Hardware Help Needed - 2600 Jr. and the RetroTINK

[StephenJ]

Hey everyone,

I have three S-Video modded Atari 2600s (Wood grain 4-switcher, Vader and a 2600 Jr).

I am having a problem when using the 2600 Jr. with the RetroTINK. When turning on the system, everything looks fine. However, after about 1-2 minutes, the color fades away to a B&W image.
When I turn the system off and back on, it does the same exact thing...every time.

 

I have replaced all capacitors as well as the voltage regulator and it still does the same thing.

Note: This does not happen when connected to the S-Video inputs of my CRT and LED TVs.

Any ideas what could be causing this?

 

Thanks,

StephenJ

[John Stamos Mullet]

The same thing doesn't happen with the Woody or Vader?

[StephenJ]

"...The same thing doesn't happen with the Woody or Vader?..."

No it doesn't, and all three systems work equally well when plugged into the S-Video inputs of my CRT and LED TVs.

[John Stamos Mullet]

Same mod in all of them?

[StephenJ]

"...The same mod in all of them?..."

The Vader and the 2600 Jr have the same SVideo mod from Electronic Sentimentalities.

The other has an SVideo mod from the Longhorn Engineer.

[StephenJ]

Attached is a video I took of the problem. I purposely used Crackpots for this example because the screen is nearly filled with a lighter color, making it easier to see the waving in the screen.
- At 01:30 minutes, the screen begins to wave slightly, on the left side, and then fades to B&W.

- After restarting the system, it happens again at 03:18.

 

My Movie.wmv

 

I also tested Draconian and Medieval Mayhem. The problem starts in about the same amount of time.

 

Sure wish I could determine If the problem is a defective motherboard or just an incompatibility between the 2600 Jr and the RetroTINK.

 

Thanks,

StephenJ

Edited December 31, 2018 by StephenJ

[+-^CrossBow^-]

"...The same mod in all of them?..."

The Vader and the 2600 Jr have the same SVideo mod from Electronic Sentimentalities.

The other has an SVideo mod from the Longhorn Engineer.

 

I believe both the Electronics Sentimentalities and the LHE are the exact same design and components? So they are likely the same mods. But even then there were several variants of these mods that could be used I think?

 

You say they are s-video modded...do they not have a composite output added to them? Be curious if they do and you plug that in instead, what results you get?

[StephenJ]

-^Cro§Bow^-,

I believe both the Electronics Sentimentalities and the LHE are the exact same design and components? So they are likely the same mods. But even then there were several variants of these mods that could be used I think?

 

You say they are s-video modded...do they not have a composite output added to them? Be curious if they do and you plug that in instead, what results you get?

Good idea!

First off, because of the 2600 Jr's compact design, I only installed the S-Video portion of the Mod (see the yellow plug connected to the system in the photo).

I figured I could use an SVideo-to-Composite adapter if ever needed...and that's what I did to try your idea (see the black adapter on the Composite input of the RetroTINK).

Guess what?...the color did not fade when hooked up this way!

Any thoughts as to what this could mean?

Thanks for your interest in my problem,

StephenJ

[+-^CrossBow^-]

My first guess is something in the s-video signal isn't being registered properly by the RetroTink2x but with the luma and chroma combined for composite it sees it just fine. Makes more curious on what the mod board is actually doing with the s-video signal.

 

Wonder if it is based on this design sold here? :

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ATARI-2600-MOD-PCB-KIT-BEN-HECK-SVIDEO-COMPOSITE-STEREO/332747559437?hash=item4d794cd20d:g:pgMAAOSwqQBbZgP5:rk:1:pf:0

 

Just watched your vid finally. It does basically happen right at the 1:30 mark. You are going to have to check this with the 2600jr opened up. Something looks to be loosing the chroma signal or it degrades enough that the retro tink can't see the chroma signal once things heat up to a point.

Edited January 2, 2019 by -^Cro§Bow^-

[StephenJ]

Here's a photo the circuit.

"...Something looks to be loosing the chroma signal or it degrades enough that the retro tink can't see the chroma signal once things heat up to a point...".

I just tried something new. After letting the image fade to B&W, I pressed the input selector button on the RetroTINK to scroll through the other two choices and back to S Video. The color came back, just like when I would restart the 2600, and then fade to B&W in the same amount of time. Weird!

[+splendidnut]

-^Cro§Bow^-,

 

Good idea!

First off, because of the 2600 Jr's compact design, I only installed the S-Video portion of the Mod (see the yellow plug connected to the system in the photo).

I figured I could use an SVideo-to-Composite adapter if ever needed...and that's what I did to try your idea (see the black adapter on the Composite input of the RetroTINK).

Guess what?...the color did not fade when hooked up this way!

Any thoughts as to what this could mean?

 

 

 

I just tried something new. After letting the image fade to B&W, I pressed the input selector button on the RetroTINK to scroll through the other two choices and back to S Video. The color came back, just like when I would restart the 2600, and then fade to B&W in the same amount of time. Weird!

 

If you combine these two observations of yours, then it sounds like it's an issue with the RetroTINK circuitry.

 

Although this could be a power or capacitor issue with the Atari Jr. Maybe the signal is just on the edge of not being strong enough for the RetroTINK to process when passed into SVideo input.

[StephenJ]

"...this could be a power or capacitor issue with the Atari Jr..."

"...Maybe the signal is just on the edge of not being strong enough for the RetroTINK to process when passed into SVideo input..."

I did replace the Power Regulator and all capacitors. It didn't have any effect.

 

I just bought another Atari 2600 Jr. motherboard on eBay ($18.94 including shipping).

Guess we'll find out soon enough where the problem is.

 

Thanks Splendidnut, -^Cro§Bow^- and John Stamos Mullet

[StephenJ]

I had started another thread that continued with additional issues I was having when connecting any of my three S Video-modded 2600's directly to the retroTink...that being horizontal waving in the images after the systems were turned-on for several minutes.
At that point, the only solution was to send the signal through a VCR or DVD Recorder before the RetroTink.

 

Today I'm happy to say that all image issues have been solved!!

 

I closed-out the other thread with the following and I thought I'd do the same here.

 

To make a long story short, I was able to determine that it was the Luma output of the S Video that was causing the problems for the RetroTink. I found that putting a 100 ohm resistor in series on the Luma wire (internally) corrected the problem on all three of my 2600's.

Now I can connect directly to the Retrotink, without having to go through a VCR or DVD Recorder...and that's great!

 

Thanks again for interest in my problem,

StephenJ

Edited June 2, 2019 by StephenJ