please help

calvary3a1 · Post by **calvary3a1** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 8:24 pm

my cut down, modded atari works for about 30 seconds then it shuts off. Im using a 9v wall adapter to power it. could it be overheating? the regulator gets very hot very fast.

Wakefire · Post by **Wakefire** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 8:53 pm

Have you checked for a possible short?

Post by **SpongeBuell** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 9:03 pm

First I'd check out any bad soldering joints, then I'd use a multimeter to make sure that you are getting your 5 volts in all the right places, before and after it shuts off. After that, it may be a bad capacitor or something.

calvary3a1 · Post by **calvary3a1** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 9:23 pm

I dont have a multimeter but ill check my solder joints and see if that helps. Im thinking its something like a capacitor or something i cant fix which sucks.

timmeh87 · Post by **timmeh87** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 9:34 pm

... maybe its because the regulator is heating up.

is it heatsinked? (heatsunk?)

Post by **SpongeBuell** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 9:46 pm

my regulator isn't heatsinked/sunk/sunked and it works well over 30 seconds.. haven't seen it conk out before. But it could be a bad regulator, too... or maybe even a bad power connection (sometimes those universal connectors need to be bent just right to work)

calvary3a1 · Post by **calvary3a1** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:22 am

no its not heatsunk/sinked. the power adapter im using is the one that came with the atari and im using the atari plug for the adapter. Maybe its the regulator cause its the original one as well. ill try another one.

calvary3a1 · Post by **calvary3a1** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 11:25 am

ok i replaced the 7805 with a brand new one and i get the same thing. I forgot to mention that while it works it sort of cycles through different colors. Like the screen will come up when its turned on, then after about 10 seconds it kind of flickers and the colors all change. It does this several times then shuts off. Maybe its actually still running but im just loosing video. what do yall think?

Post by **SpongeBuell** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 12:28 am

Well, it couldn't hurt to make sure all of your soldering connections are secure. Are you sure that you wired the color potentiometer correctly? (that one you wired 3 of 4 pins on, came out of the original atari board)

Otherwise, it could be a TIA problem.