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1995-01-16
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Frequently-Asked Questions
Classic Atari 2600/5200/7800 Game Systems
Fourth Edition 94-11-12 (21K bigger)
Third Edition 94-10-29 (30k bigger)
Second Edition 94-10-18
First Edition 92-07-17
Send additions/corrections/comments/money/carts to:
Andrew K. Heller (cagsfaq@akh104.rh.psu.edu)
Author's note: Most of this work was stollen from other articles/works
that either have appeared on netnews or are available via FTP.
So, if you see something in here word for word the way you typed it
aren't you proud I didn't have to change a thing! =)
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
INTRODUCTION
0) Who am I and why do you care?
GENERAL
1.1) What NetNews groups exist for the CAGS?
1.2) What Atari 2600/5200/7800 games list exist?
1.3) What information sites for Atari game machine information exist?
1.4) What is The 2600 Connection?
1.5) In the news...
SOFTWARE
2.1) Where can I find games for my 2600/5200/7800?
2.2) What are the best games for the 2600?
2.3) Cartridge quantity:
2.3.1) What are the most common and rarest 2600 games?
2.3.2) What are the most common and rarest 5200 games?
2.3.3) What are the most common and rarest 7800 games?
2.3.4) What games were available via GameLine services?
2.4) Games and Controllers
2.4.1) What 2600 or 7800 games used a light gun?
2.4.2) Which 2600 games used Kid pads/key pads?
2.4.3) Which 2600 games used paddles?
2.5) What is this Starpath CD I keep hearing about?
2.6) What Easter Eggs (cheats) exist for the 26/52/7800?
2.7) Programming:
2.7.1) What out there exists to help programmers?
2.7.2) What is the 7800 encryption algorithm?
2.8) Bugs:
2.8.1) What's up with 7800 Impossible Mission?
HARDWARE
3.1) What different 26/52/7800 models and accessories did Atari make?
3.1.1) The Atari 2600
3.1.2) The Atari 5200
3.1.3) The Atari 7800
3.2) What vaporware hardware is there?
3.3) How many 2600 clones/emulators were made and by who?
3.4) What light guns work with the 2600/7800?
3.5) What add on devices existed for the 26/52/78?
3.5.1) What add on modules existed for the 2600?
3.5.2) What add on modules existed for the 5200?
3.6) What are the known specs for the 2600/5200/7800?
3.7) Pinouts
3.7.1) 2600 and 7800 Joystick pinouts
3.7.2) 2600 Cartridge Pinouts and information
3.7.3) 5200 Cartridge and Expansion Pinout
3.7.4) 7800 Cartridge and Expansion Pinout
3.8) Power supply informatiion
PROJECTS
4.1) Building a switchbox for the 4 port 5200.
4.2) Composite/audio/chroma/luma output for the Atari 2600
4.3) Video driver for the 2600/7800
To add (i.e. I need info):
3.7.4) 7800 Cartridge and Expansion pinout
================================================================
0) Who am I and why do you care?
Well, perhaps you don't care. But anyway, I have always been a big
Atari nut. In my earlier youth (I am only 22.83 now) I was known for being
able to tell you the product number of any given piece of Atari (non ST)
hardware. I also held the high score on the then many Atari bbs's for
being able to list off memory locations within the 8bit computer OS.
So, I took all this as a sign to go to college and get a degree in
Computer Engineering with a minor in Computer Science.
This is my 5th year at the wonderful Penn (pepsi) State University.
I will be graduating in May, thank God. All the work that was done
on this Faq was done at the expense of other class work. Well, okay,
I like saying that, but actually I probably would have found something
else that was non-academic to take up my time. However,
I decided to stay in my dorm room and finish this up for my
fellow collectors. That is one of the advantages of having my own
Unix box on the internet . . . hehehe)
A while ago I found a Classic Atari Game System Faq from 1992. The
project seemed to have fallen apart and I knew that it would be hard
to actually get a communal effort together to work on this thing so I
took up the task myself, of course, with the help of contributions from
the internet. This is my first big contribution to the world of
classic systems. (My second, I hope, is going to be a wonderful software
package for collectors... maybe I'll work on that over xmas.)
I hope this FAQ helps someone....
==========================================================
1.1) What NetNews groups exist for the CAGS?
Currently there are the following netnews groups with various information
pertaining to the 26/52/78 systems:
alt.atari.2600vcs (and its various other clones, .2600 and .2600.vcs)
alt.games.video.classic
rec.games.video.classic
rec.games.video.marketplace (to buy things of course!)
==========================================================
1.2) What Atari 2600/5200/7800 games list exist?
There are several game lists available. Games are listed by manufacturer
or by game title; some have rarity codes, others have prices. The two
most widely used lists by collectors are listed here:
1) VGR (Craig Pell) maintains a gigantic listing of every known game
cartridge produced for the Atari 2600 or 7800. The list contains the
game's name and manufacturer's model number. Games are grouped together
by the cartridge manufacture and then by product number.
To receive a copy of the latest game listing, or to suggest a change or
update to the list, send e-mail to VGR at vgriscep@wam.umd.edu.
2) The most "generic" list of games, and perhaps the most easy to use
are maintained by Dean Dierschow (dean@xocolatl.com). Current lists
are available from wiretap.spies.com under /game_archive/cartList.
Games are grouped together by manufacture and then by alphabetical
title.
Entries File Name System Date
------- ------------ ---------------------------------- --------
1010 AT2600.LST Atari 2600 10/21/94
94 AT5200.LST Atari 5200 10/21/94
69 AT7800.LST Atari 7800 10/21/94
You will also need the file "carts.lst" for important information.
Dean also has lists for just about every other system in existence.
3) "The Giant List of 2600 Label Variations" is the list for all of
us "sick" collectors who need to tell exactly what carts we own.
This list goes into detail. Here is an excerpt:
Cosmic Ark IA3204
silver label with no picture, "for use with..." in 5 languages
silver label with picture 720104-1 Rev A. 1982 entirely to the
right of the picture.
silver label with picture 720104-1 Rev A. right edge of picture
is in the middle of 1982.
??? silver label with no picture
Boxed: silver box (c)1982
Send requests to:
John Earney - jearney@farad.elee.calpoly.edu
==========================================================
1.3) What information sites for Atari game machine information exist?
Via FTP:
1) aurora.alaska.edu /atari.dir
2600-PROGRAMMING-2.INFO;1 6/8 3-OCT-1992
2600-PROGRAMMING.INFO;1 90/92 3-OCT-1992
2600CONNECTION.INDEX;1 40/40 18-DEC-1992
CLASSIC-ATARI.FAQ;1 40/40 3-OCT-1992
GIANT-ATARI-2600-7800.LIST;4 175/176 9-MAR-1993
INDEX.LKI;4 2/4 18-JUN-1993
PROG2600-0.DIGEST;1 10/12 3-OCT-1992
PROG2600-1.DIGEST;1 18/20 3-OCT-1992
PROG2600-2.DIGEST;1 20/20 3-OCT-1992
PROG2600-3.DIGEST;1 229/232 3-JUN-1993
PROGRAM-2600-LIST.WELCOME;5 5/8 18-JUN-1993
STELLA.TXT;1 177/180 18-JUN-1993
2) atari.archive.umich.edu /atari/8bit/Vcs
(or amiga.archive.umich.edu /atari/8bit/Vcs)
(atari.archive is usually bogged down)
1094762 Jun 18 1993 2600_doc.zip
36939 Jun 18 1993 2600_txt.arc
252 Jun 18 1993 aa.8bit.vcs
16325 Jun 18 1993 tech2600.arc
3) akh104.rh.psu.edu /pub/Oldatari
This is my own machine. Most of the stuff here is
just copies of all the other sites dumped together.
It is a mess in there. Anybody want to clean it up
for me?
Via WWW:
1) Classic Video Games Homepage
http://www2.ecst.csuchico.edu/~gchance/
2) VGR's homepage
http://cville-srv.wam.umd.edu/~vgriscep/
3) [I know there is more...]
These sites also carry copies of 2600 instructions.
==========================================================
1.4) What is The 2600 Connection?
It is a bi-monthly Atari 2600 collector fanzine published by
Tim Duarte. The 2600 Connection is an excellent source of
information about Atari video game collecting in general, including
news, game reviews, interviews, and entertaining anecdotes.
Rare and collectible games are frequently discussed. Classified
ads in the Connection are relevant to all Atari game machines.
Subscription price is $6 for a year's worth of bi-monthly issues.
To subscribe send a check payable to Timothy Duarte to:
The 2600 Connection
c/o Tim Duarte
P.O. Box N664
Westport, MA 02790-0606
E-Mail: tduarte@umassd.edu
================================================================
1.5) In the news....
-----
Famous Brand Electronics Outlet in Woodbury, MN, has a large supply
of *new* 7800s, along with a box of 40 *unopened* games, for $70.
I talked with a clerk there on Monday, and he said that they *will*
ship to people from the Internet, provided they have valid credit cards,
etc. Note that not all the games are 7800 games.
The phone number for Famous Brand Electronics is (612) - 730-7375.
Tell them Greg sent you.
Greg Nelson
gjnelson@cantor.ee.umn.edu
[AUTHOR'S NOTE: As of this writing only 18 out of the original 50?
systems remain... Someone should tell this guy to obtain more...
LOTS more. =) I have yet to purchase a set, nor will I probably
get a change to. 8~( ]
------
Datamation magazine (Oct 15, 94) is reporting that Activision plans to release
2 compilations of Atari 2600 games for Windows, on floppy or cdrom. Feb 1995
is the release date for the first compilation, which will include Pitfall!,
Kaboom!, River Raid and Chopper Command.
(Zube Zube@cs.colostate.edu)
------
Hey? Whats going on with the PC version of Adventure?
==========================================================
2.1) Where can I find games for my 2600/5200/7800?
There are still several sources for new game cartridges.
Mail order firms such as Telegames USA and Best Electronics are
probably the best source for new games. They still stock many
different games cartridges for all the Atari game machines. Many
titles they carry are extremely rare and collectible. Although
some of the rarer titles in their inventories are dwindling, they
seem to have good stock of many others.
Occasionally some retail stores will still have Atari
cartridges in stock, although sometimes they are hidden in the
backroom. One good places to look is toy stores who used to carry
the Atari, such as Toys 'R Us, Kaybee Toys (formerly Circus
World), and Children's Palace (now in bankruptcy). Another good
source is discount liquidator stores, such as Toy Liquidators,
Big Lots/Odd Lots, and Sears Outlets. These stores typically have huge
quantities of a limited number of titles, but their discounts are the
greatest.
Another excellent source for rare and collectible games is
the classified ads in The 2600 Connection. The Usenet newsgroups
are another place to find new and used game cartridges. There are
frequent postings to both rec.games.video and misc.forsale by
individuals who have Atari game cartridges for sale. You might
also find a rare Atari want-ad in a local newspapers or
pennysaver. A better source would likely be the want ads of a
local Atari computer user's group newsletter.
Finally, there are the many good 2600 games and systems
waiting to be liberated from flea markets, thrift stores, and
yard sales around the country. Few people will advertise that
they have Atari games for sale, but if you get out and look
around, you'll find them. If you relish the thought of finding
"a diamond in a dumpster" and you've always liked treasure
hunting, you may enjoy rumaging through piles of junk to fill
those elusive gaps in your game list at minimal cost.
Also, you may now special order shrinkwrapped Atari 2600 games from
Radio Shack. As I understand it, Atari themselves still have some for
sale. [Anybody got a list of what they have and how much?]
Best Electronics has several games and parts for the classic
systems:
Best Electronics
2021 The Alameda, Suite 290
San Jose, CA
U.S.A. 95126
tel: (408) 243-6950
Nice selection of 2600/5200/7800 games. Send $1.00 for catalog to:
Video Magic
c/o Frank M. Polosky
P.O. Box 9542
Pittsburgh, PA. 15223
Also, the entire back page of 2600 Connection #24 has 30 vendors.
ANYBODY HAVE THE POST THAT LISTED ALL OF THESE VENDORS?
PLEASE SEND ME A COPY ASAP.
==========================================================
2.2) What are the best games for the 2600?
This can be a subjective matter, of course, but Mike Littau conducted
an informal 2600 games poll on r.g.v. a few years ago, trying to find
answer this very question. Here are the results, with some slight
changes in format:
From: littaum@jacobs.CS.ORST.EDU (Mike Littau)
Subject: Atari 2600 poll results
Date: 12 Jun 92 16:49:35 GMT
Here are the results of the atari 2600 poll I conducted:
Best overall 2600 game: Best original idea for a 2600 game:
1. Adventure 1. Pitfall!
2.(tie) Solaris,Yar's Revenge 2. Adventure
3. Asteroids 3. Yar's revenge
4. River Raid 4.(tie) Stampede, Kaboom, Kool Aid Man
Best music or sound for a 2600 game: Best adventure game:
1. Pitfall II: The Lost Caverns 1. Adventure
2. Frogger 2. Raiders of the Lost Ark
3.(tie) Haunted House, California Games 3. Haunted House
4. Asteroids 4. Superman
5. Secret Quest
Best action game: Best sports game:
1. Asteroids 1. Activision Tennis
2. Demon Attack 2. Skiing
3. Missile Command 3. RealSports Tennis
4. Warlords 4.(tie) Super Football,
5.(tie) Chopper Command, Moon Patrol RealSports Football, Activision Boxing
Best racing game: Best graphics for a game:
1. Indy 500 1. Solaris
2. Enduro 2. Pitfall!
3.(tie) Sprintmaster, Grand Prix 3. Moonsweeper
4.(tie) Barnstorming, Slot Racers 4.(tie) Barnstorming, Demon Attack,
River Raid
------------------------------------------
In addition, The 2600 Connection ran an article on the 2600
cartridge "Hall of Fame", listing the best classic 2600 games. There
was an excellent capsule description of each game. Here is the list:
The 2600 Connection Cartridge Hall of Fame (from issue #10:
Combat Asteroids Honorable Mention:
Super Breakout Centipede (and Millipede) Draggonfire
Defender Donkey Kong (and Jr.) Demon Attack
Adventure Mario Bros. Megamania
Space Invaders Pitfall! (and II) HERO
Missle Command River Raid (and II) Rampage
Pac-Man Kaboom Miner 2049er
Ms. Pac-Man Frogger Skatboardin'
Solaris Q*Bert
==========================================================
2.3) What are the most common and rarest games?
The following lists are a quick compilation of what some collectors would
consider to be the most common and rarest 2600 games. Neither list is
exhaustive, they are simply provided as as quick reference.
Those games that are NOT listed as rare are not necessarily common, and
vice versa. Many, many, games fall into the "hard to track down" catagory.
The following lists ARE contraversial. Even combat is depending
on what type of label it has.
It is in the readers best interest to obtain VGR's list and run
the following commands on it from a unix machine:
grep ' xx ' filename > xx.lst
Where 'filename' is the name of VGR's list and 'xx' is ER, R, U, C.
xx.lst will then contain the output of this extraction.
==========================================================
2.3.1) What are the most common and rarest 2600 games?
Common Atari 2600 Games:
------------------------
Activision AX-018 Pitfall!
Atari CX2613 Adventure
Atari CX2649 Asteroids
Atari CX2650 Berzerk (w/ Atari Force #2)
Atari CX2607 Canyon Bomber
Atari CX2676 Centipede
Atari CX2630 Circus Atari
Atari CX2601 Combat
Atari CX2609 Defender (w/ Atari Force #1)
Atari CX2615 Demons To Diamonds
Atari CX2637 Dodge 'Em
Atari CX2674 ET: The Extra Terrestrial
Atari CX2611 Indy 500
Atari CX2638 Missile Command
Atari CX2675 Ms Pac-Man
Atari CX2646 Pac-Man
Atari CX2632 Space Invaders
Atari CX2612 Street Racer
Atari CX2608 Super Breakout
Atari CX2648 Video Pinball
Atari CX2610 Warlords
Atari CX2655 Yar's Revenge
Coleco CO2451 Donkey Kong
Imagic IA3200 Demon Attack
M-Network MT5666 Astroblast
M-Network MT5659 Space Attack
Parker Brothers PB5050 Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Parker Brothers PB5300 Frogger
Rare Atari 2600 Games:
----------------------
Assault
Atari Video Cube Bachelor Party/Gigolo
Beat Em & Eat Em/Lady in Wading Berenstain Bears
BMX Airmaster (Atari release) Boing!
Bumper Bash Burning Dersire/Bachelorette Party
Cakewalk Challenge
Chase the Chuckwagon Chuck Norris Superkicks/Ghost Manor
Chuck Norris Superkicks/Spike's Peak Color Bar Generator
Condor Attack Cosmic Corridor
Crazy Climber Cubicolor
Dishaster Double Dragon
Eli's Ladder Gas Hog
Glib Gravitar (Silver label)
Great Escape Gremlins
Halloween I Want my Mommy
Knight on the town/Jungle Fever Kyphus
Lochjaw MagiCard
Malagai Mangia
Marine Wars Master Builder
Math Math Gran Prix (Sears)
Mr. Do's Castle Music Machine
Obelix Oscar's Trash Race
Out of Control Pele's Championship Soccer
Pengo Philly Flasher/Cathouse Blues
PLate Mania Pooyan
Q*Bert's Qubes Quadrun
Rescue Terra I River Patrol
Roin Hood Robin Hood/Sir Lancelot
Roc N Rope Rubik's Cube
sir Lancelot Smurfs Save the Day
Space Monster Spider Kong
Stronghold Submarine Commander
Subterrania Surf's Up
SQ Waterworld Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Time Pilot Tomarc the Barbarian
Tooth Protectors Track and Field
Tuby Bird Up N Down
Video Jogger Video Reflex
Wall Defender X-Man
Z-Tack
==========================================================
2.3.2) What are the most common and rarest 5200 games?
Common Atari 5200 Games:
------------------------
Atari CX5208 Pac-Man
Atari CX5203 Super Breakout
Rare Atari 5200 Games:
----------------------
Atari CX5257 Gremlins
Big Five Bounty Bob Strikes Back
Intellicon Meteorites
Parker Brothers Frogger II Threedeep!
Parker Brothers James Bond 007
Parker Brothers Star Wars: Death Star Battle
Parker Brothers Star Wars: The Arcade Game
Prototypes:
-----------
Atari Asteroids (????)
Atari Battlezone
Atari Black Belt
Atari Jr. Pac-Man
Atari Last Starfighter
Atari Looney Tunes Hotel
Atari Meebzork
Atari Microgammon
Atari Millipede
Atari Miniature Golf
Atari CX5219 Realsports Basketball
Atari CX5254 Rescue on Fractalus
Atari Roadrunner
Atari Spitfire
Atari Sport Goofy
Atari Tempest
Atari Track and Field
Atari XARI Arena
Atari Xevious
Imagic Fathom
Imagic Moonsweeper
Spitfire - It was made available, but was in the very early stages.
It supposedly has nice graphically, but there was as of yet no
game involved. (atariman@athena.mit.edu (Shane D Shaffer))
Tempest - Sort of playable, never completed. (Jeff Minter)
Battlezone - Tough to find (as if any of these are easy)
Jr. Pac-Man - Just about complete, but it wasn't released commercially.
The Last Starfighter - adapted from the computer Star Raiders II,
complete except for the lack of shields.
Looney Tunes Hotel - Almost complete, but unpolished.
Meebzork - Has a few bugs that cause freezes and black-outs.
Millipede - See Jr. Pac-Man
Miniature Golf - Really stinks. Very early stages, worse than the
2600 version. It's just a bunch of dots and lines.
Roadrunner - Almost complete, but no sound.
Realsports Basketball - scrapped very early.
Sport Goofy - Mostly complete, but has a few bugs.
Track N Field - See Millipede
Xari Arena - See Battlezone
Xevious - See Track N Field
The following 5200 Proto's were available from BEST. NOTE: WERE!
Basketball Track And Field Gremlins
Millipede The Last Starfighter Looney Tunes Hotel
Sport Goofy Meebzork
Xevious (works only with 2-port model)
Road Runner (Proto they carried had no sound)
Miniature Golf (same as Road Runner)
Pac-Man Jr. (Works on 4 ports, but works best on 2 port version)
==========================================================
2.3.3) What are the most common and rarest 7800 games?
Common Atari 7800 Games:
------------------------
Atari CX7805 Galaga
Atari CX7808 Pole Position II
Atari CX7807 Ms. Pac-Man
Rare Atari 7800 Games:
----------------------
Absolute AM-039 Kung Fu Master
Activision AM-050 Double Dragon
Activision AM-049 Rampage
Atari CX7859 Barnyard Blaster
Atari CX7863 Mat Mania Challenge
Atari CX7875 Meltdown
Froggo Tank Command
Froggo UFO
Froggo Water Ski
Prototypes (?):
---------------
Atari Eidilon, The
Atari Electro Cop
Atari KLAX
Atari Lode Runner
Atari Night of the Ninja
Atari CX7816 Rescue on Fractalus
Atari Sentinal
????? Sky Fox
????? White Water Madness
Froggo Pyromania
Froggo Scrapper Story
Froggo UFO
==========================================================
2.3.4) What games were available via GameLine services?
Airlock Alien Atlantis
Bank Heist Bermuda Triangle Boing
Bugs Cakewalk China Syndrome
Coconuts Commando Raid Cosmic Ark
Cosmic Creeps Cosmic Swarm Cross Force
Crypts of Chaos Deadly Duck Demolition Herby
Demon Attack Dragonfire The Earth Dies Screaming
Eggomania Encounter at L-5 Entombed
Fantastic Voyage Fast Food Fire Fighter
Flash Gordon Frankenstein's Monster Gangster Alley
Gopher Guardian Infiltrate
Jawbreaker King Kong Lost Luggage
M.A.D. Marauder M*A*S*H
Megaforce Mines of Minos Moonsweeper
Name this Game The Challenge of Nexar Nightmare
No Escape Picnic Piece O' Cake
Planet Patrol Polaris Porky's
Raft Rider Ram It Revenge of the Beefsteak
Tomatoes
Riddle of the Sphinx Room of Doom Save the Whales
Shark Attack Shootin' Gallery Sneak & Peek
Solar Storm Space Cavern Space Jockey
Space Master Squeeze Box Sssnake
Stargunner Star Voyager Tape Worm
Threshold Towering Inferno Trick Shot
Turmoil Warplock Word Zapper
Worm War I
==========================================================
2.4.1) What 2600 or 7800 games used a light gun?
2600:
-----
Sentinal
7800:
-----
Atari CX7855 Alien Brigade
Atari CX7859 Barnyard Blaster
Atari CX7844 Crossbow (gun or stick)
Atari CX7875 Meltdown
==========================================================
2.4.2) Which 2600 games used Kid pads/key pads?
(THE second most commonly asked question these past months...)
A Game of Concentration (Hunt & Scare, Memory Match)
Alpha Beam with Ernie
BASIC Programming
Big Bird's Egg Catch
Brain Games
Codebreaker
Cookie Monster Munch
MagiCard
Oscar's Trash Race
Star Raiders
==========================================================
2.4.3) Which 2600 games used paddles?
Bachelor Party Beat Em' & eat Em
Blackjack Breakout (Breakaway IV)
Bumper Bash
Casino (Poker Plus) Circus Atari (circus)
Demons to Diamonds Eggomania
Encounter at L-5 Fireball (Supercharger game)
Guardian
Kaboom! Mangia
Music Machine Night Driver
Party Mix (Supercharger game) Piece O Cake
Solar Storm Steeplechase
Street Racer (Speedway II) Super Breakout
Tac-Scan Video Olympics (Pong Sports)
Warlords Warplock
Canyon Bomber (can also use joysticks to play 2 players at once)
Indy 500 (used special 360 paddles)
G.I. Joe Cobra Strike (players 1 & 2 use paddle--player 3 uses joystick)
==========================================================
2.5) What is this Starpath CD I keep hearing about?
Currently there is a project that involves putting all the
Starpath SuperCharger audio tapes onto a CD. The author is looking
for un-released games and PAL versions. Check out the 2600
news groups for update information.
==========================================================
2.6) What Easter Eggs (cheats) exist for the 26/52/7800?
This section has grown rather large and a new version
of the cheats faq is available EMAIL from Galen Tatsuo Komatsu.
The current list size is about 30k. The previous one posted
in the FAQ was about 6k.
Request "Send B-TECH" from:
gkomatsu@uhunix.uhcc.hawaii.edu
ar592@cleveland.freenet.edu
================================================================
2.7.1) What out there exists to help programmers?
For 2600 users there is the "Stella" guide. It is availabe
from the FTP sites mentioned in this list. Atari.archive.umich.edu
has a modified version of Stella that is postscript format with
graphs and diagrams.
For the 7800 there is Harry Dodgson's (dodgson@coyote.cs.umich.edu)
Monitor Cart plus documentation. The 250+ pages include a stella guide,
a 2600 programming manual which is a bit more readable, the Maria specs,
and the 7800 docs.
================================================================
2.7.2) What is the 7800 encryption algorithm?
The 7800 uses a data encryption key to determine whether or not the
7800 cartridge is valid and allows the system to be put in 7800 mode
as opposed to 2600 mode. The encryption algorithm is said to be
proprietary. Rumors exist, however, that Atari released the algorithm
for use on the the Atari ST series of computers. If anybody has this
program we would all be very happy to have a look at it. It is also
rumored that not many people at Atari know what the algorithm is or
how to use it anymore.
It is now also rumored that it was released for the Lynx Dev-Kit
for the Amiga's. Rumors...rumors....
================================================================
2.8) Bugs.
This section deals with major software/hardware bugs.
Anybody know of some more?
================================================================
2.8.1) Whats up with 7800 Impossible Mission?
7800 Impossible mission REALLY is impossible.
The cart was released with a bug where some of the pieces you need
were hidden under computer terminals...YOU CAN'T SEARCH THE TERMINALS.
This bug was fixed, but I don't think Atari ever released the updated
version.
ghtthing@aol.com (NightThing)
[Author's Comment: How does somthing like this happen?]
================================================================
3.1) What different 26/52/7800 models and accessories did Atari make?
Some people not only collect game cartridges, but hardware systems as
well. Here is some basic information on the various game systems that
Atari has made over the years.
================================================================
3.1.1) Atari 2600 and Sears Video Arcade Systems
Atari VCS CX2600 - Original model. Woodgrain and black plastic enclosure.
Six silver switches across the upper front panel. Bundled
accessories include two CX40 joysticks, one CX30 paddle controller,
AC adapter, TV switch and a CX2601 Combat game cart.
Sample wording on label on bottom of unit:
"Mfd. by Atari, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA. Serial # 048181."
"Mfd. by Atari-Wong Ltd. in Hong Kong. Serial # 568213514."
Sears Tele-Games Video Arcade I - Same as above except external cosmetic
differences (the "difficulty" switches are labeled "skill level",
switch panel is silver instead of black, woodgrain pattern is
different.)
Sample wording on label on bottom of unit:
"Mfd. for Atari Inc. by Dimerco Electronics in Taiwan for sale to
Sears, Roebuck, and Co. Serial # 82077230."
Atari VCS 2600A - Revised model. Externally it is nearly identical to the
original, except there are four silver switches across the upper front
panel instead of six. Internally, the motherboard is a simplified
one-piece design.
Sample wording on label on bottom of unit:
"Mfd. for Atari, Inc. by TRW Electronic Components Co. in Taiwan.
Serial # 811510200."
"Mfd. for Atari, Inc. by Atari Taiwan Mfing. Corp. in Taiwan.
Serial # 827030354."
Sears Tele-Games Video Arcade I(A) - Same as above except external cosmetic
differences.
Sample wording on label on bottom of unit:
"Mfd. for Atari Inc. by Dimerco Electronics in Taiwan for sale to
Sears, Roebuck, and Co. Serial # 82299647."
Atari VCS 2600A (black) - Second revised model. Externally it is nearly
identical to the 2600A, except the enclosure has a more modern
looking "black out" treatment. The areas of woodgrain on the original
models are now simply black plastic. Internally, the motherboard is a
mild revision of the 2600A.
Sample wording on label on bottom of unit:
"Mfd. for Atari, Inc. by Atari Taiwan Mfing. Corp. in Taiwan.
Serial # AT831150153."
Sears Tele-Games Video Arcade II - Entirely new model of the 2600 designed
just for Sears. Black wedge-shaped enclosure, with push button
switches and LEDs on top panel. Essentially an Atari 7800 shell.
Four joystick connectors on lower front panel with rocker switch.
Internally very different from other 2600 models, but
still uses the same basic chipset. Bundled accesories include two
combination joystick/paddle controllers, AC adapter, TV switch
and a Space Invaders game cart.
Sample wording on label on bottom of unit:
"Sears, Inc. (Atari, Inc.) Serial # SV 392 005539."
Atari 2600 "Jr." - Third revised model. Slighlty bigger than a VHS video
tape case. Push and slide button switches. Jet black with large
metallic silver strip running lengthwise with "Atari 2600" on it.
Known as the "Under 50 bux, the fun is back!" machine.
Bundled accessories include one joystick, AC adapter, TV switch box,
and RCA connecting cable. Box is designed as a carrying case with
handle and a white section which reads: "This Atari 2600 belongs to:"
No bundled cart.
Atari 2600 "Jr." - same as above except silver plate has a larger rainbow
strip without an embossed border.
2600 Accessories
----------------
CX20 - Driving controllers for Indy 500 (set of 2)
CX21 - Video Touch Pad for Star Raiders
CX22 - Track ball, black top, white base, with round fire buttons
and white/yellow ball.
CX23 - Kid's keyboard controller for Sesame Street titles
CX30 - Paddle controllers
CX40 - Joystick
CX42 - Remote control joysticks (set of 2)
CX50 - Keyboard controllers (set of 2)
CX80 - Track ball, all black with wedge shaped fire buttons.
All 6 switch Ataris had a large shield casing. There were at least
two 6-switch versions:
(6-1) The original. The entire bottom half of the console was made of
quarter inch thick plastic (~6mm)! Combined with the thick
aluminum RF casing, this is the heaviest 2600 ever made. Also,
this 2600 has no 2/3 channel select switch. The hole in there on
the case and it's marked Channel A/B, but there's no switch inside
on the PCB. These consoles came with "01 combat". (1977 models only)
(6-2) The lighter 2600. No armor plating. Bottom half of console is made
of thin plastic, like the 4 switch models. Channel switch now present.
Thick RF shield still present. Plain ol' "combat" included.
4 front switch, woodgrain panel:
Among these are some minor, minor differences. On some, the difficulty
switches are marked "Expert/Novice" (or was it "Advanced/Beginner"?) and
others are marked only as "A/B". Rumors persist that the pictures on the
packaging was different. Pac-Man was the pack-in cart later on. Also, if
you really want to get picky, some 2600s were made in Taiwan, some in Hong
Kong, some in Sunnyvale, (anything else). I've got to go through my
duplicate 2600s and match all these variations up with the revision numbers
(A, B, C, D, etc.).
4 front switch, black panel:
[Need more info]
Also, were there color variations in the lettering, the the borderline
around the switches, and cart slot? I have yellow ones and orange ones
or is this just fading?
(Bruce James Robert Linley - linley@netcom.com - Amateur radio: KE6EQZ)
================================================================
3.1.2) Atari 5200
Atari CX5200 - Original model. Four controller connectors on lower front
panel. Bundled accessories include two CX-52 controllers, AC adapter,
CX-522 TV switch, and a SuperBreakout game cart.
Sample wording on label on bottom of unit:
"Atari, Inc., Atari Model No. 5200, Serial # 0151320 SV-442."
Atari CX5200 - Revised model. Two controller connectors on lower front
panel. Bundled accessories include two CX-52 controllers, AC adapter,
TV switch, and a SuperBreakout game cart.
Sample wording on label on bottom of unit:
"Atari, Inc., Atari Model No. 5200, Serial # 036412 EP-233."
There are slight cosmetic changes to the shells of the 5200, in
particular the base section has seen several versions. There are at least
two different bases with hooks for winding up the video cable, and at least one
version without any hooks at all.
5200 Accessories
----------------
CX52 - Controller
CX53 - Track ball
CX55 - 2600 cartridge adapter (only for 2 port models or modified 4 port)
CX522 - TV switchbox for 4 port models.
================================================================
3.1.3) Atari 7800
Atari CX7800 - Two joystick ports on lower front panel. Vastly modified
and enhanced Atari 2600 model. New chipset (except sound which
is the 2600 chip). Side expansion port for upgrades and computer
add ons. Bundled accessories included two CX24 ProLine joysticks
AC Adapter, switchbox, RCA connecting cable, and Pole Position II
cartridge. Plays all 2600 games except 3 or so.
Atari CX7800 - Second Revision. Expansion port connector removed from
mother board but is still etched. Shelll has indentation of
where expansion port was to be.
Atari CX7800 - Third Revision. As above but only a small "blemish" mark
on shell.
Some versions will play more 2600 games than the other. Please
note that this incompatability problem only shows up on one or
two 2600 cartridges out of the 1000 or so made; most notably
Activision's "Robot Tank."
[need more information]
From: Krishna@tiac.net (Glenn Saunders)
The very first 7800s which hit the market (I believe) were the
ones originally manufactured years earlier in the tail end of the Warner
Atari ownership. The box on my 7800 vaunts the expansion interface which
would be used akin to the XEGS to make it into a REAL computer. One of
the reasons I bought the 7800 was on the odd chance that something like
that would surface although I already owned an Atari 8-bit home
computer. I could tell from the box that it was old because I think it
still had the Warner copyright on it.
The 7800 was designed as the true successor to the 2600. The
5200 was a diversion and a waste of time for the most part, duplicating
what the home computer line was doing. Atari dropped the ball by not
releasing the 7800 when it was finished, in the can, and units all ready
to go. When Tramiel took over and saw that Nintendo had revived the
computer industry with its 6502 based 8-bit NES, he decided to get back
into the game world and dusted off the 7800. If you notice the copyright
dates on the early games they all say 1984 on them but the unit itself
was not released until at least late 86 if not 87. By this time Nintendo
had established itself as the leader of the newborn video game industry
and Atari's 2600 and 7800 were left to rot off the shelves for a few more
years. The 7800, however, had the capability to compete with the NES had
it been developed for with the vigor of Nintendo during the video game
rebuilding process of 84-86.
The 7800 has a true operating system and a DOS/BASIC was
developed for it. It has I think 16K RAM inside and the expansion port
could I guess be a serial I/O port. But Warners had big plans for the
computer end of the 7800. They knew they really couldn't make the
"Graduate" keyboard add-on for the 2600. The 2600s limited 6507
processor just made memory management a royal pain in the ass. The 7800
uses the same processor as the Atari XL/XEs and thus would have made a
pretty good computer.
7800 Accessories
----------------
CX24 - Proline joystick
CX78 - European joystick Gray with yellow/orange fire buttons and
mini thumb joystick.
==========================================================
3.2) What vaporware hardware is there?
2600 Computer Keyboard called the "Graduate."
2600 Voice command system and a "head-mounted-thought" driver controller.
==========================================================
3.3) How many 2600 clones/emulators were made and by who?
Coleco Gemini Video Game - Inexpensive clone 2600 made by Coleco. All black,
box-shaped enclosure. Six small slide switches on top of front
panel. RF modulator port and power adapter port on back panel.
Two joystick ports and difficult switches on front panel.
Bundled accessories included two dual-joystick/paddle
controllers, a 9volt/500ma DC adapter, RF cable, TV switch and
Donkey Kong game cart (?).
Sample wording on label on bottom of unit:
"Coleco Gemini VGS - Coleco Ind., Inc., Serial # AG0145189."
ColecoVision Expansion Module #1 - [need more infomation]
Intellivision System Changer - Made by Mattel, copyright 1983.
White, roughly about 5-6" square and 2" high, with a piece
sticking out of the left side that fit into the Intellivision
cartridge slot.
___________ <-Top face.
| _____ |
__| [__a__] | a == Atari cartridge slot b == insert into Inty II
| b | c == Game Reset (square button)
|__ cdefg | d, f == left and right difficulty (toggle switches)
|_________| e == Color/B+W toggle switch
g == Game Select (square button)
Front face had two standard joystick ports.
Known to work with virtually all 2600 carts except those that
don't work with other adapters (i.e. those like Space Shuttle
and Starmaster that use standard 2600 hardware functions).
Does not work with the "original" (2609) Intellivision Master
Component without factory modification.
Sample text from bottom, one white label and one orange label:
"Model No. 4610 FCC ID: BSU9RD4610 Serial No. 003255"
(vsp@netaxs.com)
Commodore VIC-20/2600 game adapter - Rumored to exist. Was advertised
by Protecto in mail order ads in during the 1983 time frame. Plugged
into VIC expansion connector and provided 2600 software emulation.
Original price, emulation quality, and reliability all unknown.
[need more information]
==========================================================
3.4) What light guns work with the 2600/7800?
There is no light-gun made specifically for the 2600 or 7800, however,
Atari's light gun (model number XG-1) that came with the XE-Game-System
works well.
Additionally, Best Electronics has "The Best Lightgun" which
works better than Atari's own.
Antic Magazine published an article on how to convert a sega
master system light gun for use on the Atari's.
From Antic Magazine, August 1988, Vol. 7, num. 4
"First look: Inside the XE Game System: Hardware surprises revealed!"
by Matthew Ratcliff
page 45
To modify the Sega gun for the Atari, you'll have to cut off
the incompatible connector. The wires must be stripped back and soldered
into an Atari joystick connector as follows:
SEGA GUN ATARI JOYSTICK PORT
Blue wire Pin 1 stick FWD
Gray wire Pin 6 trigger
Green wire Pin 7 +5 volts
Black wire Pin 8 Ground
Because of the close fitting connections for the XEGS ports,
don't wire in a DB9 female connector that has "ears". Most joysticks
don't have wires for unused signals, so cutting up an old joystick cable
may not work. Specifically, an Atari joystick does not need the +5 volts,
so there isn't likely to be a wire connected to Pin 7. However, you
can find joystick extension cables at Radio Shack, which have all nine
pins wired from male to female. Antic disclaims responsibility for any
damages that might occur during improper implementation of this, or any,
hardware modification project we publish.
Once it's all hooked up, you'll notice that gun fires when you release
the trigger, which is annoying. The Sega trigger wiring is the opposite
of what the Atari light gun uses. To rewire the trigger switch, remove the
five screws (one is under the Sega logo on the side). Find the trigger
micro-switch with three connections. Wire to the normally closed contacts
instead of normally open.
==========================================================
3.5) The following are interfaces to enhance the a base
system's abilities
==========================================================
3.5.1) What add on modules existed for the 2600?
Compumate - 42 key touchpad computer add on from Spectravideo. Adds
16K ROM, 2K RAM, and has BASIC. Looks like a small keyboard
attatched to a cartridge, which is in turn connected to the
joystick ports. Originally sold for $79.99
Copy Cart - from Vidco, allowed tranfer of a game onto a blank cartridge.
Battery powered, not all games can be copied because of memory
limitations.
CVC GameLine - Play games via modem to a networked database.
See Game Doctor in Electronic Games in early '94.
[Somebody want to scan this in for me?]
Game Selex - from Starplex, allows 9 cartridges to be plugged in at
once; turn a dial to choose the game.
Kid Vid Control - Cassette recorder and cartridge interface, additional
wire connects recorder to joystick port. Voices and songs
tell player what to do on screen. Tape shuts off automatically
to wait for player input. 3 tapes per game, only games were
Berenstain Bears and Smurfs Save the Day. Made by Coleco.
Personal Game Programmer - By Answer, similar to Game Genie.
ROM Scanner - from Marjac, allows 10 cartridges to be plugged in,
press a button to choose game.
Starpath Supercharger - Large cartridge that plugged into the 2600 slot
had a cable with standard 1/8" jack for plugging into
tape recorders. Games came on regular audio cassettes
with previews of upcoming releases. Added memmory and
graphics(?) to the system. [need tech specs]
Video Game Brain - from RGA International Limited. A multiple cartridge
adapter that holds six games to play, and contains 2 dummy
slots for additional cart storage. You select the game
you want to play by pushing a button in frot of that
cartridge.
Videoplexer - ?? Holds 8 games. [Need more info]
==========================================================
3.5.2) What add on modules existed for the 5200?
The Masterplay Interface - by Electra Concepts. Allowed the ability
to use 2600 controllers with the 5200. The company
also released a game called "Meteorites." I have seen
pictures of this device in the ORIGINAL Electronic
Games (or whatever it was called back in 83/84.)
IF ANYBODY HAS ONE OF THESE I WOULD APPRECIATE
A SCHEMATIC or the ability to tinker with one
in order to duplicate one!!
==========================================================
3.6) What are the known specs for the 2600/5200/7800?
The information here is incomplete in some places, misleading in others,
and possibly just wrong in other places.
Specifications for the Atari 2600/7800
2600 7800
CPU: 6507 6502C (custom, NOT 65C02)
RAM: 128 Bytes, in VLSI 4K, high speed
ROM: 6K max ?!?!?! 52K max
Cpu Clock: 1.19 MHz 1.79 MHz
Graphics Clock: 3.58 MHz 7.16 MHz
Slot Config: Rom access only Most CPU lines + video/audio
CPU Avail: less than 50% over 90%
Notes:
1. ROM specs are based on a non-bank select scheme.
2. Graphics Clock is the master clock used to drive the video chips.
5200
CPU: 6502C + 3 Custom VLSI's
RAM: 16K
ROM: ?
Cpu Clock: 1.79 MHZ
Graphics Clock: 7.16 MHZ?
All 5200 specs are very similar to the Atari 8bit Computer line.
==========================================================
3.7.1) 2600 and 7800 Joystick pinouts:
From: galt%asylum.cs.utah.edu@cs.utah.edu (Greg Alt)
_________________
\ o5 o4 o3 o2 o1/
\ o9 o8 o7 o6 /
\___________/
pin # 2600 control 7800 control
1 WHT- Up WHT- Up
2 BLU- Down BLU- Down
3 GRN- Left GRN- Left
4 BRN- Right BRN- Right
5 unused RED- Button (R)ight (-)
6 ORG- Button ORG- Both buttons (+)
7 unused unused
8 BLK- Ground(-) BLK- Ground(-)
9 unused YLW- Button (L)eft (-)
2600 control (button)
pin 6 ORG(+) --------------()------------BLK(-) pin 8
Button
7800 control (buttons)
/----------YLW(-) pin 9
Button L /
/---------()---| YLW splits
/ \----/\/\/-----\
pin 6 ORG(+) -------| ORG splits 520 ohm |---BLK(-) pin 8
\ /----/\/\/-----/
\---------()---| 520 ohm
Button R \ RED splits
\----------RED(-) pin 5
Pinout for the 5200 controllers.
--------------------------------
Pin Function
1 Keypad -- right column
2 Keypad -- middle column
3 Keypad -- left column
4 Start, Pause, and Reset common
5 Keypad -- third row and Reset
6 Keypad -- second row and Pause
7 Keypad -- top row and Start
8 Keypad -- bottom row
9 Pot common
10 Horizontal pot (POT0, 2, 4, 6)
11 Vertical pot (POT1, 3, 5, 7)
12 5 volts DC
13 Bottom side buttons (TRIG0, 1, 2, 3)
14 Top side buttons
15 0 volts -- ground
==========================================================
3.7.2) 2600 Cartridge Pinouts and information:
The 2600 Cartridge:
A standard cartridge contains the equivalent of a 2716 or 2732/2532
with one notable exception: the chip select line is active high, not low.
The high order address line of the 6507 (A12) is used as the chip enable.
There was at least one company that used EPROMs with a 74LS04 inverter to
compensate for this.
The Pinouts:
Note: numbers indicate left to right numbering
Top Row Bottom Row
Slot 2716 CPU 2716 CPU
1 13 D3 1 A7
2 14 D4 2 A6
3 15 D5 3 A5
4 16 D6 4 A4
5 17 D7 5 A3
6 * A12 6 A2
7 19 A10 7 A1
8 NC A11 8 A0
9 22 A9 9 D0
10 23 A8 10 D1
11 24 +5V 11 D2
12 12 Shield Ground NC Ground
* to inverter and back to 18 for chip select
(Looking at the bottom of the cartridge -- i.e. edge connectors first)
Top
D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 A11 A10 A12 A9 A8 +5V SGND
--1- --2- --3- --4- --5- --6- --7- --8- --9- -10- -11- -12-
GND D2 D1 D0 A0 A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7
Bottom
Dx = Data line x
Ax = Address line x
+5V = +5 volts
SGND = Shield Ground
GND = Ground
Note 1: On both of the cartridges I took apart, GND was also connected
to SGND. Best to make sure that they are wired together.
Note 2: A11 and A12 could be switched. On both the chips I've checked,
A12 was hardwired to +5 volts which leads me to believe that it
is the highest address line. Since I believe that these chips
are only 4Kx8 ROMs, this seems logical, since A12 would actually
be just the chip enable for ROM (right?). Only the 2600 info
tells differently, and it doesn't give any connection for A11 on
the EPROM, so I don't trust it. Unfortunately, since the 2716
EPROM is used as an example, we won't know without actually trying
one, since the 2716 doesn't really use A11 or A12 and either one
could be used as a chip enable
Address
lines Memory
used Available EPROM Memory
======================================================
A11 2048 2716 2K
A12 4096 2732 4K
A13 8192 2764 8K
____________
| 2716 |
A7 | 1 24 | VCC [+5 V]
A6 | 2 23 | A8
A5 | 3 22 | A9
A4 | 4 21 | VPP [Doesn't matter probably. +5V]
A3 | 5 20 | !Output Enable (always on) [GND]
A2 | 6 19 | A10
A1 | 7 18 | !Chip Enable (make high bit) [inverted A12]
A0 | 8 17 | D7
D0 | 9 16 | D6
D1 | 10 15 | D5
D2 | 11 14 | D4
GND | 12 13 | D3
|__________|
____________
| 2732 |
A7 | 1 24 | VCC [+5 V]
A6 | 2 23 | A8
A5 | 3 22 | A9
A4 | 4 21 | A11
A3 | 5 20 | !Output Enable (always on) [GND] / VPP
A2 | 6 19 | A10
A1 | 7 18 | !Chip Enable (make high bit) [inverted A12]
A0 | 8 17 | D7
D0 | 9 16 | D6
D1 | 10 15 | D5
D2 | 11 14 | D4
GND | 12 13 | D3
|__________|
____________
| 2764 |
VPP | 1 28 | VCC [+5 V]
A12 | 2 27 | !Program Strobe (no connection?) [+5V]
A7 | 3 26 | No Connection
A6 | 4 25 | A8
A5 | 5 24 | A9
A4 | 6 23 | A11
A3 | 7 22 | !Output Enable (always on) [GND]
A2 | 8 21 | A10
A1 | 9 20 | !Chip Enable (always on) [GND]
A0 | 10 19 | D7
D0 | 11 18 | D6
D1 | 12 17 | D5
D2 | 13 16 | D4
GND | 14 15 | D3
|__________|
I also set VPP at +5V for the 2764.
==========================================================
3.7.3) 5200 Cartridge and Expansion Pinout:
5200 Cartridge port:
--------------------
Top Bottom
-----------------------------------------------
D0 1 36 Interlock
D1 2 35 A11
D2 3 34 A12
D3 4 33 A10
D4 5 32 A13
D5 6 31 A9
D6 7 30 Audio In (2 port)
D7 8 29 A8
Enable 80-8F 9 28 Not Connected
Enable 40-7F 10 27 A7
Not Connected 11 26 +5V DC
Ground 12 25 Ground
Ground 13 24 Ground (Video In on 2 port)
Ground (System Clock
02 on 2 port) 14 23 Ground
A6 15 22 A4
A5 16 21 A3
A2 17 20 A1
Interlock 18 19 A0
5200 expansion connector:
-------------------------
Top Bottom
-----------------------------------------------
+5V DC 1 36 +5V DC
Audio Out (2 port) 2 35 Not connected
Ground 3 34 Ground
R/W Early 4 33 Not connected
Enable E0-EF 5 32 D7
D6 6 31 D5
D4 7 30 D3
D2 8 29 D1
D0 9 28 Ground
IRQ 10 27 A0
Ground 11 26 A1
Serial Data In 12 25 A2
Serial In Clock 13 24 A3
Serial Out Clock 14 23 A4
Serial Data Out 15 22 A5
Audio In 16 21 A6
A14 17 20 A7
System Clock 01 18 19 A11
==========================================================
3.7.4) 7800 Cartridge and Expansion Pinout
Cartridge port
--------------
1 R/W 17 A15
2 Halt 18 EAudio
3 D3 19 A7
4 D4 20 A6
5 D5 21 A5
6 D6 22 A4
7 D7 23 A3
8 A12 24 A2
9 A10 25 A1
10 A11 26 A0
11 A9 27 D0
12 A8 28 D1
13 +5V 29 D2
14 Gnd 30 Gnd
15 A13 31 IRQ
16 A14 32 CLK2
Expansion port
--------------
Gnd +5v CVideo MLum0 Mlum3 Blank OscDis ExtMen Gnd
--1-- --2-- --3-- --4-- --5-- --6-- --7-- ---8-- --9--
-18-- -17-- -16-- -15-- -14-- -13-- -12-- --11-- -10--
Gnd Audio Rdy MCol MLum2 MLum1 Msync Clk2 ExtOsc
All signals starting with M are Maria signals
MLum* is 4 bits of luminance - giving 16 shades of each color
MCol is the color phase angle
Msync and Blank are Maria combined sync and blanking outputs
Extmen is an external Maria Enable input
OscDis disables the 14.31818 MHz master clock and ExtOsc is an input to
replace it.
CVideo is the input to the RF modulator so it includes the modulated audio too
Clk2 is the phase 2 clock from the 6502
Rdy is an input to the 6502
Many thanks to Harry Dodgson for the pinouts.
I hope there are no errors with my transcription.
==========================================================
3.8) Power supply informatiion:
2600 power supply:
------------------
Input: 120VAC 60Hz
Output: 9VDC 500mA
Polarity: Center +, Outer -
5200 power supply:
------------------
Input: 120VAC 60Hz
Output: 11.5VDC 1.95Amp
Polarity: Center +, Outer -
7800 power supply:
------------------
Input: 120VAC 60Hz 15W
Output: 9VDC 1Amp
Polarity:
___
-----| |-----
- | o o | +
-------------
[Is this looking into the jack or the power supply?]
If you are handy with a soldering iron, you can get a more standard jack
and just solder it in parallel with the original connector, then buy a
power supply at Radio Shack for a few bucks.
==========================================================
4.1) Building a switchbox for the 4 port 5200.
[Heller: In my own trials of attempting such things I have actually
gotten the 5200 to work by plugging the DC line cord directly into
the RCA cable on the 4port model. Then, inside, I wire up another RCA
cable to carry the video to a standard 2600 switchbox. THIS OTHER
CABLE PLUGS INTO THE RCA JACK INSIDE THE 5200!! NEVER NEVER NEVER
PLUG the power line into the internal RCA jack nor never plug
the standard 4 port rca cable into a power pack and then into
a 2600 switchbox!! - This mod, however, does not take into account
what havoc is occurring by pumping video signals directly into the
power supply. I however, just wanted to see if this concept worked.
The 5200 4/2 models are similar inside for what components are used
for video. It may be quite possible to convert a 4 port into a
standard 2 port video source and vice versa...]
Where do I hook up the power supply to my 4 port Atari 5200?!
The early Atari 5200s came with an unusual switchbox which supplied power
to the 5200 down the same wire the 5200 uses to send the video signal to
your TV. The power supply plugged into the switchbox. Unfortunately, these
switchboxes seem to have gotten lost over the years and are difficult to
come by. Newer 5200s (the one with only two controller ports) had the
power supply jack on the console itself. Fortunately, it is not difficult
to construct your own RF/power supply box for the 5200. There is one
difference, though. The original 5200 switchbox would automatically switch
from your TV antenna/cable to the 5200 when you turned the console on.
With the RF/power box described below, you will need to use a standard
game/TV switchbox to accomplish this function.
What do I need to build the RF/Power box?
The following parts are needed to construct the box. Where applicable,
Radio Shack part numbers, and prices, have been provided. You may use
another RCA jack in place of the F jack if you wish. I chose to use the
F jack to avoid ever accidentally plugging the 5200 and TV cables in
backwards, which would result in 11.5 volts DC going into your TV set,
possibly damaging it.
RS# Part Price
-------- ---------------------------- -----
270-235 2"x2.75"x1.625" Aluminum Box $1.99
274-1563 Coaxial DC power jack $1.79
278-212 Cable TV type F jack (2 pack) $0.99 (optional, see above)
274-346 RCA type phono jack (4 pack) $2.49
272-131 0.01 uF Ceramic Disc capacitor (2 pack) $0.59
Small metal bolt (1" long, 3/8" diam, approx)
22 guage solid wire (14" or so)
Total $7.85 + local tax
How do I build it?
Drill holes in the aluminum box for each jack to match the diagram below.
The box itself forms the common ground connection to all three jacks.
To reduce signal loss and ensure the common ground, I recommend using
chrome or gold plated type jacks.
F jack (to TV)
__
+-------------| |-------------+
| |__| |<--- Aluminum box
| | |
| \ 0.01uF | Solder the leads of the capacitor to
| \ _ Capacitor the center pins of the F jack and the
| \/@| | RCA jack. Make the choke by winding at
| \/ | least 10 turns of 22 guage solid,
| \ | insulated wire around a 3/8" (approx)
| Choke \ | diameter bolt. Wrap tape around the
| ---|/////|---\ | completed choke to prevent it from
| _L _L | unwinding. Strip the insulation off of
+------| |----------| |------+ each end of the choke leads. Solder the
|__| |__| leads of the choke to the center pins of
DC power jack RCA jack the DC power jack and the RCA jack.
(to pwr supply) (to 5200) Screw the box shut. You're done.
How does it work?
The capacitor transparently passes the video signal from the 5200 to the
TV output jack, while at the same time preventing the DC power from the
power supply jack from going into your TV. The choke (inductor)
transparently passes the the 11.5 volt DC power to the 5200 via the RCA
jack while at the same time preventing the video signal from escaping back
down the power supply wire. The bolt around which the choke is wound helps
to increase the choke's inductance to block more of the video signal from
going back into the power supply than it otherwise would. The aluminum box
itself helps keep the video signal confined to where it belongs to prevent
possible interference and to ensure that as much of the signal as possible
gets to your TV. For this reason, plastic boxes are not recommended.
Power supply info (if you don't have one).
The 5200 power supply is 11.5 volts DC @ 1.95 amps and has a standard type
coaxial plug (center positive 5mm OD, 2.1mm ID). Or you could construct
one from a transformer, 4 diodes, two capacitors, a resistor, a 3A adj.
voltage regulator, heat sink, case, and cabling, or find a 12V 2A power
supply and add a diode inline to drop the voltage by 0.5V, but that's
another project!
(Bruce James Robert Linley - linley@netcom.com - Amateur radio: KE6EQZ)
==========================================================
4.2) Composite/audio/chroma/luma output for the Atari 2600 by THOMAS CLANCY
File revision 1.1
After finding my entertainment budget disappear (poor university
student) I was forced to economize--I dusted off the Ole'2600.
I figured I would hook it up to my computer monitor, but to my
dismay there was no composite output on the beast (Atari).
Determined to overcome, I quickly disassembled it. After some
poking and prodding around I managed to locate the required
signals.
Benefits: No longer require a TV. You no longer require those
god-awful switch boxes. No more interference patterns
on the screen (from the RF cable being used as a bloody
antenna). No longer requires the 100' hookup RF cable.
Crisp clear audio etc;
Drawbacks: No longer get to see sister trip in 100' RF cable. No
longer get to fall asleep with psychedelic interference
patterns on screen.
Materials Required:
Phillips screwdriver, a soldering iron, solder, a small piece of
wire, 2 or 3 patch cables and a small pair of needle-nose pliers.
* The following schematic is for the NEWER model which is sometimes
referred to as the "Atari Junior". The older model is much the
same.
1-Simply unplug everything from your console, turn it over and
remove the 5 screws.
2-Remove the top and bottom plastic case pieces. When removing the
TOP piece carefully pull out the ribbon cable that connects it to
the main board.
3-You should now have the board (covered by a metal shield) in your
hands. Turn it over, you will see little clasps on the edge of the
shield that hold it in place. Straighten these with your pliers
and you can then remove 2 LARGE shields (One on Bottom of unit,
one on Top). The small shield remaining (On Top) covers the RF
modulator.
4-Orient the exposed board into the position that it would normally
be in. ie: The way it is when you play (On/Off switch near Top
Left).
5-Look in the LOWER RIGHTHAND AREA of the TOPSIDE (front) of the
board. You will see a setup that resembles the schematic below.
__________________
TOPSIDE OF THE BOARD, | |
LOWER RIGHTHAND CORNER |O RF |
| MODULATOR |
| |
|__________________|
------ TP5 (Luma)
|
_____ V ___
| | ||| o ||| | O |
|_____| RRR RCR |___|
||| |||
^ ^
| |
R41 (Chroma) --- --- C19 (Audio)
Gold/Red/Grey/Blue Usually turquoise
Color-banded colored
NOTE: You can connect the Audio to EITHER side of the Capacitor,
the best results are obtained by placing it on the BOTTOM
of the Capacitor (as shown).
The Chroma *MUST* be hooked up to the BOTTOM of the resistor
(as shown). It will NOT work if you hook it to the top of
the resistor.
To gain Chroma/Luma/Audio output you will need 3 RCA patch cables
[the kind commonly used with stereos]. Simply solder the cables at
the required points (Chroma/Luma/Audio) as shown. Remember to GROUND
ALL cables! ie: solder the GROUND wire [the wire that wraps around
the inner wire] to any point that the board shield connects to.
To gain Composite/Audio output you need 2 RCA patch cables [the kind
commonly used with stereos]. Here it gets a little different than
above. Simply solder a "jumper" [a piece of wire] from R41 (Chroma)
to TP5 (Luma), then connect a patch cord to TP5 [Presto! you now have
composite]. Solder the remaining cable to C19 (Audio). Again, remember
to GROUND all cables. Do *NOT* GROUND the jumper!
Simply re-assemble the unit and you are done. You will find that it
is easier to have the newly installed cables exit through the joystick
port. Alternatively, you could cut a notch in the case for a separate
exit. Having the cables exit through the RF output is not recommended.
There will not be enough room (without pinching the cables) to hook up
the RF cable. Adjust your brightness/contrast. Enjoy!
If you ever wish to adjust your color (chroma) there is a "POT" that
you can tweek. It can be found near the OFF/ON switch. It is the only
pot on the left side of the board.
DISCLAIMER:
I can not, and will not, be held responsible for any damages that you
or your system incur. This document is provided for informational
purposes only.
Send all Questions/Comments/Cartridges you are no longer using to:
Thomas Clancy
1 Hunt's Lane
St. John's NF, Canada
A1B 2L2
thom@garfield.cs.mun.ca
thom@saturn.cs.mun.ca
thom@morgan.ucs.mun.ca
(C)1993 Thomas Clancy
This article is freely distributable so long as it is not modified.
It must be distributed in it's entirety.
==========================================================
4.3) Video driver for the 2600/7800
How to make a video driver suitable for a 2600 or 7800
Parts list:
T1 2SC1815
R1 2.7K
R2 150
R3 68
L1 180 uH
L2 2.7 uH
C1, C2 100 uF 6.3 V
wire list:
R1:1 to Ground
R1:2 to Video In
R2:1 to Video In
R2:2 to T1 base
R3:1 to Ground
R3:2 to T1 emitter
L1:1 to +5V
L1:2 to T1 collector
C1:1 to Ground
C1:2 to T1 collector (positive lead of C1)
C2:1 to L2:1
C2:2 to T1 emitter (positive lead of C2)
L2:1 to C1:1
L2:2 to Video Out
+5 Volts
|
(
L1 (
(
|
R2 |/---+---+
Video In -------+---^^^------| T1 | + C2 L2
| |\ |
| >>-+---|-------| |----nnn---- Video Out
> | |
R1 > > _ +
> R3 > - C1
| > |
| | |
+-----------------+---+--- Ground
This is a simple common emitter amplifier. It is a non-inverting current
amplifier and serves here to allow the video signal from the game to drive
a standard composite monitor with 75 ohm impedance.
In order to prevent the audio from interfering with the video signal, the
mixing oscillator must be disabled on the main circuit board.
On a 7800, remove the base lead of Q1. It is located near the RF modulator.
The audio doesn't need any extra buffering.
Places to get signals:
1. from RF modulator
pin 3 is video
pin 1 is ground
2. from Expansion Interface on 7800
pin 1 is ground
pin 2 is +5V
pin 3 is video
pin 17 is audio
3. from main circuit board
on a 78000, video and ground are across C7; +5V and audio are across C4
This circuit may not work or be required with all versions of the 2600.
It is required for the 7800 and the Sears Video Arcade II version of the
2600. It is probably not necessary for a 5200.
(Harry Dodgson Jr. dodgson@coyote.cs.wmich.edu)
================================================================
Updates:
1.5) In the news....
2.3.1) What are the most common and rarest 2600 games?
TONS OF CHANGES
2.3.2) What are the most command and rarest 5200 games?
Many changes.
2.3.3) What are the most common and rarest 7800 games?
Absolute's Title Match Pro Wrestling removed from prototype list
A few catagory changes.
2.4.1) What 2600 or 7800 games used a light gun?
2600 "Off the Wall" removed
2600 "Shooting Gallery" removed, claimed to be non-existent.
2.4.3) Which 2600 games used paddles?
Many updates.
2.8) Bugs:
2.8.1) Whats up with 7800 Impossible Mission?
3.5.1) Add on modules for 2600
Many additions.
3.5.2) Add on modules for 5200
3.1.1) Atari 2600 and Sears Video Arcade Systems
2600 Jr. contents
3.1.2) Atari 5200
Cosmetics
3.1.3) Atari 7800
Clarification of missing expanion port.
3.2) Vaporware:
A little info added.
3.7.4) 7800 Cartridge and Expansion Pinout
3.8) Power supply informatiion:
2600 power supply
================================================================
Still needed:
2600: Sample wording from bottom of 2600jr.
5200: Do all 4 port models have an RCA standard RF jack inside
the unit (next to the current video output cord) ?
7800: Sample wording from bottom of 7800.
----
End of Classic Atari Video Game FAQ
End Of Line
