I'm thinking about making Atari 2600 PCB's

Post by **Sparkfist** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 10:40 am

JackFrost22 wrote:I have an etching tank. I could do bens desing so I just gotta get about $50 for parts

Why not just canablise a JR or 4 switch to test it?

Post by **SpongeBuell** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 11:03 am

Sparkfist wrote:Not to knock on Spongbuell but isnt there the one probleme of the Atari outputing mono and some of the sound effects coming from the other speaker?

Yeah, the sound is usually kind of separated, but all you need to do is add a simple SPST switch to tie the 2 lines together if you don't want it. There are a few games that use it, and it's a kind of cool feature to show off. Oh yeah, and the intro music for Ms. Pac Man sounds really cool in stereo

Post by **gannon** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 11:52 am

SgtBowhack wrote: Gannon: Nice design! I like it. How much stuff is involved on the internal controls side of things?

Only 7 tactile switches, 2 spst switches, and a 1meg potetiometer.
The power supply uses a dc-battery switching jack, 1 spst switch, a 7805 regulator, 2 capacitors, 2 diodes, 1 resistor, and a 500k potetiometer.

JackFrost22 · Post by **JackFrost22** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 12:19 pm

To sparkfist I dont like killing things and its hard to desolder stuff without burning it out. Oh and heres something I found out frim an electronics guru. To remove a chip that will get fried if you desolder it. Take a blowtorch put it on one side of the board anmd pry with a screwdiver the chip off

Post by **gannon** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 12:25 pm

I've heard that before, but only do that if you don't want the board anymore

JackFrost22 · Post by **JackFrost22** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 12:43 pm

or the other componets

vb_master · Post by **vb_master** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 1:48 pm

If you sell the board only for $5 I would buy it.

SgtBowhack · Post by **SgtBowhack** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 5:57 pm

Gannon: Neat. Sounds like your board design is a winner then.

JackFrost22: This board design is dual-sided. Even if you do have an etch tank, it'll be a hell of a task to make sure everything lines up and the drilled holes match properly and all that. Forget it. (BTW: How come it seems as if you're doing everything anyone could POSSIBLY be doing? I hope this is some running joke because it amuses the hell out of me.)

vb_master: If it's professionally made, you're insane. It'd probably cost roughly $10 per board just to have them made even if he made 50 of them (which is a pretty big run for something hand-soldered like this). Gannon's design might be a good one though, provided it's tested and it works (might drop the cost of the boards a teeny bit)

JackFrost22 · Post by **JackFrost22** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 6:10 pm

To answer your idea about me doing everything is..I start every project know to man I just dont ushally finish them. One day i will say in my best Arnold vioce"It is time"

SgtBowhack · Post by **SgtBowhack** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 6:23 pm

I see. But I guess the question is- how far do you actually get on the projects before you quit? I haven't done much modding, but I have had plenty of modding ideas. You could say I've started a lot of projects too, but I never actually got to the point of opening the console on most of them

JackFrost22 · Post by **JackFrost22** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 7:08 pm

NBo they are opened and or fired need pics

someone · Post by **someone** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 8:34 pm

gannon wrote:The only custom chip in the atari 2600 is the T.I.A/Stella

great!!! Anyways, thanks for the input. I'll be INSANELY busy for the next six weeks, but then i will try to make some pcbs for the atari, or more fun and harder, the NES (i hate that crappy sound and video that alwasy happens on superjoys, yes i know you can put a cap on the video, but i would rather have one that used real guts, and no resoldering a 72 pin adapter!)

Post by **Sparkfist** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 9:13 pm

Well first "someone" so I was wrong it wasnt to first and I doubt it will be the last.

Next as for etching it by hand I dont see how it can be very difficalt. I know thats an elaberate design, and if you properly etch it, and use a printed out pic of the design you can use that as a guide to drill the holes. We only need to see if it will work I dont think anyone has the stamina to make fify or so themselfs.

And for the canablising thing. I mentioned the 4 switch as the chips are seated in sockets and not soldered to the board. As those are the only thing that are not easily replaced you can do that.

someone · Post by **someone** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 9:16 pm

someone wrote:
gannon wrote:The only custom chip in the atari 2600 is the T.I.A/Stella
excellent gannon! Anyways, thanks for the input. I'll be INSANELY busy for the next six weeks, but then i will try to make some pcbs for the atari, or more fun and harder, the NES (i hate that crappy sound and video that alwasy happens on superjoys, yes i know you can put a cap on the video, but i would rather have one that used real guts, and no resoldering a 72 pin adapter!)

JackFrost22 · Post by **JackFrost22** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 9:31 pm

they are not always in sockets I have 2 4 switches and 2 of the 3 the chips are soldered in