Stubborn reset switch

[Nostalgic]

I have a six-switch (though not the "heavy" kind) Atari 2600. For the last ten years, at least, the reset switch has been somewhat stubborn. In order for the 2600 to register that I've pushed the switch, I have to actually hold it to the right, push down, move it left, then pull it back up. Most of the time I'll have to repeat this a couple of times to get it to work.

 

For a long time this was only a minor annoyance. Now, though, it's getting harder and harder to make this trick work successfully.

 

How can I fix my reset switch?

[hurt]

well it sound like a dirty switch or bad contacts on the switch. i would sujest that if you feel "ok" with electronics open that bad boy up put some fresh soilder on the pins of the reset switch (where it connects to the under side of the board), and mabe use some electical cleaner on the switch it self. make sure that the stuff is safe on plastic as i am sure that will be a main part of the switch.

 

you are the first person i have heard about haveing a problem with a switch on the wood'ies. the switchs on the jr's are well know for being some what crapy but the wood'ies seem to hold up great.

 

well good luck with that

[+-^CrossBow^-]

Interesting you mention the switches and their durability.

 

My Sears Heavy sixer is somewhat of an odd ball. I asked my Bother in Law (man I got the heavy sixer from) about whether he had gotten it repaired in the past or not. He said no..that he had never had any problem with it. I asked him this because I noticed that the whole right side of the 2600 switches..being the player 2 skill switch, Game select, and Reset were all of a different manufacture than the left side. The switches looked the same but the actually manufacturer was different. Also the right hand switches had was looked like an extra hole on their sides for mounting. They looked something like this:

 

__[0]__ <-- Tab with mount hole

| ___ | (Missing on left side switches)

| | | |

| | | |

| |O| |

| |_| |

|_______|

 

Also...one of the switches on the right hand side...(Reset I think) was mounted upside down. Not that it mattered to the functionality.

 

But on the left hand side...all the switches were mounted upright and were of a different type which didn't have the extra tab and the mole drilled in it.

 

So then that was my concern. I can only think that since this was made in '77 at the Sunnyvale plant..that it was hand pieced together and that they simply ran outta switches of one manufactur to finish my Sears model with..and hence they grabbed a new batch of a different make.

 

It is worth noting that in addition to these switches being from a different manufacturer..that they are also...noticably shinier than the left hand side switches are.

 

Any idea?! What is up with this?

 

The switches all work great by the way...and also..excuse the lame ASCI art...but you get the idea.

 

 

 

 

[ 07-12-2001: Message edited by: -^Cro§Bow^- ]

[hurt]

i have found that alot of the switches are not made by the same people i assume atari went with the lowest bidder for that month, day, or week. i know that alot of the jr's that i have all look the same when you take the cover off but that if you look at the switches alot of them all have diffrent manufatuers names on them.

[+-^CrossBow^-]

hehe..I figured it was something like that. The heavy Sixer being as old as it is, I could see Atari using different switches from all over depending on what was laying around, or as you said, who was the cheapest to buy from that month etc.

 

Just curious as I remembered my old 4 switch was the same throughout. Glad to hear that it is a fairly common thing.

 

Thanks!

 

 

[ 07-16-2001: Message edited by: -^Cro§Bow^- ]