Can I solve this problem? - Vertical Lines on screen 6 Switch Atari 2600 VCS

[Hepekiz]

Hello everyone,

I bought an Atari 2600 from FB Marketplace. It's looking like working but vertical lines on the screen as you can see on attached images. I have experience with C64 but haven't experience with Atari 2600.. Any recommendations? Thanks in advance.

[Video 61]

On 8/4/2023 at 5:45 PM, Hepekiz said:

Hello everyone,

I bought an Atari 2600 from FB Marketplace. It's looking like working but vertical lines on the screen as you can see on attached images. I have experience with C64 but haven't experience with Atari 2600.. Any recommendations? Thanks in advance.

 

hi,

 

 first thing i always look at is the power supply. i used to do a lot of service for atari. and i required the customer to send their power supply, t.v. switch box (which hardly anyone uses anymore), joysticks, paddle if they have them for a complete diagnostic.

i always used my own test power supply first. you would be surprised what people used for power supplies, sometimes i would open the box, and i could smell plastic that got to hot, or even melted.

 if it was not the power supply, then i would take the top off, pull the shielding, and you will see in most cases, the 2600 had only three chips. some had four, a tiny one called the timer, that was for the paddle controllers in most cases, ignore it. the 6507, which is the main processor, that one usually goes first, power surges, wrong power supplies. the previous owners may not have turned the unit on or off when in installing carts, and removing carts. causes power surges.

 find a 2600 chip set if the power supply does not do the trick. i am out. best electronics may still have some,

https://www.best-electronics-ca.com/

if that does not do the trick, its trouble on the mother board. may not be worth fixing then.

atari gave me 30 minutes per unit. i could fix 50-75% of the units that came in, in that time frame.

 

lance

www.atarisales.com

 

 

 

[Atari 5200 Guy]

I see you are only using one game.  Do you have a different game to try?  

Use rubbing alcohol and a q tip and clean the edge inside the cart opening to clean the metal contacts. Try the game again.  It is possible your VCS is OK but your game went bad.  It happens, these things are old.  You have a really nice controller, though.  Another simple fix is get an Emory board and gently rub the contacts in the cartridge port. If not cared for those pins can become corroded.

Those are the simple steps I know how to do without taking the top off.  Video 61's suggestions above I'd recommend as well.

[DegasElite]

Agreed. It looks to me like it may be a dirty cartridge. If that doesn't work, then check the chips and motherboard. You might want to clean the cartridge port on the 2600 with alcohol as well. A little bit of rubbing alcohol on a useless credit card with some fabric on it might do the trick. :O)

[DegasElite]

I would recommend using a microfiber cloth affixed to the credit card. That should do the trick, unless there is something else wrong with the machine.

Edited August 7, 2023 by DegasElite

[Atari 5200 Guy]

I get that image when I have a dirty cartridge which is why I was suggesting it as a first step.

[Video 61]

6 hours ago, Atari 5200 Guy said:

I get that image when I have a dirty cartridge which is why I was suggesting it as a first step.

hi guys,

 

 it sure could be the cart. but if you install, and remove the cart repeatedly, you should get a different reaction on the t.v., maybe colors, more bars, even a display of the game. but if its always the same, the cart might be bad, a good cleaning of course as you guys say could fix it. but in my experience a bad cart will give different results also. if the one bar remains all of the time, hardware is most likely the cause.

 

lance

www.atarisales.com

 

[RickR]

All good suggestions, but is @Hepekiz still here to get this information?  I hope so!  We all want that 2600 to be working again.