Atari2008 Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 I just got an Intellivision from eBay (woo hoo!). It didn't come with the cable to connect it to the switchbox. Is this something I could get at Radio Shack? What's it called? Does anyone have a parts number? Thanks! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DZ-Jay Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 (edited) It's called an RCA cable, you can just look for that name. It's nothing special to the Intellivision. You'll recognize it easily as the same cable used to connect stereo equipment and even composite television sets. Typically, it comes in pairs, with colour coded Red and White ends, but you can buy a single one. Here's a picture from Wikipedia: There should be easily found at any Radio Shack. I've even seen them at Walgreens and K-mart. -dZ. Edited January 10, 2012 by DZ-Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari2008 Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 Ah okay. I thought I was on the right track. I took one of those yellow/white/red cables, plugged the yellow one (since it's for video) to the Intv and the other yellow end to a direct coax adapter to the TV but I got nothing but snow. Could it be the cable or my INTV? Sounds like the cable shouldn't make a difference. I was going to get this but the 12 ft version: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103846 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DZ-Jay Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Ah okay. I thought I was on the right track. I took one of those yellow/white/red cables, plugged the yellow one (since it's for video) to the Intv and the other yellow end to a direct coax adapter to the TV but I got nothing but snow. Could it be the cable or my INTV? Sounds like the cable shouldn't make a difference. I was going to get this but the 12 ft version: http://www.radioshac...oductId=2103846 The cable should not make a difference. As a matter of fact the Red, White, and Yellow cables are usually exactly the same; just colour coded so that you know which one to plug in at the other end. Did you use the little switch box that says "Game" and "TV," or did you plug the cable directly from the Intellivision to the television set? Did you put the TV on the right channel (3 or 4)? -dZ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pimpmaul69 Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Ah okay. I thought I was on the right track. I took one of those yellow/white/red cables, plugged the yellow one (since it's for video) to the Intv and the other yellow end to a direct coax adapter to the TV but I got nothing but snow. Could it be the cable or my INTV? Sounds like the cable shouldn't make a difference. I was going to get this but the 12 ft version: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103846 If you have lcd tv u have to turn on system and scan for channels might have to turn on analog channels. If working but game hasnt been fiddled with to find sweet spot you should get a black screen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari2008 Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 I didn't know the color coding didn't matter. I didn't use a switchbox because I have one of those direct connection plugs like this: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103471 Pretty sure both the TV and INTV were set to Chnanel 3. But I'll double check when I get home. It is an LCD TV. The screen was black then I turned on the Intv and it went gray with snow. I didn't have an issue when I hooked up the O2 to the TV. When I Get home I'll try a channel scan. Got the system dirt cheap on eBay so hopefully it's fully functional. Maybe I'll try different games too, could be the cart as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pimpmaul69 Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 I didn't know the color coding didn't matter. I didn't use a switchbox because I have one of those direct connection plugs like this: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103471 Pretty sure both the TV and INTV were set to Chnanel 3. But I'll double check when I get home. It is an LCD TV. The screen was black then I turned on the Intv and it went gray with snow. I didn't have an issue when I hooked up the O2 to the TV. When I Get home I'll try a channel scan. Got the system dirt cheap on eBay so hopefully it's fully functional. Maybe I'll try different games too, could be the cart as well. for best test results use 3rd party game. Those usually work shoved all the way in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari2008 Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 Thanks will give it a shot! Hopefully I have some third party games. It came with a lot of 13 games. May even test it on my other LCD TV as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari2008 Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 Guess what? I tried the Inty on a different LCD TV and it worked! My Insignia 32 inch didn't like it, but my Toshiba 26 inch did. :-) Cool little system! The video quality was a bit fuzzy but other than than everything's good. I'm thinking of getting a new RCA cable as well as connector to put it into the antenna jack on the TV, do the gold plated ones actually make a difference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DZ-Jay Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Guess what? I tried the Inty on a different LCD TV and it worked! My Insignia 32 inch didn't like it, but my Toshiba 26 inch did. :-) Cool little system! The video quality was a bit fuzzy but other than than everything's good. I'm thinking of getting a new RCA cable as well as connector to put it into the antenna jack on the TV, do the gold plated ones actually make a difference? Well, gold is a very good conductor, and does not rust; so in general, gold-plated contacts are of better quality than the cheap tin stuff. It may provide a better picture, but there are many other factors for the fuzziness. For instance, the Intellivision's RF modulator is pretty crappy and noisy to begin with. I wouldn't spend too much money on expensive cables. Don't fall for "high-end" claims. I think most cheap cables nowadays are gold-plated anyway. -dZ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ransom Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I wouldn't spend too much money on expensive cables. Don't fall for "high-end" claims. I think most cheap cables nowadays are gold-plated anyway. I have had success using shielded cables vs. unshielded ones when it comes to RF connections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DZ-Jay Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 (edited) I wouldn't spend too much money on expensive cables. Don't fall for "high-end" claims. I think most cheap cables nowadays are gold-plated anyway. I have had success using shielded cables vs. unshielded ones when it comes to RF connections. Yes, me too. Shielded cables work better. I also prefer gold-plated because I've had more than one cheap set start rusting at the tips. My point was that he should not fall for things like Monster Cables that charge you $50.00 or more for a cable that is not perceivably better than the $3.00 one you purchased at the local hardware store. Even most cheap cables come shielded and gold-plated, just have to check the specs on the package. -dZ. Edited January 11, 2012 by DZ-Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pimpmaul69 Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 (edited) Guess what? I tried the Inty on a different LCD TV and it worked! My Insignia 32 inch didn't like it, but my Toshiba 26 inch did. :-) Cool little system! The video quality was a bit fuzzy but other than than everything's good. I'm thinking of getting a new RCA cable as well as connector to put it into the antenna jack on the TV, do the gold plated ones actually make a difference? I use an insignia 32". Like i said you have to scan the channels with it turned on. And standard rca cables are not shielded. It should look better. Places like radio shack sell gold plated and shielded rca cables. Edit: i just hooked a standard rca to my intv and is is 100% the fuzzy problem. Will look better with a shielded cable. Edited January 11, 2012 by pimpmaul69 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ransom Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 My point was that he should not fall for things like Monster Cables that charge you $50.00 or more for a cable that is not perceivably better than the $3.00 one you purchased at the local hardware store. Even most cheap cables come shielded and gold-plated, just have to check the specs on the package. Oh, definitely. And be careful where you buy cables. I was desperate for a cable and went to Best Buy and the same cable I could buy online for a few bucks was $30 there. It's insane. I like monoprice for most cables. I've bought at Blue Jean Cables and I've had good results with their stuff, but I'm not convinced the higher price got me anything I couldn't have gotten elsewhere cheaper. When I put together my home theater system, I used monoprice cables exclusively and it all worked really well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari2008 Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 Thank you for the suggestions! Yeah that's what I was trying to avoid, paying $50 or something crazy for a cable when I could get the same thing for less. Yeah, I have been using a standard RCA cable (red/white/yellow) not sure from where but I suspect it's not of the highest quality. Ransom thank you for the link to Blue Jean Cables. Anyone know where I could get a shielded cable for a reasonable price? Maybe a store I could walk into? I was thinking Radio Shack or maybe Best Buy but I know those can get pricey too. I did the Channel scan with the Inty on and it did find one analog channel but I still got no image...I'm suspecting the cable most likely. So i'm thinking a good connector like this one: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103471 and shielded cable and I should be in Inty land. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pimpmaul69 Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 My point was that he should not fall for things like Monster Cables that charge you $50.00 or more for a cable that is not perceivably better than the $3.00 one you purchased at the local hardware store. Even most cheap cables come shielded and gold-plated, just have to check the specs on the package. Oh, definitely. And be careful where you buy cables. I was desperate for a cable and went to Best Buy and the same cable I could buy online for a few bucks was $30 there. It's insane. I like monoprice for most cables. I've bought at Blue Jean Cables and I've had good results with their stuff, but I'm not convinced the higher price got me anything I couldn't have gotten elsewhere cheaper. When I put together my home theater system, I used monoprice cables exclusively and it all worked really well. i had a friend at best buy and i got some cables from him. price was 25 dollars and i got them for employee price of $1.75. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pimpmaul69 Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 (edited) Thank you for the suggestions! Yeah that's what I was trying to avoid, paying $50 or something crazy for a cable when I could get the same thing for less. Yeah, I have been using a standard RCA cable (red/white/yellow) not sure from where but I suspect it's not of the highest quality. Ransom thank you for the link to Blue Jean Cables. Anyone know where I could get a shielded cable for a reasonable price? Maybe a store I could walk into? I was thinking Radio Shack or maybe Best Buy but I know those can get pricey too. I did the Channel scan with the Inty on and it did find one analog channel but I still got no image...I'm suspecting the cable most likely. So i'm thinking a good connector like this one: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103471 and shielded cable and I should be in Inty land. :-) You still need a shielded rca. The gold adapter wont improve anything without a better shielded rca cable. I dont use gold plated and i get crystal clear picture. Edit: for best quality use a coax cable then get adapter from radioshack that converts from female coax to male rca. Cause coax that you use for cable is very well shielded. Edited January 11, 2012 by pimpmaul69 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ransom Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 i had a friend at best buy and i got some cables from him. price was 25 dollars and i got them for employee price of $1.75. That's hilarious! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yell0w_lantern Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Another option is to use a coaxial cable with a female coaxial to male RCA plug adapter. Well shielded and you probably already have a spare coaxial lying around your place. The adapter should only be a couple of dollars. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000AAL4PA/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=atariage&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000AAL4PA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+LS650 Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I use a coaxial-RCA adapter with a decent quality RCA cable. I get an excellent picture; easily 10x better than a crappy switchbox. I think I bought that adaptor at a Circuit City (like Radio Shack) for about $5, and the cable for maybe $10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pimpmaul69 Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Another option is to use a coaxial cable with a female coaxial to male RCA plug adapter. Well shielded and you probably already have a spare coaxial lying around your place. The adapter should only be a couple of dollars. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000AAL4PA/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=atariage&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000AAL4PA A little late. I suggested that 2 posts earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-topdog Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Shielded is always better than non-shielded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yell0w_lantern Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Another option is to use a coaxial cable with a female coaxial to male RCA plug adapter. Well shielded and you probably already have a spare coaxial lying around your place. The adapter should only be a couple of dollars. http://www.amazon.co...ASIN=B000AAL4PA A little late. I suggested that 2 posts earlier. I see it's an edit; must not have refreshed before I finally posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari2008 Posted January 13, 2012 Author Share Posted January 13, 2012 I went to Radio Shack yesterday and I got this RCA cable: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102945 and this adapter: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103471 I can't believe how clear of a picture I get on my LCD TV!!! It's awesome! No interference whatsoever and I think I only paid about $13 in total for everything. Thank you for your help everyone! Now I can finally game with ease. The only thing is that the TV took a while ti recognize the signal, I just kept getting a black screen. I did a channel scan - nothing. Turned the TV on and off, the Inty on and off and eventually got it to display the game but when it did it was crystal clear. This was on my Toshiba, going to try it on the Insignia later. Glad to get it up and running. :-) I guess the cables are everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pimpmaul69 Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 I went to Radio Shack yesterday and I got this RCA cable: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102945 and this adapter: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103471 I can't believe how clear of a picture I get on my LCD TV!!! It's awesome! No interference whatsoever and I think I only paid about $13 in total for everything. Thank you for your help everyone! Now I can finally game with ease. The only thing is that the TV took a while ti recognize the signal, I just kept getting a black screen. I did a channel scan - nothing. Turned the TV on and off, the Inty on and off and eventually got it to display the game but when it did it was crystal clear. This was on my Toshiba, going to try it on the Insignia later. Glad to get it up and running. :-) I guess the cables are everything. Ok the reason black screen no game is that the intv is finicky. If a cart dont work pushed all the way in u have to pull it out a little and maybe a little more. You have to find the sweet spot for each game. Also use q tip and alchohol to clean contacts on carts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.