What are /r/Atari2600's favorite Products & Services?

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

> Coleco intentionally made the 2600 and Intellivision much worse of a port than it should have been to highlight how great the Colecovision was.

I don't know about the Intellivision port, but according to Garry Kitchen on the "Batteries Not Included" interview series, he didn't intentionally make a bad port of DK for 2600. He actually made it better than it initially would have been after a comment from an Activision employee. The only thing Coleco told him to do was leave it at 2 levels instead of all 4 because they wanted it to be 4K instead of 6K.

To hook it up to a modern tv you will need one of these

https://www.amazon.com/Coaxial-Female-Adapter-not-machine-specific/dp/B0028MXOF6

If you happen to have a DVD player with an antenna connection you can connect the 2600 thru it and get very crisp images.

Enjoy!

Here’s a link to a website for a power adapter, this website sells original equipment from the Atari warehouse in Sunnyvale for good prices: http://www.best-electronics-ca.com/text.htm

And here’s an amazon prime link for the RF to coaxial adapter for video: https://www.amazon.com/Coaxial-Female-Adapter-not-machine-specific/dp/B0028MXOF6/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=atari+coaxial&qid=1607198236&s=videogames&sr=1-3

This is so awesome; if you go up a directory there's lots of other old consoles. Some of them are crazy obscure.

And then there's THIS. I love that this is legal and so easy to use. They really did a fantastic job implementing the JSMESS on archive.org. Internet Archive has got to be one of the biggest "hidden jewels" on the 'net that more people should know about!

As others have said they are pretty easy to fix and replace parts like the joystick shaft. Also I can recommend the the Hyperkin Trooper and Ranger which are inexpensive and widely available. You can also use Sega Genesis gamepads and joysticks. Its still a widely supported system so there should always be replacement options available down the road.

Great game. I'm good until that Evil Otto shows up.

I heard about the homebrew berzerk added voice synthesizer.(Berzerk Voice Enhanced(VE))That one I really have to check-out.

http://www.doperoms.com/files/roms/atari_2600/Berzerk+%28Voice+Enhanced%29+%28Berzerk+Hack%29.zip/640442/Berzerk+.zip

http://atariage.com/2600/programming/index.html I've been dabbling for about a year. Haven't produced anything interesting yet though.

Mentioned already http://8bitworkshop.com/ is fun to hack on but the UI is a bit cluncky, especially with the constant restarting every time you change any text, which wouldn't be so bad if copy/pasting from/to that editor wasn't completely broken. I prefer developing locally (regular text editor, DASM, Stella, Makefile) but it's a bit of a pain to get set up. You can piece together how to do it from the tutorials on AtariAge, but it's a bit spread out. I can try writing some steps down but I'm on Linux so, if you're on something else it might not work.

Buy this and plug a USB joystick into it. If you are feeling adventurous, you could cut the joystick’s cable short and cram the whole module into the joystick. Then just use an 8bitdo genesis adapter.

No you need this part with a coax adapter hooked to it

https://www.amazon.com/Game-Switch-Atari-Colecovision-Intellivision/dp/B0013N0CX8/ref=pd_sbs_8?pd_rd_w=ZIm4Z&pf_rd_p=2419a049-62bf-452e-b0d0-ca5b7e35a7b4&pf_rd_r=ZKDZHYPYN99AKK4AP3Q4&pd_rd_r=dd4670d6-a643-4a02-a84f-c99f0fbdbf28&pd_...

This is the adapter

https://www.amazon.com/Matching-Transformer-Off-Air-Antenna-Adapter/dp/B00VT54SY4/ref=sr_1_9?dchild=1&keywords=atari+coax+adapter&qid=1620052388&s=electronics&sr=1-9

Someone asks this every week or so. You need something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Ancable-2-Pack-F-Type-Adapter-Commodore/dp/B06XSL31B3/ref=sr_1_5 and hook it up the the antenna jack on your TV. Try setting the TV to channel 3. Don't waste your time with the old switch boxes.

It's not going to show anything except maybe a black screen without a cartridge loaded though.

What country are you in? Is the tv and or 2600 PAL or ntsc? This adaptor from Amazon is what you need https://www.amazon.com/Ancable-2-Pack-F-Type-Adapter-Commodore/dp/B06XSL31B3/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?adgrpid=58765130329&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4daF5IWo4wIVkUkNCh3aiwAWEAAYASAAEgL1BPD_BwE&hvadid=274689476625&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9018305&hvn...

Atari Retro TV Plug and Play Joystick (Electronic Games) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076BS5WVN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_atrxFb0KVDQ2Q

This might be something like what your seeking? It does have tempest!

Yeah but you shouldn't need that these days. All you need is a simple RF to Coax adapter like this. Modern TVs don't have the greatest shielding. If you get a lot of video noise, better to connect the Atari to a VCR, then connect the VCR to the TV. As has been said, Ataris work best with a CRT (the same is true for NES, but even moreso for an Atari).

The site reminds me of a massive FTP dump, there's a TON of content but you pretty much have to know where to look to find the "good stuff" and the paths are deeply nested so if you don't utilize bookmarks, you're in for a difficult experience. Landing pages like the ones we've discussed here really help the situation. As an example for comparison, check out the front page to the live music archive. Doesn't really get you too excited, right? By comparison, here's a very quick-and-dirty fan-created directory that, to me anyway, is miles ahead from a usability point of view. That example just lists the acts the author likes so it's far from comprehensive, it would be nice to see archive.org take that idea and really flesh it out.

I'll do my list in order from best to worst (though, with only 8 titles, they are all bangers). I am excluding HERO from the list because my copy was about $75 or more and I think it's just too expensive to be worth it nowadays. Every game on this lost can be had for $10 or less without a doubt. This also explains (hopefully) why Pitfall 2 isn't on this list. That's a $50+ game now too..

(1) Keystone Kapers (2) Pitfall! (3) Demon Attack (4) Carnival (5) River Raid (6) Cosmic Ark (7) Moon Patrol (8) Yar's Revenge

I think these games will give a really great variety while also being entertaining. They give the best bang for your buck while also not being titles that will go to the wayside quickly as some games do.

I also think that getting a new controller is worth while. Don't use original joysticks if you're like me and don't like sticky feelings when playing. The plastic is starting to break down in all the OG stuff and it doesn't just come off with goo gone. My wife and I sell old toys and collectibles for a living and we have found after many frustrating hours of research and cleaning that the materials simply don't hold up anymore.

I hear good things about this product:

https://www.amazon.com/Hyperkin-Premium-Gamepad-not-machine-specific/dp/B08227NQ3Z/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=3DSJM6OHAAGPO&keywords=retron+atari+controller&qid=1666466113&sprefix=retron+atari+controlle%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-3

That company also makes a standard joystick with tapered off edges. The original joystick is notorious for being really painful to use.

Hope that helps! Love the post idea.

Things that might help in the order that I think you should try them:

• Get a q-tip and some rubbing alcohol and clean the cartridge pins. You may need to insert something into the little holes on the sides of the slot to make the plastic dust cover move.
• Insert and remove the cartridge 20 times quickly. You are trying to dislodge corrosion in the console's connector.
• Get a really thick RCA cable if you can and replace that thin one that's built in.
• You want an adapter like this one. Stop using the switch box that came with it.
• Using an older TV may help. CRTs do a better job than many modern TVs at picking up weak analog signals.
• Replacing the capacitors inside may help.
• Doing a composite mod on this console will probably make it work perfectly again, but it is a mod to a relatively old console and will require that you visually change the appearance of the console for the extra connectors.
• Using a RF amplifier may help, but likely is a waste of money.

These old systems are built like tanks, but you may need to give them a little love to get them working again. Good luck!

It should just a standard AV/RCA cable (which usually come in Red/White/Yellow, you can use any). If you take the case off you can just unplug the cable inside (it shouldn't be hardwired) and replace with a new one.

Not sure what you're using to go RCA to the antenna port on your TV, but this RCA to F connector adapter is a better easier option than the original RF switch box.

There are much better options, like this one :

https://www.amazon.com/Art-Atari-Poster-Collection-Lapetino/dp/1524103020

"The artwork of Atari inspired a generation and created a bridge from the simple on-screen graphics of its early games to the imaginations of eager gamers.

Now, Dynamite Entertainment proudly brings the most iconic, mind-blowing video game illustrations to posters, each one easy to remove and perfect for display, showcasing the tremendous talent of Atari's greatest artists"

Here is a book I got from Amazon that is pretty good to go along with the Random Terrain site. ( Making Games for the Atari 2600 by Steven Hugg ).

https://www.amazon.com/Making-Games-Atari-2600-Steven/dp/1541021304

In my experience the thin, built-in video cable that comes with it is easily damaged and causes a lot of issues. As does the switch box.

Replace the cable with the thickest, fattest RCA cable you can. It just plugs into a port on the inside. Then plug it into one of these instead of the switch box.

That's an RF cable, you need either an RF modulator or an RCA->r-type adapter like this https://www.amazon.com/Female-Adapter-Coleco-Commodore-System/dp/B083KH3QRH/ref=mp_s_a_1_4

In order to use either of those things your tv needs to support analog antenna inputs

Fun fact, the cable literally just plugs into an RCA socket on the inside of the console too, so if you wanted a longer cable or something you can open it up and just plug a different cable into it.

If you want a "better" option, loom up Brewing Academy Universal Atari Video (UAV) mod. It requires some soldering but gives you composite and/or s-video output

Ancable 2-Pack F-Type Male Plug to RCA Female Jack RF Video TV Cable Adapter for Atari 2600/7800 Sega/Coleco/Commodore Game System https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XSL31B3/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_D3CSRC5ARS9BW9DDS99X

No. Unless it has been modded, the 2600 only outputs RF. You need a demodulator.

Here's an NTSC demodulator and here's a PAL one.

Thanks! Yeah definitely design tradeoffs. Look how big the switch board is! And that connector between the boards can fail, especially on heavies, where it was a cheap ribbon cable.

Last recommendations:

1. Get yourself a "step drill bit" for drilling the holes in the case. Makes it so much easier, and much less risk of cracking the old plastic.
2. Get yourself a pack of silicone insulated wire. The extra flexibility makes this job much easier.

use a f-stye rca coax adapter to the antenna port put a game in turn the console on and do a channel scan on the TV it should pick up the signal and you should be set.

What JukeBox was trying to get at in the most inane way possible is that for less you can get a more authentic experience with the OG hardware. The Atari can still be played on Modern TVs using the antenna / cable port and the RCA f-type coax adapter then do a channel scan on your TV with the console hooked up and on and you should then have a working original Atari on your TV.

RetroNs are just emulator boxes that dump the cartridge to a rom and play that off of an emulator. It isn't the same thing, if you want to go that route that is fine but most people can play on the original even on modern displays. Now if you are looking for just playing ROMs on a TV then I would highly recommend you save up and get a MiSTer as that would give you hardware accurate FPGA emulation of pretty much everything up to and including the Playstation. It was the best retrogaming purchase I ever made hands down and keeps on adding cutting edge features and new hardware increasing the value proposition as time goes by. Now the MiSTer FPGA handles Arcade, Handlhelds, consoles and Computers so if you were an DOS gamer you are covered there as well. My favorite cores have been the NeoGeo, Atari 7800(2600) and GameBoy Advance. There are no cartridge support but Roms are Roms and it plays the roms like real hardware because of the FPGA.

Are you asking specifically about for an Atari 2600? If yes, then yes, you could use one of the wires from a set of composite cables for the RF, but then you would need one of these to connect it to the TV

Cable guy here. When there’s a buzz on the RF input it’s usually electrical or radio interference. Assuming the console is OK, try a good quality coax cable with an F to RCA adapter and make sure it’s screwed on tight at the TV. If it still happens try routing it through a power strip with an RF in and out. I normally wouldn’t recommend this because it can introduce other issues but will ground any electrical interference.

The Chinese NES-on-a-chip based clones have super tiny motherboards.

I put a Raspberry Pi in a toaster... with the toaster still fully functional. The NetBSD people did that 18 years ago, actually, and boards have only gotten smaller since then. A bit of fiberglass oven insulation goes a long ways. Insulate with that and use high temp wire that your local hardware store sells.

I don't know if there is a Chinese 2600-on-a-chip other than the (later) Flashback consoles. The first one was a NES-on-a-chip that ran NES versions of games that were also/originally made for the 2600, but certain later ones not only actually implement an Atari 2600, but let you wire up a cartridge port with some soldering. Using that as a start would radically reduce the size of the main board. Newer electronics can be much more highly integrated. Or you could use an FPGA: http://hackaday.com/2010/09/15/atari-2600-recreated-in-an-fpga/

Maybe take a nice chrome vintage two slot toaster and turn one slot into the cart slow and leave the other slot as a functional toaster?

Find a solid state powersupply instead of the transformer brick so save space and fit it inside with only the 110v AC cable hanging out. There are a bunch of 12v/5v ones on eBay for PCs but with some work you can track them down in any common voltage. Those will give you an idea of what you're looking for though.

You could also go the emulator route with a Pi. Here's my thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF1dj3FDnL0&feature=youtu.be

That was before the Pi Zero. All of the electronics easily fit on one end of the case.

This is what I ordered for my current setup:

​

https://www.amazon.com/Ancable-Video-Connector-Colecovision-Intellivision/dp/B01EHUHUHO/ref=pd\_sbs\_6/137-9197458-7286166?pd\_rd\_w=rr9Tc&pf\_rd\_p=690958f6-2825-419e-9c16-73ffd4055b65&pf\_rd\_r=24KG2H1F1Z9C1WNQQWQT&pd\_rd\_r=d59f7a7b...

The point is to use a better cable than the one you had pictured. RG6 coax cables (like you'd use for cable internet or tv) are what you want to use. Something like this cable.

I can't promise it will fix your issue, but I've seen a few old consoles that really benefited from using coax cables instead of composite cables.

A standard coax cable you’d use to hook up your cable box or modem to the cable company. Cut the end off of it, and get something like this to solder on to the end you cut off.

this is all you need

Looks like a bad/dirty cart. Is the screen rolling at all?

I do have some tips though from my own experience (not the same problem as yours though)

If you haven't already, pick up one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Ancable-2-Pack-F-Type-Adapter-Commodore/dp/B06XSL31B3/

I would say it's almost a requirement for playing atari games on modern TVs at this point. The video box it came with either can't hook up at all (nowhere to put the prongs), but even then the image quality blows on them, probably due to age at this point.

I would be very surprised if it wasn't a cart issue. If you have the rare retro game store around you, buying a nice looking cart could answer the cart issue (or buy online obviously, but these awesome stores need support :)

You sound electronics savvy, so you can likely look up schematics for voltage checks, or just contact tests on each component.

Lastly, a tiny bit of percussive maintenance isn't a bad idea. Again, ataris are pretty simple inside as you've seen.

Report back here if you can either way, I'm curious what the issue is.

!remindme 1 week

Here is a modern replacement joystick. I love this joystick because the corners don't dig in your hands.

https://www.amazon.com/Hyperkin-Trooper-Controller-not-machine-specific/dp/B07M5HYTZL/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=retron+77+joystick&qid=1627696446&sprefix=retron+77+&sr=8-3

Typically you want to get an extra relay board.

$10 for a 8 channel one

https://www.amazon.com/ELEGOO-Channel-Optocoupler-Arduino-Raspberry/dp/B01HCFJC0Y

The guy who created the wonderful 8bitworkshop (code games for 6502 or Z80 based platforms in an online IDE): http://8bitworkshop.com/

also wrote a complete book about how to create an Atari 2600 game using his tool: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1541021304

There are companies out there. When I was custom making a usb atari joystick for my dads Atari raspberry Pi I was searching for replacemebt parts for a retrobit usb atari joystick since they used an all black plastic stick. Which was not flimsy, but lacked an authentic feel. So I got these with a much stronger internal plastic piece.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MT1PZ44/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_qKIFDb4QD6VBP

Works great honestly. Rubber cover does not feel exactly like an original atari stick cover but it's a replica and not going to be exact. But it does feel nice and can be used in both the cheap retrobit joysticks and the oroginal CX40's.

> Anyway, just want to help set the record straight.

Very glad you did.

> I love that nit-picky inside baseball stuff

Me too. It sucks that early US game release dates are such a mystery. Like you said in your video, they kept much better records in Japan. You can get a book about Famicom games (in English) with every single release date (and even their price at release), yet the most comprehensive book about US NES games is full of estimates and guesses.