Custom VCS/2600 ideas

[Atari Creep]

Has anyone cut a 4 switch or Jr mother board down to its bare necessities for a custom project? First thought that comes to mind is Ben Heck and his VCS/2600 portable. 

 

I am thinking about doing a heavy case mod for a VCS/2600 but want to eliminate as much as I can and hand wire all needed buttons and switches independently.

 

Thoughts? Advice?

 

Thanks! 

[RickR]

You might consider taking the tiny motherboard from a Flashback 2.  You'll have to wire in a cart port.  But that would be my first idea for such a project. 

[RickR]

Another idea is to steal the motherboard from a 2600jr.  It's pretty dang small, and as a bonus, the switches are already off the board. 

[Atari Creep]

I thought about the Jr as is but it might be too wide. Flashback 2 however, that's an idea.

[Justin]

I made a really funky Atari 2600 4-Switch mod once in the 1990s, today they would've called it Steampunk. It didn't come out very well but the kernel of the idea was awesome. I made a trip to the hardware store, to Michael's, and spent a few bucks on odds and ends. Piping, gauges, etc. It looked dangerous.

[Atari 5200 Guy]

I thought about the Jr as is but it might be too wide. Flashback 2 however, that's an idea.

If you hold a 2600 Jr like you would a Lynx you might find that it is rather comfortable.  While holding it imagine maybe a D-pad on the left and one fire button on the right.  I've thought about doing one with the only thing I would do is add about a 5" color LCD display just under the chrome nameplate.  I would leave everything else unchanged and make a custom battery pack to power the system through its factory power port.  Easy-pleasy.

[Atari Creep]

If you hold a 2600 Jr like you would a Lynx you might find that it is rather comfortable.  While holding it imagine maybe a D-pad on the left and one fire button on the right.  I've thought about doing one with the only thing I would do is add about a 5" color LCD display just under the chrome nameplate.  I would leave everything else unchanged and make a custom battery pack to power the system through its factory power port.  Easy-pleasy.

Well I ma not trying to do anything portable. Just a custom case mode. Something interesting for the shelf. hahah 

[Scott Stilphen]

Years ago I made some awards for some alumni (custom slot machine for David Crane and a custom chess board for Bob Whitehead) and used a JR with both.  Btw, the chess pieces are arranged to spell out his initials (BW).

Edited December 17, 2016 by Scott Stilphen

[Atari Creep]

A 2600 Chess board. EPIC!!!!!

[Atari 5200 Guy]

I really like that chess board.  That rocks!  Was chess the only game it played?

[Scott Stilphen]

One of the chips is a custom program that only displayed a photo of Bob Whitehead (the other was a copy of Computer Chess - the special version that was made for Nolan Bushnell).  The award was to honor his development of the Venetian blinds display technique.  If you notice, all the chess pieces are segmented

 

David Crane's award ran a custom version of Slot Machine that was configured to run using the cabinet's buttons.  It also showed his initials as one of the reel items.

 

Custom BINS for both attached.

CGE_custom_awards_bins.zip

Edited November 21, 2016 by Scott Stilphen

[Atari Creep]

I made a really funky Atari 2600 4-Switch mod once in the 1990s, today they would've called it Steampunk. It didn't come out very well but the kernel of the idea was awesome. I made a trip to the hardware store, to Michael's, and spent a few bucks on odds and ends. Piping, gauges, etc. It looked dangerous.

You have to know this question is coming!

Any images from then you can scan and post?????

[Justin]

You have to know this question is coming!

Any images from then you can scan and post?????

 

 

Unfortunately not. This was the mid-1990s, my cameras still required film and I wasn't happy enough with the results to take a picture of it. I remember it had thin piping that intertwined with itself around the top corners next to the switches. The intertwined piping had as much of a "Borg" element to it as it did Steampunk, as though it had been assimilated. I think it was parted out when I launched Atari7800.com in 2001 and was repairing consoles. If I were to build one today I'd try to find a way to cover the entire thing in copper and bronze.

[Atari Creep]

Unfortunately not. This was the mid-1990s, my cameras still required film and I wasn't happy enough with the results to take a picture of it. I remember it had thin piping that intertwined with itself around the top corners next to the switches. The intertwined piping had as much of a "Borg" element to it as it did Steampunk, as though it had been assimilated. I think it was parted out when I launched Atari7800.com in 2001 and was repairing consoles. If I were to build one today I'd try to find a way to cover the entire thing in copper and bronze.

 "I remember it had thin piping" <---- Made me think of custom seats in a hot rod!!!!

[Justin]

 "I remember it had thin piping"

 

 

Haha kind of! They were thin metal rods I bought at the hardware store. I bent them multiple times at 90° angles in ways that intertwined with each other. I had rods at varying sizes and some actual piping. I was trying to make it look like it had been retrofitted. Maybe something Doc Brown would have improvised when he was stuck in the old west. I didn't turn out quite the way I had it in my head (I was young) but in hindsight I wish I had hung onto it or at least taken some pictures. 

[Ballblaɀer]

GIS for "steampunk atari":

 

improved thrunge plate for '77!

[Atari Creep]

GIS for "steampunk atari":

 

improved thrunge plate for '77!

This is kind of awesome!!!!!