7800 broken

[Atarifever]

So my 7800 seems to have given up the good fight. A few months ago she stopped responding to the power button a lot of the time, so I opened her up, bent the little plastic thing back into place, cleaned off some dust, and she started to work better than ever. So today, when she wouldn't power up, I thought "this again." I opened it up, and there's no dust and the plastic pushing thing is perfectly straight. I put it back together and got it to power up once by pushing the button 20 times or so. Then it turned off after a lot of effort. Since then I have pressed the button about 1000 times. The 7800 hasn't powered up once. It makes the proper clicking noise and everything feels solid, but nothing happens.

 

Any ideas? I have it opened up, and although my camera is out, I can describe what I'm seeing. I have no soldering experience or anything, but I'd try anything to fix the system.

[xZanU]

So my 7800 seems to have given up the good fight. A few months ago she stopped responding to the power button a lot of the time, so I opened her up, bent the little plastic thing back into place, cleaned off some dust, and she started to work better than ever. So today, when she wouldn't power up, I thought "this again." I opened it up, and there's no dust and the plastic pushing thing is perfectly straight. I put it back together and got it to power up once by pushing the button 20 times or so. Then it turned off after a lot of effort. Since then I have pressed the button about 1000 times. The 7800 hasn't powered up once. It makes the proper clicking noise and everything feels solid, but nothing happens.

 

Any ideas? I have it opened up, and although my camera is out, I can describe what I'm seeing. I have no soldering experience or anything, but I'd try anything to fix the system.

 

I used to repair VCRs and other electronics. Do you see any burns around any of the capacitors? (Are there any?) I've never opened my 7800 up.

[Atarifever]

So my 7800 seems to have given up the good fight. A few months ago she stopped responding to the power button a lot of the time, so I opened her up, bent the little plastic thing back into place, cleaned off some dust, and she started to work better than ever. So today, when she wouldn't power up, I thought "this again." I opened it up, and there's no dust and the plastic pushing thing is perfectly straight. I put it back together and got it to power up once by pushing the button 20 times or so. Then it turned off after a lot of effort. Since then I have pressed the button about 1000 times. The 7800 hasn't powered up once. It makes the proper clicking noise and everything feels solid, but nothing happens.

 

Any ideas? I have it opened up, and although my camera is out, I can describe what I'm seeing. I have no soldering experience or anything, but I'd try anything to fix the system.

 

I used to repair VCRs and other electronics. Do you see any burns around any of the capacitors? (Are there any?) I've never opened my 7800 up.

I have no idea what that means.

 

Here's all I can see that looks odd. The thing that clicks when the system turns on or off has little white lines coming out of it (as do the reset, pause, etc). All the lines are unbroken, save the one coming from the bottom of the "power" dealy. I know so little about electronics that this could be normal for all I know. If anyone has a picture of what that should look like, it'd be appreciated. Thanks.

[shadow460]

The possible causes that come to my mind are faulty power switch, faulty adapter, and ring cracks (I'm not too sure about ring cracks on a 7800 though). Even though the power switch clicks, if it's worn out inside no contact will be made. If that's the case, you'll have to replace the switch. I'd replace all four of them at once since the others may not be far behind. If it's the adapter, it's likely the cord has broken somewhere between the little blue plug and the wall wart. That's fixable, too.

 

Have you got a multimeter? I'd check voltage on the power brick and continuity across the power switch.

 

Mine is slow to respond to the power switch also. I usually press and hold it, or wiggle it just a bit to get it to fire up. This happens with the reset switch also. I'm just too lazy to go looking for replacements.

[Atarifever]

Again I say that I have the greatest wife on Earth. I'm on vacation right now and she's at work. She called home to ask something and could tell I wasn't happy, so she asked what was up. When I told her the issue she said "Not your 7800. Well then go online and order a new one. Call it an extra Christmas gift."

[Atarifever]

Mine is slow to respond to the power switch also. I usually press and hold it, or wiggle it just a bit to get it to fire up. This happens with the reset switch also. I'm just too lazy to go looking for replacements.

Mine was behaving like that pretty much from the day I got it at a flea market.

[Shawn]

Re-flow the power button solder points and if that doesn't work replace the power button.

[Atarifever]

Re-flow the power button solder points and if that doesn't work replace the power button.

Got a "what-you-just-said for dummies" link?

 

I figure I should learn to do this now so I have some hope of maintaining my collection over the next 50 years.

[Shawn]

look on the bottom of the 7800 motherboard where the power switch is. there is 4 points that are the legs of the power switch. Just re-heat the solder on them it could just be that. if that doesn't work you need to replace the power switch from the information you have provided.

[shadow460]

That could be the same issues that's causing mine to be temperamental. My H6 is also on the fritz, so I may open them both up the same day and start fixin'.

[Atarifever]

Update:

This morning I was trying to figure out if it made more sense to sink $50 into a new system, or $20 into a soldering kit that might not actually solve the problem, and that I would have to teach myself to use, with my 7800 as my first project. To pass the time I started to do random things with the 7800 to see if anything worked. One thing does.

 

If I use a flat head screwdriver and press the button (the one directly on the board, not the one on the console face) as near the right side of it as I can, the console reliably powers up and down. Pressing anywhere else, or with a broader force, does nothing at all. Does this help diagnose the problem?

[xZanU]

Update:

This morning I was trying to figure out if it made more sense to sink $50 into a new system, or $20 into a soldering kit that might not actually solve the problem, and that I would have to teach myself to use, with my 7800 as my first project. To pass the time I started to do random things with the 7800 to see if anything worked. One thing does.

 

If I use a flat head screwdriver and press the button (the one directly on the board, not the one on the console face) as near the right side of it as I can, the console reliably powers up and down. Pressing anywhere else, or with a broader force, does nothing at all. Does this help diagnose the problem?

Sounds like a contact problem. My best guess would be to replace the button that is on the circuit board, though not sure where you would get one (Best Electronics probably).

 

It is hard to say without actually having the malfunctioning unit in front of me though. While you are experimenting, like any type of work like this, be sure to have it unplugged, and ground yourself first before poking around further. Soldering and desoldering is not too difficult, but you may want to practice on something else first.

[Atarifever]

This is such a frustratingly stupid problem. Now it doesn't respond to anything. But the problem is just with telling the machine I want it on. That's so annoying. When it does come on everything is fine. So I know I have a perfectly fine 7800 minus one stupid zero not willing to become a one. Is there any simple modification I can make to bypass the retarded on button? Could I just make it so the thing powers up automatically when it's plugged in? I'm willing to wreck the thing now. It's served me well these last 5 years, but now it's basically as expensive to repair as replace. Thus, unless there's a "basically no parts required" solution, I'm just ordering a new one.

 

EDIT: Anyone got a spare and want a Neo-Geo Pocket Colour, 5200 Best Electronics stick, and 32X?

Edited December 30, 2008 by Atarifever

[shadow460]

Re soldering the existing power switch is a no parts required solution. If the switch is still good, you're back in business. I recommend having a desoldering tool handy when you do it, but for this kind of repair, you can get by without one. A soldering iron and solder it perhaps $15 in the US. A desoldering tool adds $10 more.

 

Got any broken carts? Learn to solder and desolder on those. Who knows, maybe whichever ones you practice with will simply need the boards reflowed and you'll accidentally fix them in the process.

[0078265317]

Again I say that I have the greatest wife on Earth. I'm on vacation right now and she's at work. She called home to ask something and could tell I wasn't happy, so she asked what was up. When I told her the issue she said "Not your 7800. Well then go online and order a new one. Call it an extra Christmas gift."

 

Ya that was very nice. Most SO's are not.

[Jeremy Popp]

Wow, bringing this topic back from the dead eh? Since I read through all the posts unknowingly, I figured I would post the most logical solution. Replace the power switch:

 

https://console5.com/store/tactile-switch-12mm-x-4-5mm-atari-7800-power-pause-select-reset.html

 

39 cents!

[VectorGamer]

Wow, bringing this topic back from the dead eh? Since I read through all the posts unknowingly, I figured I would post the most logical solution. Replace the power switch:

 

https://console5.com/store/tactile-switch-12mm-x-4-5mm-atari-7800-power-pause-select-reset.html

 

39 cents!

 

I think mine needs a new one. Would anyone be willing to do the work if I ship mine out?

[Jeremy Popp]

 

I think mine needs a new one. Would anyone be willing to do the work if I ship mine out?

I would do the work free of charge. Depending on where you're at though, shipping could be quite expensive back and forth. Also, if I did it, there would be no guarantees it would fix your issue. I do have 1 spare switch on hand. PM me if interested.

[Andromeda Stardust]

Atarifever, sounds like your switches have gone bad. It is a common problem. If you do get a new 7800, please don't trash the old one. Ship it to one of the forum members for the cost of postage. Someone will fix it up and breathe new life into it.

[bah]

Console 5 for the win. I have replaced these before.

[@RealActorRob]

Could be worth a cleaning. Mine had what looked not quite like a spill inside, but it might have been related. Reset button wouldn't work but it's the same.

 

It's easy: https://rcbullock.blogspot.com/2018/10/easy-fix-for-atari-7800-buttons-not.html

[Shawn]

Could be worth a cleaning. Mine had what looked not quite like a spill inside, but it might have been related. Reset button wouldn't work but it's the same.

 

It's easy: https://rcbullock.blogspot.com/2018/10/easy-fix-for-atari-7800-buttons-not.html

 

Welcome to AtariAge. You should check the date on the post you are replying to to make sure it's a current situation you are offering advise on and not one that is years ago solved. Both the threads that you just posted your same link in are both many years old and had their problems solved just as long ago. Posting that same link to your website in multiple threads as a new user at all would get some weird looks by itself but doing so by bumping up threads that have problems that have already been solved years ago isn't going to do you any favors as your first impression to the community.