Atari 2600s...Tanks of the game console world.

[River Raider]

I just recently discovered my original 2600 4-switch woody out in the garage and brought it inside to see if it would play. I figured my Atari had been lost in the mists of time and was ecstatic when I found it. I thought, " Man, there is NO way this thing will fire up and play after having been in Florida heat and humidity for YEARS..." But to my surprise and delight, the beast powered up and played! Now, granted, I did have to clean some of the cartridges' contacts with alcohol and a Q-tip, but I still find the durability of the 2600 and its cartridges to be impressive. Heck, I remember the 'voodoo' I used to have to perform to make our Nintendo NES play...Blow on cartridge contacts, shake cartridge, blow on NES cartridge bay, tap NES 3 (the Number shall be 3!) times, repeat if necessary. And that was when the NES was brand new and residing in air-conditioned splendor! Nope, the boys from Atari apparently knew what they were doing when they engineered the 2600. God bless 'em.

 

And God bless the people here at Atari Age. I have already picked up lots of cool info here on parts and mods for Ataris that will help get my 2600 beastie up an running. It's great to know that there are still many, many Atari fans out there.

 

Now if Atari2600.com would just get some those S-video mods for the 2600 in stock, I will have acheived 'Atari Nirvana'!

[sandmountainslim]

Yeah, they are amazing, I have had my VCS since '82 and it still works like a charm, I even let some neighbour kids borrow it for a year when I got my NES around '87 and when I got it back I chunked it in a closet and didnt get it out until the mid 90's, worked fine then and works fine today. A wonderful piece of machinery

[atarilovesyou]

I just recently discovered my original 2600 4-switch woody out in the garage and brought it inside to see if it would play.  I figured my Atari had been lost in the mists of time and was ecstatic when I found it.  I thought, " Man, there is NO way this thing will fire up and play after having been in Florida heat and humidity for YEARS..."  But to my surprise and delight, the beast powered up and played!  Now, granted, I did have to clean some of the cartridges' contacts with alcohol and a Q-tip, but I still find the durability of the 2600 and its cartridges to be impressive.  Heck, I remember the 'voodoo' I used to have to perform to make our Nintendo NES play...Blow on cartridge contacts, shake cartridge, blow on NES cartridge bay, tap NES 3 (the Number shall be 3!) times, repeat if necessary.  And that was when the NES was brand new and residing in air-conditioned splendor!  Nope, the boys from Atari apparently knew what they were doing when they engineered the 2600.  God bless 'em. 

 

And God bless the people here at Atari Age.  I have already picked up lots of cool info here on parts and mods for Ataris that will help get my 2600 beastie up an running.  It's great to know that there are still many, many Atari fans out there. 

 

Now if Atari2600.com would just get some those S-video mods for the 2600 in stock, I will have acheived 'Atari Nirvana'! 

855116[/snapback]

 

I had a buddy back in the eightees and his NES trick went like this:

 

Blow one end of cart to the other, just once...then back...then, he TALKED to the damn thing like he was Dr. Phil, trying to CONVINCE it to play?..."...come on, now, Pro Wrestling!...you know you're one of the best games, don't you?...then work for me, okay?..okay?...alright, you're the best, you know that..."...this would go on a couple times and SURE AS SH*T, the damn thing worked.

 

Although the talking bit didn't work for me, I had the whole 'flick the reset button' to fix the flash trick down pat.

[River Raider]

Heh heh...I remember doing quite a few things to get the NES working, but never talking to them! Unless you count swearing at it when it wouldn't work.....(You son of a *%#[email protected]!) I kinda prefer the Atari's slap the cartridge in and play approach. Although NES's Super Mario was addictive...still can't get that darn music out of my head.....

Edited May 15, 2005 by River Raider

[Atarifever]

One of my cousins used to beat the NES carts with his fist and then throw them at the floor. Sometimes they used to work after that. I'm sure it would have worked just as well if he had just taken the game out and then put it back in without the attack. I'm not joking though, he thought that worked.

My trick was to blow into the cart, then into the NES, and then put the game in such that it scrapped against the front of the tray as it went down into the system. Now I just make sure to clean my NES with compresed air every month or so and I store the games in ziplock bags. The games always start for me now first or second try.

[omne]

If it can be broken, it can usually be fixed.

 

The 2600 is indded a tank. It has weak points, as switches wear out, and start to short, AC connectors get loose and short. Generally, they are among the most solid consoles I service.

 

*claps* far the Atari