How to Get a Clear Picture?

[rdrunner]

Hey everyone (new to this site. first post. Woo!).

 

Was wondering if I could get some advice on my Atari 800 XE comptuer. The thing still works, but I'm having trouble with the picture. I have it plugged into an old CRT television with an RF modulator that has one of those sliding switches that goes between "tv" and "computer".

 

It doesn't work very well. The screen is all staticy when I first turn the machine on. Sometimes the picture corrects itself, but any small movement will mess it up. I can sometimes fix the picture by lightly tapping the cords with my fingers, but it's not a reliable method.

 

So I'm curious, is there a simple way that I can fix this? Do I need like a new RF switch or perhaps some alternative equipment? What do you guys use and do you experience the same issues that I do?

 

Thanks for all your help!

[kenjennings]

I had always used a color tv and RF connection with my Ataris and this sounds very close to normal operation of an RF connection :-)

 

Actually, it should be a bit better than that.

Are the switch box cable connector and/or the connector on the cable dirty or oxidized due to age?

If wiggling the cord changes quality the cord may have a short.

Is the TV switched to the correct channel?

Is the switch box lead tightly screwed to the VHF input on the TV?

If picture quality changes/improves as the computer warms up there may be a problem with the computer.

[Grevle]

As far as i know the 800xe should have s-video monitor output, or it has Composite Video monitor output, The image quality when using a S-video or composite video cable is mutch better than RF.

 

There are Atari monitor cables for sale on Ebay. Check if you CRT tv has, S-video or composite video jacks, or if your in Europa the tv will have a Scart connection that supports Composite video when using a

simple Scart to composite video adapter.

[+Roydea6]

http://atariage.com/store/index.php?l=product_detail&p=42

http://atariage.com/store/index.php?l=product_detail&p=946

http://atariage.com/store/index.php?l=product_detail&p=945

 

Some Atari to tv fitting for RF and s-video mostly composite

 

For real good video a 5pin DIN connector out from the XE to monitor Y/C OR rca plugs to chroma and luma.

[rdrunner]

Thanks for all the info.

 

To answer some of the questions, the box appears to be clean, without any oxidization (though maybe I just don't know what it looked like originally). I checked all the connections for tightness. TV is on the correct channel.

 

I don't think the picture gets better the longer it's on. It fluctuates from good to bad throughout its usage.

 

That's cool about the composite and s-video possibilities. Does this literally mean that you can use an HDTV as a monitor? I don't have composite on the CRT, but I have an old HDTV that I could hook up.

[bbking67]

Personally I ditched the old tv-computer box. I use a radio shack rca-to-coax adapter and a piece of quad shield coax goesdirectly into the tv set. This is as good as its going to get for rf...

 

Its funny because prior to getting the radio shack adapter I was using a tv computer box and a 75 to 300 ohm adapter. Makes no sense to convert away from the impedance needed then back again, but that's what I did.

[+orpheuswaking]

Where are you located?

[MEtalGuy66]

Yeah just buy an Svideo cable for it from one of the vintage gear vendors.. It'll be a 1000% improvement.

 

Then later down the road, if you wanna be a perfectionist, you can perform one of the video tuning mods to it.. But for most people's tastes, the XE has excellent output over Svideo, left completely stock.

[rdrunner]

Where are you located?

 

Fort Worth, TX

[Bryan]

If the quality of the RF signal isn't stable, then you have a bad/weak connection. Those switchboxes are notorious for bad contacts which is why a simple RCA-to-F connector is much superior.

[+orpheuswaking]

Where are you located?

 

If you are running a 800XE that is a PAL machine... Are you using a PAL capable TV/Monitor?

[rdrunner]

If you are running a 800XE that is a PAL machine... Are you using a PAL capable TV/Monitor?

 

Hmm I don't think it's a PAL machine. My aunt bought this computer at a retail store back in the '80s. Perhaps I'm using the name wrong, but I remember the box having "XE" on it. It's one of those machines that has Missile Command built in. Maybe just leave the "800" part out?

[+Roydea6]

LOL

[pixelmischief]

It's an XE. Trust me. Use a video cable that taps the XE's native S-Video output. Below is a link to a beauty. They even split the audio so you get "poor man's stereo" as dual-mono.

 

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?ff3=4&pub=5574883395&toolid=10001&campid=5336500554&customid=&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2FAtari-800-65XE-130XE-Deluxe-Color-S-Video-2-Channel-Audio-8-ft-Cable-Tested-%2F330990731480%3Fpt%3DUS_Vintage_Computing_Parts_Accessories%26hash%3Ditem4d1095c0d8

[+orpheuswaking]

If it has missile command built in it is a XEGS and doesnt have a monitor port so that cable wont work.

[oracle_jedi]

If it has missile command built in it is a XEGS and doesnt have a monitor port so that cable wont work.

 

Doesn't the XEGS have composite video/audio out as a pair of RCA jacks?

[BillC]

Doesn't the XEGS have composite video/audio out as a pair of RCA jacks?

The XEGS does have Composite Video out via an RCA jack, but no DIN5F monitor jack found on most of the 8-bit line so the cable pixelmischief linked won't work with it.

[BillC]

It's an XE. Trust me. Use a video cable that taps the XE's native S-Video output. Below is a link to a beauty. They even split the audio so you get "poor man's stereo" as dual-mono.

 

http://rover.ebay.co...=item4d1095c0d8

The XEGS may be an XE but it doesn't have the DIN5F monitor port found on the 65XE/130XE/800XE, it does have composite video out on an RCA jack.

 

Another good source for a DIN5 composite/s-video/dual-audio cable is 8-bit classics, their price is only $11.99 and there is no box in the middle of the cable.

http://www.8bitclassics.com/av-cables/Atari-800-XL-XE-5-Pin-DIN-S-Video-Cable.html

[+orpheuswaking]

Doesn't the XEGS have composite video/audio out as a pair of RCA jacks?

 

Yup all he needs are a pair of regular RCA cables and he will have composite out and audio

[rdrunner]

Just to clarify, here are some pics of exactly what I have to work with. Thanks for all of the tips everyone. Much appreciated!

 

[Fletch]

Plug regular RCA cables into the the monitor and audio ports. Plug in the composite and audio cables into the tv. Turn your tv to video in. Turn on the XE. Play Missile Command.

[toad]

I have a 14" flat screen Viore LCD TV that I bought from a liquidator for $70.

I have an Atari 800XL, so I went from that Atari's din5 connector to the composite input on the TV.

 

The picture is just wonderful - stable and clear. This TV has a lot of hookups - hdmi, vga, composite, component, coaxial.

 

I see a lot of ads on ebay where the seller says - "I had no way to test". They think that, but really?? I haven't owned any TV in 10 years that didn't have composite input - and an array of other inputs as well. Since every VCR, DVD player & many game systems I've owned came with RCA cables - I've got about a dozen of them in my garage now. I can't imagine anyone not being able to locate a regular RCA cable and a TV of some kind, but I digress.

 

The atari is part of the equation - the tv you are using the other. If you have an old TV, it's not going to work great. Get a flat screen scrooge. (joke).

But seriously - flat screen with composite is your best bet. Forget that RF connection.

[toad]

p.s. flat screen tv's will not work with Atari's light gun, and you mentioned you had an XE GS - which would have originally come with a light gun.

 

Light guns are dependent upon CRT tech....drat, and I thought I had some good advice - well, I am still a fan of the lcd tv, and I personally am willing to give up the light gun.