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Unresponsive Joystick. Check the Controller Port Connection: Make sure the controller is securely plugged into the port. If it’s loose, the joystick might not respond. Test Another Controller: If available, try another Atari 2600 controller to see if the problem persists. If the new controller works, the issue is likely with the original one.
- First, A Safety Precaution
- Second, Is Your Issue Actually A Power Issue?
- Atari 2600 Power Fix #1: The AC Adapter
- Atari 2600 Power Fix #2: The Power Switch
- Atari 2600 Power Fix #3: The Power Jack
- Atari 2600 Power Fix #4: The Voltage Regulator
- What to Do If You Can’T Fix Your Atari Yourself
Some of these fixes require you to open your Atari 2600. There are very few dangerous voltages inside, but there is a very large capacitor on the motherboard that can hold enough of a charge to get your attention. To safely discharge it, you have to turn the power on with the unit unplugged and leave it for about five minutes. Obviously that’s a pr...
I wish I could say I’ve never taken an Atari 2600 completely apart, probed everything with a multimeter, and found it all good and later discovered the problem was my Atari was set for channel 2 and I had my TV on channel 3. But I have. The 2600jr has a power indicator light that helps, but on the older units, it’s easy to mistake other issues for ...
I won’t rehash why Atari 2600 AC adapters fail again, though you’re welcome to read that if you wish. This is the most common problem and the easiest to fix. Just replace it with a new AC adapterand get back to gaming. If you want to test your AC adapter to make sure that’s your problem and not something else, you’ll need a multimeter. First, check...
Atari power switches are prone to get dirty, and eventually, that keeps them from working. If your 2600 VCS powers up but acts flaky, such as flashing its screen, it may be a dirty or oxidized power switch. I always treat all of the switches. I figure if one is dirty or oxidized, the others probably aren’t far behind. While I have heard of people t...
If the solder joints on the power jack go bad, that can cause intermittent power. To fix this, open the console and remove the motherboard. Flip the board over and look at the two solder joints underneath the power jack. If they are broken or dull, touch them up with a 25-watt soldering iron, adding a bit of fresh solder if necessary. The fresh joi...
The Atari 2600 motherboard has a 7805 voltage regulator to step the 9 volts down from the AC adapter to 5 volts. These can eventually go bad. To test yours, you’ll have to plug the board in, switch on the power, and measure the voltage with a multimeter. The 7805 is in the lower left corner of the board. Switch your multimeter on and set it to DC. ...
What if you can’t fix your Atari 2600 after you try the switches and AC adapter? Take it to a game store. They may be able to fix it for you and probably won’t charge more than about $20 to to it. Or they may take your broken console in trade for another one. These are all easy repairs for someone with the right equipment and some experience so I f...
Buttons on the console allow you to change the difficulty, reset a game, or toggle the output between black-and-white and color. The 2600 was sold in PAL and NTSC regions and can work at 50 Hz or 60 Hz depending on the model. Video output is an RF modulated signal, but you can modify your 2600 to output RGB video, S-video, or composite.
May 12, 2010 · If the regulator isn't getting warm, then it is a bad AC adapter or power regulator. Test the AC adapter first, or find a known one working and try it (9v 500ma with center tip positive). If all else fails, then change the regulator, which you can get at Radio Shack for about $2. It is a 7805 +/- 5 volts.
Make sure the contacts are clean. You can clean them with some isopropyl alcohol. You may have to press down the tabs on the cartridge to make the dust cover retract. Try multiple carts to be sure the cart isn't the problem. Unlike modern consoles, the game must be in BEFORE the console is turned on.
Sep 6, 2010 · Options. Start by cleaning the cartridge slot AND any the game that you are trying to play. This is to make sure that the contacts are not dirty. If the screen is still blank, verify that the channel is set properly on the TV. Power on the system a few times and see if the game is briefly shown before going blank.
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