Here's an interesting 2600 problem...

[Red 5]

My six switch (not heavy sixer) seems to have a stuck fire button.

 

No matter which joystick I use the fire button seems stuck down in the player one port. The same joysticks work fine in player two port so the problem appears to be with the system and not the sticks.

 

Anyone have any suggestions?

[Nukey Shay]

Yeah...check the solder connections on the port itself inside the console...or look for pins that have been pushed in.

[Red 5]

Definitely not pins.

 

Looks like I'm doing surgery.

The system actually fires repeatedly even with no joystick pushed in at all.

What should I be looking for? A break in the connection?

 

More importantly, is this too difficult to fix to be worth the time and effort?

[Cassidy Nolen]

Try swapping the RIOT chip off of another system. I have seen that go bad before. I do have one that is doing the same thing, and I have not dug further than a swap (did not fix this one).

 

Cassidy

[Red 5]

I'll try swapping chips over the weekend.

Is the chip different in different models ?

(i.e. 4 switch, vader, etc?)

I don't know if I have a 6 switch.

 

The RIOT chip is the topmost chip, right?

 

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Mindfield]

I'll try swapping chips over the weekend.

Is the chip different in different models ?

(i.e. 4 switch, vader, etc?)

I don't know if I have a 6 switch.

 

The RIOT chip is the topmost chip, right?

 

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

The topmost chip (nearest the cart port) is TIA (part #CO10444). RIOT is part #CO10750.

[/img]

[Esc]

Possible solution after checking the joystick connections on the Atari:

 

For the CS-2600 [six switch] replace the littlest IC on the lower

printed circuit board (LPCB). It is called the hex buffer and it's

the smallest IC on the LPCB with only 14 pins. Several companies make

replacement chips, National Semiconductor makes the CD4050 and

Motorola makes the 14050. Either one of these chips will work as a

replacement.

 

To replace the chip, you must unsolder the 14 pins and then replace

it. I usually put in a socket and then I insert the replacement chip.

This way if it goes bad again, I can just pop out the old chip, no

soldering involved and slide in the new chip.

 

The CX-2600A [four switch] group does not have a hex buffer chip in

it. This symptom usually means you have to replace the chip called

the television interface adapter, TIA. It's one of the big ones, it's

number is Atari C010444. No generic is made.