AtariKari

Hi - I was bound to happen. I took a stab at the 2600 Composite Video Mod, using the instructions from the "How To" section on this site. *ahem* This is my first soldering project. *ahem* Ever. Below gets a bit garbled, I'd say techy but I'm not quite sure I know what I'm talking about... PROBLEM: Upon completion of the mod, I can get a slowly _rolling_ video signal, but only for a split second when I flip the TV into Alt. Input Mode. Then it cuts to "Unusable Signal," no video, and stays that way indefinitely. I am quite proud that anything works, but obviously I am a little short of a working system. This is my only 2600 and I have just purchased a Cuttle Cart. Below is a little drawn out and long, but I am trying to be as meticulous as possible. Please help! On my system, in the R41 (Chroma) location, the bands are actually colored: Gold, Red, Orange, Orange (bottom to top) on my system, but the piece itself (a transistor (?) is in the right place on the circuitboard. The "Gold/Red/Grey/Blue" transistor from the "How To" guide is actually located adjacent to C19, on the right-hand side of TP5. -question- is it the color, or the location of the piece that determines which one to solder the jumper to from TP5? I'm pretty sure it is the latter, but am trying to find anything to troubleshoot on... My soldering job is not so great, so TP5 has a big blob over it. -question- How precise need one be? There is no solder from TP5 that touches any other wires; though it does bleed over to touch the adjacent transistor (R42). -question- Does R41 have a line on the circuit board that connects it to the transistor directly below it? I dropped too much solder there, and can't remember if it was the case before. Clearing away the excess solder, it does look like there is a pre-formed line downward, but I'm unsure... -question- does the quality of the jumper cable play a huge role in signal quality? I literally used a piece of wire I found around the house. -final question- What is causing the video roll, then sudden cut of video signal?! The only way I can get the signal to return is to flip from TV "AUX" mode to "regular" then back again. This only returns the signal for a split second, then it dies again. PLEASE help! I'm going to Radio Shack as soon as I get several responses from you guys. A desolderer is already on my list... thanks so much in advance, if I can get this to work it would make the weekend!

While in Australia I managed to find several copies of "CRACKER PET": Crack Pots with the Activision in-game logo removed. The label is actually a pretty cool dragon sticker. End label is standard white block on black face. The quality of the cart looks similar to the scans posted here. I'm assuming it is from somewhere in Asia originally, because I found them with some 2600 clone systems from Taiwan (?maybe?). I'll post scans of these once I get back to Chicago for X-mas...Cool name regardless...

Matthew - I agree completely on the necessity of the Cuttle Cart. Buy this puppy, stat! I recieved mine last week, and have had a ball uncovering new titles and playing many great old ones, all on my TV. How else would most of us have a chance to play the immortal Mangia? Now if only I could get the nerve to solder the composite video leads...my soldering skills are untested, and I'm not sure if I want to risk my Jr. to decipher my talents. How difficult would you guys say this is for a soldering newbie?

Hello, world (first post). Ahem, while I lack the skills to make one, it'd seem like a pretty easy mod on the 2600 Clock program from Hozer: Just Add Beeps... It'd be a neat, admittedly extravagant utility. Starting the day with your 2600 could be a little extreme, though...But man would it be cool. Glad to be on board, BTW.

What is the station frequency again? I missed the first post...I'll be tuning in for sure. Good luck!

Just out of curiosity, could you give some history on the copy? I'd understand if you'd rather keep the value / trade for it private, but how did you get it? Former employee? UK collector? How did you track the person down? Cool site, btw!

Hi - (newbie) My best find was a Vectrex, Web Wars and Star Trek for $35, at a flea market in Chicago four years ago. I kept it together long enough to ask how much "the old TV over there" was, but just about lost it after buying the thing. Then there was the Entex Turtles for .07 in Madison, WI. 2600-wise, I picked up a color-label Ram-It in Richmond for 25 cents. I just got back from Austrialia, where I got two boxed "GENERAL" 2600 clones, which use 5200 joysticks. $2.50 USD. BTW, if anyone could direct me towards a clone resource, it'd be much appreciated. Worst loss: passed on a Miracle keyboard cart for the NES. It didn't have a keyboard, so what's the point

Thanks! I figured it would be a sort of usefull / useless device, kinda like the Electric Guitar thing Ebivision was working on (what ever happened to that, BTW?). The music / sfx from popular 2600 titles could be used; the thread on favorite 2600 music on this board is further evidence of a market for it, IMO. Dunno. I just got a Cuttle Cart, and was sort of having a slow morning, so. As for the screen name, Atari-Kari, as in Hari-Kari. It seemed more funny this morning...