7800 Serial Number List

[+-^CrossBow^-]

9 minutes ago, WizardRobbie said:

My NTSC unit, not sure if it would have the expansion port or not.

Well if you don't see the opening on the side for it or you do but there isn't a connector there, then it doesn't have it most likely. But the only way to know for sure, would be to open up the 7800 and you would then be able to see if off the left hand side near the Rf modulator section. You wouldn't even have to remove the RF shielding since all 7800s have the opening in the shielding for the expansion port even if it isn't there.

 

[joshua]

hey @Crazymoon67 this is a puzzling one, i just acquired another EP, this one a slightly lower serial number than the one i found a few months back that we were talking about, this one is serial # EP 003032

 

PCB is stamped "21 84" and the case in near mint condition.

 

it is baffling however because as you can see from the pics it is missing the expansion module on the pcb, i thought someone possibly removed it previously but on close inspection there doesn't seem to have been any work on the pcb in that area or anywhere, it almost seems as if Atari mistakenly forgot to mount & solder the expansion port on the pcb on this one at the factory

 

 

 

[Crazymoon67]

Congrats on the pick up i think i saw this console on Ebay anyway its a 1st week unit the board is 21st and controller ports are 19th week so thats good.I was thinking what could have happened is they never put it on oops, but strangely i noticed your RIOT chip has no marking on it. Does the system work ok? I will be doing the update shortly and add it to the list.

[joshua]

21 hours ago, Crazymoon67 said:

Congrats on the pick up i think i saw this console on Ebay anyway its a 1st week unit the board is 21st and controller ports are 19th week so thats good.I was thinking what could have happened is they never put it on oops, but strangely i noticed your RIOT chip has no marking on it. Does the system work ok? I will be doing the update shortly and add it to the list.

thanks, yeah it works fine other than the female rf output port is broken off and missing from the rf modulator, it has a wire protruding from the rf modulator that you can see in the pics that i can tap and get the rf output signal albeit with a bit of static, i am hoping to find a replacement rf modulator for it but i don't want to replace it with anything other than another original EP rf modulator to keep it original as they are different than the later models, so it's not likely for me to find a spare one anywhere as rare as these EP are

Edited October 29 by joshua

[Crazymoon67]

Glad to hear it is working ok i have seen another one just like this missing the exp port but i cant pin point where i saw it.I think it may have been on here but im not 100% on it. As far as the modulator if you open it up (the box) the new RF plug can be installed this is a common problem with them. I think you can drop some solder on the inside of the box to reinforce it as far as original i think as long as you get the one with the red plug insert they are all the same. I dont see the RF shielding on it does it have one? that missing is an indication someone was in it and may be why the RIOT chip has no marking but its all speculation this looks like a nice condition 1st week system let me know how it goes fixing it back i think that is a minor fix and wont even be noticed if its a clean job good luck on it.

[Pan]

Those two are mine, both unmodded

 

[+-^CrossBow^-]

On 10/23/2024 at 3:23 PM, joshua said:

hey @Crazymoon67 this is a puzzling one, i just acquired another EP, this one a slightly lower serial number than the one i found a few months back that we were talking about, this one is serial # EP 003032

 

PCB is stamped "21 84" and the case in near mint condition.

 

it is baffling however because as you can see from the pics it is missing the expansion module on the pcb, i thought someone possibly removed it previously but on close inspection there doesn't seem to have been any work on the pcb in that area or anywhere, it almost seems as if Atari mistakenly forgot to mount & solder the expansion port on the pcb on this one at the factory

 

 

 

I hate to be that guy...but it is also possible that the board was originally made when stated etc. But not completed fully and then the rest of it sat around for the next few years until it was finished up and then sold new in the later 80s. My original 7800 is exactly like this only it does have the expansion port and IC chips date stamped from '84 but was then placed into a later 80s case shell without the hole on the side for the expansion port and was sold new with an A3 serial sticker on it. So Atari was taking boards from stock, fixing them up or completing them and then sending them back out. And again, it is possible yours was like that.

 

On the RF repair you could just get a standard nickel plated RCA jack that is black or yellow in color on the center. Drill out the opening on the RF box to allow for it. (1/4" size). And then install that into place. Solder the loose wire to the center post and the ground would come from the RF box itself. You could apply some solder to ensure a good ground from the jack on the outside. Or the jack would come with a ground tab and you could solder that against the inside of the RF box internally to keep it clean. If a good lock washer or star washer is used, that should hold it in pretty snug.

 

[Crazymoon67]

On 11/7/2024 at 10:28 AM, -^CrossBow^- said:

I hate to be that guy...but it is also possible that the board was originally made when stated etc. But not completed fully and then the rest of it sat around for the next few years until it was finished up and then sold new in the later 80s. My original 7800 is exactly like this only it does have the expansion port and IC chips date stamped from '84 but was then placed into a later 80s case shell without the hole on the side for the expansion port and was sold new with an A3 serial sticker on it. So Atari was taking boards from stock, fixing them up or completing them and then sending them back out. And again, it is possible yours was like that.

 

On the RF repair you could just get a standard nickel plated RCA jack that is black or yellow in color on the center. Drill out the opening on the RF box to allow for it. (1/4" size). And then install that into place. Solder the loose wire to the center post and the ground would come from the RF box itself. You could apply some solder to ensure a good ground from the jack on the outside. Or the jack would come with a ground tab and you could solder that against the inside of the RF box internally to keep it clean. If a good lock washer or star washer is used, that should hold it in pretty snug.

 

Yes that is possible and could explain the RIOT chip but at the end of the day the shell with this rainbow gradient and its serial Id label all say it is an OG 1st week of production system. The PCB looks to be 1st week also the IC,s you mentioned that were used for many years are the OS and proprietary lock out chips those they must have made originally a lot of to carry threw a few years worth of production.Yes this may have been sold much later but its still a first week EL Paso system and as that it is pretty rare so he wants this repair to look OG to the system basically like it was never tampered with and i concur with that  totally. Does the system work in 2600 mode? that i forgot to ask him previously. Anyway thank you for your input on this. 

[+MysteryDump]

Here is my 7800.
It's been fully modded and restored by Jesse at Ivory Tower Collections.
New Kiloparsec BIOS (with built in game), DC-DC switching regulator upgrade, UAV video output, new UltraViolet Power LED, replaced switches with new Alps style, and fully recapped.

It works better than new!

Thank you Jesse! 

 

[joshua]

On 11/9/2024 at 5:09 AM, Crazymoon67 said:

Yes that is possible and could explain the RIOT chip but at the end of the day the shell with this rainbow gradient and its serial Id label all say it is an OG 1st week of production system. The PCB looks to be 1st week also the IC,s you mentioned that were used for many years are the OS and proprietary lock out chips those they must have made originally a lot of to carry threw a few years worth of production.Yes this may have been sold much later but its still a first week EL Paso system and as that it is pretty rare so he wants this repair to look OG to the system basically like it was never tampered with and i concur with that  totally. Does the system work in 2600 mode? that i forgot to ask him previously. Anyway thank you for your input on this. 

yes i agree, the rainbow gradient, pcb #, stamps on controller ports, stamp on RF housing & EP serial # all point to this being original '84 EP 7800. i have come to the conclusion that either they simply forgot to solder on the expansion port at the factory or, based on your observation about the RIOT chip which i didn't notice at first, the previous owner may have done some very clean work removing the expansion port for some bizarre reason(maybe thinking they would outfit an AV out port there possibly) & they also possibly replaced the RIOT chip as well.

 

yeah it works in 2600 mode fine as well & it came with the original RF shielding i just removed it to examine. at some point when i find some free time i will try to open the RF modulator box like you mentioned and repair it properly

[erasure242]

Here is mine... Its CIB and in like new condition. Box is a 9/10 as well as console... No modifications...