Just picked up a Magnavox Odyssey 2, but...

[Omega-TI]

I just picked up a Maggot Box O2, but it came with no cartridges and no power supply.

You can see from the image that the joysticks need to be cleaned up a little too.

Time to break out the old toothbrush!

 

Oh and it has "The End" on the video cable...

 

So now it looks like I have another project on my hands.

I need one cart, one power supply and one video cable...

 

[RickR]

I've got some cheap carts for sale in the marketplace forum.

The video cable is pretty easy to replace. You can just use a generic audio cable until you can find a good one. Power adapter -- I can't help you there.

[Omega-TI]

I've got some cheap carts for sale in the marketplace forum.

 

 

Answered << HERE >>

[Dripfree]

If you can find a radio shack still in buisness stop by and get one of these. Its all you need to hook that thing up to coax. I use it on my O2 and 2600.

 

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fi.ebayimg.com%2Ft%2FAtari-RF-TV-Adapter-Direct-Connect-2600-7800-5200-Intellivision-Colecovision-etc-%2F00%2Fs%2FMTUwMFgxNTAw%2F%2524(KGrHqRHJCwE90pZQ9WCBPfgLpTn3Q~~60_35.JPG&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.racketboy.com%2Fforum%2Fviewtopic.php%3Ff%3D17%26t%3D38965&h=300&w=300&tbnid=4PiZg-TPFLOIBM%3A&zoom=1&docid=e44ikhM4DchG7M&ei=UWEgVOCGOcShyATLlYLgBA&tbm=isch&client=ms-android-sprint-us&ved=0CB4QMygBMAE&iact=rc&uact=3&page=1&start=0&ndsp=11

[am1933]

I just picked up a Maggot Box O2, but it came with no cartridges and no power supply.

You can see from the image that the joysticks need to be cleaned up a little too.

Time to break out the old toothbrush!

 

Oh and it has "The End" on the video cable...

 

So now it looks like I have another project on my hands.

I need one cart, one power supply and one video cable...

 

That's no Magnavox Odyssey 2, that's a Phillips g7000 videopac

Edited September 22, 2014 by am1933

[Omega-TI]

If you can find a radio shack still in buisness stop by and get one of these.

 

I might get one of those too so I can have both options available. I figured the picture might be clearer without going through an RF modulator though.

[Omega-TI]

That's no Magnavox Odyssey 2, that's a Phillips g7000 videopac

 

Yeah, I've been learning quite a bit about these things in the last 24 hours, one of the things I learned is that the G7000 did not have a power button!

 

Hopefully, one guy gets back to me tonight so I can order a couple of cartridges. I already ordered the RCA sockets from China and I'll probably be ordering the power supply tonight or tomorrow.

[Seob]

Guess that the idea behind the no power button on our european counter part is due to the fact that most systems where not hookup all the time. Most of the time you would pull out the system, hook it up and play. After that you disconnected it and stored it. Most livingrooms over here in europe back then wheren't very big.

[carlsson]

If I understand correctly, some models have a built-in power supply that takes wall wart power (115/230V depending on region) while some models have an external power supply and receive a mere 9V DC. Since you mention that power supply lacks, I suppose yours is of the latter variant. Does it have a small two pin power connector unlike most other connectors, or does the O2 have a more standardized connector than the Videopacs I've seen?

[Dripfree]

Yeah, I've been learning quite a bit about these things in the last 24 hours, one of the things I learned is that the G7000 did not have a power button!

 

Hopefully, one guy gets back to me tonight so I can order a couple of cartridges. I already ordered the RCA sockets from China and I'll probably be ordering the power supply tonight or tomorrow.

I'm curious what the rca sockets are? Are you planning a composite mod? The Image I had posted offers a direct coax connection and works very nice on all the systems that use it with. I had thought that that was not considered rf modulation because it doesn't use a rf modulation box. Have I been wrong about that? Anyway if you are doing a composite mod kudos to you that is surely the best way to go. I never have the stomach to mod a system until I have 2 of them. I would also recommend making the sticks removable while your at it. They can get annoying being attached. I think there is a way to do it so you can use an atari stick. Or you could probably use the one you made for your 99/4A. Edited September 23, 2014 by Dripfree

[Omega-TI]

Does it have a small two pin power connector unlike most other connectors, or does the O2 have a more standardized connector than the Videopacs I've seen?

 

From the attached photo you can see it's just the normal connector. Although after looking at the closeup I'm afraid of what I might find inside the unit when I open it up. That crap around the power connector does not look promising.

[+atari2600land]

Why did you call it a maggot box? My Odyssey 2 is crying.

[Omega-TI]

I'm curious what the rca sockets are? Are you planning a composite mod? The Image I had posted offers a direct coax connection and works very nice on all the systems that use it with. I had thought that that was not considered rf modulation because it doesn't use a rf modulation box. Have I been wrong about that? Anyway if you are doing a composite mod kudos to you that is surely the best way to go. I never have the stomach to mod a system until I have 2 of them. I would also recommend making the sticks removable while your at it. They can get annoying being attached. I think there is a way to do it so you can use an atari stick. Or you could probably use the one you made for your 99/4A.

 

An RF modulator takes the separate audio and video composite signal and multiplexes both signals and then transmits them on a VHF carrier. Back in the day that was usually called channel 3 or 4. There is usually video degradation when this happens. So I figured going with the original clean signal was the way to go.

 

The mod in this case is just too easy and there looks to be lot of elbow room to play around in that thing too. I'm not sure what I'll do with the joystick yet. I'll probably make that decision after I open it up and take a peek.

 

I just paid for two cartridges, so I'm hoping I did not put the cart before the horse (so to speak).

[Omega-TI]

Why did you call it a maggot box? My Odyssey 2 is crying.

 

Force of habit, it's what my Dad used to refer to that brand as. I guess a little bit of the old man rubbed off on me.

[The Usotsuki]

I've usually heard "maggotbox" for Macintosh, though I do refer to my TV (in a Simpsons reference) as "magnetbox"...

[Dripfree]

An RF modulator takes the separate audio and video composite signal and multiplexes both signals and then transmits them on a VHF carrier. Back in the day that was usually called channel 3 or 4. There is usually video degradation when this happens. So I figured going with the original clean signal was the way to go.

 

The mod in this case is just too easy and there looks to be lot of elbow room to play around in that thing too.

That makes sense. I feel a little foolish that with all the different systems I own I kinda thought I was avoiding rf modulation with that thing. Now here is another stupid question what is the deal with the little rf modulation switch box that all these old systems use? I have a whole drawer full of them for all my machines including my O2. All they seem to do is introduce static to the picture. When I use the little adapter it becomes clear. If it's the same type of signal why did they even exist? And why is there so much going on inside them? Were they just for the old tv's with the 2 screws on the back?

[RickR]

As an Atari VCS kid, I really

 

That makes sense. I feel a little foolish that with all the different systems I own I kinda thought I was avoiding rf modulation with that thing. Now here is another stupid question what is the deal with the little rf modulation switch box that all these old systems use? I have a whole drawer full of them for all my machines including my O2. All they seem to do is introduce static to the picture. When I use the little adapter it becomes clear. If it's the same type of signal why did they even exist? And why is there so much going on inside them? Were they just for the old tv's with the 2 screws on the back?

They were used as a switchbox...you flip the lever one way to play video games, and then the other to watch TV. After all these years, they tend to get corroded and the connections get loose inside, plus there is a resistor in there. And yes, most TV's back then had two screws for the antenna connection. The nice little modern screw-in RF adapter is much simpler and needs no switch or resistor...much much better video quality.

[Omega-TI]

That makes sense. I feel a little foolish that with all the different systems I own I kinda thought I was avoiding rf modulation with that thing. Now here is another stupid question what is the deal with the little rf modulation switch box that all these old systems use? I have a whole drawer full of them for all my machines including my O2. All they seem to do is introduce static to the picture. When I use the little adapter it becomes clear. If it's the same type of signal why did they even exist? And why is there so much going on inside them? Were they just for the old tv's with the 2 screws on the back?

 

Those switch boxes are CHEAP, and usually get dirt in the contacts or become worn over time and it really attenuates the weak signal by quite a few dB. Also many of them have poor shielding to boot. They were designed so you could switch back and forth between ANTENNA/CABLE and the GAME UNIT without having to disconnect and re-connect. Boy that was a whole different era, when most TV's only had two inputs VHF & UHF. Now day's the average TV has multiple HDMI ports as well as multiple USB ports a VGA port, a few composite inputs and of course the usually UNUSED cable input.

[The Usotsuki]

Heh, most of my TVs have ONE input - combined uhf/vhf!

[carlsson]

Hm.. then Philips made another thing different from Magnavox. While the picture doesn't detail the connector enough, you can see a picture of a G7000 power supply here, with the tiny female (IIRC) two pin connector.

 

http://www.nightfallcrew.com/01/09/2009/philips-videopac-g7000-two-joysticks-and-some-game-cartridgesphilips-videopac-g7000-2-joystick-e-cartucce-gioco/

 

There may be specimens on eBay to have look at too.

 

A friend of mine had two Videopac G7000 systems with broken or lacking power. The first one expected 9V DC and fortunately still had a piece of cut off cable, so I could fit a new power adapter to the cable. If it had been missing, I might've had to replace the power jack in the console. The second G7000 expected 220V AC but the internal power supply just gave me electric shocks so I disabled it and wired the power cables from the motherboard to the exterior, added a power switch and tacked on a 5V DC power supply, which is the voltage the internal supply would end up with. I believe even the 9V version has a 7805 to get 5V internally, but might use 9V elsewhere.

[Omega-TI]

Hm.. then Philips made another thing different from Magnavox. While the picture doesn't detail the connector enough, you can see a picture of a G7000 power supply here, with the tiny female (IIRC) two pin connector.

 

http://www.nightfallcrew.com/01/09/2009/philips-videopac-g7000-two-joysticks-and-some-game-cartridgesphilips-videopac-g7000-2-joystick-e-cartucce-gioco/

 

There may be specimens on eBay to have look at too.

 

 

I took your advice and checked for examples on eBait, they are 12VAC @ 830mA I should have a 12VAC adapter somewhere around here somewhere.

 

 

[Flojomojo]

I just wanted to say that your photography of this musty old system is quite lovely.

 

This was my first system, a secondhand unit that my parents bought from a friend when their family upgraded to a Colecovision. Once you start collecting cartridges, I suggest you look for some of my old favorites. Note the exclamation points!

 

Pick Axe Pete!

UFO!

K.C. Munchkin!

Attack of the Timelord!

Freedom Fighters!

 

They're analogous to Miner 2049er, Asteroids, Pac-Man, Centipede, and Defender, respectively, but they're all fast and different. The one-life quick-game approach was unusual for the time. These games almost feel like today's difficult mobile games, such as Super Hexagon.

[Omega-TI]

I just wanted to say that your photography of this musty old system is quite lovely.

 

This was my first system, a secondhand unit that my parents bought from a friend when their family upgraded to a Colecovision. Once you start collecting cartridges, I suggest you look for some of my old favorites. Note the exclamation points!

 

Pick Axe Pete!

UFO!

K.C. Munchkin!

Attack of the Timelord!

Freedom Fighters!

 

They're analogous to Miner 2049er, Asteroids, Pac-Man, Centipede, and Defender, respectively, but they're all fast and different. The one-life quick-game approach was unusual for the time. These games almost feel like today's difficult mobile games, such as Super Hexagon.

 

I just bought UFO! & KC Munchkin from RickR yesterday, they should arrive within a week so hopefully I'll have a power supply by then and my RCA connectors should arrive in the next 3 weeks. Until then it's hurry up and wait.

 

I did see a link for a Super Cart, emailed the guy to inquire about a price but as of yet no reply. It's too bad nobody has made a cart that could hold an SD or CF card. If that came about a guy could just download images off the web, load them on the cart and then play, play, play.

 

I think I'll start a thread about which game is the best, it might help others later on too when buying their first cartridges.

[BigO]

 

I just bought UFO! & KC Munchkin from RickR yesterday, they should arrive within a week so hopefully I'll have a power supply by then and my RCA connectors should arrive in the next 3 weeks. Until then it's hurry up and wait.

 

I did see a link for a Super Cart, emailed the guy to inquire about a price but as of yet no reply. It's too bad nobody has made a cart that could hold an SD or CF card. If that came about a guy could just download images off the web, load them on the cart and then play, play, play.

 

I think I'll start a thread about which game is the best, it might help others later on too when buying their first cartridges.

I have a multicart with 233 games. But, it's DIP switch controlled and there's no capability to add games. If I remember correctly, it was produced by John Dondzila of Vectrex homebrew fame.

Edited September 23, 2014 by BigO

[Omega-TI]

I have a multicart with 233 games. But, it's DIP switch controlled and there's no capability to add games. If I remember correctly, it was produced by John Dondzila of Vectrex homebrew fame.

 

That's the one. I did not know about the DIP switch limitation. The AMOK! game looked interesting too. I'm curious, how much did that cartridge sell for?