2600 Darth Vader needs help Big Time!

[kalgran]

Hello fellow retro enthusiasts. I've been wanting to post for a while about my father's classic 4 switch Darth Vader but haven't had the guts too. So... here we go.

 

A short history of my console:

first, Worked flawlessly

then, attempted composite mod

results: it didn't work and i only got it to glitch onto the screen once

then, tried swapping chips with a working atari 2600 (no mods)

results: DV won't output composite. 'working' 2600 only worked on 4 games

then, swapped chips back to original consoles

results: DV no output again, other atari still only worked on 4 games has some lines on the left side screen.

4games included: Commando Raid, Space Jockey, Combat, and telegames 27

then, replaced riot chip in the other atari

results, still only plays 4 games

 

How can I fix either of my consoles? Christmas is coming and I want to have at least ONE working atari to give to my dad.

 

[kalgran]

Ok I was looking at the commonalities between the 4 working game cartridges and I noticed they were all 2k game carts. Does this mean I have a dead cpu?

also the first game should've been breakout not commando raid my mistake.

Edited November 24, 2020 by kalgran

[Cmherndon79]

Hi @kalgran

 

You've got quite a lot going on there.  When troubleshooting stuff, it is always best to change one thing at a time, at least when possible and check the result of your change.  On your second post, it isn't very probable that you've got 2 6507 CPUs with the same exact problem.

 

Since the Vader board was working prior to the composite mod, I think it would be best if you could put the original RIOT, CPU and TIA back in and take a picture of your board as it currently is and work from there.  Possible just a small change could get it back up and running.  

 

Also, do you have a multimeter, so that you can check voltages, etc?

[kalgran]

Hey! @Cmherndon79 Sorry for not responding yet. It'd be kinda difficult to take a pic of the console and upload it but I can do it if that's what it'd take to get it working (i don't have much motivation cause I'm burnt out of working on it) My 12v regulators are working in both consoles (i have a multimeter). I think there's definitely a relation between the 2k games being the only games that are working in the heavy sixer.

For the CPU thing I was talking about I was mostly just toying with the fact that the darth vader console that had no output at all, could've somehow hurt the chips in the system. Both riots are in working condition. Maybe I'll try re soldering the RF module back into the darth vader so I can isolate the issue from being a "mod" issue. Plus at this point I'd rather not have the composite mod if its causing this many problems.