Atari 2600 4 switch glitching blackscreen

[DarKaoZ]

Hi,

I'm a new proud owner of an Atari 2600 system. Wanted to start my retro collection and I started it with this. I got this Atari at my local flea market and it was working for the first few days, but now I have this problem, I get glitchy black screen and your can see the game is running.

BTW the game is Space Invaders and there is no sound, forgot to add that. XD

I have researched and I either see people with a full black or static screen problem, not something like mine. I cleaned the game slots and tried a new rf cable and box. I still get this problem. Could someone please help this new Atari enthusiast?

Thanks in advance! =D

Edited June 1, 2016 by DarKaoZ

[EdwardK]

This is going to sound stupid, but are you on the right channel? Mine used to look like that on an old tv I used to have if i didn't turn the dial far enough to hit channel 3.

[DarKaoZ]

This is going to sound stupid, but are you on the right channel? Mine used to look like that on an old tv I used to have if i didn't turn the dial far enough to hit channel 3.

 

Not Stupid man, it can happen. But unfortunately I check that, tried all 3 possible channels, Ch 2, 3 and 4.

 

I read that if you get the black screen its a chip, but don't know if that is the same problem I have with my Atari. So I was curious if someone here had seen this before, since I havent been able to find it on the 3 days I been googling.

 

I plan to do the AV mod, but don't know if that will fix the problem. =/

[Thomas Jentzsch]

AV mod might fix it, since the TVs says the signal is too weak.

 

If you are you using a switchbox, try without.

[BZachLaLonde]

Before you do the AV mod, you could also use something like a VCR or DVD/VCR combo as an intermediary device. I hooked my Atari up to a combo unit that has HDMI and that unit was able to boost the weak signal from my Atari enough to make a significant difference.

[DarKaoZ]

AV mod might fix it, since the TVs says the signal is too weak.If you are you using a switchbox, try without.

Yeah, tried it without the switch box, even bought this from Radioshack:

 

 

Tried with and without that addon too, same results.

 

Before you do the AV mod, you could also use something like a VCR or DVD/VCR combo as an intermediary device. I hooked my Atari up to a combo unit that has HDMI and that unit was able to boost the weak signal from my Atari enough to make a significant difference.

Unfortunately I don't have a VCR or DVD player, I wish I could test it out, maybe that would help out. =/

 

BTW guys, I played around with my tv settings and managed to get sound, the video is still bad. Basically what I did was tune the channel, tried all channels, but this is the best result I managed to get:

 

Edited June 2, 2016 by DarKaoZ

[Thomas Jentzsch]

That Radioshack filter is only good against interferences. The signal only gets weaker.

 

Have you opened the console and checked the cable? Maybe its broken or just loose.

[+-^CrossBow^-]

I didn't see if it was posted elsewhere, but what you need to try and do, is run your TV through the auto channel scan while the 2600 is powered on. It should then see and lockon to the 2600's video signal on whatever channel you have it set to either 2 or 3 and then show up. I've have to do this with pretty much every flat panel TV I buy or use and want to play the 2600 on.

[EdwardK]

By the way, if the av mod doesn't work out, I've got a 4 switch 2600 board sitting on my entertainment system right now that you can have. You'd just have to cover shipping.

 

Had another thought, have you checked the connection on that RCA type plug that goes into the RF adapter? Might have gotten the funk of time on it, and the added resistance is knocking down the signal strength

Edited June 2, 2016 by EdwardK

[DarKaoZ]

That Radioshack filter is only good against interferences. The signal only gets weaker.

 

Have you opened the console and checked the cable? Maybe its broken or just loose.

 

The RF Cable is in great condition, I even tried another RF Cable I got from Radioshack too, but of course, it doesn't fit perfectly in the Atari Board socket, but it had the same results. =/

 

I didn't see if it was posted elsewhere, but what you need to try and do, is run your TV through the auto channel scan while the 2600 is powered on. It should then see and lockon to the 2600's video signal on whatever channel you have it set to either 2 or 3 and then show up. I've have to do this with pretty much every flat panel TV I buy or use and want to play the 2600 on.

 

Yeah, thought of that, tried it in both Cable and Air Coaxial inputs I have in my TV. In the end it seems the same. Only Fine Tuning the channel I decided to put the Atari on helped.

 

By the way, if the av mod doesn't work out, I've got a 4 switch 2600 board sitting on my entertainment system right now that you can have. You'd just have to cover shipping.

 

Had another thought, have you checked the connection on that RCA type plug that goes into the RF adapter? Might have gotten the funk of time on it, and the added resistance is knocking down the signal strength

 

Hmm... might be, here is how it looks atm:

 

 

You guys can see the inside of my Atari and the cables I'm using, used Instragram to do the video, so its only 1 min.

 

Thanks for all the help! I really appreciate it! =D

[EdwardK]

Those look cleaner than any of my connectors and mine still work, so I'd rule that possibility out. (I live near the coast in Texas, thinks corrode and there's not much that can stop it)

 

Came up with one other theory though after noticing your accent in the video. Are the tv and the Atari from different countries? Could be a frequency mismatch thing? (either a PAL vs NTSC problem or maybe an electrical frequency thing, some power grids being on 60hz others on 50hz) Just offering up the suggestion. Never ran into that one personally so I have no idea what it would look like, perhaps someone with more experience in the subject knows?

[DarKaoZ]

Those look cleaner than any of my connectors and mine still work, so I'd rule that possibility out. (I live near the coast in Texas, thinks corrode and there's not much that can stop it)

 

Came up with one other theory though after noticing your accent in the video. Are the tv and the Atari from different countries? Could be a frequency mismatch thing? (either a PAL vs NTSC problem or maybe an electrical frequency thing, some power grids being on 60hz others on 50hz) Just offering up the suggestion. Never ran into that one personally so I have no idea what it would look like, perhaps someone with more experience in the subject knows?

 

Yeah, when I open it I was surprised how clean it was. I really didn't clean it much, besides the exterior.

 

And well the TV is from US and I bought the Atari in a US flea Market in Texas. Regarding my accent, I'm just Hispanic, so I speak both Spanish and English, I still have the accent when I speak. lol

 

But both TV and Atari are from Texas. So, dunno yeah, its weird, I tried several things before posting, because I like to try to fix it by myself first, but I didn't want to change anything that wasn't necessary, so might as well ask. lol

 

I read that the CPU that is inside the Metal case can cause the Black Screen, but mine isn't really black screen, so that is why I'm confused. =/

Edited June 3, 2016 by DarKaoZ

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Have you tried a different TV?

[DarKaoZ]

Have you tried a different TV?

 

Just tried it on my LG 3D LED TV and only black screen with static sound. This TV only has 1 Coaxial input, so that's why I pick the other, since its older LCD TV it has 2 Coaxial inputs and Channel Tuning.

 

Maybe that is what I have, the Black screen problem, but my Samsung TV managed to show something? Hmmm...

Edited June 3, 2016 by DarKaoZ

[Thomas Jentzsch]

My guess is, that the video section is broken (or just aging). So IMO there is a quite a good chance, that an AV mod would fix the problem.

[DarKaoZ]

My guess is, that the video section is broken (or just aging). So IMO there is a quite a good chance, that an AV mod would fix the problem.

 

I was afraid of that, but its good to know that the AV Mod might actually fix the problem.

 

I'll try to do the AV mod and report if that was the fix in a near future. =D

 

Thanks guys for all the help, hopefully this also helps someone if they have this problem.

[zylon]

Looks like either bad RF modulator or channel 2-3 switch problem.

[EdwardK]

If for whatever reason the AV mod doesn't fix it for you, the offer for the circuit board I mentioned earlier still stands. Depending on where you are at in Texas, might not even have to ship it. Good luck with the mod though.

[+RichG1972]

 

Not Stupid man, it can happen. But unfortunately I check that, tried all 3 possible channels, Ch 2, 3 and 4.

 

I read that if you get the black screen its a chip, but don't know if that is the same problem I have with my Atari. So I was curious if someone here had seen this before, since I havent been able to find it on the 3 days I been googling.

 

I plan to do the AV mod, but don't know if that will fix the problem. =/

Sometimes if your TV is not one that has the VHF/UHF dials, the TV's autoprogram or auto tuning needs to be run to get a proper lock on the Atari, I had to do this when I rebuilt my 6 switcher, as not all 2600's are calibrated the same, some may be a hair or so off. So before attempting a mod (which by the way should ALWAYS be last resort, try the Autoprogramming setting and let the TV run through the numbers with the Atari set to channel 3 and see if the autoprogramming of the TV gets a solid lock on the signal

[DarKaoZ]

Looks like either bad RF modulator or channel 2-3 switch problem.

 

Interesting, never thought the Channel 2-3 Switch could be a problem, might need to do some more test before doing the mod.

 

If for whatever reason the AV mod doesn't fix it for you, the offer for the circuit board I mentioned earlier still stands. Depending on where you are at in Texas, might not even have to ship it. Good luck with the mod though.

 

Thanks man! I appreciate it, let me see what I can do to fix this before bothering you, if in the end there is nothing I can do, I will definitely take your offer. Still thanks for the awesome offering! =D

 

Sometimes if your TV is not one that has the VHF/UHF dials, the TV's autoprogram or auto tuning needs to be run to get a proper lock on the Atari, I had to do this when I rebuilt my 6 switcher, as not all 2600's are calibrated the same, some may be a hair or so off. So before attempting a mod (which by the way should ALWAYS be last resort, try the Autoprogramming setting and let the TV run through the numbers with the Atari set to channel 3 and see if the autoprogramming of the TV gets a solid lock on the signal

 

Yeah, I tried the Autoprogramming while having my Atari plug in and the best channel that managed to pick the signal was channel 3. I tried doing the following also:

 

Auto Programing while having this setup (Although, my tv doesnt have auto tuning, I have to do it manually for what I saw):

 

TV Antenna (not cable) Coaxial -> Original Nintendo RF Adapter -> Radioshack Filter -> AV to RF adapter -> Atari

 

TV Antenna (not cable) Coaxial -> Sega Genesis -> Radioshack Filter -> AV to RF adapter -> Atari

 

TV Antenna (not cable) Coaxial -> Radioshack Filter -> AV to RF adapter -> Atari (Best Result)

 

TV Antenna (not cable) Coaxial -> AV to RF adapter -> Atari

 

Those are the ways I tried the Auto programming, then I tried

 

TV Cable Coaxial -> AV to RF adapter -> Atari

 

And all of them with the same result or worse. =/

 

I have more time today, so I'll try to see what else I can do, before the AV Mod.

 

And just wanted to say Thanks to everybody in here for lending me your time and help! I'll keep trying to fix this Atari and keep part of History alive! =D

[zylon]

If the channel 2-3 switch makes poor contact, it'll do that. Another thing to check is for +5vdc from pin 3 of the rf modulator. Center pin on the string of 5 coming out of the silver box in lower right corner of board. They start giving weak signal output before total failure.

A failing TIA IC is also possible.

Edited June 4, 2016 by zylon