switches next to controller ports

[jb2003]

First off I am new to these forums so I would like to start off by saying hey to everyone. I am a proud new owner of a 7800 and was curious what the switches are next to the controller ports. TIA.

[CPUWIZ]

Welcome.

 

The switches are the A-B difficulty select switches.

[jb2003]

Thanks for the info. I presume the that A is switched to the left and B to the right?

[CPUWIZ]

Yep.

[AtariChris]

This is not correct.

 

The switches on the 7800 are:

 

B to the Left

A to the right.

 

I confirmed this with Chopper Command.

 

http://atariage.com/manual_html_page.html?SoftwareID=921

 

Set both difficulty switches to 'b' to begin. Switches in this
position will cause fast continuous fire from your chopper when red
button is depressed. Set switches in 'a' position for slower continuous
fire.

 

Note to owners of Sears Tele-Games Video Arcade: Difficulty is called
skill left (or right) player and 'a' is 'expert' and 'b' is 'novice'.

 

Unless of course my 7800 is wired incorrectly.

Edited May 19, 2014 by AtariChris

[CPUWIZ]

You do realize, that you just bumped a thread that has been dormant for 11 years, right?

[Jinks]

So is atarichris correct?? Have I been doing all wrong!!

[7800]

I do that all the time.

[AtariChris]

You do realize, that you just bumped a thread that has been dormant for 11 years, right?

 

Yep! Maybe some person out there has the same question I did when they first got thier 7800 and wondered what those 2 little switches were near the controller ports...........only to find this thread and it being the wrong information.

[phoenixdownita]

From what I gathered:

 

left = A(dvanced)

right = B(eginner)

 

On a real 2600 A was UP and B down.

 

Anyhow http://www.videogameconsolelibrary.com/pg80-7800.htm#page=specs

the bottom links to a 7800 manual, page 11 has a 20 words paragraph about them.

 

For the 2600 details http://www.videogameconsolelibrary.com/pg70-2600.htm#page=specs

there's a few manuals at the end of the page and you can find the same about the difficulty switches.

 

Oh, and of course, very nice necro-bump, I mess up all the time, I tend to keep the switches to the left except for Tower Toppler obviously, but then again I should have them to the right .... except that for Plutos left =1 player, right = 2 players so it's pretty much a mess.

Edited May 20, 2014 by phoenixdownita

[Trebor]

From what I gathered:

 

left = A(dvanced)

right = B(eginner)

 

On a real 2600 A was UP and B down.

 

Just to be clear, concerning actual hardware...

 

Atari 2600 "6-switches on top" models ('Heavy Sixer', 'Light Sixer'):

-Difficulty switches are on the top, Up Position = 'A' / Down Position = 'B'.

 

Atari 2600 "4-switches on top" models ('Woody', 'Vader', 'Jr.'):

-Difficulty switches are in the rear, Left Position = 'A' / Right position = 'B'.

 

Atari 7800:

-Difficulty switches are in the front, Left Position ='B' / Right Position = 'A'.

 

[AtariChris]

So.....

 

Is the manual for the 7800 incorrect?

 

"when the difficulty switch is moved to the left the game becomes more difficult"

 

I pop in my space invaders cart and fire it up. I click the diff switch to the right and my laser cannon becomes larger. I click it to the left , it's smaller.

 

Here is a quote from the Space Invaders manual:

 

"The difficulty switches control the size of the laser cannons
on the screen. In the b position, the cannon is smaller, and
therefore easier for the beginning player to use. In the a
position, the cannon is twice as large, and therefore more
susceptible to enemy fire."

 

 

Which tells me that the switch on my 7800 is B left / A right

[AtariChris]

Thank you Trebor!

[davyK]

depends if you are looking at the front or the back of the console !!!!