Atari 5200 problems...

[valthonis]

Well any thoughts of custom controllers at this point needs to wait. I picked up my two port 5200 and pair of controllers for cheap ($20). Got it home and the sound didn't work and couldn't get either controller to function in port 1 or port 2.

 

Quick google search turned up that both of these can be frequent problems, so I ordered new sound caps and an AV mod kit.

 

Started with the new sound caps, got them from www.console5.com.

 

Installed without much effort, hooked it up via RF and still no sound.

So, determined to make something work I moved on with the AV mod. Not long and I had working composite video, no sound still though but that was to be expected.

 

Being new to the 5200 I though perhaps without starting a game perhaps the game (Dig Dug and Qix both start playing if you provide no input) demoing on it's own without input would be silent. (Grasping here I know) I found the 'hokey pokey' thread and TheRealAnubis was kind enough to suggest removing and reinserting the pokey chip. Did so, sadly no change, still no sound.

 

So I moved onto the controllers. Opened both up, both were remarkably clean on the inside, but still cleaned up some of the contacts. No good. Next I stumbled across this site. http://old.pinouts.ru/Inputs/JoystickAtari5200_pinout.shtml Tried shorting a couple of the main options, start, reset, 1, etc. But on both ports 1 and 2 the system had no response.

 

Finally, having ordered a new 4 port BIOS along with the caps from console5 I installed that, didn't expect it to fix anything and it didn't. Continued to do exactly what it has...or has not been doing.

 

So, at this point with what appears to be no sound and two busted controller ports do I just give up and find a replacement console all together?

Thanks for any assistance you guys can provide!

[Charlie_]

I think, being VERY careful, you should short the two pins on the controller port as if START was pressed. Use a small section of wire, (I actually just tested this by breaking about 3 inches off a roll of solder wire) looking into the port, top row, from left to right, touch the 4th and 7th pin at the same time. Most games are generally silent during attract mode, if the game even has one. Once you short the pins for START you should hear something. Dig Dug will play music as soon as the game starts.

[valthonis]

I think, being VERY careful, you should short the two pins on the controller port as if START was pressed. Use a small section of wire, (I actually just tested this by breaking about 3 inches off a roll of solder wire) looking into the port, top row, from left to right, touch the 4th and 7th pin at the same time. Most games are generally silent during attract mode, if the game even has one. Once you short the pins for START you should hear something. Dig Dug will play music as soon as the game starts.

 

Thanks.

 

I missed my thought during my original post and forgot to type it all out.. When I found the pinout site I tried shorting 4th and 7th with a small piece of wire. The pin contacts look shiny and clean considering the age, but neither port 1 or port 2 would do anything with I short 4th and 7th pins. :-/

 

Glad to hear about the silent attract mode, I'll keep my fingers crossed that sound is ok, but until I can figure out the control issues

[bohoki]

if you do the 4-7 connection put a little piece of paper or cardboard to cover up the lower row as there is 5 volts at pin 9 and 12 and the matrix does not want any of that

[valthonis]

if you do the 4-7 connection put a little piece of paper or cardboard to cover up the lower row as there is 5 volts at pin 9 and 12 and the matrix does not want any of that

 

LOL I actually used a small piece of paper when I did that in the previous post. No luck with pins 4 and 7. :-(

[bohoki]

did you try 2 and 5 cause maybe you reversed the order

[valthonis]

did you try 2 and 5 cause maybe you reversed the order

 

I will try that tonight (just got home). If that doesn't work, is there another chip to replacement or check?

[amiman99]

When my 5200 had controller problems it turned out to be bad POKEY chip. I de-soldered one from Ballblazer 7800 cart and it worked fine since then.

POKEY controls both sound and input.

[valthonis]

did you try 2 and 5 cause maybe you reversed the order

 

Tried that too, no luck...

[valthonis]

When my 5200 had controller problems it turned out to be bad POKEY chip. I de-soldered one from Ballblazer 7800 cart and it worked fine since then.

POKEY controls both sound and input.

 

So with testing of the pins a failure, does this likely mean my POKEY chip is bad? If so, is there a place I can order a replacement or do I have to find another console/game to rip it from?

[amiman99]

 

So with testing of the pins a failure, does this likely mean my POKEY chip is bad? If so, is there a place I can order a replacement or do I have to find another console/game to rip it from?

Ebay, AtariAge, or get one from BallBlazer game (like I said in my post). The POKEY chip IS in the Ballblazer's cart, but it's soldered, so you need to be good with the solder sucker.

[Charlie_]

 

So with testing of the pins a failure, does this likely mean my POKEY chip is bad? If so, is there a place I can order a replacement or do I have to find another console/game to rip it from?

You can pull it from another 5200, or early model A8 computer. Best Electronics may have the Pokey in stock, but I'm sure there is a minimum order...

[valthonis]

You can pull it from another 5200, or early model A8 computer. Best Electronics may have the Pokey in stock, but I'm sure there is a minimum order...

 

Thanks. I'm waiting for a response from Best Electronics as there are a few other items I want as well. My 5200 is the only one I've seen locally, so finding one for cheap parts is extremely unlikely at this point.

[TheRealAnubis]

Did you try to use the old eraser trick on the start button? If not, try getting a pencil eraser and gently erase the traces on the mylar contact sheet, then get some isopropyl alcohol and an qtip and clean the freshly erased area and the contact pad. You can usually resurrect any controller this way - but depending on the degradation of the contact pad / mylar trace sheet, it may not last long..

Edited July 22, 2014 by TheRealAnubis

[valthonis]

Did you try to use the old eraser trick on the start button? If not, try getting a pencil eraser and gently erase the traces on the mylar contact sheet, then get some isopropyl alcohol and an qtip and clean the freshly erased area and the contact pad. You can usually resurrect any controller this way - but depending on the degradation of the contact pad / mylar trace sheet, it may not last long..

 

I didn't do that, but I'm assuming if shorting the pins on the console isn't working then the controller wouldn't matter at this point...

[TheRealAnubis]

 

I didn't do that, but I'm assuming if shorting the pins on the console isn't working then the controller wouldn't matter at this point...

 

You're probably right, but I always like to try a couple of ways just to make sure...