jdrew Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 (Hey! I've been reading the forums for a while, but just signed up tonight) I bought a semi-working 7800 from eBay. Its less-than-awesome performance was part of the deal... so that's cool. I received the system today, and the problem is what I suspected: there's a little bit of plastic stuck in the cartridge slot. So, 2600 games play fine, but 7800 games don't (because they have contacts on the right and left cartridge slot extremities - with the plastic bit in the way, those contacts don't connect). I'm having a heck of a time getting that plastic out. I've taken the system apart, but that's not enough - this plastic is really wedged in there. I think that, if I can remove the plastic casing around the cartridge slot, I might have better luck. Therein lies the problem... that casing won't come off. I've fiddled with the tabs on the underside of the motherboard, and I've pulled harder than I thought I should. I'm fairly sure that the actual cartridge connector is separate from the plastic casing. So, what's holding the casing so securely? Does anyone have experience removing that piece? Does anyone have good ideas for getting the plastic bit out of the cartridge slot? I've tried a needle and the pointed end of a fingernail file (the hook-like thing). You'd think that little plastic piece would come out already... it's really there, I know I'm not imagining it Thanks, Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPUWIZ Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 Therein lies the problem... that casing won't come off. I've fiddled with the tabs on the underside of the motherboard, and I've pulled harder than I thought I should. I'm fairly sure that the actual cartridge connector is separate from the plastic casing. So, what's holding the casing so securely? Does anyone have experience removing that piece? Welcome. The cart connector is screwed onto the plastic from underneith, in order to remove it you would have to desolder the whole connector. Unfortunately I don't really have a suggestion for your problem but I thought I'd let you know about the screws before you break it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert M Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 You might want to try an Exacto hobby knife. There are also small hobby drills you turn by hand, you might be able to drill the space clear. Good-luck, and welcome to the forums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdrew Posted March 3, 2004 Author Share Posted March 3, 2004 The cart connector is screwed onto the plastic from underneith, in order to remove it you would have to desolder the whole connector. Yikes. I'm not too interested in desoldering the connector. Well, the desoldering wouldn't be so bad,... it's the resoldering that'd be bad. Unfortunately I don't really have a suggestion for your problem but I thought I'd let you know about the screws before you break it. Knowing about those screws is a huge help. I will concentrate my efforts on just getting that plastic piece out of the cartridge slot. Thanks! You might want to try an Exacto hobby knife. There are also small hobby drills you turn by hand, you might be able to drill the space clear. I forgot all about Exacto knives! Thank you. Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Mitch Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 Therein lies the problem... that casing won't come off. I've fiddled with the tabs on the underside of the motherboard, and I've pulled harder than I thought I should. I'm fairly sure that the actual cartridge connector is separate from the plastic casing. So, what's holding the casing so securely? Does anyone have experience removing that piece? Welcome. The cart connector is screwed onto the plastic from underneith, in order to remove it you would have to desolder the whole connector. Unfortunately I don't really have a suggestion for your problem but I thought I'd let you know about the screws before you break it. Actually for the 7800 you don't need to unsolder it only for the 2600. If you look on the bottom of the 7800 board next to the cart slot you should see the screw heads. Sometimes they are partially covered by tape. Mitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 Yeap..the screw heads were covered by double sided foam tape on the bottom of my 7800 connector. I basically cut through the tape removed the screw on each side and push in the tabs. The outer plastic shell of the cart connector will then pop off and you will have just the cart connector interface itself still attached. What I want to know is why did he just remove the main board from the unit, and with the needle idea...just turn it upside down and work it out using gravity as your friend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiw Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 Since the cartridge connector is such a critical part, does anybody know where to get a NEW ONE or a new plastic part that goes around the connector? For 7800 or 2600. TIA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdrew Posted March 3, 2004 Author Share Posted March 3, 2004 What I want to know is why did he just remove the main board from the unit, and with the needle idea...just turn it upside down and work it out using gravity as your friend? Of course I tried using gravity. I imagine that the guy from whom I purchased the system tried very hard to insert some 7800 games. This little plastic bit is lodged very securely in the cartridge connector - as it would be if someone inadvertantly used a 7800 game's PCB as a ramrod. A brief aside: I think that the plastic part (that's stuck in the connector) is one of the nubs which unlocks the sliding cartridge door on Atari-made cartridges. It seems like the contacts in the cartridge connector are acting as barbs because that stupid nub barely budges. Honestly, removing the plastic connector shell probably won't do me much good, but posting the question was a good excuse for me to create a forum account. Anyway, I'll move that tape and unscrew the connector casing this evening. Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 Actually it would have been 2600 games that left that tab. 7800 games don't have them since the 7800 never had a dust door on the cart connector the 7800 carts never came with the cart pegs to open one. So more than likely the person before you had some trouble with a 2600 cart that snapped the peg off in the cart slot. Probably a tigervision cart...or an M-Network cart... Or an Imagic....probably one of those three... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdrew Posted March 3, 2004 Author Share Posted March 3, 2004 Actually it would have been 2600 games that left that tab. 7800 games don't have them since the 7800 never had a dust door on the cart connector the 7800 carts never came with the cart pegs to open one. Actually, I'm pretty sure it's one of the pegs from the 7800 istelf... there are two on the cartridge connector (as you know, I'm sure) - to open the dust door on 2600 carts - and one of those cartridge connector pegs is missing on this 7800. (but it's not *really* missing because it's wedged in the cartridge connector) Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdrew Posted March 4, 2004 Author Share Posted March 4, 2004 I removed the connector casing, and finally managed to get that plastic nub out of the connector. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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