42 replies to this topic

[Cebus Capucinis]

Polybius, on Fri Nov 6, 2009 9:46 AM, said:

Speakers in the Atari would be cool. If I did that though, I would have a switch so I could switch back to the TV sound. sounds kinda redundant, but yeah.

Gee, I wonder if anyone has made a mod like that? Maybe they'd post in an AtariAge thread about it! Nah...that's just a pipe dream.

Edited by CebusCapucinis, Fri Nov 6, 2009 9:47 AM.

[Zoyx]

@CebusCapucinis - more snarky

Next step is a complete media player. Quick! Someone develop an mp3 player for the 2600.

[rmaerz]

wgungfu, on Thu Nov 5, 2009 5:36 PM, said:

Oh yes, because when someone tries to assist said poster by suggesting they do a search because the topic has been covered plenty of times in the past here, it's: "busting chops", "shutting down a conversation", and "harsh". When the original poster even took it as assistance, then it might just be that said complaining people are: "overreacting", "drama queens", and "out of touch with reality".

I simply misinterpreted. There are others here on AA that have been harsh when a newbie starts a new thread for a discussion that has been "beaten to death."

[seanhq]

What would be awesome is if someone would post a link to the thread (or threads) where this has already been discussed to help the new member out. Sometimes using the search feature brings up so many things, it's just quicker for someone to post a new thread. Just saying

Edited by seanhq, Fri Nov 6, 2009 10:24 AM.

[Cebus Capucinis]

I'm just poking in good fun, please everyone don't get offended or upset.

[seanhq]

CebusCapucinis, on Fri Nov 6, 2009 10:30 AM, said:

I'm just poking in good fun, please everyone don't get offended or upset.

I personally know we're all having fun, that's part of being involved with any forum, but if someone would post a link to the thread (or threads) where this modification has already been discussed, I'm sure it would help the new member out and bring it to the top of searches for it in the future

[HFK]

SoundGammon, on Thu Nov 5, 2009 9:35 PM, said:

Al Heller at Atari told me back in '79 that the sound was going to come out through the panel, but somebody had suggested that it would be more realistic coming from the tv. It wasn't to save money, since they had to add circuitry to the main board to route it to the tv.

That has to be the best post in this thread. 'Sounds' good to me

[Zoyx]

Found some older threads to peruse... one has some mod talk in it...

http://www.atariage....ototype-console
http://www.atariage....witch-speakers/
http://www.atariage....nyone-did-this/

[Kurisu]

Thank you Zoyx. Good reads!

[keilbaca]

It really is just a simple mod. If you wanted to you could make it even simpler.

You can buy a set of battery operated speakers, and instead of using batteries, solder the power to the power inverter or to the power jack directly, depending on how many volts it can take.

Its then just taking both the left and right hot lines, and soldering them to pins 12 and 13 on the Stella chip (or you can make a stereo mod and just use the atari for the speakers if you like, and use left for 12 and right for 13).

Rig up a switch to control the ground, as in when the switch is on, it connects ground together, and the speakers turn on, and drill that switch in the back.

It really is pretty simple. And of course, lots of epoxy on those speakers against the top of the case. XD

The size of the speakers don't matter, the smaller the better. Just make sure that if its too small that it doesn't cover the speaker holes completely, be careful on the glue, so glue doesn't go through the speaker holes. You can use hot glue instead.

I just got ahold of a light sixer Atari. I'll do the mod, using the stereo mod (by doing so, this will cut the sound from coming out of the tv), and then I will take pics.

Edited by keilbaca, Tue Nov 24, 2009 2:11 PM.

[Kurisu]

So the TIA actually output a raw audio signal from those 2 pins? News to me! I always thought it was some kind of digital signal that needed to be interperated further. lol.

Hmn, I will have to try this out, since as you explain it, it is crazy simple: I just need to get the resources together, and study your project. Maybe I will do this to my light6 sears unit.

[keilbaca]

Kurisu, on Tue Nov 24, 2009 2:25 PM, said:

So the TIA actually output a raw audio signal from those 2 pins? News to me! I always thought it was some kind of digital signal that needed to be interperated further. lol.

Hmn, I will have to try this out, since as you explain it, it is crazy simple: I just need to get the resources together, and study your project. Maybe I will do this to my light6 sears unit.

Yep. If you're doing the stereo mod, you need to use a 0.1uf cap to each pin. If you do the stereo mod, then you will lose sound to the TV, so instead of a switch, maybe a volume knob would be better. XD

Edited by keilbaca, Tue Nov 24, 2009 2:28 PM.

[Kurisu]

The stereo mod would be good for the discrete sound in Combat, and other games that support it, correct? otherwise, not too much benefit, but certainly cool, to say the least.

I would certainly think a pot being used as a volume knob would be best for onboard sound: Just makes more sense, after all .

Hmn.. dremmel out a small hole, and get a knob, and you could put the Pot in the center of the console, between the speakers, maybe. Don't know how pretty it would be, but it could work!

I should get to sketching some of this out.

[tz101]

My initial thought on every heavy sixer I've taken apart was that the vents in the top of the console were just that: vents to keep the processor from overheating. Every other system out there has cooling vents in its console casing, so why not Atari? Does doing the sound mod and installing speakers over these openings cause the system to overheat?

Edited by tz101, Tue Nov 24, 2009 3:37 PM.

[Retro Rogue]

tz101, on Tue Nov 24, 2009 3:37 PM, said:

My initial thought on every heavy sixer I've taken apart was that the vents in the top of the console were just that: vents to keep the processor from overheating. Every other system out there has cooling vents in its console casing, so why not Atari? Does doing the sound mod and installing speakers over these openings cause the system to overheat?

No, they are speaker holes. Hence the speaker posts on the bottom portion of the case just below the holes.

[keilbaca]

Kurisu, on Tue Nov 24, 2009 3:22 PM, said:

The stereo mod would be good for the discrete sound in Combat, and other games that support it, correct? otherwise, not too much benefit, but certainly cool, to say the least.

I would certainly think a pot being used as a volume knob would be best for onboard sound: Just makes more sense, after all .

Hmn.. dremmel out a small hole, and get a knob, and you could put the Pot in the center of the console, between the speakers, maybe. Don't know how pretty it would be, but it could work!

I should get to sketching some of this out.

That's correct. And because the speakers are pretty close, if you sit far away, it'll act like mono. XD

Also that would be awesome for the number of homebrew games that utilize stereo.

[Zoyx]

tz101, on Tue Nov 24, 2009 3:37 PM, said:

My initial thought on every heavy sixer I've taken apart was that the vents in the top of the console were just that: vents to keep the processor from overheating. Every other system out there has cooling vents in its console casing, so why not Atari? Does doing the sound mod and installing speakers over these openings cause the system to overheat?

Plugged my Atari 2600 into a kill-a-watt, came up 3 watts. Not much heat out of 3 watts. Other numbers for reference... Atari 800… 15 watts. 13″ crt TV … 42 watts. The Xbox 360... 155 watts.

[Kurisu]

The only part I have ever felt get hot during gameplay on a 2600, and this was only on my 6 switchers, is that metal plate on the top board. it heats up pretty nicely, but beyond that, everything else is cool and cozy.