Harmony Encore won't fit in 2600

[gmaletic]

My new Harmony Encore cart won't fit in my 2600. If you compare it (bottom) to a standard cart, the bottom edge looks bowed in, and I assume that's the problem. (I've tried to "bow it out" as I insert it, but no luck so far.)

 

Has anyone experienced this issue? Thanks.

[fluxit]

I doubt that the shown bowing would keep the cart from fitting in the slot.

 

If  you insert a flat blade screw driver into one of the two rectangular holes that allow the cart's dust cover to open, are you able to push the spring-loaded cover into the cart?

[gmaletic]

Yes, it does open up if I push a screwdriver into it. And if I shove the dust cover -way down-, I find that I can -sometimes- push the cart in far enough to get it to load on my VCS. But most of the time, it still simply doesn't "fit". (I wish I had a better idea for what was going wrong. It's hard to tell since there's no way to see what's happening.)

Edited November 12, 2023 by gmaletic

[fluxit]

My guess as to what is happening is this:

 

When inserted into the 2600, the cart's PCB is being pulled slightly out of alignment with the slot in the dust cover, causing the cover to collide with the PCB, even though the cover is open.

 

Someone else may have a better idea, but I don't think that you'll be able to fix the cart without disassembling and reassembling it, or returning it for replacement.

[umjammercammy]

I'm having this same issue. I've found the following threads with posts related to it:

I cannot for the life of me get the Harmony into the light sixer even with the tipping method. I've managed to get it in a few times but it never loads correctly and it always feels like I'm basically breaking my Atari trying to push it in. If anyone has any suggestions or ideas on how to remedy this please let me know. Thanks.

[gmaletic]

My solution was to get a replacement from the manufacturer. The next one worked much better. (The exchange process was clean and simple.)

[+-^CrossBow^-]

Not sure if this is the same issue being described or not, but my original Harmony and UNOcarts both have the same similar issue. The issue is that they won't always want to fit in and seat into place. I figured out the issue is that the PCB itself inside the cartridge shell will tilt up/down a bit. And this slight ability to tilt will cause the PCB to not align with the actual opening in the spring loaded dust cover through the cartridge itself and with the console. 

 

What I'm able to do with both of them is to wiggle them a bit once they stop going in and find the spot where the PCB will then slip through the slot on the cartridge port and seat in fully. It is easier to do this on my UNOcart because the SD card slot on that sticks out a bit on the back and I'm able to just wiggle that which, in turn wiggles the PCB inside the cart enough to align it with the slots on the cartridge port.