{"id":731,"date":"2013-09-25T09:00:22","date_gmt":"2013-09-25T16:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.smallersystems.com\/blog\/?p=731"},"modified":"2013-09-25T09:00:22","modified_gmt":"2013-09-25T16:00:22","slug":"atari-2600-hardware-mod","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/2013\/09\/25\/atari-2600-hardware-mod\/","title":{"rendered":"Atari 2600 hardware mod"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>This week, much of the gaming world focused the release of GTA V from Rockstar Games. I found some spare time to get an old Atari system cleaned up and working by installing an atari 2600 composite output mod.<\/p>\n<p>After 20+ years in a closet our well loved Atari 2600 was a little worse for wear. The console has accumulated grime and the reset switch is no-longer springy. Besides cleaning off the dust and replacing a faulty reset switch I wanted to improve the video output.<\/p>\n<p>The stock Atari 2600 produces an RF modulated video\/audio signal as output. On old TVs the RF signal connects to the antenna-in jack. On modern TVs it is often easier to hook up a composite video input. Eliminating the RF modulation should also improve the picture quality.<\/p>\n<p>A few different hardware hacks that produce composite out from an Atari are described on various websites.\u00a0The output board I selected is one of the better composite output circuit designs.<\/p>\n<h3>Parts list<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>S-video and Composite video board from <a href=\"http:\/\/electronicsentimentalities.com\/\">electronicsentimentalities.com<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Replacement original Atari switches from <a href=\"http:\/\/best-electronics-ca.com\/\">best-electronics-ca.com<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Rainbow ribbon cable with header jacks from an ebay seller<\/li>\n<li>Header pins<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Original console:<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/IMG_0184-forweb.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-738\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/www.smallersystems.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/IMG_0184-forweb-1024x558.jpg\" width=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/IMG_0184-forweb-1024x558.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/IMG_0184-forweb-300x164.jpg 300w, https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/IMG_0184-forweb-768x419.jpg 768w, https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/IMG_0184-forweb-1536x837.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/IMG_0184-forweb.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>While dismantling I found the remains of a previous home-made repair &#8211; an elastic band to add springiness to the reset switch. The original spring seems to have gone missing over the years. While the console was dismantled I replaced the reset switch with a new old-stock part.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/IMG_0188-forweb.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-739\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/www.smallersystems.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/IMG_0188-forweb-1024x682.jpg\" width=\"800\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>After installation:<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/IMG_0202-forweb.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-740\" alt=\"atari 2600 composite output board installed\" src=\"http:\/\/www.smallersystems.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/IMG_0202-forweb-1024x704.jpg\" width=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/IMG_0202-forweb-1024x704.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/IMG_0202-forweb-300x206.jpg 300w, https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/IMG_0202-forweb-768x528.jpg 768w, https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/IMG_0202-forweb-1536x1056.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/IMG_0202-forweb.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The video mod board is in the lower right with the rainbow ribbon cable going from the motherboard (inside the thick aluminium RF shield box) to the video mod then a second ribbon cable running up the right side to the composite and s-video output jacks. A couple of pieces of kapton tape hold the video mod board securely in place.<\/p>\n<p>New ports:<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/IMG_0209-forweb.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-741\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/www.smallersystems.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/IMG_0209-forweb-1024x535.jpg\" width=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/IMG_0209-forweb-1024x535.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/IMG_0209-forweb-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/IMG_0209-forweb-768x401.jpg 768w, https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/IMG_0209-forweb-1536x803.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/IMG_0209-forweb.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Results<\/h3>\n<p>Photograph of Pole Position game on Atari 2600 heavy-sixer console before hardware modification. (Photograph of LCD TV screen.)<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/before.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-732\" alt=\"Pole Position on Atari 2600 before modification\" src=\"https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/before.jpg\" width=\"800\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Photograph of Pole Position game on Atari 2600 heavy-sixer console after hardware modification.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/after.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-732\" alt=\"Pole Position on atari 2600 composite output after installing video mod board\" src=\"https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/after.jpg\" width=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/after.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/after-300x194.jpg 300w, https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/after-1024x660.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/after-768x495.jpg 768w, https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/after-1536x991.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Overall the mod is a resounding success. RF noise is eliminated, image colors have better saturation, and the console can be connected to standard composite input jacks thereby eliminating the need to re-tune the TV. Installing the video mod involved bypassing the RF modulator and removing the original coax cable.<\/p>\n<p>Basic testing with Pole Position and Pac-Mac during reassembly showed normal operation. I&#8217;ll update this post when I&#8217;ve tested with other games.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This week, much of the gaming world focused the release of GTA V from Rockstar Games. I found some spare time to get an old Atari system cleaned up and working by installing an atari 2600 composite output mod. After &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/2013\/09\/25\/atari-2600-hardware-mod\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,20,21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-731","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-atari2600","category-gaming","category-hardware"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/731","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=731"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/731\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=731"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=731"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michaelrichmond.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=731"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}