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Hooking my Atari 2600 up to HDTV?


Words Fail

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I picked up an Atari 2600.. no idea if it works. It's a 4 switch and one joystick, but it was $20. I thought the power supplies looked spooky (old / rusty) so I bought one off Amazon along with an F adapter to coax.. I don't have any games to test right now. I don't care about them either.. I'm going to get a Harmony to a game I am programming.

 

Anyway, plugging the Atari into that coax adapter should I see anything try to come up on the screen? I just want to know the Atari works.. or do I need something else to make it work? Or do I need at least one game to try?
 

I don't care if the picture looks like shit long as I can test my game.

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If the Atari is functional, you’ll most likely just get a single solid colored or static screen. There is no pre loaded game or logo screen or anything of that nature.

 

For future, you could do a simple composite mod to make the picture a lot clearer on an HDTV. There are several ready made PCB kits with great instructions that install in minutes with simple soldering. Still not the best picture, but miles ahead of RF.

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Do I still need that TV switch adapter cuz I don't have one of I sent the unit to channel 3 I turned the TV on and I get nothing. Either the unit is not functional or the power supply I bought is a piece of crap it is the latest thing I've ever felt. Probably made in China or something. 

 

I know there is no game built in I was just hoping to at least get a static screen or some kind of life.

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8 minutes ago, Words Fail said:

Do I still need that TV switch adapter cuz I don't have one

No.  If the F-Type to coax adapter is installed, you should just plug the RF cable directly into it.

8 minutes ago, Words Fail said:

of I sent the unit to channel 3 I turned the TV on and I get nothing.

Check channels 2 & 4.  Ditto the channel select switch on the rear of the 2600.

 

BTW: depending on how recent the TV you're using is, it may not be able to tune analogue channels.  If this is the case, it will not display the 2600's video.  You'll need to check with the TV manufacturer to figure out if that's the case or not: there's no way to otherwise reliably know its capabilities.

8 minutes ago, Words Fail said:

Either the unit is not functional or the power supply I bought is a piece of crap it is the latest thing I've ever felt.

Which power supply are you using?

8 minutes ago, Words Fail said:

I know there is no game built in I was just hoping to at least get a static screen or some kind of life.

Definitely try with a cartridge inserted.  I'd recommend Pac-Man: it's cheap, easy to find, and a known quantity for how it should look, sound, and play.

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2 minutes ago, x=usr(1536) said:

Definitely try with a cartridge inserted.

Seconded.

 

Without a cartridge, the 2600 doesn't output a standard video signal (there's no vertical synchronization, which is handled by the game code), so the TV might not find it even in case it supports analog channels.

If the TV finds the channel without a cartridge, the result could be a black screen, or a bunch of colored vertical bars with or without some continuous sound.

 

 

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10 hours ago, x=usr(1536) said:

No.  If the F-Type to coax adapter is installed, you should just plug the RF cable directly into it.

Check channels 2 & 4.  Ditto the channel select switch on the rear of the 2600.

 

BTW: depending on how recent the TV you're using is, it may not be able to tune analogue channels.  If this is the case, it will not display the 2600's video.  You'll need to check with the TV manufacturer to figure out if that's the case or not: there's no way to otherwise reliably know its capabilities.

Which power supply are you using?

Definitely try with a cartridge inserted.  I'd recommend Pac-Man: it's cheap, easy to find, and a known quantity for how it should look, sound, and play.

 

Channels 2 & 3 you mean? The switch on the Atari says 2 and 3.

 

My television can tune analog channels it says. I went through the process and added 3 & 4.. I'll have to go back and add 2 as a test.

 

Yeah there's some game stores near me.. I'll get a cheap cartridge this week when I get paid.

 

Power supply: https://www.amazon.com/WiCareYo-Supply-Adapter-Atari-2600-Console/dp/B07HRHJHVT/  -- 190 reviews mostly positive.

 

 

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1 hour ago, Words Fail said:

Channels 2 & 3 you mean? The switch on the Atari says 2 and 3.

That works.  I usually recommend trying 2, 3, and 4 because 2 and 3 or 3 and 4 are generally the options for RF output on the majority of systems, including non-Atari ones.

2 hours ago, Words Fail said:

Have you verified the output voltage and that the tip and ring match what the 2600 is expecting?  IIRC, it should be centre-positive.

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17 hours ago, x=usr(1536) said:

That works.  I usually recommend trying 2, 3, and 4 because 2 and 3 or 3 and 4 are generally the options for RF output on the majority of systems, including non-Atari ones.

Have you verified the output voltage and that the tip and ring match what the 2600 is expecting?  IIRC, it should be centre-positive.

Nah I don't have a meter. Anyway I'll get a game this week to test.

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....and, if the power supply works and yet your TV still doesn't pick up either channels 2 or 3 if or it does not recognize analog signals for some reason then I myself have a video with a very well known, tried and true solution that you might be interested in picking up provided you have onboard HDMI jacks on your TV. That video will be posted later on in this thread but I'm sure you'll see it on YouTube but watch mine because it also gives valuable info on what else you need to go with it. Highly recommended!!! :)

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16 hours ago, Words Fail said:

That thing gets mostly 1 star reviews on Amazon.

Don't rely on those bullshit 1 star reviews on Amazon, people who have great experiences and results with this device usually don't post reviews, those are just those who have negative feelings about this device, there are tons of folks including those who also posted videos of this device similar to mine that have nothing but great things to say of it, even some fellow users here on AA who also own one, either because of me or otherwise will tell you the same thing, it may not be perfect but for Atari it nearly is the best thing out there if you don't want to modify your unit, I highly recommend you watch my video and some others on YouTube and then give it a chance. You'll be quite surprised of it.

 

BTW, some of the bad reviews are partly related to the antenna connection on this device, in which, FYI, is a European-style IEC (PAL) antenna jack, in which you would just simply need an RCA-to-IEC plug adapter to use you Atari on it,  that link is also in the description on my video, don't listen to the idiots on Amazon, listen to those of us including here on AA who actually own one and have tested it for themselves.

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On 1/27/2023 at 1:54 PM, BIGHMW said:

Don't rely on those bullshit 1 star reviews on Amazon, people who have great experiences and results with this device usually don't post reviews, those are just those who have negative feelings about this device, there are tons of folks including those who also posted videos of this device similar to mine that have nothing but great things to say of it, even some fellow users here on AA who also own one, either because of me or otherwise will tell you the same thing, it may not be perfect but for Atari it nearly is the best thing out there if you don't want to modify your unit, I highly recommend you watch my video and some others on YouTube and then give it a chance. You'll be quite surprised of it.

 

BTW, some of the bad reviews are partly related to the antenna connection on this device, in which, FYI, is a European-style IEC (PAL) antenna jack, in which you would just simply need an RCA-to-IEC plug adapter to use you Atari on it,  that link is also in the description on my video, don't listen to the idiots on Amazon, listen to those of us including here on AA who actually own one and have tested it for themselves.

Thanks!

I was going to go pick up an Atari game at the store today, but I had work to do. I film movies and tv shows sometimes.. well I help out and do lighting. We're shooting 6 episodes of a show and then we'll create a sizzle reel and try to get someone to pick it up.

Tomorrow I'll go get a game hopefully.

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2 hours ago, Words Fail said:

Thanks!

I was going to go pick up an Atari game at the store today, but I had work to do. I film movies and tv shows sometimes.. well I help out and do lighting. We're shooting 6 episodes of a show and then we'll create a sizzle reel and try to get someone to pick it up.

Tomorrow I'll go get a game hopefully.

I also do filming, and would do more if only I can get the attention that I need to keep going at it, it seems like the lack of numbers of subscribers and views of my videos on all 3 of my YouTube channels greatly discourages me from posting more often. If the numbers were there, I would be more motivated to do more filming knowing there are more than just a couple-of hundred people viewing my 3 channels, but because of the low numbers that I feel discouraged from filming pretty much anything because I am not getting the attention I think I deserve.

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35 minutes ago, BIGHMW said:

I also do filming, and would do more if only I can get the attention that I need to keep going at it, it seems like the lack of numbers of subscribers and views of my videos on all 3 of my YouTube channels greatly discourages me from posting more often. If the numbers were there, I would be more motivated to do more filming knowing there are more than just a couple-of hundred people viewing my 3 channels, but because of the low numbers that I feel discouraged from filming pretty much anything because I am not getting the attention I think I deserve.

Just keep doing videos and little by little you grow. I don't care if you grow by 20 new subscribers or 2.. you are still growing. I edit video here as well. I have the latest full suite of Adobe products, and a decent computer. PS - I love S.O.D. if that was you wearing the shirt in one video.

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3 hours ago, Words Fail said:

Just keep doing videos and little by little you grow. I don't care if you grow by 20 new subscribers or 2.. you are still growing. I edit video here as well. I have the latest full suite of Adobe products, and a decent computer. PS - I love S.O.D. if that was you wearing the shirt in one video.

Yup, that was me alright, thanks!!!

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I picked up Vanguard tonight. The 2600 works with just the cheap coax adapter. It's not pretty, but fine with me for now. The original joystick is broke, but there's a flashback joystick or something that works. I just needed cheapest way to get up and running and I did. I have to save up for a Harmony now.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Regarding HDTV connection, in case you wouldn't know (and only for European atarians I'm afraid), Philips HDTVs still have analogue tuners that work perfectly with unmodified PAL or SECAM Atari 2600. I've just bought a Philips 32PHS5507/12 at 179€, and it works perfectly (tested with PAL and SECAM).

 

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