spawnshop Posted October 18, 2015 Share Posted October 18, 2015 OK, so I bought a Heavy Sixer for pretty cheap, but I can't figure out what's wrong with it. It powers up but nothing but a black screen. With no game and powered on, i get the color bars and tones, so I know that there is a signal coming out and I'm on the right channel and that the power supply is working. I've cleaned the cartridge slot. And I've replaced/checked the 3 main chips, replaced the hex buffer IC, replaced the main 2200 capacitor, and the voltage regulator, and a bad selector switch.....not sure where to go from here. I've reviewed the service manual, but no luck. Any ideas on this? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+xucaen Posted October 18, 2015 Share Posted October 18, 2015 (edited) What does it do with a game cartridge inserted and powered on? Edited October 18, 2015 by xucaen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zylon Posted October 18, 2015 Share Posted October 18, 2015 Those have a few different items that could do that in addition to what you have tried. The flat-wire or ribbon cable connectors were not very good. You might try moving the switchboard to MB wiring around and see if it tries to run. Another issue those may have is the cart slot. Is it green inside or white? The green ones had issues with the contacts not being too strong and they lose the ability to grip the cart contacts properly. A third possibility is the little dot-sticker has fallen out from under the upper left corner of cart guide. If it is missing, it can cause a short against the housing when assembled. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spawnshop Posted October 18, 2015 Author Share Posted October 18, 2015 What does it do with a game cartridge inserted and powered on? With the cart in, and powered on - Black Screen only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spawnshop Posted October 18, 2015 Author Share Posted October 18, 2015 Those have a few different items that could do that in addition to what you have tried. The flat-wire or ribbon cable connectors were not very good. You might try moving the switchboard to MB wiring around and see if it tries to run. Another issue those may have is the cart slot. Is it green inside or white? The green ones had issues with the contacts not being too strong and they lose the ability to grip the cart contacts properly. A third possibility is the little dot-sticker has fallen out from under the upper left corner of cart guide. If it is missing, it can cause a short against the housing when assembled. I will check these items as well. Thanks. As for the card reader, it's the white version. ** after looking at teh ribbon and the dot-sticker, they both look a bit suspicious. I will check the ribbon as soon as I get my multimeter in this week. ** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaximRecoil Posted October 20, 2015 Share Posted October 20, 2015 Another issue those may have is the cart slot. Is it green inside or white? The green ones had issues with the contacts not being too strong and they lose the ability to grip the cart contacts properly. My heavy sixer has a green card-edge connector. I guess that explains why its grip on the cartridge feels so weak compared to my light sixers and 4-switchers. So far I haven't had any problems with it, but I'd still like to replace it with a new one, because I don't like the soggy, no-feedback feel when inserting a cartridge (as opposed to my other 2600s in which cartridges "snap" into place with a nice detent sort of a feel). How are these things put together? Are the long, bent-at-an-angle legs which solder to the motherboard integrated with the card edge connector, or can the card-edge connector be separated from those legs? The black plastic cartridge guide makes it hard to see what's going on under there, though I can see that there is a screw on each side of the green card-edge connector securing it to something. Annoyingly, that black plastic cartridge guide is riveted to the motherboard, which makes things more difficult (my light sixers use screws there instead of rivets), so those would have to be drilled out and replaced with short screws. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zylon Posted October 20, 2015 Share Posted October 20, 2015 The cart connector is screwed onto the guide from underneath. You have to drill out the rivets, cut the long metal terminals, unscrew it from the guide, then put new one on the guide. I always cut the pins and desolder them later as individuals. This leads to less chance of damage to the traces on the board. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaximRecoil Posted October 20, 2015 Share Posted October 20, 2015 (edited) I always cut the pins and desolder them later as individuals. This leads to less chance of damage to the traces on the board. That's the way I would do it too. Those legs are relatively thick/heavy/long, and the through-holes are not only plated-through, but they are a relatively tight fit. The high mass of the legs means it takes a large quantity of heat to melt the solder all the way down through the plated-through hole so it can all be sucked out of there, and those delicate pads don't generally like that much heat. Is Best Electronics the only source for new ones? Edited October 20, 2015 by MaximRecoil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zylon Posted October 20, 2015 Share Posted October 20, 2015 To my knowledge, yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atari-dna Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 MPU could simply be shot. Screen is solid black at power up? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spawnshop Posted November 12, 2015 Author Share Posted November 12, 2015 Well, it turns out it was a bad IC. The one I had originally deemed as functional ended up having a broken prong and not registering. I replaced it agian, and now I have a fully functional Heavy Sixer for only $30!! I had to replace the selector switch since the spring underneath broke. I would love to reinstall the original switch if I can fix it. Anyone know where i can get a replacement spring for it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atari-dna Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 The cart connector is screwed onto the guide from underneath. You have to drill out the rivets, cut the long metal terminals, unscrew it from the guide, then put new one on the guide. I always cut the pins and desolder them later as individuals. This leads to less chance of damage to the traces on the board. Zylon, Do you have any photographs of the cart connector apparatus removed from the board? If so that would help me better visualize (although your description is clear). Does BEST have the replacement connectors? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atari-dna Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 I had to replace the selector switch since the spring underneath broke. I would love to reinstall the original switch if I can fix it. Anyone know where i can get a replacement spring for it? Which type of spring did you have? I've seen two types, there is a V shaped "scissor" type spring, which protrudes from the bottom of the switch or a coiled spring that is completely enclosed in the switch. The V type are older I think. I've never found a replacement source for either, but you can get light gauge wire from a hobby shop and craft your own replacements Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zylon Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 Zylon, Do you have any photographs of the cart connector apparatus removed from the board? If so that would help me better visualize (although your description is clear). Does BEST have the replacement connectors? Nope. I do not have any pics of that being done. Best still has plenty of the 6er connectors. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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