Atari 2600 4 Switch AV Mod

Modding an Atari 2600 4 switch (black/vader) console for AV. I purchased this kit here. www.ebay.com/i...
This series I go through my own process and troubleshooting steps in fixing old electronics and other gaming related items. Keep in mind I'm not a professional technician, I don't have any degrees or any other formal training, these videos are only for your fun and entertainment.
Contact Info:
Reddit: u/PunkNDisorderlyGamer

[@j33pfyn4tik6]

I just pulled out my 1983 Atari 4 switch woody and 30+ games that have been in storage for 35 years. She worked like a champ, just as she did back then.

[@jimmygregg22]

I know this is a couple years old but of the videos I have been watching for this mod , this is the best one so far. Very good video!

[@PunkNDisorderlyGamer]

Thanks

[@drivenbyfate]

Retrosix somewhat recently came put with their version called the cleancomp. Probably my favorite one now as it's super easy to install and doesn't require removing any components from the board.

[@MyRegardsToTheDodo]

Really helpful video, quite easy to follow. My modkit was a tad different, it came with three resistors, not two, and the audio wasn't fed through it (which seemingly isn't neccessary), it only had three holes going in and two holes going out. I got the audio from the same place as shown in the video but directly connected the wire to the two plugs. I also didn't cut the legs of the RF modulator, like this video showed, I desoldered the whole RF modulator and then used double-sided tape to put it into the case (it weights almost nothing and there's a lot of space in the case) and I didn't remove the transistor (not sure if that is neccessary at all), but that was actually by accident because I somehow skipped that part of the video. I also didn't cut holes into the case, instead I routed an AV cable through the original hole the RF cable used and then used hotglue to glue the three plugs with the AV cable connected insinde the case. So if for some reason somebody in the future wants to restore the console to it's original state, they can simply remove the AV mod and solder the RF modulator back in.

[@74bobby]

Got my PnD fix lol. Definitely following your Video to do my mod. Glad Youre Back Bro.

[@PunkNDisorderlyGamer]

Robert Lewis good luck man, let me know if you need any help.

[@74bobby]

@@PunkNDisorderlyGamer will do

[@Steveburto]

Good luck robert!

[@nebulou5eli]

Love your videos dude, inspiring me to try and fix my broken SNES. Appreciate your candor! Keep it up!

[@madmax2069]

There has to be a 3d print for an external enclosure to install the RCA jacks into that will snap into the hole the original RF cable came out of (the wires for the mod should be long enough to make it through the RF cable hole) so that you don't have to drill the original case. If there isn't, there needs to be one made, there's enough room externally for one to fit to where it won't stick out like a sore thumb.

[@MyRegardsToTheDodo]

Why? Just install the jacks internally to the board and plug the cable in and route it through the original RF cable hole. I'd also remove the RF modulator, that way you should have enough space to put the board on with some double sided tape, so it doesn't bounce around losely inside the case.

[@madmax2069]

@@MyRegardsToTheDodo not everyone wants cables hanging out, I surely don't.

[@Ryan_Kahn]

Love your videos man keep them coming!

[@3vi1J]

Fun fact: The Atari VCS/2600 was originally designed to hold two stereo speakers in the base unit (notice the original cases had vents for them). It does have two stereo channels on the TIA chip too (pins 12 and 13). Just a couple of early games like Combat are programmed to send sounds for each player to their respective speaker. Before release, the speakers were dropped for cost cutting and the sound just combined on the MB and sent out the RF output instead. Good thing too, as the speakers were too close to each other for it to really have been used to much effect. If you really felt like it, it's possible to pull those TIA pins and connect them to the individual audio channels. I saw a hack for it once - requires a couple of resistors and caps to also be connected to the pins. If you do that, you'd probably also want to add a switch so that you could still bridge the channels, as most later games would only have sound coming out of one speaker.

[@PunkNDisorderlyGamer]

Oh wow this is something I never knew. I may have to revision this one day.

[@intel386DX]

Yes , but only NTSC TiA have stereo otputs , the PAL one is only mono .

[@simonnomis5302]

man ive seen a lot of videos...this is the best...well done

[@ganjaguru820]

Bro, your channel keeps getting better and better as i watch more videos! Thank you for making this and keep pursuing this talent of yours. Have you ever though about a podcast?

[@PunkNDisorderlyGamer]

Thanks for watching. I haven’t really thought about a podcast, I’m so busy as is. These days I’m prioritizing important things first in life and even that is a struggle.

[@CristianLopez-nz1xf]

Wellcome back!!!!

[@PunkNDisorderlyGamer]

That was a fast first comment. Glad to be back.

[@mr.flex3019]

Welkom back ❤️ don’t stop again 😅

[@johnfloy]

Fantastic how to video sir! I am getting ready to do this mod and this video is perfect for me to follow along with. I have the vadar atari as well. Thanks for posting.

[@PunkNDisorderlyGamer]

No problem, good luck!

[@wayland7150]

Nicely done.

[@Serpicoitalia]

ciao, nice video, bel video, bravo👋

[@markcordova8126]

nice mod

[@PunkNDisorderlyGamer]

Thanks

[@conqueror222]

So why are both the red and white cables necessary if it only outputs mono? Can’t we just skip the white jack and use the yellow and red outputs like the original NES had?

[@antoniocruz-et1ih]

This must be episode 38.5... A .5 episode should be considered super special and super unique.... when you add that... heck I will watch it twice. LOL

[@PunkNDisorderlyGamer]

antonio cruz it’s a mod, not a restoration. It’s not part of the main series.

[@eranfeit]

nice work

[@Steveburto]

Took 3 days for derptube to recommend this one to me. I'll click the bell. My grocery job is starting to chill a bit, hopefully the same for you. I was never big into atari, but all RF needs to die in fire.

[@PunkNDisorderlyGamer]

Sometimes it’s like that. Some videos get recommended day in and day out but new videos sometimes never show up.

[@Mynameis7nad]

@@PunkNDisorderlyGamer I come across a few snes boards that load the test cart the freeze when you try to start the program. Any clue what that issue is? I have tries replacing cpu all ram chips and ppu2 on one of them and tore up a pad (top right couldnt find a piont to run wire)so I didn't get to try ppu1. Any clue what it could be?

[@PunkNDisorderlyGamer]

paul lanier it’s probably related to the sound chips, make sure you’ve replaced the SHVC sound module if you can or if it’s a late revision it’s probably the SMD sound chips. Your snes is experiencing the same symptoms as if your trying to start it up without a sound board.

[@Mynameis7nad]

@@PunkNDisorderlyGamer thanks I'll try that next it's the later models. I have a bunch of good un2 bases and no working boards and a bunch of early working boards but no bases.

[@Mynameis7nad]

@@PunkNDisorderlyGamer what about a wavy black screen with a hint of red? I also have one with a tint of green

[@intel386DX]

Why not just add the tiny mod board and not remove the RF modulator and that transistor to keep RF functionality? BTW on your TV there is no difference between the composite and the RF anyway.

[@OmBotCult]

Respect.

[@Mynameis7nad]

Hey was wondering if you know much about Atari 7800s? I put this mod on one and not sure what happened but now when ever I push a button on the controller or the restart it freaks out and it throws a bunch of lines left to right. It loads fine but the second you try to do anything the image does the line thing so you can't make out anything on the screen.

[@PunkNDisorderlyGamer]

That’s odd, I’m not sure what’s wrong.

[@StickPeopleAndPuff]

I just did this on a 4-switch woody and I've got all my wires in the correct place however when I turn on the console with a game, I get a high pitched whine and a black screen with color only on the edges of the screen. I did have to rewire my audio in and video in as I mixed them up and put them in the wrong places initially, would this have caused this issue?

[@eranfeit]

Hi Is it important if the Atari is Pal Or NTSC ( after the mod is done ) ? Thanks Eran

[@PunkNDisorderlyGamer]

I’m not sure if it’s the same process for PAL. Sorry

[@sjj500]

i know this has probably been asked before. but what game is that music from?

[@joesaiditstrue]

btw you can svideo mod the OG 2600s also, will be a better video signal if your TV has svideo inputs. most TV's these days don't but if you have an LCD from around 2009-2010, it might have svideo. my Hyundai 42" 1080p has Svideo, VGA, Component, Composite and HDMI

[@leosztlak]

Isnt there an rf to rca converter you can simply plug in?

[@jaymzgaetz2006]

Uh...why didn't you just plug an adapter chord into the rf port on the board that split it to female a/v composite?

[@RBKing80]

Looks horrible with the rca jacks like that.

[@Mynameis7nad]

Do you do repairs for your work? Or is this all just a hobbie? If not y not make $ off it? Think of how many more videos you could get out. There's $ to be made off that too I use ur videos alot and if you made more others will too. more clicks = $ plus ebay & amazon video game consoles are hot now and with a ebay store electronics fees are only 5% not trying to tell you how to run your life no disrespect ment but if your making under 40 k a year you should really consider it. If been doing it for almost 2 years now did 35 the first while working full time and quit my job to focus on it. Doing about 35k in sales a quarter now and ebay takes out the taxes in my state. Which makes things alot easier.

[@PunkNDisorderlyGamer]

paul lanier I work in a warehouse this is just for fun, I don’t really feel this as a passion, I can easily see myself getting bored of this real quick. Plus this doesn’t have a pension, health benefits, and KZbin every 5 or so years likes to get cute with their ad policies and terms of service, so I don’t want to leave my livelyhood in googles hands right now. Thanks for the watch and recommendation I hope you do well and I’m glad my videos help you out.

[@Mynameis7nad]

Not gonna lie it does turn into work but it's worth it for me. May not be for every1.

[@Mynameis7nad]

@@PunkNDisorderlyGamer oh and I still put away for retirement. Just used it to buy a rental property but it Wil still be my retirement.

[@PunkNDisorderlyGamer]

paul lanier rental properties are good I may get into it if we see a downturn in the economy or the housing market. As for right now I hold a substantial amount of capital in 2 REITS in my portfolio it gives me a bit of exposure to real estate (mostly commercial) without any hands on needs.

[@Mynameis7nad]

@@PunkNDisorderlyGamer if I supply the 32x and genesis what's the chance you want to do another Neptune? You can do another video create an addsense account if you dont have one already. if it's anything like the first video you'll make a nice fat stack from adds.