Problem with Atari 7800

[Roberto C.]

Hi guys.

I have an Atari 7800 european version.

The consolle has Asteroid inside in ROM and all seems working good.

The problem is that if i insert a cartridge always starts Asteroids and not the game in the cartridge. 

I've tried 3 7800 cartridges and 1 cartridge for 2600 but always with the same result.

I've checked the slot for cartridge and all seems good, I've cleaned and tested it and it apparently has not problems.

Have you any idea how i can solve the problem? Thank you!

[juansolo]

Problem is either the slot, the carts or the cartridge detection. Clean the carts and the slot thoroughly with IPA or contact cleaner. Use a paper towel wrapped around a credit card or something like that to do the slot. Cotton buds (q-tips) for the carts. Then inspect the pins of the cart slot, make sure none are bent. Next the solder joints on the back of the slot. Make sure they're all good. It's a mechanical connection and those joints will be over 30 years old... Re-flow them if you have an iron handy.

 

If it's none of those things it's the cart detection that's failing. There's some ICs in that area that might have gone bad and need swapping.

Edited February 5, 2022 by juansolo

[marauder666]

Or the cartridge cup is really tight and cartridges are not fully seated

[juansolo]

1 hour ago, marauder666 said:

Or the cartridge cup is really tight and cartridges are not fully seated

Yeah, we've had that a few times. Had to take a dremel to the cup. (My NTSC 7800 is particuarly bad with 2600 games. I really should do something about that...)

[Roberto C.]

2 hours ago, juansolo said:

Problem is either the slot, the carts or the cartridge detection. Clean the carts and the slot thoroughly with IPA or contact cleaner. Use a paper towel wrapped around a credit card or something like that to do the slot. Cotton buds (q-tips) for the carts. Then inspect the pins of the cart slot, make sure none are bent. Next the solder joints on the back of the slot. Make sure they're all good. It's a mechanical connection and those joints will be over 30 years old... Re-flow them if you have an iron handy.

 

If it's none of those things it's the cart detection that's failing. There's some ICs in that area that might have gone bad and need swapping.

Thank you Juan Solo. What ICs could potentially be the problem? 

[juansolo]

Honestly I'd go through all the other options first as finding out will be looking through the schematic at the cart detection bit and working through it.

[Roberto C.]

On 2/5/2022 at 9:33 PM, juansolo said:

Honestly I'd go through all the other options first as finding out will be looking through the schematic at the cart detection bit and working through it.

Thank you Juansolo

[juansolo]

If you get stuck and you're in the UK, you could send it over. Happy to take a look at it for you.

[Roberto C.]

On 2/7/2022 at 9:49 AM, juansolo said:

If you get stuck and you're in the UK, you could send it over. Happy to take a look at it for you.

Hi juansolo.

Cartridge connector is not good, it has much of rust.

I've tried everything to clean it as yot wrote but with not good results. I would change the connector but it seems hard to find a new one.

Watch please pictures.

[Roberto C.]

I used things in picture to try to clean. I also desoldered e resoldered connector. 

[+Trebor]

1 hour ago, Roberto C. said:

I would change the connector but it seems hard to find a new one.

https://www.best-electronics-ca.com/addendum.htm

 

Atari 7800 32 pin female game cartridge connector | CB101193 | $15.95

 

Best Electronics

Phone: 408-278-1070 (1:30 - 5 PM, PST, M - F)
Note: Caller ID # required on all phone calls to Best
or
Via E-Mail: bestelec@bestelec.digitalspacemail8.net

[0078265317]

cart cleaner

[juansolo]

All we'd use is contact cleaner and isopropyl alcohol. Only ever had one so bad we've needed to swap it out and luckily it was on a 2600 and we had an old junior we were using for parts that we took it from. Obviously you can't use those for a 7800. Best Electronics is probably your only option for a replacement unless there's someone here who has a broken 7800 they'd be willing to pull the connector from.

[Oldschool80skid]

Try Bar Keepers Friend 

[Roberto C.]

16 hours ago, Trebor said:

https://www.best-electronics-ca.com/addendum.htm

 

Atari 7800 32 pin female game cartridge connector | CB101193 | $15.95

 

Best Electronics

Phone: 408-278-1070 (1:30 - 5 PM, PST, M - F)
Note: Caller ID # required on all phone calls to Best
or
Via E-Mail: bestelec@bestelec.digitalspacemail8.net

Thank you very much!

[Roberto C.]

14 hours ago, 0078265317 said:

cart cleaner

Thank you but i think it's not sufficient.

[Roberto C.]

9 hours ago, juansolo said:

All we'd use is contact cleaner and isopropyl alcohol. Only ever had one so bad we've needed to swap it out and luckily it was on a 2600 and we had an old junior we were using for parts that we took it from. Obviously you can't use those for a 7800. Best Electronics is probably your only option for a replacement unless there's someone here who has a broken 7800 they'd be willing to pull the connector from.

Thank you juansolo

[Roberto C.]

7 hours ago, Oldschool80skid said:

Try Bar Keepers Friend 

Ok thank you. I'll try a similar product sold here before to order it online.

[johannesmutlu]

Well while i do live in a pal territory country,I own the ntsc atari 7800 model with expansion port, i tried to play atari 2600 sky skipper on it but so far i don’t get any response out of those controllers(whether i use all action buttons and move the poke stick in all directions),i hit pause and select button as well including reset,but i got no response out of it,but those controllers do respond when i play atari 2600 popeye or atari 7800 donkeykong so am i missing something ?