Is it just me?

[Video]

I play my 7800 quiet a bit, and use it as a 2600 as much as anything. But it's kinda odd. I want to know if it's just me, or if other people do this.

 

First, my 7800 plays 2600 games just fine, of course with the exception of hard to insert carts which may need jiggling. But half my 7800 carts will refuse to boot right, or they'll come on and shut off. I'm assuming the extra pins needed for 7800 games are the culprit, but they don't look bent or anything. Maybe they just don't make as good of connection on 7800 carts as 2600 carts?

 

Second. Quiet often, my 7800 doesn't boot when it's first turned on, on any game. I simply slamm the power switch and they useually boot the second time. Is this a normal problem for other people, or is my power switch or something else broken or going out?

 

Thanks for any help, or comments.

[rockman_x_2002]

In my experience with my current working 7800, I haven't had too much trouble loading games. And my 7800 always boots right the first time (provided the carts are in the cartridge slot good).

 

I don't have any of the hard-to-fit 2600 games, so I can't speak much on those, but for some reason Keystone Kapers and Pitfall II have trouble loading (unless I stack a cart up against them when I turn the power on and leave them there while I play).

 

As for 7800 games that don't want to load too well, only game I have trouble with is BallBlazer. But I think it doesn't load because it doesn't make good contact in the cartridge slot. Just keep pulling the cart out, reload, and turning your 7800 on again until it finally loads -- That's what I do with mine -- and it should work just fine.

[+Mitch]

For the problem with the 7800 carts I would recommend cleaning them.

If the carts are dirty they'll fail the authentication. Kind of like what the old NES did with the blinky blue screen.

 

For the power button it sounds like it is going out. You will probably need to replace it.

 

Mitch

[rockman_x_2002]

For the problem with the 7800 carts I would recommend cleaning them.

If the carts are dirty they'll fail the authentication. Kind of like what the old NES did with the blinky blue screen.

 

lol.... yes... the original Blue Screen 'O Death on the NES. I remember it well...

... and then they changed it to the Green Screen 'O Death...

... and then the Grey Screen 'O Death on the last NES models...

 

On a more serious note though, I have tried cleaning my BallBlazer cart. It's super clean, yes, but it still has trouble loading. Not to say it won't load... just takes a couple of tries, is all. I'm wondering if it might just be a bad connector or something on the 7800 I have now. (On the one I first had, which unfortunately no longer works, it loaded with no problems).

[+Mitch]

On a more serious note though, I have tried cleaning my BallBlazer cart.  It's super clean, yes, but it still has trouble loading.  Not to say it won't load... just takes a couple of tries, is all.  I'm wondering if it might just be a bad connector or something on the 7800 I have now.  (On the one I first had, which unfortunately no longer works, it loaded with no problems).

 

It sounds like the cart isn't fitting into the slot correctly and as you guessed not making a good connection.

To correct this problem Atari started putting little pieces of foam inside of the console shell in the top corners of the bottom half. This propped up the system board just enough to allow a better angle for the carts to be inserted.

 

Mitch

[Video]

Yeah, what rockman said is what I meant. Not that they absolutely won't load, just not boot without some extra work.

 

Could I just put some styrofoame under the board and put my system backtogether and maybe fix the problem? Or was it something special Atari did?

[ventrra]

On a more serious note though, I have tried cleaning my BallBlazer cart.  It's super clean, yes, but it still has trouble loading.  Not to say it won't load... just takes a couple of tries, is all.  I'm wondering if it might just be a bad connector or something on the 7800 I have now.  (On the one I first had, which unfortunately no longer works, it loaded with no problems).

I have the same sort of problem on mine, but BallBlazer is the only cart that does that on my system. All of the other 7800 carts work perfectly.

[+Mitch]

Yeah, what rockman said is what I meant.  Not that they absolutely won't load, just not boot without some extra work.  

 

Could I just put some styrofoame under the board and put my system backtogether and maybe fix the problem? Or was it something special Atari did?

 

Yes, you probably could, just don't use too much. You just want to prop up the back end of the board slightly.

 

Mitch

[Zonie]

Maybe it has something to do with the POKEY chip. Ballblazer has one in it, doesn't it?

[rockman_x_2002]

Maybe it has something to do with the POKEY chip.  Ballblazer has one in it, doesn't  it?

 

I thought about that...

 

Didn't post it though. There were other games that used the POKEY chip as well, if I remember correctly. Not sure, but Ms. Pac-Man sounds like it has a POKEY for its sound as well, and it loads fine.

 

Actually I have no clue as to why Ballblazer doesn't load and the others do unless the cart just isn't making connection as was stated before regarding the Activision games I have that don't connect right.

 

And it's a funny thing too. Not all the Activision titles suffer problems. It's only Keystone Kapers, Pitfall II, and Seaquest for some odd reason that do this. The other Activision titles (all purchased around the same time I assume by my older brother) work just fine.

 

Might be just a quirk or something... [/i]

[MegaManFan]

I have several games that still boggle me by not loading in my 7800 and working perfectly on my 2600, whether I clean the contacts once or five times it doesn't matter. Time Pilot, Pitfall II, and Surround among them.

[ubersaurus]

Maybe it has something to do with the POKEY chip.  Ballblazer has one in it, doesn't  it?

 

I thought about that...

 

Didn't post it though. There were other games that used the POKEY chip as well, if I remember correctly. Not sure, but Ms. Pac-Man sounds like it has a POKEY for its sound as well, and it loads fine.

 

Actually I have no clue as to why Ballblazer doesn't load and the others do unless the cart just isn't making connection as was stated before regarding the Activision games I have that don't connect right.

 

And it's a funny thing too. Not all the Activision titles suffer problems. It's only Keystone Kapers, Pitfall II, and Seaquest for some odd reason that do this. The other Activision titles (all purchased around the same time I assume by my older brother) work just fine.

 

Might be just a quirk or something... [/i]

 

Only Ballblazer and Commando have POKEY chips. Ms. Pac-Man just had a good programmer ;p

[Stein]

well to answer the first and original question, Yes! I do use my 7800 just as much (if not more) for 2600 games... that was part of the reason I decided on it instead of a 5200, too many classics I wanted/want to play

 

I usually clean all my used carts first thing before even playing them... and I don't have many problems at all... the only two games (so far) that I have any kind of problem with is Pitfall, it needs to be in the slot slightly crooked to work corectly, and Keystone goes in kinda hard put plays fine.

 

I haven't found a good deal yet on Pitfall2 but hopefully it will be fine once I get one

[Video]

Thanks for the help guys. As for the power problem, I'm content ot live with it till the switch finely burns out. And since the system isn't going to be sold, I used a dremil tool to shave a little plastic out of the cart slot so tight games fit better now.

 

To the previous poster, Pitfall II works just fine, but it fits tightly, unless you want to mod your 7800, you can squeeze the sides of the cart and get it to fit in easier.