Is there a static electricity preventer kit like for the 2600?

[raymondjiii]

I’m referring to one of the Atari tech bulletins that recommend a capacitor diode pair installed near each joystick port on the 2600. Anything like that known for the 7800?

[+-^CrossBow^-]

I believe the Rugger's DB9 ESD kits commonly used on the Colecovision can be used on any console that uses 9-pin. But I've only ever used those boards on the CV consoles.

 

https://console5.com/store/anti-static-d9-joystick-port-esd-set-pair-of-2-static-protection-add-on-pcb.html

 

My only question would be any devices like the savekey or AVox if they might have trouble working on the ports with one of these installed. But again, I've not tested it myself

 

[raymondjiii]

55 minutes ago, -^CrossBow^- said:

I believe the Rugger's DB9 ESD kits commonly used on the Colecovision can be used on any console that uses 9-pin. But I've only ever used those boards on the CV consoles.

 

https://console5.com/store/anti-static-d9-joystick-port-esd-set-pair-of-2-static-protection-add-on-pcb.html

 

My only question would be any devices like the savekey or AVox if they might have trouble working on the ports with one of these installed. But again, I've not tested it myself

 

Yeah, I saw those and I couldn’t quite figure out how they would install. But looking again, I guess the board sits vertically behind the port. First I thought they would lay flat and I couldn’t see that happening. Worth a try, I’ll pick some up on my next order.

[+x=usr(1536)]

8 hours ago, raymondjiii said:

Yeah, I saw those and I couldn’t quite figure out how they would install. But looking again, I guess the board sits vertically behind the port. First I thought they would lay flat and I couldn’t see that happening. Worth a try, I’ll pick some up on my next order.

The board is designed to solder flat to the underside of the PCB at the location where where the joystick pins are attached.  The pins for the joystick port go through the holes on the anti-static board and are soldered to it as well as the machine's board.

[+-^CrossBow^-]

9 hours ago, raymondjiii said:

Yeah, I saw those and I couldn’t quite figure out how they would install. But looking again, I guess the board sits vertically behind the port. First I thought they would lay flat and I couldn’t see that happening. Worth a try, I’ll pick some up on my next order.

Just like @x=usr(1536) stated, you mount those on the bottom of the PCB lined up against the pins already soldered through from the ports. What you have to do is possibly trim away any leads that might interfere with the boards from laying as flat as possible and you have to apply some wire to attach the ground pads on each of the boards to a ground on the main board. 

 

Basically a series of diodes so that any voltage spike from possible ESD would be routed to ground vs possibly going into of the components directly. I don't think ESD is as much of an issue in the case of the 7800 as it was with the 2600 and 5200 consoles, but again I'm sure it wouldn't hurt. I've just never installed them to test if devices like the save key, AVox, or QuadTari would still work properly with these installed.

 

[raymondjiii]

1 hour ago, x=usr(1536) said:

The board is designed to solder flat to the underside of the PCB at the location where where the joystick pins are attached.  The pins for the joystick port go through the holes on the anti-static board and are soldered to it as well as the machine's board.

Hmm, puts it in close contact with the bottom RF shield too. I guess some insulating material could resolve that and if the RF shield is at the same ground then should be safe.

[+-^CrossBow^-]

32 minutes ago, raymondjiii said:

Hmm, puts it in close contact with the bottom RF shield too. I guess some insulating material could resolve that and if the RF shield is at the same ground then should be safe.

Yes the RF shield is on the same potential ground as the rest of the system. And the ground pads for those esd boards is the part that would likely be close to the RF shielding. But I wouldn't advise soldering to the RF shielding as it would make future servicing a right PITA for the next guy. I've actually had a few 7800s sent to me to services performed where another modder or tech soldered the RF shielding in place either because the tabs all broke off in the process of them working on it prior, or because the mods they did wouldn't allow for the bottom RF shield half to be used so they soldered the top half down on to the ground tracks around the RF section.

[+x=usr(1536)]

1 hour ago, raymondjiii said:

Hmm, puts it in close contact with the bottom RF shield too. I guess some insulating material could resolve that and if the RF shield is at the same ground then should be safe.

In addition to what @-^CrossBow^- said re: the RF shield: if contacting it is a concern, just place a few strips of electrical tape on it where the antistatic board might touch.

 

This would probably be a good thing to do anyway, since pin 7 carries +5V.  Wouldn't be worried at stock clearances, but with an additional board on the underside it's a case of better safe than sorry.