Discussion on:

I remember (Dinosaur Sighting: The Atari 2600 Video Computer System)

I would think you could convert one of todays many, many "wall-wart" adapter to supply voltage to the console
Any 120Vac to 9-volt DC @ 1/2 amp(500ma)will do!!...let us know!!!

I have considered this, but the plug on the Atari 2600 is not a standard I am familiar with. Assuming Bill comes through, we won't have to resort to the all-in-one adapter strategy.

Well, we got an adapter and the good news is that the Atari works. The bad news is that the picture quality is terrible.

Going to try using a new RF-converter.

This is kind of difficult to watch...

Was your first console a PS/1? How old are you, 12?

http://www.atariage.com

There is a whole thriving culture of 30-something lifelong geeks - some of whom are still producing hardware and software for the Atari 2600. They're just as obsessive as Star Trek nerds, maybe worse.

We won't even get into emulation... (Any Windows Mobile smart-phone can run decent Atari 2600 emulation). If that is too difficult, there is a thing called the Atari Flashback 2 at Target and Wal-Mart you can pick up for $29. Seems like this article misses the point that there is still an actual commercial/retail market for these games and devices. Perhaps you should put down your plastic guitar and get out more often?

What you've got there is a 6 switcher, one of the earliest models. They're a favorite of collectors. Dunno if it is a "heavy sixer", but I'm sure there are bigger dorks than I who could tell you just from the photograph.

*spinning my propeller hat*

The thin cable that carries the signal to the RF switch-box has no shielding, so it acts as an antenna and picks up background noise.

Try sitting the 2600 as close as possible to the switch-box so that there's a lot of slack in the cable, then coil up the excess slack in a big loop and twist-tie it into a bundle.

Get a RCA to Coax adaptor, female on both ends. Usually $5 or less.

Like this one:

http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat%5fid=102&sku=40678

Note, the price there is for 10. Not endorsing that site, they just had the picture.

if you put a RCA to Coax converter box on it you don't the the Atari adapter. you will loose the AB Switch, but the picture will be better.

I remember first seeing on of these running Combat in a Sears store in the summer of 1978. This was at a time when the original B&W Space Invaders was just getting big. My brothers and I played it and were completely flabbergasted. The Sears staff eventually ordered us out of the store after an hour of playing the Atari because we weren't giving anyone else a chance to play!

Woaaaaa a childhood remember!

Hey! I was born in October of 77, also...and the Atari 2600 is a dinosaur? Ah, crap. I guess I am old =/

I can remember spending hours, and hours on the Atari.

River Raid
Kaboom!
Pitfall
Combat
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Hell, I even had ET! (and beat it too, ha!!)

Sure, I have a PS2, and a PSP...and for both I have Activision classics. A ton of old Atari games on 1 disc. Remember Space Shuttle? Freeway?

And if you don't want to resort to consoles to play, or Atari PC roms, there's always the keychains of the controllers (smaller, of course) that hook up to your TV via A/V cables and have some games built in.

Ah Atari, the downfall of my good grades in school.

Seaquest was my fav, and River Raid was a close second.

Ah Atari, the downfall of my good grades in school.
That made 2 of us!!

I spent many and hour with this early video game console. I'm sure most of you know about it, but if you want to play these old games go to theoldcomputer.com and get the Stella emulator and the roms.

Thanks for reminding some of us just how old we are. =/

Yeah, my wife would play Missile Command until I got home at 1:00 am weekend mornings- she'd have the score maxed out and continue to play- she'd be tired and hand it over to me: GAME OVER! (I never could get very far in that game!) I'm now retired and still hook it up every once in awhile. Our favorite game now is Kool- Aide Man.

Since this console only came with one joystick...
A few years back, I thought it would be funny to try plugging a Sega Genesis controller into my Atari 2600. IT WORKS. If my memory is correct, button B is the joystick button, and, truth be told, I think the responsiveness of the Genesis controller is much better than the Atari joystick.
Enjoy

I remember the Atari joysticks. Rather difficult to hold, and we broke about 3 of them due to continuous use. There was a white plastic ring underneath the "stick" and it pushed underlying contacts. The plastic would break.

But the games live on. Who doesn't have ports of classic Atari games on their cell phone, Gameboy Advance, Nintendo DS, Sony PSP, Microsoft Xbox, PC etc.?
Then there's the stand alone controllers with the games built into them that you can plug into a TV and play. Don't forget that Atari still makes new games for all the newest consoles too. It's kind of ironic in a way since all the software publishers used to make games for the Atari console.

Had one of those, really early. IIRC, two joysticks, the paddles, and Combat, six front switches (as shown.) And yeah, you got "two" paddles - but that's only because they used the same connector.

Hate to think how many games I had. Pitfall/Pitfall II, the horrid E.T. and ... what was that awful thing called, one of the four "world" or "quest" games. (I've blocked it from my mind.) Star Raiders, Air Raiders, Starmaster, bunch of M-Network and Activision titles... *sigh*

Huhh!! Yeah, i remember ATARI 2600 - The first cell & star of any Gaming mechine...
Cheers!

I had one of these, I played River Raid so much that I broke 50K points in about a month. I had pestered my dad, and ended up buying one just before the price drop from $299 to $150, boy was I burned.

I'm surprised you don't have a take apart of the cartridges and joysticks.

Got one in the basement, had to go to generic joy sticks.It still plays good. Our favorite game was Yars Revenge.Now I got to get it out. lol

They used to sell little bare circuit boards like the ones inside of the Atari cartridges. I used to put a ZIF socket on and burn eproms for it from the original carttridges. I had a ton of games.

I don't think anyone remembers the Coleco vision gaming consoles. Our family had one of the first consoles. It was way cool back then.

My cousin had one. It was cool. I remeber waiting for Pac-Man to come out as well as Donkey Kong. Awesome Times.

it's the 2600 from Atari!

Our play station quit working after I purchased 4 expensive games for it. Last week I hooked up my atari w/ over 50 games, for my 1st grader, he loves it.

I have on occasion hooked my 2600 up for the memories it invokes. But the one thing I keep forgetting - Yars Revenge is waaaaaay harder now than I ever remember. That thing just flies out and kills me every freakin time!

Game Craze in Canandaigua hasLOTS of these for sale, AND a LOT of GAMES for them!