Calling all Atari 2600 HW wizards! 2600 controller port not working.

[cdn2a]

So, my problem...

 

Atari 2600 4 switch.Rev 12 board.

 

I can NOT get the controller ports to work. The fire button works, but all the directions do not.

At first I thought this was a RIOT issue and swapped with a known good working one.

Still doesnt work.

 

Swapped the processor and TIA with the same result. The chips work fine on a different board

but refuse to work on this one.

 

I have ohm'd out the pins from the controller ports to the riot, they are ok.

Power and Ground are present at the port too...

 

I've also checked address and data line traces, they seem fine too.

 

So...

 

Any ideas?

[7800fan]

Tried a different controller? Also do the paddle (both of them) work as well?

[cdn2a]

Yes tried a different controller, no the paddles dont work either.

[7800fan]

That's odd. And you have checked RIOT chip as well. Did it work in a different 2600? The controller direction pins go directly to the chip, nothing else. Fire button goes to a different chip and those works so that seems to suggest the controller port itself is fine. Could there be bad trace? Did you check pin 1-4 of the controller port pin (not PCB side, controller pin side) to the IC pins? Bad socket or bad solder somewhere maybe?

[cdn2a]

WOW! OMG thanks dude.

 

I went to "prove" that I did in fact check to the end of the pin, I knew that I checked the traces, to the db9 pin on the board.

INSIDE the DB9 connector all the rear pins were broken. Too weird, but I now have it going.

 

Thanks!