I have wanted an Atari 2600 for longer than I can remember, so when a "not working" boxed console appeared on ebay, I fancied taking a punt on it, after all, it was boxed, came with a game, two joysticks, one of which was a Konix Speedking, and a universal power supply. So if it didn't work and was beyond repair, I could just pick up a working console separately.Besides, I paid less for this than for a working Atari 2600 Jr console
So, here is the box, it's seen better days, but it'll do
Here's the console, first thing you'll notice is a hole at the top by the power socket, this is due to a screw being over-tightened and snapping the mounting post off.Otherwise, you can see the console has a power switch, a colour/black and white switch for the TV type (people still used black and white TV's back in the day). The cartridge slot, and the select and reset buttons. A power LED within the red stripe is also presentThe fact screws are missing on the bottom suggests someone has taken this apart and tried to "fix" it
On the back, from the left are the RF out, right controller port, difficulty switch for the right controller, power socket, difficulty switch for the left controller, and finally the left controller port. There is a hole next, I would imagine it's a switch for the TV channel in some regions
This is the universal power supply that it came with, it looks safe doesn't it? I tested it through my isolating transformer and it's dead Jim, so straight in the bin it went
Here are the joysticks, the left is a cheap and nasty joystick which seems to reset the Atari when both fire buttons are pressed together? Next is the Konix Speedking, It's missing the plastic joystick, but works fine, actually it feels very nice to use. I wonder if you can get parts?
The Atari power supply specifications are, 9V DC 500mA, using a 3.5mm jack plug with a positive tip. The only PSU I had within reach that fitted those specs was a Spectrum PSU, but it has the wrong plug fitted. No problem, I'll just make an adaptor...
Once all connected up and switched on, the LED on the Atari lit up, halfway there. And after what seemed an eternity waiting for the TV to tune in a picture appeared, a bit fuzzy, but WOOO HOOO!
However, the joysticks were unresponsive, and so were the buttons on the Atari
So lets take it apart, as suspected the buttons on the Atari are connected to the board by a membrane tail, and this wasn't connected. So once plugged back in they worked, and once the select button had been pressed, the game would start and the joystick worked as well
But the picture was now a lot more fuzzy than previously, which kept causing the TV to mute the screen
So on taking it back apart again, I discovered the RF cable wasn't actually connected to the socket, the middle wire had broken off
So I just bypassed the short extension to test the output
Success, it all works!
This is what it looked like while fixing the problems
However, I have spotted a broken pin in the left controller port, although the joystick plugged into it works, I will have to find out what that pin does
Software
I only have one game at the moment, but it's guaranteed I will buy more soon...
Combat
Update
I have bought some more games, and a new power supply...
Asteroids
Defender
Berzerk
All three of them are boxed, the cover art on the boxes is great, but as always, the cartridges needed cleaning with a cotton bud and some IPA before they would work, with Berzerk being the most difficult to get running
And I dug out my old CRT for "testing" reasons, here it is with Defender proudly displayed
Another update
I have bought another game
Adventure
And another...
Pole Position
And yet more...
Outlaw
Berzerk (NTSC version)My copy of Berzerk above stopped working. NTSC versions of games work fine on PAL machines, but due to the way software runs on the Atari, the colours are wrong
Phoenix
Centipede
This game was supposed to be included with the pack I have
River Raid
Hardware update
I bought this at the Bristol Retro Gaming Fair at Temple Meads Station, it is the type of joystick featured on the box
More hardware updates
Who wants paddle controllers, I want paddle controllers, I bought paddle controllers, I have paddle controllers
It's been a while since I held one of these, I don't remember them being this small, I put a Fire TV remote in the picture for scale. Also both paddles are wired to the same plug, I don't remember that either
Even more hardware updates
Who wants more paddle controllers, and joysticks, and another 2600Jr?
I bought a job-lot of joysticks and they came with an "untested" 2600Jr
More paddles, one of them has some damage to the cable
Official Atari CX40 joystick X 2
Also I found this Atari PSU in the box that my Commodore Vic 20 came in
And I finally got round to testing the "untested" 2600Jr and it works perfectly, so happy days
More software updates
I bought some more games in a games exchange shop in Street (by Glastonbury)
Space Invaders
Asteroids
Phoenix (duplicate)
Pac-man
Centipede (duplicate)
Missile Command
More updates
I was recently donated some games and another 2600Jr, I already have some of the games, but all donations are welcome
Missile Command
Pac Man
Combat (boxed)
Super Baseball
Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back
Boxing
E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (this has an X drawn on the label, I haven't tried it yet)
Galaxian
Star Raiders
Amidar (Label missing)
Breakout
27 Tele-Games including Shooting Gallery, Planes, Submarines, Ships
Swordquest
Another working 2600Jr
Two more CX40 joysticks, but are missing the stick covers
More updates...
I picked up a load of cartridges and a third party PSU
Keystone Kapers
Spider-Nan
Space Invaders
River Raid
Cosmic Ark
Battlezone
Centipede
Asteroids
Zaxxon
Wizard of Wor
Combat
Warlords
Outlaw
Starmaster
Super Breakout
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Defender
Demon Attack
ET - The Extra Terrestrial
Donkey Kong
Berzerk
Gorf
Pac-Man
Amidar
Venture
Pitfall
Frogger
Star Voyager
Atlantis
Solar Storm
Star Wars - Jedi Arena
Robot Tank
Riddle Of The Sphinx
Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back
Action Man - Action Force
Dragonfire
Fire Fighter
Yars Revenge
Q*Bert
Air Sea Battle
Reactor
Four unlabelled cartridges with labels for Star Wars - Return Of The Jedi and Sky Skipper, not sure if the labels match up with the cartridges and if they do, what are the other two?
A third party PSU for the Atari 2600
Update
I was alerted to a Facebook Marketplace post by my lovely better half about this Atari 2600Jr "Short Rainbow" with games. I already have the long rainbow versions, so I had to get this one, it was being sold for £30
It seems to be in excellent condition, and came with three different controllers, five games, PSU, and RF lead
Top and bottom of the unit, I think the short rainbow looks better than the long rainbow, but the Irish all-black version is the best
Close up of the serial number for those of you who like this sort of thing
The rear of the unit showing the power socket, joystick ports, RF socket, and difficulty switches. The channel selector is not populated, but still has the embossed text on top of the console
Atari PSU, it has holes at the top and bottom like it can be permanently fixed to the socket
Owners manual and Footbal instructions, possibly for Soccer below
Centipede
Space Invaders
Keystone Kapers
Pac-Man
Soccer
Standard Atari joysticks
Third party joystick, I've never seen one of these before
RF Lead
Here is the short rainbow fully working, the switches and cartridge port could do with a clean, but it works, and gets the seal of approval from my youngest son
E - Out of DATA, 946:1