Vectral_Gamer Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Basically, a friend ofine had a broken Atari and thought maybe I could fix it. So I have been working on it and so far when I turn it on with no cartridge on it black screens with a humming sound. However, with a cartridge in, it does the same. Please help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gribble101 Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Humming from the console? Power supply? Are you using an Atari power supply or universal? Have you tried cleaning the contacts on the game and/or cartridge slot? Tried a different game? The Atari doesn't have a bios or startup screen so when you "ghost test" it (with no cartridge) it will always be a black screen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vectral_Gamer Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 The tv hums, Im not sure if I'm using power supply or universal, how do i check that? And I cleaned the contacts and all my games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gribble101 Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Just look at the power supply and you can tell. If it says Atari it's official, if it doesn't its universal. How are you hooking it to the tv? With a switch box or the RadioShack adapter? Last do you have it turned to the right channel? If you do try changing the switch to channel 2 if you're on 3 or 3 if you're on 2 and make sure the tv is on the right channel. I know it sounds stupid but it can sometimes be a simple mistake like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vectral_Gamer Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 Power supply says seats telegames so universal? Also I tried on channel 3 will go to channel 2 and check. And I'm using and adapter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vectral_Gamer Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 Actually here's a picture of the setup he used Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vectral_Gamer Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 Here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gribble101 Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 So are you using that switchbox in the picture to hook it to your tv? The Sears Telegames power supply is an official power supply, it's what Sears called their version of the Atari 2600 which is an identical console besides saying Telegames on the front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vectral_Gamer Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 Ok then yes official and yea I'm using the switch box but I might have an adapter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gribble101 Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Here's a link to the RadioShack adapter, if you have one I would suggest using that instead of the switchbox. Link: http://www.radioshack.com/radioshack-phono-rca-female-to-f-male-adapter/2780475.html#.VPuyjYY8LCR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vectral_Gamer Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 I have this but I don't think it's the same although I wouldn't know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gribble101 Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 If that doesn't fix the problem it could be a defective chip, which is covered in another post. It's good to try the small things first though because the Atari could be fine. Link: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/205212-atari-2600-jr-black-screen-weird-sound-help/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gribble101 Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 The adapter gets rid of the transformer that you screw the two forks into and the switchbox altogether. All you have to do is plug the rf cable from your Atari into the adapter and screw that into your antenna input on the back of your tv. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vectral_Gamer Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 Ok so I should purchase an adapter or does what I have work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gribble101 Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 I would get an adapter just to rule out that it's not the switchbox and the transformer that you have that you screw the two forks into. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vectral_Gamer Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 Ok thanks well I will go buy one tomorow it's getting late where I am and I will get back to you on whether or not it worked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0078265317 Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Sorry to hear you are having bad picture. Might be bad switch box. But anyhow radioshack has filed chapter 11 so never buy anything from them again. Unless its dirt cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chas10e Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 you have a pic of the "sears tele-games" power supply ? could be for a pong console the atari 2600 uses 9v DC Pong uses 6v DC and has the same 1/8"jack on the end hopefully just the switchbox is bad you showed in the images above http://atariage.com/howto/connect.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vectral_Gamer Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 Ok well I'm going out with my family today so I'll run by RadioShack then hopefully it's pretty cheap only 3-5$ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vectral_Gamer Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 And I thought thre sears telegames was just a rebranded Atari made especially for Sears? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vectral_Gamer Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 Bad news: adapter didn't change anything. Still the same blank screen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gribble101 Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Can you take a picture of the power supply? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vectral_Gamer Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 I plugged the cable from the motherboard directly into the adapter then into the tv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karokoenig Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Did the Sears VCS power bricks really have "Battery Eliminator" on them? Makes more sense on a PONG power supply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vectral_Gamer Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 I don't know much about the power supply but I thoufht Atari had a special console just for Sears that was the same as the Atari 2600 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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