Question about cable splitter and 2600

[Retro Addict]

I have the Atari 2600 Jr. model and I ordered this part from AtariAge. Everything works pefectly when I remove my regular TV cable and replace it with the 2600 cable. However, the 2600 picture is all scrambled when I try to use a cable splitter.

 

If this helps, it's a Philips four-way splitter, the package says "For Best Results Amplify Signal Before Splitting" (I have no idea what that means), and the splitter itself says 500-900 MHz. I've tried different cables, etc. and nothing works. The TV picture is perfect, but the 2600 picture is scrambled through the splitter.

 

Any help would be MUCH appreciated.

 

Thank you!

[Muddawg]

Ya, if you are going through something like a cable spliter, this item might not be the best choice. This thingy is good if you only want to hook up your Atari. Other wise, you should consider getting a TV/Game switchbox.

 

Ok later

 

Muddawg

[joeybastard]

You can use the F connector but get a TV A/B switch rather than a regular splitter. The way you have it now, there is signal interference. If you use an A/B switch the signals stay separate and you can use the superior F connector over the Tv Switchbox. Just swicth from cable to Atari depending upon what you want to do.

[Ian Primus]

If I understand what you are doing, you've got the TV cable and the Atari both plugged into one side of the splitter (the 'outputs'), and the television set connected to the other (the 'input'). That won't work well, because you have basically shorted the TV cable signal and the Atari signal together. As such, the TV signal with scramble the Atari signal on channel 3, and vice versa. What you need it a _switch_. A switch will swap wether the TV cable or the Atari is plugged into the television.

 

Ian Primus

ian_primus@yahoo.com

[Retro Addict]

Thanks for all the feedback so far, guys.

 

Ian, you understand it perfectly. I thought a regular cable switcher would do the trick, but from these posts, obviously not.

 

Anyway, I plugged AB switch (and A/B switch) into some online stores' search engines and nothing came up. Can anyone post an example or tell me where they can be found (and how for how much)?

 

Thanks again.

[joeybastard]

Radio Shack has them. I even saw them in WalMart once. They are less then $10. look at this:

 

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?cata...%5Fid=15%2D1216

[Retro Addict]

Thanks for the feedback, folks. I found the correct piece at Wal-Mart and everything is working well. Ahhh, old-school goodness at long last.