kingfish Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 (edited) Hello, Recently I bought an Atari XE System, along with several games, at a thrift store. The original power supply, along with the light gun, were included. When the console is turned on, the green power light comes on. However, the tv only displays a dark green screen. I have tried several different games, as well as re-cleaning the cartridges and cartridge slot, but there's no image other than a very dark green screen. The console displays the dark green screen with or without a game. I posted about it earlier, and received several suggestions, but none of them worked. I've tried everything that was suggested and the console still won't play. It's beyond what I can do to repair the console and I need someone who can fix it. If anyone can repair the console, please pm me and give a rough estimate of the cost. I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you very much. Edited March 13, 2016 by kingfish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russg Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 Hello, Recently I bought an Atari XE System, along with several games, at a thrift store. The original power supply, along with the light gun, were included. When the console is turned on, the green power light comes on. However, the tv only displays a dark green screen. I have tried several different games, as well as re-cleaning the cartridges and cartridge slot, but there's no image other than a very dark green screen. The console displays the dark green screen with or without a game. I posted about it earlier, and received several suggestions, but none of them worked. I've tried everything that was suggested and the console still won't play. It's beyond what I can do to repair the console and I need someone who can fix it. If anyone can repair the console, please pm me and give a rough estimate of the cost. I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you very much. Have you opened it up? If it is a 130xe, and definitely if it has MT drams (the 8 to 16 small chips on the left), it is the drams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingfish Posted March 13, 2016 Author Share Posted March 13, 2016 Hello, Yes, I've opened it up and cleaned it. I need someone who knows how to repair it. It's far beyond what I can do to fix it. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russg Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 (edited) Hello, Yes, I've opened it up and cleaned it. I need someone who knows how to repair it. It's far beyond what I can do to fix it. Thank you. You don't need any special ability to read the marks on the drams. It is a very easy to read 'MT'. If so, they are soldered in and would require removal and replacement. The 16 small chips, two eight chip lines, on the left. I'm not an expert solderer, someone might be willing to do it. If they are NEC drams, then it is probably something else. Edited March 13, 2016 by russg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caterpiggle Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 You must try to reset the chips by lift off . first lift very lightly & EASY from left & right side of each chips. Try start with CPU first and see what happens next. Do you have thin screw ? You poke it under the chip up by each sides by little & little . Important take easy , no hurry. Try ask your local electronics store for advise you how to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingfish Posted March 13, 2016 Author Share Posted March 13, 2016 You don't need any special ability to read the marks on the drams. It is a very easy to read 'MT'. If so, they are soldered in and would require removal and replacement. The 16 small chips, two eight chip lines, on the left. I'm not an expert solderer, someone might be willing to do it. If they are NEC drams, then it is probably something else. Thank you but I don't have any soldering skills. Also, I don't have replacement chips or know where to buy them. This is why I need someone who can repair the unit. I have no experience with circuitry boards. At this point, I really need someone who can repair the unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caterpiggle Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 (edited) Do you have any local electronic store ? Near Louisville Kentucky ? Then make a worthy visit there. Edited March 13, 2016 by Caterpiggle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 Have you opened it up? If it is a 130xe, and definitely if it has MT drams (the 8 to 16 small chips on the left), it is the drams. Not a 130XE: Recently I bought an Atari XE System, along with several games, at a thrift store. When the console is turned on, the green power light comes on. Everything on the board is probably going to be soldered so there's not much more you can do unless you can solder. A new board is $50 from here: http://www.myatari.com/atarixlh.txt PRA093 PCB XE GM 50.00 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillC Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 You must try to reset the chips by lift off . first lift very lightly & EASY from left & right side of each chips. Try start with CPU first and see what happens next. Do you have thin screw ? You poke it under the chip up by each sides by little & little . Important take easy , no hurry. Try ask your local electronics store for advise you how to do so. None of the XES/XEGS chips are socketed, at least in mine they aren't, so trying to re-seat them not a good idea. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caterpiggle Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 Really ? I will double check on XEGS motherboard online . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 Realistically if you can't repair it yourself or get very cheap local help then it'll be cheaper to just buy another one. Postal costs both ways for a sick Atari, I imagine you'd be 20 bucks or over in the US. Electronics repairers will probably have a minimum rate, even half an hour likely to be 35 bucks or more. Buy another Atari, price variable depending on model but including delivery anything from 25 to 50 bucks for a barebones system, most of the mainstream models. Aside, electronics repairers are likely to not have a clue unless it's something obvious like a failed passive component with obvious evidence. My suspicion - either bad Ram or overvolting power supply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingfish Posted March 14, 2016 Author Share Posted March 14, 2016 Realistically if you can't repair it yourself or get very cheap local help then it'll be cheaper to just buy another one. Postal costs both ways for a sick Atari, I imagine you'd be 20 bucks or over in the US. Electronics repairers will probably have a minimum rate, even half an hour likely to be 35 bucks or more. Buy another Atari, price variable depending on model but including delivery anything from 25 to 50 bucks for a barebones system, most of the mainstream models. Aside, electronics repairers are likely to not have a clue unless it's something obvious like a failed passive component with obvious evidence. My suspicion - either bad Ram or overvolting power supply. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1050 Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 Really ? I will double check on XEGS motherboard online . http://atariage.com/forums/topic/250265-photos-small-big-blurry/?do=findComment&comment=3467479 No sockets, 2 RAM chips in lower left corner. kingfish, in order to protect your investment in a new motherboard it would be advised to get a volt/ohm meter and learn to use it to measure the voltage on your current power supply. It's quite common for a bad power supply to ruin the ram chips on our 8-bit computers and this might happen to your new one too if you don't check that voltage on the power supply first. harbor freight sells a suitable one for $8 or so, many others around too. Select 20 with the dial pointed inside the DCV (Direct Current Voltage) section and turn it on. Try it on a D flashlight battery to read approximately 1.5 volts. Then the pins on opposite sides of the power jack that plugs into the XEGS. Acceptable voltage is 4.25 thru 5.75 volts. There is a fair chance you will see 8 volts or so and if you do then you also need a good power supply too. http://www.harborfreight.com/7-function-digital-multimeter-92020.html http://atariage.com/forums/topic/199456-does-my-800xl-work/?do=findComment&comment=2546447 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russg Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 (edited) Thank you but I don't have any soldering skills. Also, I don't have replacement chips or know where to buy them. This is why I need someone who can repair the unit. I have no experience with circuitry boards. At this point, I really need someone who can repair the unit. OK. I found this site for maybe can repair your XE Game System: http://www.eightbitfix.com/ There's a link to communicate with the guy. Let us know how this comes out. Edited March 14, 2016 by russg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 Another option is to put your system up on ebay as a 'needs repair' unit, and bid on a working console. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingfish Posted March 14, 2016 Author Share Posted March 14, 2016 Thanks to everyone for the help. I really appreciate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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