POLL: What is your 2600 Daily Driver?

[flashbackmatt]

I was inspired by Albert's A8 daily driver poll to do a similar poll for the 2600.

 

EDIT: Added a pic of my 2600Jr workhorse.

Edited July 23, 2014 by flashbackmatt

[freewheel]

For years now I've been on a Vader with composite. Did a beautiful mod on the case, looks like it came from the factory with RCA jacks. Console itself was donated by a co-worker who thought it was pretty cool that I collect and repair old game systems.

[Bixler]

2600 Jr. I love it to death!

[RodLightning]

I have a stock light sixer with a new 7805 voltage regulator installed as a repair. I play it mostly on a small Panasonic 1995 year model ct-9r10t color television. I use newer joysticks from a Flashback 2 system and a pair of original paddles when needed.

[Wickeycolumbus]

Usually a Jr, though my heavy sixer used to get most of the attention. Need to pick up a pair of good joysticks...

[BalloonFighter]

My Vader 2600 used to be my daily driver, but now it's my Sears Video Arcade II. I just wish my controllers that came with it worked, as they look so cool.

Edited July 24, 2014 by BalloonFighter

[Gregory DG]

I'd use my Light-sixer (from my childhood) if it worked...

 

I use my 7800 to play 2600 games! (Crap, didn't see 7800 in the poll. Can I change my vote from the Jr.?)

Edited July 24, 2014 by Gregory DG

[BassGuitari]

I don't think I really have one. I go through spurts with my game systems (not just Atari), and every time I get on a 2600 spurt, it's on a different console. The most recent one was my 7800.

(Other recent spurts include Odyssey 2, VIC-20, Sega CD, and MC-10.)

[flashbackmatt]

For years now I've been on a Vader with composite. Did a beautiful mod on the case, looks like it came from the factory with RCA jacks. Console itself was donated by a co-worker who thought it was pretty cool that I collect and repair old game systems.

 

I'd love to see pics of that mod. I have a Vader with only a few scratches on the case, but the innards need some TLC. Left difficulty switch doesn't work and the colors are off.

[Cobra Commander]

A Sears heavy sits next to my keyboard. I really prefer the faux burly walnut to faux oak.

[freewheel]

 

I'd love to see pics of that mod. I have a Vader with only a few scratches on the case, but the innards need some TLC. Left difficulty switch doesn't work and the colors are off.

 

Believe it or not, it's just a simple resistor/pot mod that's been around for ages:

 

http://forums.benheck.com/viewtopic.php?t=1154

 

Easy enough to follow the TIA traces to simple places to attach to, on the mainboard. I don't have pics on hand (I did this one years ago) but that'll give you an idea. You have to poke around a bit on a Vader to find audio/chroma; I've got it written down somewhere where each is and of course Google is your friend.

 

Some people seem to have bad luck with non-transistor mods but to be honest, I've never seen a TV that won't work with this. Plus with the pots, I was able to really tweak it to work perfectly with my CRT. And it works with my new LED TV, my LCD computer monitor, an old Commodore 1084, and a couple of small LCD screens (Playstation era) that I sometimes use for quick testing. So it's my go-to mod at this point as it seems to work on everything. For consoles that either won't output RF at all, or the colours are just plain unfixable with the built-in pot, I find this mod gives you enough to overcome that. The Vader has a nice place on the back of the case that houses an RCA jack panel nicely. It almost looks like it was designed for it.

[zylon]

I've used this one since buying it used in '87 from a family that moved on to Nintendo.

[GothicCard]

Not been back on the Atari long, now that I have a junior and a light sixer, I am playing every day on the light sixer

[7800]

Sears Video Arcade II with S-Video, Coleco Gemini controllers, 1983 Toshiba Blackstripe CRT tv/monitor.

 

Games I play the most are:

 

Dig Dug

Stargate

Superman

Space Invaders Deluxe

[Chuck D. Head]

7800 now, but before that it was a Jr for many years. Controller-wise it is a Wico bat, but sometimes I switch back to Gemini (Dual Command?) controllers.

[cobracon]

I use my 2 2600 Jr.'s to due all my playing, but every once in a while I'll use one of my 7800's.

[Lendorien]

I have Vader. I use my 7800 for my occasional play. I have so many systems hooked up it wouldn't be practical to have my Vader hooked up too.

[freewheel]

I have so many systems hooked up it wouldn't be practical to have my Vader hooked up too.

 

This is the single biggest reason I started modding many of my consoles. I find RF output looks fine on a lot of pre-NES stuff, but you just can't find good RF switch boxes that have more than 2 or 3 inputs. Composite switchboxes are everywhere and work just fine even daisy-chained.

[+LS650]

I have several different models, but always go with my Sunnyvale heavy 6-ER. It has a cleaner RF output than any of the others.

[high voltage]

Mine's a JR short rainbow, since 1985 (there should be 3 options for JRs, long rainbow, short rainbow, all black)

Edited July 26, 2014 by high voltage

[flashbackmatt]

Mine's a JR short rainbow, since 1985 (there should be 3 options for JRs, long rainbow, short rainbow, all black)

I didn't want to get too carried away with the options. Tried to not get down to cosmetic variations, though I suppose the 4-switch woody and Vader are basically the same.

[AlecRob]

I'm a 7800 guy. It's the most versatile system.

[Lendorien]

 

This is the single biggest reason I started modding many of my consoles. I find RF output looks fine on a lot of pre-NES stuff, but you just can't find good RF switch boxes that have more than 2 or 3 inputs. Composite switchboxes are everywhere and work just fine even daisy-chained.

 

In my case, I have a nice Pelican switchbox with 8 spots for plugging stuff in. It works really well and I do have room for more, but the issue is that my entertainment center for my giant 32 inch CRT does not.

[freewheel]

 

In my case, I have a nice Pelican switchbox with 8 spots for plugging stuff in. It works really well and I do have room for more, but the issue is that my entertainment center for my giant 32 inch CRT does not.

 

I long since had to dedicate an entire wall, with matching shelves on either side of the TV. At any given time I've probably got 15-20 consoles hooked up. The real annoyance now is how many consoles had hard-wired controllers, so without hacking into them, no extension is possible - just picked up a Leisurevision finally and it suffers from short controller cords as well. So they end up on the floor anyway.

[Lendorien]

 

I long since had to dedicate an entire wall, with matching shelves on either side of the TV. At any given time I've probably got 15-20 consoles hooked up. The real annoyance now is how many consoles had hard-wired controllers, so without hacking into them, no extension is possible - just picked up a Leisurevision finally and it suffers from short controller cords as well. So they end up on the floor anyway.

 

My set up doesn't have some of the lesser used systems on it, just the ones I like to play. I could to more with Y cables and such, but it would be a bother. I have my more modern systems hooked up to my main TV and my older stuff in the den. So that helps lessen the amount of systems hooked up to the CRT.

 

I've never heard of the Leisurevision, and I totally agree that hard wired cords are a pain in the butt. That's one of my complaints about the Intellivision.