Robot Tank, Space Shuttle and Activision Decathlon problems

[Room 34]

When I first got my copy of Space Shuttle, I tested it by playing it on my 7800, and it rolled. After posting a question about that here, I read the FAQ about problems with some of the later Activision games.

 

A few minutes ago I was going to follow up to another discussion comparing Battlezone and Robot Tank. I played a game of Battlezone, and then I put in Robot Tank. I was surprised to see that the screen rolled, since I knew I had played it before and it was fine (but it may have been on a different system).

 

At this point, I decided to test all 3 of these games on all 4 of my systems to see what the deal was. I knew they had problems on some 7800s, but here I was seeing problems on the 2600.

 

First, my systems:

 

1. Sears 6-switch mfr. March 1981 (identified below as "S6")

2. Atari 4-switch woody mfr. January 1982 ("A4")

3. Atari "Darth Vader" model mfr. October 1982 ("DV")

4. Atari 7800 mfr. 1986 ("78")

 

Here's what I found:

 

ROBOT TANK (blue label)

S6 - worked

A4 - rolled

DV - worked

78 - rolled

 

SPACE SHUTTLE (standard label)

S6 - did not work

A4 - worked

DV - worked

78 - rolled

 

DECATHLON (standard label)

S6 - did not work

A4 - worked

DV - worked

78 - did not test

 

So my question is this: It is apparently well-known that these games have problems on some 7800 systems, but does anyone know about problems with 6-switchers? What really confuses me is the problem with Robot Tank... It worked on the 6-switch and the Vader, but not on the 4-switch woody. Very strange!

[Fretwobbler]

Theres info in the 7800 fax about this. This thread is on the same issue as well -

 

http://www.atariage.com/forums/viewtopic.p...8&highlight=pal

 

Adam

[Room 34]

Theres info in the 7800 fax about this.

Yeah, I've read the FAQ, but it's just talking about how these games don't work on the 7800, which is not the issue that concerns me at the moment. My issue is that I am having problems with these games on certain 2600 systems.

 

Incidentally, I also have problems with my Pitfall II cartridge on some systems, but I think it's just a case of the thinner PCBs Activision used, and it's just not getting a good connection. On some systems it doesn't work at all; on my 4-switch woody it works, but Harry is all garbled and duplicated vertically on the screen. It works perfectly on my 7800, but so far that's the only system I've gotten good results on with it.

[Big Player]

I have problems with Pitfall II as well. It is just a touchy cart, takes a while to get it to work and then, if you slightly touch it during gameplay, it blanks out. I don't know if this is just bad luck with the cart I have or what. (The DPC chip, maybe?) Anyone else have trouble with Pitfall II?

 

(This is on a four switch woodgrain, my most reliable 2600.)

[Mot]

I just got 2 Activision carts that do not work at all on my two 7800's (one w/ expansion port); I don't have a 2600. I did look at the contacts of the carts in question (Decathlon, and Grand Prix) and they look like there is more space between the contacts then the older Activisions I have.

 

So I think if someone had a high score cart, it might just work in one, can anyone try it?

 

But I did mess with robot tank and it finaly worked but if you touch it, it will go blank (as stated b4).

[Christophero Sly]

Space Shuttle doesn't work on my Atari light-sixer, but works fine on a 7800.

[jboypacman]

I have had problems with Starmaster rolling and most recently with Real Sports VolleyBall rolling as well.I tried both on our two diffrent tv's and both games with my 2600 and my 7800 and i got the same thing,a rolling screen.Today i hooked my 7800 up to a little color tv i had gotten the other night from my aunt and uncle.I was using a RF modulator box with it and guess what? No rolling screen on either of thoses games.So i guess it was either the RF box or the tv am not for sure.I thought this might help in some way with this topic.

[shadow460]

Last time I had rolling troubles I tweaked and tweaked the V hold knob on my C= 1701. I wish I remembered what game I was trying to play.

 

I used my old collection with a 1985 model RCA ColorTrak and a four switch woody, and it never rolled IIRC. The RF interference was horrible, though.

[Student Driver]

Is there a chance that some of the 2600s in question are putting out less-NTSC-friendly video than others?

[A.J. Franzman]

Most 2600 consoles don't put out a proper horizontal blanking signal (7.5 IRE below black). I believe only juniors and possibly some vaders and maybe late 4-switch woodies (and probably 7800s) do. Without the blanking signal, the "comb" on the left side of the screen in Missile Command (during play in the first wave of Game 1) is the same color as the background no matter what the TV's brightness/contrast is set at. With the blanking signal, it's possible to turn up the brightness on most TVs until the main playing area of the screen is lighter than the border, and the "comb" will become visible in the described scenario, without needing an inbound missile or explosion to make it so.

 

However, 99.99% of TVs don't need this blanking level to sync properly. Any that do will have a horizontal problem (wavy diagonal pattern), not a vertical roll.

Edited February 5, 2007 by A.J. Franzman

[Christophero Sly]

However, 99.99% of TVs don't need this blanking level to sync properly. Any that do will have a horizontal problem (wavy diagonal pattern), not a vertical roll.

It's an issue with the TV then and not the console? Edited February 5, 2007 by Christophero Sly

[A.J. Franzman]

However, 99.99% of TVs don't need this blanking level to sync properly. Any that do will have a horizontal problem (wavy diagonal pattern), not a vertical roll.

It's an issue with the TV then and not the console?

It's still difficult to be sure over the internet. I think if you have a game that works on some consoles but rolls a clear picture vertically on others (when using the same TV), and other games work fine when using the same combination of console and TV, it must be an issue with the console. Possibly a bad or weak TIA or maybe even RF modulator.

[The MilkMan]

What really confuses me is the problem with Robot Tank... It worked on the 6-switch and the Vader, but not on the 4-switch woody. Very strange!

My Robot Tank plays fine on my woody 4 switcher.

Edited February 5, 2007 by The MilkMan

[Christophero Sly]

However, 99.99% of TVs don't need this blanking level to sync properly. Any that do will have a horizontal problem (wavy diagonal pattern), not a vertical roll.

It's an issue with the TV then and not the console?

It's still difficult to be sure over the internet. I think if you have a game that works on some consoles but rolls a clear picture vertically on others (when using the same TV), and other games work fine when using the same combination of console and TV, it must be an issue with the console. Possibly a bad or weak TIA or maybe even RF modulator.

Space shuttle doesn't roll on my light-sixer. It basically does what you're describing with the wavy diagonal pattern. It works fine on my 7800, but the 7800 is connected to a different TV. Sounds like I need I'll to connect the 7800 to the TV the light-sixer was connected to and see what happens.

[Rik]

I bought 2 SUPERMAN games,text and pic version,one of them constantly rolled,I thought it was the pal, ntsc ,incompatibility problem,turned out it was just the tv,both my tv's are of around the same year built (1980),ntsc),so i learned rolling isnt always because of pal,ntsc,incompatibilty,it could just be because tv adusment(v-hold)is not working right,so,check that out first.

[Rik]

I have problems with Pitfall II as well. It is just a touchy cart, takes a while to get it to work and then, if you slightly touch it during gameplay, it blanks out. I don't know if this is just bad luck with the cart I have or what. (The DPC chip, maybe?) Anyone else have trouble with Pitfall II?

 

(This is on a four switch woodgrain, my most reliable 2600.)

Yeah PITFALL2 is definatley sensitve to touch and shock,the slightest shock or slightest touch will make the game go blank,or send you to a colour bar screen,have to be carefull playing that one!especially when you're close to a perfect score!

[+scorpio_ny]

Bit of a necrobump on this thread since I was researching an issue and came across this thread. I had recently purchased a Pitfall II cart off of EBay that did not work at all on my light sixers. I would get a screen with lines when I booted it on my 2600. I first tried cleaning the contacts with IPA and it was a no go. I was about to give up until I decided to try cleaning the contacts with bit of DeOxit on a Qtip. Guess what? Cartridge came right up! That fluid works magic! Just a reminder for those in a similar situation.