Atari 2600 Switches

[alec006]

Like many people I got the Atari 2600 used and it works perfectly. I am going to get a new RF cable for it soon along with my Pong console and see if that cleans up the signal abit. Ask for modding for better video output I don't think ill do it to the 2600, maybe the 7800 thou,it is backwards compatible.

Anyway,aside from my love of a classic console,the damn Game Select Switch is missing, well not the switch itself but the metal part that connects to it. It gets really annoying having to stick a pin down in there to select a game mode. Also i noticed my Color/BW switch is shorting abit. So my question is where would I find some replacement switches for the 6 Switch 2600?

[Oldskool]

Hmm.. that's a tough one. I don't think you can find EXACT replacements except from another Atari. And if you have another Atari with good switches why not use that one instead. Unless of course you can find an Atari that is just flat out broken.

As for replacing the cable, might not be needed to clean up the video signal. Just the pass through adapter alone worked wonders for me.

Of course I think the newer cables are shielded more than the old ones, so there is probably still room for improvement.

As far as the Color/B&W switch acting funny, not sure there, I guess harvest that switch from a broken Atari also.

On the other hand, I noticed that with my pass through adapter there is NO B&W anymore, not sure what's going on if my switch is bad, or the pass through doesn't support B&W. I switch it to B&W and it stays color. I may have a switch issue there myself, not sure. I should hook up my Radio Shack switch box that I was using before and see if it works again.

[jb143]

For a better picture, use an RCA phono-to-coax adapter, instead of the switch box.

Generally called an "F" Adaptor at places like Radio Shack.

Looks like this...
http://i48.tinypic.com/v33g4y.jpg

It will clean up the signal and looks much much better than using a switch box.

[Oldskool]

Oh that's great you can get exact replacement switches, I didn't know that.

As far as the F adapter goes check out this thread here, I posted up a pic of the video quality, sorry the picture is kind of small so you cannot really tell the true quality.

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=146128

[Compute]

I've seen the color/bw issue myself. I want to say that I've seen it on Journey Escape, of all titles. The "color mode" background may disappear, but the game is still in color. I just assumed that this was so the rom would be smaller. If a game is going to show up fine in grayscale from a color signal well enough, why go through the trouble of making a whole new color pallette?

[Oldskool]

On Frogger, if I hit the B&W switch it stays color. Is this normal? I should try some of my other games to see. I know it worked before.

[Oldskool]

Hmm something is wrong then. I have the pass through adapter, I wonder if that has something to do with it.

[alec006]

Replacement console switches can be purchased from Best Electronics (link in DP links section).

For a better picture, use an RCA phono-to-coax adapter, instead of the switch box.

I actually do have the F adapter for my Atari 2600,never came with a switchbox lol. Ask for the F adapter, would a gold one produce a slightly better picture, cause might as well buy one if I'm going to replace the entire RF cable.

Also thanks alot for the link,I actually found the site before,just had to find the section that lists Atari parts,took alittle scrolling with such a large font on the site.


I've seen the color/bw issue myself. I want to say that I've seen it on Journey Escape, of all titles. The "color mode" background may disappear, but the game is still in color. I just assumed that this was so the rom would be smaller. If a game is going to show up fine in grayscale from a color signal well enough, why go through the trouble of making a whole new color pallette?

It's not too much of an issue,it's just I have to jiggle the switch abit in the black and white position if I wanna see it in black and white.

[jb143]

I don't think gold plating will affect the signal any. Not noticably at least. It might help it last a bit longer though. They use gold because it doesn't corrode or oxidize.