How to connect an Atari 5200 2-port to a TV?

[dudeguy]

My 5200 came with the little adapter that has the two metal "Y" looking things on the end. I connected everything but cant get a screen. System gives me a red light. Everything is firmly connected. Not sure which channel or settings my TV needs to be on. I feel like I tried every combination. The screws on the back of my TV are labeled UHF but the converter box is labeled VHF. See pics

[dudeguy]

nevermind i figured it out. i had to use a little adapter i got out of my Sega Genesis

[+x=usr(1536)]

22 minutes ago, dudeguy said:

My 5200 came with the little adapter that has the two metal "Y" looking things on the end. I connected everything but cant get a screen. System gives me a red light. Everything is firmly connected. Not sure which channel or settings my TV needs to be on. I feel like I tried every combination. The screws on the back of my TV are labeled UHF but the converter box is labeled VHF. See pics

Yep, won't work.  Your 5200 is outputting video on VHF channel 3 or 4; neither of those can be received on UHF.

 

What you need is a coax to RCA adapter.  Screw one end into the VHF antenna connector, plug the 5200's RF output into the other end.  It'll eliminate the switchbox completely.

 

https://atariage.com/store/index.php?l=product_detail&p=42

 

https://console5.com/store/rca-to-f-type-converter.html

 

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=rf+to+coax+adapter

[0078265317]

1 hour ago, dudeguy said:

nevermind i figured it out. i had to use a little adapter i got out of my Sega Genesis

What genesis adapter?

[dudeguy]

3 hours ago, 0078265317 said:

What genesis adapter?

its basically female RCA on one side going to female coax on the other. same thing as what the previous guy linked to but its encase in black plastic and has the Sega logo on it. it came with the Genesis that came with Altered Beast

[0078265317]

6 hours ago, dudeguy said:

its basically female RCA on one side going to female coax on the other. same thing as what the previous guy linked to but its encase in black plastic and has the Sega logo on it. it came with the Genesis that came with Altered Beast

Somebody correct me if I am wrong but that genesis adapter wont work.  Its auto switching or something I read here once and not compatible.

[BIGHMW]

On 9/18/2022 at 10:25 AM, x=usr(1536) said:

Yep, won't work.  Your 5200 is outputting video on VHF channel 3 or 4; neither of those can be received on UHF.

 

What you need is a coax to RCA adapter.  Screw one end into the VHF antenna connector, plug the 5200's RF output into the other end.  It'll eliminate the switchbox completely.

 

https://atariage.com/store/index.php?l=product_detail&p=42

 

https://console5.com/store/rca-to-f-type-converter.html

 

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=rf+to+coax+adapter

Actually the 5200 (and pretty much all Atari consoles) outputs on channels 2 or 3, not 3 and 4 (proud 5200 owner since 1983, my third one, my first being a 4-port with that automatic switch-box, the second being an a/v-modded one, my current one being a 2-port unit with a 4-port BIOS.),