Atari VCS 2600 - Restoration & CleanComp composite upgrade | 12 Days of FIXMAS Day 12

[@DistinctlyAverageRepairs]

Thanks again to Tony for providing the artwork for the game label. If you need any artwork for Atari games (or some others), please see the details in the description. Tony has made many designs available completely free of charge on his Pinterest page 👍

[@exidy-yt]

Saved the best for last! Congrats on completing the 12 days of FIXMAS and a merry Christmas to you and your family and all that you love, thanks for sharing your efforts with us! and on getting not one but TWO Heavy Sixer models too. I just missed these, getting one of the first 4-switch Hong Kong models for my birthday when I was little. It's still amazing how small the mobo is on a VCS, locked in that aluminum citadel. I'm sure that others have dealt with pixel problems like this and you will fix it. Cheers!

[@DistinctlyAverageRepairs]

Had to finish with something a bit special! 😀 Thanks so much for watching, I really appreciate it and a very Merry Christmas to you and yours too. From the comments and a couple of discussions I’ve had since posting the video, I’m beginning to think this pixel issue is fairly normal on an Atari. I know as a child, I wouldn’t have given it a second look - I would just have been amazed that I was controlling something on the television! 😂

[@Sansonì90]

I loved this series, I couldn't wait for a new video to come out every day, it made me want to learn how to repair old games, for the mysterious cartridge I tried "Space invaders", again great series and Merry Christmas.

[@DistinctlyAverageRepairs]

Thank you so much, I’m really pleased you enjoyed it. Merry Christmas to you too!

[@furrymessiah]

Don't quote me on this, but iirc the signal distortion you observed was caused by the inadequate RF shielding on those old modulator units. If you could source a new model modulator to replace the old one, it might, MIGHT fix the distortion.

[@DistinctlyAverageRepairs]

Thank you for the suggestion. I’ve read similar things about the RF signal being poor etc but the CleanComp board should bypass these issues (I think - my technical understanding of this stuff is distinctly average after all!) Given all the comments/suggestions I’ve received, I’m leaning towards believing that this is just how they were. Certainly back in the ‘70s something as minor as this wouldn’t have bothered me in the slightest, I would’ve been far too excited! 😂

[@CrustyRestorations]

Classic bit of kit, nicely done👍

[@DistinctlyAverageRepairs]

Thank you and a very Merry Christmas to you! 👍

[@gbestwick]

A way you could test if this is your TV or not is to get a capture dongle for your computer. There are USB flavors that can cost ~$20. Totally worth it!

[@DistinctlyAverageRepairs]

That’s a good suggestion, thank you. I did think of putting the signal through something like a Retroscaler but again, it’s mixing old tech with new tech. I think the most reliable test will be just to try it on a CRT TV, which it was designed to work with in the first place. I think it’s probably just how it is though and perhaps I was expecting too much from this old console 🙄

[@SimonCallahan]

I do wonder if the "glitches" are due to the TV you're playing it on. They're barely noticeable, I likely wouldn't have seen them (or thought they were normal) if you hadn't mentioned it, which makes me think that you wouldn't have seen them on a proper CRT.

[@DistinctlyAverageRepairs]

I suspect it’s a combination of both the TV and the old technology. Likely on a CRT they would be far less noticeable, as you say. Either way, there was literally nothing else to try so it must be normal or my TV or both! 🤷🏻‍♂️ 😂

[@intel386DX]

Fantastic restoration. What about the RF , did it have those glitches, and those glitches are on composite and S-Video as well right ?

[@DistinctlyAverageRepairs]

Thank you, I appreciate it. Yes the glitches were on everything and were the same on the second Atari that I bought, also with the CleanComp and with RF. All removable chips were swapped and it didn’t make any difference. From comments/messages I’ve had since posting the video, I’m fairly certain now that this is just how the Ataris were and perhaps the glitches would be a lot less noticeable on a CRT TV as opposed to my more modern screen.

[@intel386DX]

@DistinctlyAverageRepairs do you have only Pac Man for the test ? I am certain that the problem is in your TV , and not else.

[@DistinctlyAverageRepairs]

I also tested the Combat cartridge shown at the start of the video and it was the same on both Ataris. I agree - it really can’t be anything else because I’ve changed everything. The only thing I haven’t swapped out is the TV - unfortunately, I didn’t have time to get hold of a CRT TV before I needed to complete the video, otherwise I would have added the result at the end. But I’m pretty sure the Atari is working as it should and that was my main aim. 👍

[@intel386DX]

@@DistinctlyAverageRepairs yes decently your TV is the problem . I am sure if you try on another modern LCD that will be no problem at all. I never so any glitches on any modern TVs before with Atari 2600. BTW this mod PCB is very cool , semi transparent.

[@dodgydruid]

I don't think its the cleancomp, the 6502 compiler/graphics was very glitchy usually down to programming sub routines at the machine code level and prob compounded by the modern telly/monitor it stood out maybe a little bit when on a CRT it would likely have been seen as a shading. Excellent restore, award self administered pat on back :D

[@DistinctlyAverageRepairs]

It’s definitely not the CleanComp since the issue is there with/without it installed. Your explanation sounds perfectly plausible and it does seem that these units were just a bit glitchy as you say. Your comment about shading made me smile as I imagined a programmer back in the ‘70s trying to code the issue out and in the end a colleague saying ‘oh just tell them they are shadows, it’ll be fine’ 😂 Pat on the back has been duly administered, thank you - I’m glad you enjoyed it 👍

[@robertsissco2439]

I think the 2600 never had pixel perfect video, there s always some video glitches like that. I have a 2600 (same model as the one you restored) and I used a different video composite mod on mine and I have the same issues on Pac Man

[@DistinctlyAverageRepairs]

That makes me feel a lot better, thanks for commenting. It’s sometimes difficult with old tech to know what is a fault and what is ‘normal’ 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@dodgydruid]

My late mum got given one by her boss at the Times to review for the newspaper, it was called an Ingersoll-Rand VCS as there was some hoohah about Atari trademarking in the UK, and me mum came home with the system and a handful of games and I will admit little brother and I gave out gushy girly screams as we were sick to death of our Pong machine, the not-an-Atari had Adventure, Space Invaders, Missile Command and Pac-Man if memory serves me right and boy did those carts get hard worked but being a pre-release unit one day it had to go back and life was just a bit greyer but a bit of time later me mum was asked to do the same with the starship shaped Atari 400 and we didn't have to give that one back. There was only one more episode of gushy girly screams from brother and I, me mum came in from work with a big bag and inside it was the bundled Super Mario Bros 3 NES... man that was awesome all century long and still got the NES itself but no box and I don't think it works as its buried in a cupboard maybe in new year it should shine again :D

[@DistinctlyAverageRepairs]

Oh wow, that’s an awesome memory! I can imagine the excitement when the ‘not an Atari’ first came through the door (and the utter despair when it had to go back!) We had Pong or some version of it when I was a child - there was no way my parents were paying out for an Atari as well! 😂

[@AdolfZachrisson]

16:45 Yes i did!

[@DistinctlyAverageRepairs]

Well done! 👏😀 Thanks for watching…

[@intel386DX]

This is the light sixer so no not made in USA .

[@DistinctlyAverageRepairs]

This is indeed a light sixer and while most of these units were manufactured in the Far East, not all of them were. The early units from 1978, when the light sixer was introduced, were manufactured in Sunnyvale, California. This is confirmed by the original label on the outer case and the piece of paper taped inside showing the manufacturing date of ‘78.👍

[@intel386DX]

@DistinctlyAverageRepairs yes I so the label , but I am sure that those ugly light sixers are all made in Taiwan .

[@DistinctlyAverageRepairs]

I did quite a lot of research to confirm that some light sixers were manufactured in Sunnyvale and I found several sources online which stated that some early units were indeed manufactured there. At the end of the day, I can only go by the information available online and the sticker on the actual console but I am confident that light sixers were made in the US albeit for a short period of time. 🤷🏻‍♂️ For interest, they were also manufactured in Hong Kong and, I think, Ireland…

[@intel386DX]

@@DistinctlyAverageRepairs so may be they sent all the machinery (for moldings and other) abroad.

[@DistinctlyAverageRepairs]

I guess - we need to find someone who worked at Atari to confirm for sure! 😂