Odyssey Antenna Switch question

[charitycasegreg]

I found an Odyssey at a rummage sale last week and it came with everything except for the antenna switch. I searched Ebay and couldn't find the switch I needed. So I then did a little research trying to figure out if there is another way to get the thing working with no such luck. Does anybody have any information on how to get this working? What would I need to buy, where can I find it. Does anyone have an extra switch they could spare? Thank you, much appreciation!

[dendawg]

IIRC, some O2's have an internal RCA connector where the RF cable plugs into the motherboard, If you have one of them you can simply plug in an RCA cable and run it to another RF modulator. If not, it's a relatively simple solder job to swap cables.

[Wookie]

If you can't swap the RCA cable, you might try looking for an Odyssey Pong unit. Some of those used the same switchbox as the early O2s.

[Rickstilwell1]

Does he mean an original Odyssey or an Odyssey 2? If it's an Odyssey 2, all he needs is an RCA to coaxial converter and plug it straight into the TV's coaxial (aka antenna) input.

The only time a converter like that usually doesn't work is when the RF switch takes the power supply rather than the console itself. I know the RCA Studio II and Atari 5200 4-port version have that, but what about the original Odyssey?

[charitycasegreg]

thanks for the help guys. It is the first Odyssey we are dealing with here. I found someone selling a refurbished Odyssey online and he has a converter of some sort connected to the cord that plugs into the switch. http://cgi.ebay.com/MAGNAVOX-ODYSSEY-SYSTEM-CIB-1972-SERIAL-7218348-MO88-/370502241700?pt=Video_Games&hash=item5643a78da4

I saw similar pieces on Ebay but I don't think they would fit the cord since it has a larger tip than the av cables the tip is designed to work with.

All the help is greatly appreciated.

[charitycasegreg]

There has to be an Odyssey fan out there somewhere? Anyone?

[vulcanjedi]

It looks like a standard 75 <> 300 ohm converter just big and bulky as would be expected from 1972.

Modern coax is 75 ohm. The old twin leads from TV's are 300 ohm. Old systems were almost all 75 ohm so you can use a direct connector. The old switchboxes are not needed any more but some older systems give off a lot of interference. I have no problem playing my Coleco on my 50 inch flatscreen because it is on channel 4. Channel 2 and 3 in this area still have interference on them even with the analog broadcast shut down.

Good luck
Mark

[blue lander]

I used the odyssey 2 switch with mine as I recall.

[njb12287]

So the odyssey uses an unusual video cable that no other systems ever used. There are a few options:
1) find the switch from another odyssey system, the pongs all have the same connector
2) get an early o2. they also use the same connector and the cable has a standard RCA on the inside. YOu can just use this cable.
3) modify the cable that came with the system. Cut it in hald and add a RCA end to it. Then you can use the RCA to COAX adaptor with it. There is a seller on ebay that has this modified cable for $20 if you dont want to modify it yourself

If you have any questions about the Odyssey feel free to pm me

[njb12287]

Also you most likely will have issues playing the original odyssey on modern tvs. It produces a very unstable video signal that most new tvs cannot handle. I use an older tv to play my odysseys on

[chrisbid]

If you can't swap the RCA cable, you might try looking for an Odyssey Pong unit. Some of those used the same switchbox as the early O2s.

thats what a friend of mine did. he found the proper switchbox in an odyssey 300

[njb12287]

thats what a friend of mine did. he found the proper switchbox in an odyssey 300
Ya the 100-500 used the same one. I dont think the 2000-4000 did though.