Atari FlashBack Portable

hailrazer · Post by **hailrazer** » Sun Oct 01, 2006 7:50 pm

Well I decided to try my hand at making a portable.

I had an Atari Flashback lying around and I found this at a gas station for $4.:

Now what does this thing look like on the inside and can I use it ?

Hmm doesn't look bad , but not a whole lot of room in there.

So I went about making the case more accessible. First take it all aprt and remove the battery packs.

Now take off the front panel and disconnect the controllers from the main board.

Hmm looks like with a little work the front panel could hold a 2.5" screen.

And what do you know it will.

Now to take apart the Flashback and see what it looks like....... Ooooohhh nice and small.

Now let's remove those pesky controller ports, re-position a cap, wire the onboard controllers to the Flashback controller board and make it fit.

Next up.

1. Remove Rca plugs, Power plug.
2. Wire screen to the Flashback power/Audio/Video.
3. Make battery pack and attach.
4. Attach speaker.

*Notes* The 2.5" screen I have in the unit now is a test screen, and is non-functional. I have a new one coming which will be installed.

josh · Post by **josh** » Sun Oct 01, 2006 8:05 pm

i was planing a project like this when i first joined but i was quickley told to stop it because it didn't have a cart port.

hailrazer · Post by **hailrazer** » Sun Oct 01, 2006 8:08 pm

josh wrote:i was planing a project like this when i first joined but i was quickley told to stop it because it didn't have a cart port.

I just wanted to try my hand at making a portable before I tackle a big project. Idon't like the Atari anyway (played it to much as a kid and got burned out ) so a cart port would be a waste of time for me.

Website · Post by **Life of Brian** » Sun Oct 01, 2006 10:23 pm

Looking good so far! Keep it up!

josh · Post by **josh** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 7:07 am

no,no,no,no,no i wasn't trying to discourage you!
i was just saying its good that someone finnally took up my dream.

hailrazer · Post by **hailrazer** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 2:04 pm

josh wrote:no,no,no,no,no i wasn't trying to discourage you!
i was just saying its good that someone finnally took up my dream.

Oh no I didn't think you were being negative , I just was explaining why I went with such a limited portable.

It will seem like a waste to a lot of people. But I had to have some fun and try it out before I go to a "Real" portable

joevennix · Post by **joevennix** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 4:12 pm

That's pretty cool, good work! Just remember to update.

atari2600a · Post by **atari2600a** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 4:52 pm

Wait, is this the first flashback w/ the NOAC, or the second one w/ the 2600-OAC?

lifeisbetterwithketchup · Mon Oct 02, 2006 5:03 pm

atari2600a wrote:Wait, is this the first flashback w/ the NOAC, or the second one w/ the 2600-OAC?

I believe it's the first one (NOAC), as opposed to the Flashback II (which I've seen in Target and it looks way different).

Post by **Sparkfist** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 5:40 pm

atari2600a wrote:Wait, is this the first flashback w/ the NOAC, or the second one w/ the 2600-OAC?

Actually it's nether. Both Flashbacks were in Atari 2600-like cases. This isn't so it's ether a third product by the company, or is a completely different company, don't know.

Nice choice on your first project. The *-on-a-chip are ususally the easist to work with.

atari2600a · Post by **atari2600a** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 5:57 pm

Wow, you should really consider reading the entire first post. It's right there.

madc0w · Post by **madc0w** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 6:00 pm

Sparkfist wrote:
atari2600a wrote:Wait, is this the first flashback w/ the NOAC, or the second one w/ the 2600-OAC?
Actually it's nether. Both Flashbacks were in Atari 2600-like cases. This isn't so it's ether a third product by the company, or is a completely different company, don't know.

Nice choice on your first project. The *-on-a-chip are ususally the easist to work with.

Sparky, you do realize that the other thing is just being used for the case...

Post by **bicostp** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 7:20 pm

Sparkfist wrote:
atari2600a wrote:Wait, is this the first flashback w/ the NOAC, or the second one w/ the 2600-OAC?
Actually it's nether. Both Flashbacks were in Atari 2600-like cases. This isn't so it's ether a third product by the company, or is a completely different company, don't know.

Nice choice on your first project. The *-on-a-chip are ususally the easist to work with.

Actually, the FB2 can run real carts. (The motherboard is labelled, and has the pinout table printed on it, I think.) The FB1 looks like a pint-size 7800 and can only run the built-in games.

The donor case appears to be that TV Etch-a-Sketch toy.

Hailrazer: For the battery pack, see if you can make up a plastic shell that is attached to the case where the expansion cartridges would have plugged into the etch-a-sketch, and power the thing off of AAs. Nice sleek portable!

hailrazer · Post by **hailrazer** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 8:34 pm

Yea it's the FlashBack 1 :

From my For Sale thread:

hailrazer · Post by **hailrazer** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 8:37 pm

bicostp wrote:
Actually, the FB2 can run real carts. (The motherboard is labelled, and has the pinout table printed on it, I think.) The FB1 looks like a pint-size 7800 and can only run the built-in games.

The donor case appears to be that TV Etch-a-Sketch toy.

Hailrazer: For the battery pack, see if you can make up a plastic shell that is attached to the case where the expansion cartridges would have plugged into the etch-a-sketch, and power the thing off of AAs. Nice sleek portable!

Yes the donor case is an Etch-a-Sketch case.

Good idea on the battery pack. I was thinking that or on the bottom between then handles.