Retro-Bit Retro 2600 AC Adapter - causes display interference

[chad5200]

I recently ordered a Retro-Bit Retro 2600 AC Adapter from Amazon.  Here is the link:

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00COR6PG0

 

This adapter is adding a LOT of noise to the display.  It looks terrible!!!

 

Is this a known thing?  Does anyone else have this adapter and if so, how is yours performing?  I am wondering if I should exchange it (in hopes of getting a working one) or just give up and return it?

 

When I use my original Atari AC Adapter (C010472), the screen looks great.

 

 

[SegaSnatcher]

21 minutes ago, chad5200 said:

I recently ordered a Retro-Bit Retro 2600 AC Adapter from Amazon.  Here is the link:

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00COR6PG0

 

This adapter is adding a LOT of noise to the display.  It looks terrible!!!

 

Is this a known thing?  Does anyone else have this adapter and if so, how is yours performing?  I am wondering if I should exchange it (in hopes of getting a working one) or just give up and return it?

 

When I use my original Atari AC Adapter (C010472), the screen looks great.

 

 

Unfortunately Retro-bit has a bad reputation when it comes to their power supplies.  If you want a solid PSU for your Atari 2600 then check this site out.

Edit: Looks like the US plug is currently out of stock, but you can be notified when they come back in stock.

https://en.retrogamesupply.com/collections/atari/products/power-supply-for-atari-2600

Edited July 5, 2019 by SegaSnatcher

[+DrVenkman]

Yeah modern supplies can produce a lot of RF interference. You can try putting an RF choke (basically a ferrite core) around the RF cable and another on the wire from the PSU to the Atari but it likely won’t help much.

A good AV mod would sidestep the issue.

[chad5200]

My 4-switch 2600 is already modded for composite (with RF box removed) and it looks great.  This is the mod I did:  http://www.coolretroprojects.com/Atari_2600_AV_Mod_Installation_Guide.pdf

 

Would this Retro-Bit AC Adapter cause interference when using composite?

[+DrVenkman]

Well, if the machine is already modded and you’re STILL getting that level of interference from the new PSU, you can try to see if reinstalling the RF shield helps (assuming you didn’t reinstall it and you kept it). You could also try some ferrite core RF chokes as mentioned above. But if that PSU is so noisy that it’s screwing with a composite signal, that’s not good.

 

Are you plugged straight into the wall or into a power strip? Try swapping things around so that both your TV and Atari are plugged into the same circuit (adjacent wall plugs or a shared power strip). But I’m guessing there’s not a whole lot that will fix that much RF noise. 

 

 

[+Stephen Moss]

It depends on if the noise is being radiated or transmitted down the power cable.

 

If it is being transmitted then a 0.1uF (100nF) ceramic disc across the 2200uF smoothing cap may help decouple the noise, or if you can find a small 100Hz low pass filter to fit between the PSU output and the 2200uF capacitor that may help.

 

If it is being radiated you need to determine if it is affecting the signal as it is being generated within the 2600 or if the display is picking it up.

The latter can be checked by displaying a signal from another source and turning the power unit on, if you notice interference then it is being radiated (probably in contravention of regulations). In which case nothing you do to the 2600 will have any effect, moving the power unit away the the display or putting it inside a metal box may help.