Questions from an Aussie newbie

[Hawkangel]

Hey guys and girls,

I emailed Ben these questions, but I figure he is a busy man and has a life outside of this site.
I live in Sydney, Australia and I've ordered the book from Amazon.com, its shipping as I type.
I'd like to get a couple of things ready while I wait for it to arrive.
I am going to make a 2600 portable for my wife as she loves the old Atari games and going to have a baby soon.
I have a couple questions though that I haven't found on the website or searching through forums :

1) With an Atari 2600 portable, is it possible to make one from an Atari 2600 Jr.? I've seen the instructions on the site and forum stickys for making the 4 x 4 board from a 4 and 6 switch Atari 2600 and seen mention of how to open a Jr, hooking up batteries to it and getting video via an AV lead, but there isn't any mention of hacking down an Atari Jr. to a portable.
Will this be covered in Ben's book? I haven't done anything or hacked my old 2600 Jr. as yet.

2) If things go well with the Atari portable, I'm thinking about making a PSone portable for myself at a later stage. What type of original Playstation models does the book cover - the older types or the new compact (PSones) that the LCD screen actually attaches to? (I hope this makes sense).

If you could answer these questions, I'd be ever so grateful.

[*o*]

you can use a 2600 junior but it cant be cut down! i repeat CANT BE CUT DOWN!! ben only covers using a 4 switch

the book only covers the smaller psone....

also! advice to aussies! go to your local jaycar electronics and see if they are selling big bags of surplus elctronics they cost $20 and have over $60 worth of capacitors $40 of resistors various diodes ic's transistors ide cable cords 6 blank dvd's some magazines etc.

[Hawkangel]

Thanks for the reply. I think we'll use the Atari Jr. for our (just expanding!) family. I'll check the markets for an Atari 2600 4 switch.
Thanks again.

[N Rage64]

you should post the atari question on that forum they could probaly give you some help and tips when makin it

[usbcd36]

Actually, if you open up the Atari Jr. and there are 3 long chips, you should be able to get a small replacement board from gannon soon, just check the Atari section, there is a thread about "Atari PCB".

If you're making a PSone portable, don't go for the hand-built one unless you're really into it. Even if you don't have access to a CNC machine, you can buy a case from Ben that has already been cut.

[soundwave]

Gannon said the new prototype board will be done (as in finished blueprinting) in 2 to 4 weeks. I cant see the total project finishing under two months at that rate. And thats just prototype, if something goes wrong in that board, estimates will be pushed back further.