RF cord recommendation?

[+Propane13]

Hello folks!

 

I have distressing news. My 7800 is unmodded, and I have an old CRT TV.  The cable I use for connecting tends to be extremely sensitive. Sometimes, I feel like I need to adjust the cable "just right" to get a picture without snow. And, if I accidentally bump it while playing, I have to pause and readjust things. It is getting to be quite an annoyance.

 

Surely, there is a cable and connector with more reliability.  What do others use? I do have the old A/V inputs (red/white/yellow) available on my TV if that helps.

 

Thanks!

[+-^CrossBow^-]

46 minutes ago, Propane13 said:

Hello folks!

 

I have distressing news. My 7800 is unmodded, and I have an old CRT TV.  The cable I use for connecting tends to be extremely sensitive. Sometimes, I feel like I need to adjust the cable "just right" to get a picture without snow. And, if I accidentally bump it while playing, I have to pause and readjust things. It is getting to be quite an annoyance.

 

Surely, there is a cable and connector with more reliability.  What do others use? I do have the old A/V inputs (red/white/yellow) available on my TV if that helps.

 

Thanks!

You could use a coax digital cable designed for sub woofers as those tend to be properly shielded. But they are bit thick but should do the job. Used to be you could get decent ones from console5 but they stopped carrying them a number of years ago. I actually use an Intellivision RF cable in my lab as it seems to work better than most of the Atari ones I also have on hand.

 

Outside of RF, your looking at a UAV setup for the best composite and really nice s-video output options on a stock console.

 

[Jinks]

That is the charm to rf. 

 

I use monster cables from the early 2000s. I would never have it any other way. Maybe you can get a new cable or adapter. If not maybe replace the connector on the 7800. I would do anything to preserve the original output. 

 

 

[Defender_2600]

2 hours ago, Propane13 said:

I do have the old A/V inputs (red/white/yellow) available on my TV if that helps.

 

If you prefer not to modify your console, you can get a good improvement by using a external high-end demodulator (the best ones are expensive, I know).

 

https://www.ambery.com/rfdm2.html

 

[+Propane13]

On 10/8/2024 at 11:14 PM, Defender_2600 said:

 

If you prefer not to modify your console, you can get a good improvement by using a external high-end demodulator (the best ones are expensive, I know).

 

https://www.ambery.com/rfdm2.html

 

That's an interesting option.  Perhaps a dumb question - does this essentially boost the signal?  I am worried that I'm still going to have the same signal loss from the output of my 7800 to the input of the demodulator.  It sounds like that wouldn't be a worry?  Just trying to understand this a bit more before committing.

[+Propane13]

On 10/8/2024 at 10:02 PM, Jinks said:

That is the charm to rf. 

 

I use monster cables from the early 2000s. I would never have it any other way. Maybe you can get a new cable or adapter. If not maybe replace the connector on the 7800. I would do anything to preserve the original output.

Any suggestions for a modern equivalent, or an ebay link?  I'm having difficulty finding an example.

[+-^CrossBow^-]

1 hour ago, Propane13 said:

Any suggestions for a modern equivalent, or an ebay link?  I'm having difficulty finding an example.

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=21679

 

That is an example of the cable I was talking about. Choose the length you need and see how it works out? 

 

Another possible issue that was brought up, is that the RCA jack on the RF modulator itself could be starting to separate from the main modulator box housing. This happens over time and when it does, it isn't making as good a ground connection as it should. I've fixed a few of these in the past by scratching up the surface around the base of the RCA jack and the metal housing of the modulator around the jack and then apply a bead of solder around the base of the rca jack to both strengthen it and restore a better ground connection.

 

[hizzy]

On 10/8/2024 at 11:14 PM, Defender_2600 said:

 

If you prefer not to modify your console, you can get a good improvement by using a external high-end demodulator (the best ones are expensive, I know).

 

https://www.ambery.com/rfdm2.html

 

What kind of improvement have you noticed with this box? Thanks!

[hizzy]

Would this work as an RF demodulator?

 

https://www.amazon.ca/Converter-Recording-Multimedia-Mediasonic-HW250STB/dp/B0CQR1FTT2/ref=pd_ci_mcx_mh_mcx_views_1?pd_rd_w=3npqg&content-id=amzn1.sym.132f1a2b-de6d-4eb4-9982-d6fe080f8827%3Aamzn1.symc.40e6a10e-cbc4-4fa5-81e3-4435ff64d03b&pf_rd_p=132f1a2b-de6d-4eb4-9982-d6fe080f8827&pf_rd_r=27PAGMJEYRBHW7SSXC0N&pd_rd_wg=UdRkY&pd_rd_r=001dd53a-69de-4ed7-9dcc-d9f940472cc3&pd_rd_i=B0CQR1FTT2

[JagChris]

If you're in Canada or US. 

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/155473487330?itmmeta=01J9WZDTKA3YZY2JX3RBY3NDZ1&hash=item2432f125e2:g:kVsAAOSwzFZklRA-

[JagChris]

On 10/8/2024 at 8:14 PM, Defender_2600 said:

 

If you prefer not to modify your console, you can get a good improvement by using a external high-end demodulator (the best ones are expensive, I know).

 

https://www.ambery.com/rfdm2.html

 

If the connecting cord is flaky he'll probably still need to change that.

[JagChris]

On 10/8/2024 at 8:14 PM, Defender_2600 said:

 

If you prefer not to modify your console, you can get a good improvement by using a external high-end demodulator (the best ones are expensive, I know).

 

https://www.ambery.com/rfdm2.html

 

That's not a bad price for Ambery.

 

If he wants to go cheaper, but you get what you pay for.

 

https://a.co/d/br5us5t

 

 

 

[christo930]

On 10/8/2024 at 8:53 PM, Propane13 said:

Hello folks!

 

I have distressing news. My 7800 is unmodded, and I have an old CRT TV.  The cable I use for connecting tends to be extremely sensitive. Sometimes, I feel like I need to adjust the cable "just right" to get a picture without snow. And, if I accidentally bump it while playing, I have to pause and readjust things. It is getting to be quite an annoyance.

 

Surely, there is a cable and connector with more reliability.  What do others use? I do have the old A/V inputs (red/white/yellow) available on my TV if that helps.

 

Thanks!

Use a proper shielded antenna wire.  Don't use an RCA cable with an F adapter on the back of the TV.  You'll have to either use an existing shielded antenna wire with an RCA jack on the console end or use an adapter at the console end which converts the RCA adapter on the back of the console to the proper antenna wire.

 

I had the same problems until I did this.  RCA cables are not antenna cables.  In most cases, they work fine. But when they don't, this is what you need to do.  You may just have a bum wire. Try using another one (they are cheaper and more common than relatively short antenna cables).

 

Another thing I have problems with is one of my 7800 will only show up on my TV in B&W if I don't turn the 7800 on first and then the TV.  If the TV is already on, it tunes in black and white.  Only 1 of my 7800s does it.

[JagChris]

On 10/14/2024 at 2:42 PM, christo930 said:

Use a proper shielded antenna wire.  Don't use an RCA cable with an F adapter on the back of the TV.  You'll have to either use an existing shielded antenna wire with an RCA jack on the console end or use an adapter at the console end which converts the RCA adapter on the back of the console to the proper antenna wire.

 

I had the same problems until I did this.  RCA cables are not antenna cables.  In most cases, they work fine. But when they don't, this is what you need to do.  You may just have a bum wire. Try using another one (they are cheaper and more common than relatively short antenna cables).

 

Another thing I have problems with is one of my 7800 will only show up on my TV in B&W if I don't turn the 7800 on first and then the TV.  If the TV is already on, it tunes in black and white.  Only 1 of my 7800s does it.

 

Can you elaborate on this. Or link to an example. I use the setup I linked above and it cleared up my snow problem. 

 

But for others or myself in the future possibly, I'd like to know more about this.