Any Good Reason To Own A Junior?

[Grimakis]

I've thought about having the composite mod done to my Vader. But I run my consoles through a VCR that has composite video out. So I get composite out of consoles. But I'm sure the straight AV mod would look a bit better because it negates the whole pass through thing.

 

It's more than just "pass through". Having an AV mod totally removes the modulation and demodulation aspect. Whether you hook RF directly to the TV(demodulation by TV) or to a VCR(demodulation by VCR), you are subject to the same low quality caused by the modulation process. The only benefit of using a VCR to demodulate, is if you want to feed the signal to a device that can't tune analog TV signals. I use a VCR to demodulate to S-Video so my upscaler can handle it.

 

However, an S-Video mod would look 10x better.

[Airsoftman819]

 

It's more than just "pass through". Having an AV mod totally removes the modulation and demodulation aspect. Whether you hook RF directly to the TV(demodulation by TV) or to a VCR(demodulation by VCR), you are subject to the same low quality caused by the modulation process. The only benefit of using a VCR to demodulate, is if you want to feed the signal to a device that can't tune analog TV signals. I use a VCR to demodulate to S-Video so my upscaler can handle it.

 

However, an S-Video mod would look 10x better.

Well it does benefit being ran through the VCR because the Audio/Video are split up to RCA composite which greatly improves the picture over the straight RF. But the picture is still a bit fuzzy and there is a bit of static noise as well. So I'm sure an S-Video mod would greatly improve that. And my CRT supports S-Video So I may just have it done on my Vader when I get the money.

[Grimakis]

Well it does benefit being ran through the VCR because the Audio/Video are split up to RCA composite which greatly improves the picture over the straight RF. But the picture is still a bit fuzzy and there is a bit of static noise as well. So I'm sure an S-Video mod would greatly improve that. And my CRT supports S-Video So I may just have it done on my Vader when I get the money.

I suppose. All that really means is that your VCR is better at handling RF than your TV You're still limited by the initial RF signal.

 

S-Video will be clear as day compared to stock output.

[Airsoftman819]

I suppose. All that really means is that your VCR is better at handling RF than your TV You're still limited by the initial RF signal.

 

S-Video will be clear as day compared to stock output.

Oh I'm sure it will look clear as day. And my VCR is very good at demodulation. It's a very high quality theater grade unit. But as you said I'm still limited by the RF. God I hate RF. No doubt I'm having the Mod done. But I'm stuck between having it done on my Light Sixer. Or Vader.

[thadsilverfox]

I find that the only games that have issues are later games made by Atari. The specs on the carts are just different enough to cause an issue. I believe it's due the the metal RF shielding being a bit out of spec. Might have to take a file to it to smooth it out as I was advised to do. Although I haven't done it yet.

 

To be honest I can never narrow it down to specific carts because it changes each time I try to make an adjustment. Filing the shield has come to mind but I'm not sure if I will be a long term owner since I just started collecting console/games in February and not sure of my goals in the hobby. I don't want the hassle of trying to explain to a potential buyer that I hacked-up the shielding.

[Mister-VCS]

Okay, so I own a 4 switch Vader, A Light Sixer, and a Heavy Sixer. I mostly play my Vader due to it being a newer more reliable console. But also play my Heavy often, due to the better video quality. But my question is. Is it worth owning a Junior? They look cheap and ugly to me and it just seemed like Atari's last ditch effort to breath life into a dying console. Even though I do consider myself a collector of Atari 2600's. I still need a legitimate reason before I spend my money on a console. So is there a real reason to buy a Junior? Or am I good with what I already have?

 

It is a myth that the JR-systems are lower-quailty systems than the 2600A-systems (wood and vader 4switchers). The internals of the JR-systems are the better ones- the JR-video-output is great.

[Yoss]

I've been using a junior lately and also been impressed by the video output compared to my vader and 4-switch woodies I've hooked up in the past. Admittedly I've also been running it through a Radio Shack/Archer amplified video selector so maybe that helps too. The "newer" (2001 or so HD Sony CRT) I've been using seems to benefit from amplification compared to other CRTs I've used.

[MaximRecoil]

I find that the only games that have issues are later games made by Atari. The specs on the carts are just different enough to cause an issue. I believe it's due the the metal RF shielding being a bit out of spec. Might have to take a file to it to smooth it out as I was advised to do. Although I haven't done it yet.

 

 

 

To be honest I can never narrow it down to specific carts because it changes each time I try to make an adjustment. Filing the shield has come to mind but I'm not sure if I will be a long term owner since I just started collecting console/games in February and not sure of my goals in the hobby. I don't want the hassle of trying to explain to a potential buyer that I hacked-up the shielding.

 

Before filing anything, see this thread that I just made.

[bohoki]

my reason is becuase my entertainment center has a thin desk drawer under the tv so it fits in there since i have my c64,sega,ps1,5200,nes,n64 all hooked up its the only room i had left (i wish i had a psone it would fit in there too)

 

also my 6 switcher looses color after a couple minutes

Edited September 25, 2015 by bohoki

[Nutsy Doodleheimer]

Another "Fun is Back" themed Atari commercial. This is probably one of the last Atari 2600 commercials. From 1988-1989.

 

[MaximRecoil]

also my 6 switcher looses color after a couple minutes

 

Probably a bad solder joint. As it warms up and the joint expands, it loses connection. I have an Atari 7800 that would intermittently lose color when I first got it 11 years ago. I took it apart to look at the solder joints, and I could see an obviously bad one on one of the card-edge connector pins. There was a void in it; it had been there since it was new, so I assume the previous owner(s) always had that problem with it. I resoldered the joint and it has never lost color since.

[joelm]

The biggest problem I've had with Juniors is the reset/select pressure switch. The design isn't all that great and they don't age well. I've fixed one by going back over broken traces using a conductive ink pen but some are too far gone to be fixed. I'm working on making a few copies of the switch from scratch but it's a lot of work and time. A working Junior is a good purchase but I would avoid any that have issues with the select/reset buttons.

[jarreboum]

The switches aren't very well designed, the levers on the original are easier to use.

 

But the black Irish Jr is such a sexy little machine, so rad.

[Emehr]

The biggest problem I've had with Juniors is the reset/select pressure switch. The design isn't all that great and they don't age well.

 

I picked up a bare Junior at a yard sale and I don't like the select and reset buttons at all. It feels like there is a dried up and hardened piece of foam under the buttons. It's terrible. I'm going to be getting rid of mine but if I were to keep it I'd find a way to mod it with microswitches if that's even possible.

[Mef]

I love the outside design of Junior. It actually is possible and not very hard to install low profile microswitches under Reset and Select, just need to file down the protruding plastic on their underside a bit.

 

Only thing I dislike about Jrs. is how they passed on the opportunity to move the controller ports to the front of the console while doing the overhaul.

[Mister-VCS]

The switches aren't very well designed, the levers on the original are easier to use.

 

But the black Irish Jr is such a sexy little machine, so rad.

 

 

I like the black-2600A (vader) but i don't like the black look on the JR.

Funny that the irish-manufacturing company decided to use British-English ("COLOUR" instead of "COLOR") next to the TV-Type switch...

[gameselect]

Tight is good. You should appreciate it while ya can.

HA! I see what you did there

[joelm]

 

I picked up a bare Junior at a yard sale and I don't like the select and reset buttons at all. It feels like there is a dried up and hardened piece of foam under the buttons. It's terrible. I'm going to be getting rid of mine but if I were to keep it I'd find a way to mod it with microswitches if that's even possible.

 

Yeah, there is a layer of foam used in lieu of a spring under the buttons. This gives an odd feeling but it is a dense foam and I doubt it breaks down easily. The garbage pressure switch is really my only complaint. The two Juniors I presently have are dated 1983 on the motherboards, one I fixed the other needs a great deal more work and will likely end up modded. I feel like the Juniors do perform well, our first Atari was a Junior and we played it endlessly until we sold it to help fund the 7800 I still use (that was in 86 or 87). Here is a switch which got some corrosive fluid on it, I suspect cola. The adhesive is broken down and the traces are corroded and dissolved in some places. This is a huge weakness of the the Junior design and I find most "broken" Juniors are suffering from bad select/reset switches.

 

Still, if you find a working example, I think the Junior is an excellent system and saves space.

[BydoEmpire]

I recently went on a road trip and packed the 2600jr and a couple carts in my bag. It worked out great.

Reason to own one: it's smaller and easier to travel with!