Problem with my new VCS

[+grips03]

using a different usb stick and seems to be actually updating now

[+grips03]

yes keyboard is optional as the default in ~20 seconds is to image system.

[+grips03]

console now updated but modern controller will not power on any more.

[+grips03]

Now that the modern controller is bricked, is there a way to bring it back to life?  

 

Randomly the VCS fan spins up fast and makes a ton of noise.
 

I noticed I can use my normal USB arcade stick for game, but not outside of the game.  Why is that?

 

This has to be the worse console ever. 

 

 

[+jeremiahjt]

4 minutes ago, grips03 said:

Now that the modern controller is bricked, is there a way to bring it back to life?  

 

Randomly the VCS fan spins up fat and makes noise.
 

I noticed I can use my normal USB arcade stick for game.  Why is that?

 

 

There is a tiny pin sized hole on the controller with a button inside. Push that button and the controller should reset. Also, did you plug the controller in and try to use it that way?

[PeterG]

There is a reset hole in the controller. You can try to get in back in order with a pin.

 

The fan does that yes. When I upgraded the ram and put in a SSD I also replaced the thermal pad with a good cooling paste. I like to think that the fan is less active now, no hard prove for that though.:)

 

Considering the other pad, you can connect other controllers via usb, it works.

 

[+grips03]

I tried reset and I've tried plugging it in.  It will not power on any more.  I'm sending this thing back.

[+grips03]

The only thing that works now in the menu is the classic controller.  My normal USB arcade stick only works in a game.

[jesusc]

I'm sorry you're having issues. But dont let your anecdotal experience taint your overall view of this fine product. It's not all bad.  Take my experience for example:

1) set up machine and had to do manual firmware update just like you because of the update loop. 

2) Used VCSLOVE code to "purchase" Atari 50. Downloaded and installed game. 

3) Started game, system crashed. Had to power cycle

4) Started game again, played a few things (why is the game volume so low?) and tried to exit game. System crashed and I had to power cycle. 

5) Started the game again. Began going through the timeline stuff. During a video, I had to pause it so I could take a phone call. Two minutes later tried to unpause the video. Nothing doing. System was frozen. Had to power cycle. 

Atari is Lucy, the VCS is the football, and we're Charlie Brown. 

Have you played Atari today? Not if we can help it!

 

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

4 hours ago, grips03 said:

console now updated but modern controller will not power on any more.

I had the same happen with the classic VCS joystick tonight. 

[justclaws]

14 hours ago, Ice Cream Jonsey said:

I had the same happen with the classic VCS joystick tonight. 

You would be the first person to have this problem, that I've heard of, even with one controller.
The controllers, unless you would interrupt them during their firmware update, cannot get "bricked".

I can't work out what the cause of the problem you're having with the controllers is.
- Can you plug them into a different USB port as a control check?
- There is a cycle of options for the Atari button to turn on the controller, wireless.
  Turn-on, turn-off, ignored, turn-on, turn-off, ignored etc.
  If the controller won't respond, release press it again, it might just be on the ignore cycle!

[justclaws]

21 hours ago, grips03 said:

If I go to 

General Settings

System Updates

Operating System 

 

Error

Update Failed 

An error occurred while checking for 

update.  Please Try Again.  

Version - 20210826.135839.production 

Build - P#1205

 

What is wrong with this thing?  How can it be fixed?

 

It never gets past step 1 of 4.

 

 

 

At this point, the update even on an original system, should work over the network.
However, the flash from USB option is fall-back solution.
Of course, in that circumstance, it's frustrating as hell compared to the normal network update.

Sometimes, for whatever reason, if your system can't reach the Atari update servers, from your
home network (and that can be due to an ISP problem) it does not matter if you are using WIFI
or ethernet, because it's going through the same router. 

For some people, the solution can also be to connect to a phone phone hot-spot to update, if
that person has a phone on a different network to the home router, and have a big data-plan!
 

 

[+grips03]

My 9-5 job is network.  I have gig fiber to the home.  Its not the network here.

[Atari_JaguarVCS]

I've updated quite a few Atari VCS 800 consoles out the box perfectly fine since the new update. I always connected via Ethernet however WiFi is hit or miss sometimes and can take a long time to get the update done. I'm pretty sure though that there is still an issue somewhere with updating certain systems, as i did see a handful people on Discord a few month's back complain that there new system wouldn't update out the box and Davpa said that in some instances certain Atari VCS's will still only accept the new update via USB flashing and that hopefully in the next update things will improve again 🙂.  I actually think its quicker to just update via USB, inconvenient yes but probably quicker and guaranteed to work.

[MrBeefy]

20 hours ago, jesusc said:

I'm sorry you're having issues. But dont let your anecdotal experience taint your overall view of this fine product. It's not all bad. 

Serious question. Is he suppose to be excited that his controller is trash and it is inconvenient to update? Should he have a favorable opinion of something that doesn't work?

[jesusc]

Know how I know you didnt really read my post?

[PowerDubs]

10 minutes ago, MrBeefy said:

Serious question. Is he suppose to be excited that his controller is trash and it is inconvenient to update? Should he have a favorable opinion of something that doesn't work?

 

Serious question- do you believe it is the products fault every time someone complains 'it doesn't work'?  

 

Because I certainly don't...and I've spent several decades doing things that involve listening to someone's complaints and then resolving them....and quite often it is the very person complaining that was the issue.

[+Neon Wraith]

1 hour ago, MrBeefy said:

Serious question. Is he suppose to be excited that his controller is trash and it is inconvenient to update? Should he have a favorable opinion of something that doesn't work?

Don't you have an Amico God to pray to or something?  You only come in here to stir up shit, never offering any shred of credible assistance to anyone.  

 

[MrBeefy]

1 hour ago, jesusc said:

Know how I know you didnt really read my post?

Honestly, Poe's Law. It's hard to tell sometimes.

26 minutes ago, joeatari1 said:

Don't you have an Amico God to pray to or something?  You only come in here to stir up shit, never offering any shred of credible assistance to anyone.  

 

Reply about Amico: Nah never joined that cult and the head of the cult is selling his McMasion and trying to lay low in hopes people forget all the dumb stuff he said.

 

Reply about Assistance: Why would anyone other than a company person need to help fix/assist what sounds like a busted product? That should be on the company to fix and not the paying customers correct?

 

I do think we should boycott Lunar Lander Beyond since it isn't on the VCS. They should Put 100% of their efforts into supporting the VCS. It isn't right that an Atari game not be released on Atari hardware.

1 hour ago, PowerDubs said:

 

Serious question- do you believe it is the products fault every time someone complains 'it doesn't work'?  

If he needs to flash a drive to get it to update to work correctly that is an issue with the product out of the box and not the user. So from this guy's experience yeah I totally believe it.

 

It isn't like he has had it for eons and tried to hack into itamnd install some weird crap that unintentionally bricked it. THAT would be something on the end users fault. This post isn't that now is it?

 

If it is a good product it should work right out of the box right? It is a fairly low standard to have for a product. Have I missed where the VCS is officially a dead console not recieving support? Because if it is then that would be a reason it wouldn't work right out of the box.

[MrBeefy]

On 2/23/2024 at 8:30 PM, grips03 said:

The only thing that works now in the menu is the classic controller.  My normal USB arcade stick only works in a game.

So pushing the reset button didn't fix it at all? Have you made sure it's charged? Because you said not powering on. Maybe it shipped with a bum battery and you sucked what little life it had it when trying to update?

[+grips03]

Battery was at 3 bars, then the second the update occurred the modern controller was bricked and stopped working and will not power on and is not detected by the console when hard wired.  I pressed the button via the reset hole, and tried to power it on by pressing fuji button, I tried to charge it.  Nothing worked.

[+Neon Wraith]

9 minutes ago, grips03 said:

Battery was at 3 bars, then the second the update occurred the modern controller was bricked and stopped working and will not power on and is not detected by the console when hard wired.  I pressed the button via the reset hole, and tried to power it on by pressing fuji button, I tried to charge it.  Nothing worked.

Sorry to hear.  You should try contacting @davpa or Ashlee Scarcella on the VCS Discord server.  They should get you sorted with a fix or a new one.

[MrBeefy]

32 minutes ago, grips03 said:

Battery was at 3 bars, then the second the update occurred the modern controller was bricked and stopped working and will not power on and is not detected by the console when hard wired.  I pressed the button via the reset hole, and tried to power it on by pressing fuji button, I tried to charge it.  Nothing worked.

Is it detected by the PC you set up the USB stick on?

Edited February 25 by MrBeefy

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

On 2/24/2024 at 12:46 PM, justclaws said:

You would be the first person to have this problem, that I've heard of, even with one controller.
The controllers, unless you would interrupt them during their firmware update, cannot get "bricked".

I can't work out what the cause of the problem you're having with the controllers is.
- Can you plug them into a different USB port as a control check?
- There is a cycle of options for the Atari button to turn on the controller, wireless.
  Turn-on, turn-off, ignored, turn-on, turn-off, ignored etc.
  If the controller won't respond, release press it again, it might just be on the ignore cycle!

I opened a support ticket with Atari, although I have not heard from them since my first reply a few days ago. I have tried other USB ports and I tried the factory reset process. If I understand what you are saying about the Atari button, I have tried that too. It's ok, I am sure we'll figure it out. 

[Gamemoose]

Glad I found this thread!

I just joined the VCS family as my machine arrivedvia eBay (dang good deal for new-I himmed and hawed during the last two sales) super quick. I doinked around on it during my lunch break.  I flashed the machine and all other updates went quick and easy.

Edited March 1 by Gamemoose