url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/7324876042/"][img=http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7214/7324876042_8ce901c37f.jpg][/url]

 

 

[url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/7324873552/"][img=http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7082/7324873552_f4bd3d9dc2.jpg][/url]

 

 

OK, so I really want to fix it (I think it would be cool to have my own working Atari), and I think it may be possible for me to do it. Has anyone on here taken on such a repair. I guess I'm just thinking where should I start? Will it likely cost me more than it is worth? I looked at the field manual and it says I need a few special VCS tools that I don't have (shorting controllers and a cartridge).

 

 

Should I just go with these guys? http://www.atari2600...r-PROD5409.html

 

Any advice that you give will be appreciated. I've done a lot of research (today) and what I keep hearing is that I should just toss it and that doesn't sound nice! Remember, I'm a self proclaimed noob, so feel free to point me in the right direction.

 

 

What I didn't mention was that I got a working APF TV Fun (i.e. fake pong) and kicked my wife's ass at the soccer game! Got this for 5 bucks, not a bad day .

Edited June 3, 2012 by Dr.Wecki

[Dr.Wecki]

Don't know where the pictures went... Here's a direct link to my Flickr

 

http://www.flickr.co...N07/7324873552/

 

http://www.flickr.co...N07/7324874710/

 

http://www.flickr.co...N07/7324876042/

[StanJr]

What game were you using to test it?

[Dr.Wecki]

I bought a super breakout and a space invaders to test it with (same result with both). I just bought them from a local game store.

[StanJr]

Ok. Wanted to check as Activision and some other third party games can be tempermental when getting them to work. Wanted to make sure it wasn't a game issue. I'll let the tech experts take it from here.

[Syntaxerror999]

Little light grain sand paper or some rubbing alchohol should clean up the corrision on the contacts. Can you post a pic of the screen?

[Nico]

Have you checked the basic? power supply, slot contacts, if you have a voltmeter you could measure that the chips have the correct voltage, if you have a scope or a frecuencimiter you could check the oscillator circuit and if you don't have one you could use an old shortwave radio... if all that is ok then I guess you have a broken IC.

[Syntaxerror999]

Heres a good source on repair info...

 

http://www.atariguide.com/pdfs/Atari_2600_VCS_Domestic_Field_Service_Manual.pdf

 

For some reason the schematics for ver 16 of the board (vader) is a dupelicate of ver 14/15...you shouldnt need it, but I can scan it from my print copy if you do.