atari 2600 red and blue scewwn problem

[larryk13]

I am new to this. just found my old atar 2600. when i power up the screen is red and blue vertical lines . i bought a new power plug and a rf connector for tv I am doing something wrong. Pleas help if possible. thankyou in advance.

[mojoatomic]

What does it do if you power it up without a cart in the slot? When you power it on and see the lines, do you hear a sound?

[H454]

It makes things easier If you know the tv is tuned to Ch. 2 or 3. Then toggle the channel switch on the Atari - some tvs till tune in garbage on 3 when the Atari is on 2. leading to frustration.

After that - clean the cart and the cart slot (google). Or clean a cart and work it in and out of the slot a dozen times. If you can't get something to come up - the first thing to do it reset the cart.

 

 

I am new to this. just found my old atar 2600. when i power up the screen is red and blue vertical lines . i bought a new power plug and a rf connector for tv I am doing something wrong. Pleas help if possible. thankyou in advance.

This sounds A LOT like dirty cart contacts.

 

If that doesn't work, theres always more people willing to help.

[larryk13]

replaced power adapter,new rf connector and tried different games. screen just shows red white and blue vertical lines. all that shows up once in a while is the title of cartridge game that you can see faintly and a slight hummy noise put tv on channel 3 and game console on 3

[mojoatomic]

screen just shows red white and blue vertical lines.

Sounds like it's a French Ex-Pat!

 

Dirty contacts on male cartridge and female cartridge connector can cause these symptoms. I would start by cleaning both with alcohol.

[H454]

Are you sure your games, console and tv match?

IE: NTSC for north America and pal for u.k. / eastern Europe.

Where are you and where did you buy the games/2600?

 

And the RF adapter? Is it a switch box or a RCA to coax adapter?

 

Also, type of TV?

new flat screen, old crt?

Some tv made in the last five years can't tune an analog signal.

Or interpret 240P.

 

Getting old stuff to work with new screens is the bane of vintage gamers - but there is always a way!

 

And can you edit title to screen instead of scewwn?

Edited February 17, 2017 by H454