thecrazyyellowfellow Posted January 26, 2002 Share Posted January 26, 2002 Hello everyone, this is my first post, but I've been enjoying all of yours so far, thanks! Anyway, I bought a 5200 on e-bay a while back and it worked fine for three days and then died. The console seems to work (it powers on anyway) so I think its the switch box. It doesn't matter if it is on standby or normal I don't get any video. When I unplugged it to look at it, sparks literally shot out of the switch box. Am I correct in assuming that I need a new switch box? Here is the way it was hooked up... cable and atari and power into switch box, switch box into 8-bit NES switch, NES switch into TV. Like I said, it all worked fine for 3 days and then died. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moycon Posted January 26, 2002 Share Posted January 26, 2002 Sparks!? Switch Box? Yep sounds like you need a new switch box! Heres one: Switch Box Im sure theres other places you can find them. I havent purchased hardware in so long.... I didnt think Atari's ever broke!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric_ruck Posted January 26, 2002 Share Posted January 26, 2002 quote: Originally posted by moycon: Sparks!? Switch Box? Yep sounds like you need a new switch box! Heres one: Switch Box Im sure theres other places you can find them. I havent purchased hardware in so long.... I didnt think Atari's ever broke!! Actually my working one sparks if you unplug the video cable while the power is plugged in. At least it did the last time I tried it. Goofy design, you'd think they hired engineers from Saab or something. Eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemmi Posted January 27, 2002 Share Posted January 27, 2002 I would try a different switch box first This place has replacement Boxes http://www.best-electronics-ca.com/ Here is the link to the page they are on http://www.best-electronics-ca.com/power%20guide.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted January 28, 2002 Share Posted January 28, 2002 Don't worry about the spark too much. The power current actually passes through the video RF to the unit itself. So if you leave the power supply plugged into the switchbox and then unplug the video it will spark more than likely. I have three switchboxes for the 4 port model and they all spark when I forget to unplug the power first. Now about your problem. When you turn on the 5200, you should hear an audible "click" from the switchbox as the relay switches over to the game side to allow the video signal to pass through. If you don't hear this "click" then your switchbox is most likely faulty. However the relay itself almost never goes bad. It is probably the opamp chip that is inside just off the choke and some other stuff in there. They are cheap to purchase at Radio Shack but do require some fairly steady hands with a soldering iron. So you have a few choices...you could ask several of us here whom I know we have spare 5200 switchboxes. Most of us prefer to do trades for other items we do not have for things like this. Or you could check ebay and find one there. Or some of us...(Myself included) could repair the one you have either for a modest fee of basically the parts plus shipping, or trade. Let me or Tempest know...since I know right off hand that he has a spare switchbox. Gunstar might also... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie_ Posted January 28, 2002 Share Posted January 28, 2002 @crossbow: Ive seen a couple of those on ebay. I assumed they were broken. :-) Your right, if his 5200 RF only has flat wire he'll need an adapter. I'm not sure if they made them just flat wire though...Ive seen coax only, but until I read your post, I thought they all had coax. Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted January 28, 2002 Share Posted January 28, 2002 Nope...they made them all with Coax connection to the TV...like all of mine. But they did make some with only flat wire ant in on the switch box itself. Those particular ones must not be too common as several people on the RGVC thought it was odd when I showed some scans of mine. Mine was broken and I was having them tell me what components I need to look at for repair. Turned out the transitor and Op amp on that one were both shot. Apparently someone in the past had most likely connected up a power supply for an 800 to it and that won't fly I am told. Anyway, I will try and scan that switch box again tonight so you can see what I mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted January 28, 2002 Share Posted January 28, 2002 Okay...so I happen to see this and thought I would post it for the benefit of TheCrazyYelloFellow in case his switchbox is dead. 5200 swtich box for 4 port 5200 on Ebay... Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie_ Posted January 29, 2002 Share Posted January 29, 2002 Actually, I would change your setup a bit. Plug the 5200 RF into the TV Plug the NES RF into the 5200 RF Plug the cable into the NES RF Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted January 29, 2002 Share Posted January 29, 2002 Chaz is right...I use this setup to connect my 5200 and Intv on the same selector. Basically the 5200 switch box is connected to the TV...and the Intv has a Coax to RCA phono converter plugged into the Coax Ant In on the 5200 switchbox. Select the channel..and turn on the Intv...I have the Intv...turn on the 5200..and it's signal takes over..and I have the 5200... So as Chaz said...maybe the NES switcher can't detect the 5200 signal... Try connecting the 5200 into the TV directly...and then get a Coax to RCA phono converter..(Radio Shack calls them F - Phono adapters...) and use that for the NES plugged into the Coax Ant in on the 5200 switchbox. This is assuming you have the 4 port switch box which has the Coax Ant In. I actually have one that has it etched on the board...but doesn't include the coax connector..and the case cover for the switch box doesn't have an opening for it either...so it basically only has the VHF terminal screw contacts...Odd ehh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted January 30, 2002 Share Posted January 30, 2002 Like the other guys, I too have the 5200 switchbox plugged directly to the TV (well, the VCR in my case;so I get sound out of my stereo through the stereo out on my VCR)and then everything else after that (7800 switchbox plugged into flat-wire (75ohm?) and PSX plugged into the coax(300ohm?)). I recently picked up a video cabel for my PSX for a buck at a thrift store, so now it's just the 5200/7800 (until I do audio/video mods on them-then it'll be every thing through Audio/video four way x2). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecrazyyellowfellow Posted January 30, 2002 Author Share Posted January 30, 2002 Thanks for all the replies... I tried connecting the switchbox directly to the TV without the NES hooked up and it still didn't work. I ordered a new switch box on e-bay so I will let you know how it turns out. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecrazyyellowfellow Posted February 3, 2002 Author Share Posted February 3, 2002 UPDATE: My Atari is fully functional again! All I needed was a new switchbox. I realized that the switchbox that came with my Atari originally (E-bay purchase) had been tampered with. Someone had opened and fixed it up so it would work when they sold it I guess... unfortunately for me, it only worked for about 3 days. Oh well, two weeks and $17.00 later, my Atari is working great. Thanks for all your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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