Recommend a good switchbox for my classic consoles?

[Djfinny]

I'm hoping someone can recommend a good, clean signal, switchbox to hook up my Atari 2600, 5200, Intellivision, Odyssey 2 + plus more to grow with - to a single TV. I believe I need RF connections (?) I was able to get a good 6 switch for my new consoles at Radio Shack (on a seperate TV) but no luck for my classic consoles. My wife said no more buying classic console until she (and guests) can easily switch between them.

Thank for any help in advance !!

:D

[briguy578]

I suggest you get a phono plug - its like 2 bucks at radio shack and it allows you to plug your Atari or colecovision or whatever directly into the catv imput on the back of your TV. Then you just need to use a regular switch [also at radio shack on the cheap] to switch imput from the atari to the TV. If this isn't satifactory, then maybe you should just get a small TV to use the classic systems with, as 13 inch TVs are now well under 100 bucks.

[Djfinny]

I thought I saw a link to a switch box that had RF connections several months ago. Does anyone use a switch box for thier older (Atari) game consoles or you do have to manually switch the cables?

Thanks again for any recommendations.

DJ

[Flack]

I thought I saw a link to a switch box that had RF connections several months ago. Does anyone use a switch box for thier older (Atari) game consoles or you do have to manually switch the cables?

Thanks again for any recommendations.

DJ

Hey DJ ... I'm in the same boat as you. Radio Shack doesn't sell a switch box like this (at least not at mine). The closest mine had was a box that allowed you to hook one DSS satellite up to 4 televisions. I thought maybe that could be used in reverse (four inputs to one television) but apparently not.

Somebody put an 8 port one up for sale on DP a while back and it was sold in minutes. :)

I'm still looking -- if I find a good source, I'll let you know!

[davidleeroth]

Not sure if I'm missing the point but isn't an RF switchbox like really easy to do yourself? You only need to switch one signal so a rotary switch and couple of female RF connectors should make one of acceptable quality.

[nesuser2]

Easier to buy one. Sure building one sounds peachy but buying one sounds even better....it's the American way. I thought I saw some of these on eBay but I'll have to check again.

[SegaAges]

in the same boat, do places sell adapters that are rca->coax. i was thinking of getting a "pimp shit" hookup in my room in my new apartment.

[nesuser2]

RCA to COAX? are you serious? I can barely stand to use Composite anymore....

[Adonick]

I bought a bunch of RCA to composite cables at a dollar store, and am waiting to see if they work.

[SegaAges]

i am completely serious. look at my game room pics dude, i don't have a hd tv or anything, and i have a good idea about how to hook my system up. the audio from the rcas will go to my stereo, while the video will get converted to coax to go to my tv. with switches, everything could be setup so that i switch between systems with a flick of a switch.

[Richter]

tried looking at them switch boxes at Walmart in the vg section? Few months ago saw one that had RFU & RCA inputs/outputs

[SMB]

By the way Welcome To the Forums! :)


http://www.bearpawtradingpost.com/sm.%20welcome%20bear.jpg

[Anexanhume]

http://search.ebay.com/video-selector-rf

[nesuser2]

Come to think of it......My Pelican Selector has RF in and Out....but I never really paid much attention to it. And you don't need a HD tv for better signals than RF and it's not a completely bad idea to run everything to your stereo and then run the rest RF but if you're going through that much trouble...why not just run the video cable, it's more flexible than Coax.

[christianscott27]

dont feel strange about RF man, i use a pair of em on my mega shelf. it might be hard to find one new, perhaps try a non chain TV shop. i've got a pelican one hooked up with a radioshack one to cover all of my classic systems. radioshacks are funny, it doesnt hurt to find the manager on duty and make them look in the backroom. a few years back they updated to the optimus look and came out with "rounded" switchers, mostly RCAs. you can sometimes find what you need under VCR dubbing gear, or VCR recording source selector, you'll get a few extra output ports but the switching feature is still there.

[Porkchop]

You may have a problem I looked at MCM and they had lots of switchs for the modern stuff that use RCA plugs but they only had a 3 way switch for coax.
Here is the link:

http://mcm.newark.com/NewarkWebCommerce/mcm/en_US/endecaSearch/searchPage2.jsp?Ntt=33-1490&Nty=1&showImages=true&N=4&Ntk=gensearch

If it exist MCM seems to have it. Good luck.

I you are cheap like me but still want better sound buy a set of computer speakers. I got a cheapo set with a small woofer for $10.00. Much better sound than the TV or in my case Magnavox (Commodore) RGB monitor. It also requires an RCA to stero headphone jack converter from Radio Shack.

[Porkchop]

Let's try this again. I had to do some thinking on this one. Here is what you need:

1. A Pelican selector switch that they sale at Walmart or Gamestop for 19.99. The Pelican one has an RF Modulator built in which you will not need so if you can find the one made by Interact with out the Rf Modulator it will also work and cost about half as much. I sure you can also find someting at Radio Shack that will work.

2. An RCA plug to Coax converter. Radio shack should have these but if not try

http://www.electricquarter.com/cadapter.htm

3. An Cable with a Maie RCA plug on each end.

What you will do is plug each system's RF plug (RCA plug) into one of the yellow video in plugs on the Pelican selector. Then run the RCA cable from the yellow video out to the RCA to coax converter, and plug the coax end into the TV.

This setup will allow you to have 5 classic systems hocked to one TV.
:) :)

This is the cheapest way I could find to do this. The only problem is the Pelican does not come with lables for Atari 5200 or O2 LOL You will have to make your own lebles.

[FABombjoy]

The Pelican one has an RF Modulator built in which you will not need

Not only will you not need it, you won't want it. It's the worst RF modulator I've ever seen. Plus, it only works with composite sources... if you have consoles connected via s-video to the switchbox, they won't have any video output on the RF out.

[charitycasegreg]

Hey segaages, why does it say "my bedroom of doom (RIP)" Why RIP?

[nesuser2]

Hey segaages, why does it say "my bedroom of doom (RIP)" Why RIP?

I may be able to field this one, I do believe he's in the process of or has recently moved :D

[Flack]

Let's try this again. I had to do some thinking on this one. Here is what you need:

1. A Pelican selector switch that they sale at Walmart or Gamestop for 19.99. The Pelican one has an RF Modulator built in which you will not need so if you can find the one made by Interact with out the Rf Modulator it will also work and cost about half as much. I sure you can also find someting at Radio Shack that will work.

2. An RCA plug to Coax converter. Radio shack should have these but if not try

http://www.electricquarter.com/cadapter.htm

3. An Cable with a Maie RCA plug on each end.

What you will do is plug each system's RF plug (RCA plug) into one of the yellow video in plugs on the Pelican selector. Then run the RCA cable from the yellow video out to the RCA to coax converter, and plug the coax end into the TV.

This setup will allow you to have 5 classic systems hocked to one TV.
:) :)

This is the cheapest way I could find to do this. The only problem is the Pelican does not come with lables for Atari 5200 or O2 LOL You will have to make your own lebles.

Ok I had to read that a couple of times, but now it makes sense. That's brilliant! I never thought about NOT putting the adapter on until after the signal was split ...