Partially functioning 7800 issues

[gliptitude]

I am messing around with a 7800 for the first time, which was handed over to me by a mechanic friend after he found it in a car he bought. It is partially functional but having some problems also.

 

The console boots up 7800 games pretty reliably, but they are all in black and white.

 

I have not been able to get any 2600 games to run. A couple of them for just a fraction of a second flashed their initial screens before disappearing.

 

Are these common problems with common solutions? Are these related problems?

[DanthWader]

Is it stock? no mods, etc? How are you hooking it up to your TV?

[nick3092]

The first step in troubleshooting for me is always to start with simple stuff, like cleaning the carts and cart slot. Especially when the history of the console is unknown.

 

Carts are easily cleaned with a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol cleaning both sides of the edge connector.

 

For the cart slot, I often use a an old credit card cut up to fit in the slot and clean, white paper wrapped around it. Splash the alcohol on the paper where it wraps around the edge of the card. Like general ink jet/copier paper. But if its too thin (read: the cheap stuff), it will tear and make a mess. Heavier card stock paper works great for this, and Ive never had a problem with that tearing. Use this to insert in and out of the cart slot a few times making sure you catch all the pins. Youll be surprised at the black marks left on the paper when you pull it out.

 

Let everything dry for a few minutes and try again.

[gliptitude]

Yes stock. Original Atari power supply. RF connection with cable to RF box. I tried two different RF boxes.

 

There is a switch on the back of the console with circle and square symbols. One apparently makes the console tune to channel 3 on the TV and the other to channel 2.

 

I have used one of the RF boxes successfully with a different console and different tv before. I guess I could try a different tv, at least for the color. But I am currently getting color on this tv from a different console with AV connections.

 

.. I did do a decent amount of cleaning before firing this thing up, including alcohol in carts and cart slot. I could try some more though.

 

.. Also the 2600 carts that didn't work on the 7800 all worked fine on my 2600.

Edited December 1, 2017 by gliptitude

[nick3092]

RF box? Even if its working, chuck it. Get a connector/adaptor from RCA to coax type F and ram the signal directly into the TV. Youll be surprised at the fact it can even slightly improve the picture.

[gliptitude]

K I don't think I have an adapter like that. Maybe I'll look for one.

[+sixersfan105]

Ive seen the black and white issue before on a 7800. Its likely a bad capacitor that an RF adapter described above cant fix but I suppose its worth a shot before you look under the hood at the state of the caps.

[+SpiceWare]

What type of TV are you using? My 7800 displays in B&W on my HDTV, works just fine on an older set.

[SoundGammon]

My HDTV has a "tuning" option under the antenna section in the menu, I can move the indictator back & forth until I get a good pic.

[+sixersfan105]

I cannot even use the regular coax input on my LCD, as it barely displays the 7800 video feed and the sound is all staticky. Running it through a VCR to demodulate the signal and then composite from there to my TV has been clutch!

[gliptitude]

Well I switched TVs and now I have color. I even got one of the more reliable 2600 carts to load also.

 

I'm thinking it was an RF interference issue like suggested or just less reliable coax socket between the two TVs. They are both tube TVs and very similar style small ones. The one that was black and white has AV inputs also but the one that is working in color with the console does not have AV inputs. .. I probably will still seek out a more simple RCA to coax adapter like recommended.

 

I think the 2600 functionality is unrelated and that it still doesn't work well and only one game worked so far and that one only eventually.

 

.. I'm not sure Ballblazer is actually a good game but the 3D graphics are pretty smooth and slick to my eye, better than any 3D effects I recall seeing on NES. .. I wouldn't call the sound on this game a great strength but it is less of a handicap than the other games I've tried. .. I thought maybe Desert Falcon would have decent sound too since it is also labeled "super game cartridge", but it sounds pretty sad.

[Inky]

K I don't think I have an adapter like that. Maybe I'll look for one.

 

Here you go! AtariAge to the rescue!

 

These are worth it.

https://atariage.com/store/index.php?l=product_detail&p=42

[Inky]

.. I'm not sure Ballblazer is actually a good game but the 3D graphics are pretty smooth and slick to my eye, better than any 3D effects I recall seeing on NES. .. I wouldn't call the sound on this game a great strength but it is less of a handicap than the other games I've tried. .. I thought maybe Desert Falcon would have decent sound too since it is also labeled "super game cartridge", but it sounds pretty sad.

 

Ballblazer is great. The AI is easily selectable, and has a little of something for every player. It really shines in two player, however.

 

I was never a fan of Desert Falcon. The sound is poor, and the graphics are, IMHO muddy.

[+sixersfan105]

Well I switched TVs and now I have color. I even got one of the more reliable 2600 carts to load also.

 

I'm thinking it was an RF interference issue like suggested or just less reliable coax socket between the two TVs. They are both tube TVs and very similar style small ones. The one that was black and white has AV inputs also but the one that is working in color with the console does not have AV inputs. .. I probably will still seek out a more simple RCA to coax adapter like recommended.

 

I think the 2600 functionality is unrelated and that it still doesn't work well and only one game worked so far and that one only eventually.

 

.. I'm not sure Ballblazer is actually a good game but the 3D graphics are pretty smooth and slick to my eye, better than any 3D effects I recall seeing on NES. .. I wouldn't call the sound on this game a great strength but it is less of a handicap than the other games I've tried. .. I thought maybe Desert Falcon would have decent sound too since it is also labeled "super game cartridge", but it sounds pretty sad.

Glad you got at least the 7800 games working. With regards to super game cartridges, someone on here had told me Atari gave that name to games that were computer ports.