The Atari 7800 displays a blurry image

[JPjuice23]

Yes, hello, Hi, I was wondering if anyone can help me in determining why my Atari 7800 displays a blurry image.

 

Here's what the image looks like

 

 

 

It also has these weird teeth on the side. Generally every game I have has a black column on the left side. It's not blocking the picture, but rather the entire picture is moved over.

 

 

 

Here's the same connections, TV, everything, just with my NES. The image is clear, so I assume it's my Atari 7800 that's causing the problem.

 

 

 

However, it's a Nintendo RF switch, so are these known for not working probably on the Atari 7800, or any other machines besides the NES?

 

 

 

The Ebay seller I bought this from included this, which doesn't work for me because my TV doesn't have the proper connections.

 

 

So any help with this diagnosis is welcome thanks. I really want to play Atari, but with the games blurred, I can hardly see any small dots. Which means shooting games can be unplayable (A.K.A. A large chunk of the Atari 2600 library.)

Edited December 8, 2010 by JPjuice23

[GroovyBee]

The black lines are very common on 2600 games. Have a look at the screen shots in the 2600 database on AA.

 

It looks to me like the tuning is slightly out on the TV. Does your TV have an auto-tune or a fine tune control?

[BigO]

I've never tried it, but I have read here on AtariAge that a certain level of DC voltage is imposed on the video output of a Nintendo to make those switches work and that the Atari consoles don't output the necessary DC to make the Nintendo switch work properly.

 

If you can hook up that Nintendo RF switch to your TV, then it has the proper connections for the 7800 to connect to. However, that gold adapter has the wrong gender on the threaded side to connect directly. You can get the right adapter at places like Radio Shack, but you should be able to connect a piece of standard "cable tv" coaxial cable between the TV and that adapter, then plug the 7800 into the "RCA"/non-threaded side of the adapater to test without the Nintendo RF adapter in the mix.

 

 

As for the black bars on the left, those look like the standard "HMOVE" artifact commonly present in 2600 games. (Assuming that's a 2600 game). The artifacts I'm referring to will show up on a 7800 or a 2600.

Edited December 8, 2010 by BigO

[kenfused]

 

The Ebay seller I bought this from included this, which doesn't work for me because my TV doesn't have the proper connections.

 

 

 

If the TV has the proper connections for the Nintendo rf adapter it should have the proper connects for the adapter (you just need a cable between the screw on side to the tv, and a cable from the rca side to the 7800.

 

--Ken

[Rex Dart]

Is the atari set to the correct channel? That stupid Circle/Square switch or whatever on the back determines what channel to tune it to. Took me a few minutes to figure this out when I got my first 7800 because it's labeled in moon-code.

[Justin42]

My 7800 does this occasionally, I usually have to mess with the power switch turning it on and off and it clears up eventually. Maybe it's a tuning issue on the TV that I've never explored, and it "locks" into sync properly eventually?

 

I'm sure there's a much more technical reason (and solution) than I've explored, but it's been like this for years, so... I learn to live with it!

[Chuplayer]

That looks like how my Atari 7800 was before I soldered the RF switchbox to essentially hardwire itself to being in game mode permanently. The slider switch had gone bad.

 

Since you're using an NES RF adapter with the 7800, I'd imagine a similar thing is happening. The 7800 was never meant to be used with an autoswitchbox like that. The 7800 doesn't output a strong enough signal to trip the NES RF adapter into game mode, and it's probably outputting like that because of that reason.

 

That little doohickey the seller gave you might still be of some use. Get any old RCA cable. It doesn't matter if it's mono, stereo, or just a single line. You're only going to be using one line. You can leave the other one or two hanging. Plug one end into the back of the 7800, and plug the other end into that doohickey. Then get a coaxial cable. Put one end on your TV. Put the other end on the other side of that doohickey. If I'm correct, you should have a hardwired connection from the console to the TV. Just make sure your channel is set to 3 or whatever is appropriate. If the picture comes in clear, you've got a good 7800. You may still want to buy a regular switchbox for it, though, but be advised that you will need to manually flip the switch every time you want to play your 7800.

[Chuplayer]

My 7800 does this occasionally, I usually have to mess with the power switch turning it on and off and it clears up eventually. Maybe it's a tuning issue on the TV that I've never explored, and it "locks" into sync properly eventually?

 

I'm sure there's a much more technical reason (and solution) than I've explored, but it's been like this for years, so... I learn to live with it!

It might just be the RF switchbox. Either hardwire it like I did, get a new one, or get one of those little doohickeys that gives you a straight line to the back of the TV. You can also put other RF switchboxes ahead of it in the sequence, such as NES and Genesis RF adapters.

[+Stephen]

That's definitely RF interference caused by using the Nintendo switchbox. It is an automatic switcher, and it seems some consoles don't have enough "output" to drive it.

 

That F-to-RCA adapter will work for you. Follow JPjuice23's advice.

[PAC MAN FEVER]

I have tried this before and have had worse problems than that. I think that the nintendo rf box was not meant to be played on a atari 7800. I suggest that you get a diffrent one for your atari. As for the black lines most 2600 games do that.

[Kjmann]

NES Switch Boxes Do NOT work with the atari 7800 or any other 8-bit atari system.

[buttonsmasher90]

No the NES switch doesn't work on the 7800 I've come to find out but it does work on the first generation sega genesis