Cant find an RF switch for my 2600 ANYWHERE! SOMEONE HELP!

[Uncle Duke]

I finally after weeks of starving to death got a good old Atari VCS. But now I have run into a snag. After the waiting to get home from school, and finally setting it up I realized it had no RF switch with it. So I said, oh well, my dad usually has 20 of them stored somewhere. And my dad said it takes an older version, we used to have. So we searched and searched and could not find it ANYWHERE. So we went to Wal-Mart praying to God, that they would have 20 year old RF Switches. None. So I was wondering if maybe they would have one at Radio Shack? I am thinking of going there today. If not that is there any way to rig it up some other way??? I know there probably isnt a way to rig it, but hey, you never know...

 

Also, does the VCS make any noise when it comes on or is it totally silent? Im also praying to get the RF switch fast so I can atually test this VCS. I turned it on just to see if it worked and it just was completely silent. I know the power cord thing, works because when I plug it into the VCS it makes a tiny little spark. (Probably shouldnt be doing that, but I wanted to see if it was the cord...) So please let me know if there are any places to find an old RF switch. Keep in mind I live in an area of surrounding rural towns and we have few appliance shops. (Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Radio Shack... Thats it... No mall either.)

PLEASE RESPOND SOON!

[liveinabin]

I come from a completely different continent so I cant help you with the RF thing, however I CAN tell you that, yes, your 2600 should be silent when powered up - no internal fans in there

[Inky]

If the local Radio Shanty err.. Shack doesn't have them, try their website. I know they carry them because I've bought several over the years.

[godsey1]

Radio Shack has an adapter called a " PHONO-TO-F " #278-255B that will plug your Atari straight to you cable jack, no box required. It works better than the box, better picture and sound. I think they are $1.99 + tax. Get one, you'll be glad you did.

Tony

[Skatepunk60]

Or you could make one.

Radio shack has the right parts get em there

[Uncle Duke]

They didnt have the Phono thing, but luckily I found an RF switch that works. But then we got home and realized we didnt have a cable thing for it that we needed. (notice the "thing"'s, I cant describe technical "things" very good. lol) So my dad rigged something up to it and finally hooked it up. And then time for the test. I was sweating because on the outside of the system, before I cleaned it up, it looked like it had went through a tornado. So I didnt know if it worked. So we flipped the switch and it came on perfect! No problems at all with it. It works like a dream! I am so happy I finally got an Atari 2600! But now all I need are some good games. All I have are some dull sports games, Defender II, which I dont like as much as the first, and Space Invaders, which isnt my alltime favorite either. And I got a game called Sentinal... But I cant figure out how to play it... It makes no sense, so now, if anyone knows how to play Sentinal, let me know.