Atari console incompatibilities

[Ze_ro]

A few days ago, I picked up a copy of both 01 Combat (Didn't have one of these yet) and a text-label copy of Space Invaders (to replace my pic-label... yes, I'm a little new at collecting). However, when I went to test the cartridges out, the Space Invaders one didn't seem to work! Thinking this was strange, I tried it on my other Atari's to see if it worked on them. Sure enough, the game seemed to work fine on both my 2600 Jr and on my heavy-sixer... but not on my light 6-switch (The one I usually have hooked up). Has anyone else ever seen this kind of incompatibility?

 

Actually, I should also mention that I've been using a pair of Commodore paddles (White ones intended for the Vic-20) for my 4-player games, and they work fine on my light 6-switch (haven't tried the heavy-sixer), but if I use them on my 2600 Jr I cannot get all the way to the bottom of the screen in Video Olympics! Of course, my Atari paddles work fine on both consoles...

 

In case it's relevant, here's the serial #'s:

 

Heavy Sixer: 51074G

Light 6-switch: 586077613

2600 Jr.: AT860633997

 

--Zero

[khryssun]

quote

However, when I went to test the cartridges out, the Space Invaders one didn't seem to work

 

Is there something displayed or the screen stay blank ?

 

did all your consoles use the same video standard ? (NTSC, PAL, SECAM) ?

 

Have you a NTSC or a PAL cartridge of SPACE INVADERS ? (I Don't think a SECAM Version of Space Invaders Exists)

[Ze_ro]

It simply stays at a black screen, and I can't seem to start a game (or at least, if a game is starting, it's all in black and with no sound effects).

 

As far as I know, all my equipment is NTSC (Though I'm not sure exactly how to verify that). I've tried most of my games with the light 6-switch and the 2600 Jr without any problems (except for a copy of Super Challenge Baseball which doesn't seem to fit all the way into the 6-switch). I admit I haven't tried a lot with my heavy sixer, as it's rather new, but everything I've tried so far has worked fine.

 

Other than the Commodore paddles and this copy of Space Invaders, I've never had any problems like this.

 

--Zero

[Scott Stilphen]

I've noticed problems with Cali Games, Centipede, and BMX Airmaster on the original (heavy) 6-switch models...

[Heavy Sixer]

I have a PAL Pitfall II which won't work on my H6; it just displays a black screen. However, it plays perfectly on my 4-switch models (albeit with the rolling screen). Go figure...

 

HEAVY***6***er

[+save2600]

9-1/2 year old bump! Is there a prize for oldest resurrection?

 

Went to play River Raid II on my Heavy Sixer the other day and discovered it did not work. Works fine on my 7800 however. I pulled a bonehead move (I admit it) and opened the cart up before testing on another system - DOH! Thought it just needed a REAL good cleaning, being an Activision cart and all. Oh well, guess I'll just find a couple of round black stickers to put over the screw holes. lol

 

[A.J. Franzman]

I've been using a pair of Commodore paddles (White ones intended for the Vic-20) for my 4-player games, and they work fine on my light 6-switch (haven't tried the heavy-sixer), but if I use them on my 2600 Jr I cannot get all the way to the bottom of the screen in Video Olympics! Of course, my Atari paddles work fine on both consoles...

In case Ze_ro is still around, or anyone else has noticed the problem he described, the Commodore paddle controllers use a different value of potentiometer than the Atari ones, so symptoms such as that are normal.

 

 

Went to play River Raid II on my Heavy Sixer the other day and discovered it did not work. Works fine on my 7800 however. I pulled a bonehead move (I admit it) and opened the cart up before testing on another system - DOH! Thought it just needed a REAL good cleaning, being an Activision cart and all. Oh well, guess I'll just find a couple of round black stickers to put over the screw holes.

Why did you punch the label? From your post count I would have though you've been around long enough to know the hair dryer trick for peeling labels without damaging them.

[zylon]

River Raid II is one of the few that have problems on some 6 switch models. Some early chipsets weren't compatible with it.

[+save2600]

Why did you punch the label? From your post count I would have though you've been around long enough to know the hair dryer trick for peeling labels without damaging them.

I hardly have the patience to remove mylar off the playfield of a pinball machine, let alone dinking around like that on an Atari cart. Pretty sure I would have ended up totally destroying the poor thing.

[Tr3vor]

I thought that all the versions of the 2600 had the same hardware in it, and that all the riegeons were the same too.

[A.J. Franzman]

You thought wrongly.