Is this an ok power supply to buy?

[GradualGames]

Having just acquired a 2600 with a power supply that has some frayed cables I went ahead and purchased the first power supply I found on amazon that had 22 5 star reviews:

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MHRESW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

But I've seen advice elsewhere stating not to get cheap knockoffs. Is there any reason to believe the above device should not be used?

[RamrodHare]

That looks like a decent one.

If you decide to go looking for Joysticks, keep in mind that the new ones are all junk. It's best to get working vintage ones. You can also buy new parts to refurbish the old ones. Best Electronics is a site you really need to check out. The website is "odd" but Brad is an awesome guy to deal with and he has almost anything you could need.

[Swami]

Having just acquired a 2600 with a power supply that has some frayed cables I went ahead and purchased the first power supply I found on amazon that had 22 5 star reviews:

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MHRESW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

But I've seen advice elsewhere stating not to get cheap knockoffs. Is there any reason to believe the above device should not be used?

That is a good one. I asked about it myself a few months ago and have used one. Echoing ramrodhare about the joysticks and paddles, get the lifetime gold returns from BE if you like the original equipment. There are also threads about using genesis pads, SMS master sticks and even PlayStation dual shock controllers.

[+sixersfan105]

I have used that brands 7800 power supply and the build quality is quite good, so I would imagine the 2600 product is solid, too. Whatever you do, do not order anything directly from AtariGuide.com, as that site has been shuttered for quite some time. The products on Amazon seem to keep shipping without issue, though. Not sure if it is a different seller shipping those or what.

[+slx]

If you decide to go looking for Joysticks, keep in mind that the new ones are all junk. It's best to get working vintage ones.

 

A lot of the old non-Atari joysticks were junk, too. Everyone was crazy about the first Quickshots then but they hadn't much to offer but cool looks. Still have a couple but never use but they seem to come with every VCS on EBay.

 

If you're looking for period style, it's probably best to get some CX-40s and buy Best Electronics refurbishment kits.

[GradualGames]

Thanks for the assurances above, the power supply arrived and seems to be working fine. I think it may have cleaned up a little noise in the tv signal. Though I'm not really sure, as it still gets some noise. I have a ferrite core on the way for the rf cable to see if that improves the signal at all. Depending on the time of day it seems better or worse so that really seems like rf noise......

 

 

A lot of the old non-Atari joysticks were junk, too. Everyone was crazy about the first Quickshots then but they hadn't much to offer but cool looks. Still have a couple but never use but they seem to come with every VCS on EBay.

 

If you're looking for period style, it's probably best to get some CX-40s and buy Best Electronics refurbishment kits.

 

I actually just placed an order for six of Best Electronics cx-40 gold replacement pcbs. From the looks of it, installing these should be pretty simple and involve no soldering at all, just slip the little wire clips off the old board and slip them onto the new board?

Edited December 30, 2017 by GradualGames

[RamrodHare]

Thanks for the assurances above, the power supply arrived and seems to be working fine. I think it may have cleaned up a little noise in the tv signal. Though I'm not really sure, as it still gets some noise. I have a ferrite core on the way for the rf cable to see if that improves the signal at all. Depending on the time of day it seems better or worse so that really seems like rf noise......

 

 

I actually just placed an order for six of Best Electronics cx-40 gold replacement pcbs. From the looks of it, installing these should be pretty simple and involve no soldering at all, just slip the little wire clips off the old board and slip them onto the new board?

I hope the Ferrite makes a difference for you.

 

As far as the PCBs, that's all there is to it, unless you need new inner handles and fire buttons. The old white inner handles are really thin where they press the domes on the PCB. Over the years, they may have become brittle or been stressed due to hard use. The fire buttons are sturdy, but if someone was smashing that button for years, the little nub on the ned can become worn. That's two things I always check when I take a joystick apart. There are decent replacements for both parts and they are fairly cheap, so it's not a big deal to replace them, if you need to.

 

Don't be afraid to pick up some aftermarket controllers, just do some research on them before you buy one. A lot of people love the Wico, Epyx, Competition Pro, Tac-2, and Starfighter joysticks. Those are pretty well made and work well, but they cost more than the average stick. Some companies made some amazing joysticks, some companies made junk. I've read about and experienced, some amazing results from the "junk" ones. Gemstiks are fairly cheap, but quite a few people use them. There are little tweaks you can make to some of the worst joysticks to get them working great, if you don't mind the work. Depending on your DIY abilities, you can even build your own controls using actual Arcade sticks and buttons, or modify an NES control pad. The options are only limited by your abilities and imagination. Some people just use Sega Genesis controllers and they work just fine. There's a ton of information on the forums about all this stuff, so just do some searches on things you are wondering about and you are sure to find plenty of info on almost anything. When I got started, I did nothing but search the forums and read. When I couldn't find an answer, I asked other members for help and they were happy to share their knowledge.

[+slx]

Don't be afraid to pick up some aftermarket controllers, just do some research on them before you buy one. A lot of people love the Wico, Epyx, Competition Pro, Tac-2, and Starfighter joysticks. Those are pretty well made and work well, but they cost more than the average stick. Some companies made some amazing joysticks, some companies made junk.

 

 

Fully second that. Didn't want to recommend a specific stick as what you like and what you don't like is quite personal and depends a lot on how you play, i.e. if you prefer to hold the base in your hand or put it on a table, if you like micrsowitches or prefer leaf switches, etd. I like the TAC-2 a lot for "twitchy" games but find it too "hard" for others. The Wicos are impressive but quite large to hold in your hand and the throw is bigger than with CX-40s.

 

edladdin.com sells custom joysticks for Atari.