Connecting a 5200 to a UK tv or VCR

[svenski]

My 5200 arrived today. The deal didn't include a switch box but I wasn't necessarily too concerned about that but I'm stuck when it comes to connecting to the TV.

 

I presume its the same all over now but modern UK and European TVs have a female RF input, no screwing the RF or arial cable in the back, or anything similar.

 

As an example a US Atari computer would have a computer to switchbox cable then connect to the TV via the switchbox. UK and European Atari computers just had a computer to tv cable.

 

I have a few old Atari computer and Radioshack switch boxes which the 5200 will connect to, but the outputs are for old North American TVs.

 

Would the 5200 switchbox get around this or is it just the equivalent to what I've already got?

 

Sorry to sound vague, any European or UK 5200 owners should know exactly what I need.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

[+Mitch]

Is it a 2port or 4port 5200?

 

Mitch

[svenski]

Mitch, its a 2 port.

 

I think I might have solved the problem, my worldwide VCR came with coaxial adaptors (which have since vanished) but reading through the VCR manual gave me a flash of inspiration.

 

I have an old cable set top box which low and behold has a coax adaptor on the end of it so that should work, by connecting the 5200 through the normal switchbox - switchbox and coax adaptor to vcr.

 

I'll give it a go.

[Spirantho]

Hi,

 

Were you the high bidder on the 5200 on eBay UK recently? If so, *slap* I was going to mod that. :-)

 

Seriously, though, if you have a modern TV you`ll be able to get a picture with slightly squiffy colours without too much trouble, as long as either can tune in very low to VHF, or else the set top box you`re using can tune in.

 

However, unless you have an NTSC cable box (very unlikely) or an NTSC TV you won`t get a peep out of the sound without distorting the picture unrecognisably. Therefore you have three possibilities, in order of (my) preference:

 

3) get an NTSC TV. Shipping costs.. Mmm...

2) get an NTSC WinTV card. I have 2 of these, both bought on eBay from the states, and they work fine, one in my Linux box at work connected to my Atari 2800, the other at home for the 5200 in a Win98 machine.

1) mod the 5200. This is great for getting picture (assuming your TV can do NTSC video, which modern ones can) and sound (connect to your stereo!), but means you can`t run any other NTSC consoles.

 

Personally, as soon as I get another 5200 I`ll mod it, as I don`t want to touch my fully-refurbished mint Best Electronics 5200.

 

Best of luck!

[svenski]

Ian,

 

Thanks for your post.

 

This 5200 was from about 3 weeks ago on ebay, not a fantastic deal but boxed, 2 fully working controllers and off the top of my head 7 games, 5 boxed for $63.

 

I've got a Samsumg Worldwide VCR that will play anything but modern US tvs have a screw in RF in, not like European tvs. The VCR manual said it came with coax adaptors (which it did - they just vanished) but then I rememberd I had an old NTL cable box and sure enough that had one.

 

I've got it running ok through the rf lead via an old US switchbox and using the coax adaptor but the picture isn't great - might be the switchbox.

 

Only problem is now the 5200 cuts out after several minutes but its running via a multi socket adaptor and a step down converter.

 

I'm going to try it plugged straight in the wall through the stepdown and see if that helps. The stepdown should be more than enough to cope with the 5200 but if it continues to cut out I'll have to invest in a bigger capacity one and see if it cures it.