Problems with the VCS 2600

[Mister VCS]

What are the typical promblems with the VCS (power adapter, switches, joystick-ports

for e.g.)?

 

I think all 2600ers are very durable (in coparison with the colecovision for example),

but the best-built is the 6-switch VCS.

 

My list

 

6-switch

2600 Junior

4 switch wood

4 switch black

 

The poorest quality control was in the Ireland factory, the best in Sunnyvale and Hong-Kong

[Mister VCS]

just a refresh of an old topic! No replies?

[mvigor]

I guess everyone just agrees with you.

[Rob Mitchell]

What are the typical promblems with the VCS (power adapter, switches, joystick-ports for e.g.)?

 

I think all 2600ers are very durable (in coparison with the colecovision for example), but the best-built is the 6-switch VCS.

 

I am not impressed with the Atari Jr .. replacing switches with buttons doesn't do it for me.

 

The console (6 or 4 switch) are durable .. as long as they are not abused. In all my thrifting I have only come across one unit that did not work. But I have seen several ones with broken switch shafts and the plug at the end of the RF cable is sheared off. I have tried to rescue these abused orphans .. at discount .. but the flea ladies will not consider my offers of $1.

 

The early 1977 models were wired to put out the signal on only one TV channel .. so if you lived in a city that has a TV station on that same channel .. well imagine the lowsy picture due to the interference! This was a big problem with the first console we got in fall 1977. It broadcast on ch3 which got alot of interference from WRCB-TV3 in Chattanooga, TN. Sears explained that there was a mistake and the Ch3 units should have never been shipped there. So we were able to exchange our unit for a Ch4 one about 3-4 weeks later when the replacement units arrived.

 

The Power Adapter takes alot of abuse .. Back in the early days (1977-1981) we had to buy a second one after wires broke. I remember I took one power cube apart and put a 1/8" socket on the bottom .. and wired the cord with a second 1/8" plug in an attempt to avoid future chaffing.

 

The RF TV/Game switch box took alot of abuse too: Remember it came with double sticky foam to stick on the back of whatever 300 ohm TV you wanted to use the VCS on. Well you were supposed to leave it there .. and not move it to another TV .. which is what we did .. so it didn't stick in place .. and fell down .. Plus the constant plug in / remove from the box made the thing unstable .. and the 300 ohm wires eventually broke. So I had to clamp new lugs on the bare wires to keep the Atari VCS going.

 

The jittery paddles are problematic .. but fixable. Paddle buttons do/did go bad in the early paddles. The early joysticks lost their aluminum disks that sat on the top of the shafts. Contacts wear out in the early joysticks. I was always looking for spare parts/ springs. I never had problems with the Driving Controllers or the Keyboard controllers.

 

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

(ask and ye shall receive)