PAL 7800 can *only* play Asteroids?

[jacknutting]

So, I just got my very first 7800 up and running for the first time, after giving it a new power jack. Hooked it up to the TV, turned it on, let the TV auto scan for channels, it finds it and it is actually a really beautiful, clear display for being RF.

 

So, I decide to try the games I have. I have ten, of which 4 are NTSC. The NTSC games each work to some degree, with varying amounts of garbage at the bottom of the display etc. About what I expected.

 

The PAL games, however, dont work at all! Each one I try, when I power up I just get Asteroids, as if no cartridge is in there at all. I tried each of them at least twice.

 

Has anybody seen something like this? Any idea what might cause it, or if it can be fixed?

[+-^CrossBow^-]

When you insert the NTSC games do you see the Atari rainbow come up on the screen for a few seconds before the games start?

[CPUWIZ]

That sounds like corrosion on the cart edge connector and/or the cart connector. Search the forums for cleaning tips, there are many, it will likely fix your issue.

[Jason_Atari]

I just think your PAL carts need a good clean.

[Mayhem]

Yeah, sounds like the carts need a good clean. And the cart slot as well for good measure. NTSC games on a PAL 7800 are a bit hit and miss, some play fine, some of them glitch like crazy, and some of them crash early doors. Sadly that's most of the NTSC exclusive titles (Robotron, Summer/Winter Games etc).

[jacknutting]

-^Cro§Bow^- asked if the Atari rainbow appears for a few seconds, and no, it doesn't. Just straight to Asteroids.

 

Thanks everybody for the advice about dirty carts, I will try to clean them and see how it goes. I guess I'm so used to the other 2600 carts that I have being in good shape, but these are all recent purchases and, well, who knows how people have been storing their stuff.

[+-^CrossBow^-]

I apologize. my line of thinking on this was that somehow you might have an NTSC 7800. It wouldn't explain why Asteroids comes up since that was part of the PAL bios. If you did have the rainbow logo coming up, that would have indicated that somehow you had an NTSC bios in there since that is when the NTSC encryption check is done. PAL units don't require the encryption key. Does seem strange though that only NTSC carts work and not the PAL other than asteroids.

 

And while I can see where everyone is coming from stating to clean the PAL carts, that is to also imply that somehow your NTSC carts are the ONLY carts that are clean? Something doesn't seem to add up here...

[jacknutting]

Yeah, that's why it seemed like an odd coincidence to me, too. OTOH, the NTSC carts all came from one seller, and the PAL carts from two other sellers. Maybe the guys selling the PAL carts were just cleaning out closets and found these dusty old things lying around!

 

Anyway, I'll try cleaning them this evening and report back with my findings.

[jacknutting]

Update: cleaning the carts worked! Thanks everybody