31 replies to this topic

[Underball]

You've got questions?

We've got cellphones.

[keilbaca]

I second the vcr.

Dirt cheap, and it does a better job.

^_^

[shadow460]

Thirded for the VCR. One thing, though, is that it could spit out Macrovision signals when watching movies on a newer system run through it, but then again, we're talking 2600 here. I don't see any movies being made for it anytime soon, much less with copy protection.

It's a known fact that 70% of all VCRs here in the US are flashing 12:00. Mine's not, though. It says --:-- instead.

Call me old fashioned, but IMO there will always be things a CRT set can display better than LCD or plasma. Given the space, I think I'd prefer CRT. That's all we have now, although we're planning to buy a flat screen (LCD if we can afford it without payments) soon.

[Prodos8]

I did the s-video mod (as described in the FAQ on this site) on a couple of my 2600's (and a 5200) a few years ago. It only cost me around $30 dollars in parts for all of them. I still use a tube TV to play them so I'm happy with it thus far. If you're patient and willing to learn you can probably do the mods yourself (like i did) as they're not really that hard. I was more or less surprised at my success since I had very little experience soldering at the time.

Using an old VCR would definitely be the cheapest way to get demodulated RF to composite from your 2600.

[stvd]

Yesterday I had some 2600 carts that I needed to test so, for the first time ever, I
decided to hook up my 2600 to my Panasonic 42" plasma.
Wasn't expecting much to be honest but was pleasantly surprised.
The picture wasn't super sharp but no worse than when I played on a standard tv 30 years ago.
The Atari has now been promoted from the upstairs, spare room to the living room.

[Skylark68]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but why can't you just use one of the newer TV/Computer switchboxes with the lead that screws into your antenna outlet on the back of the TV? Even if it's a new TV wouldn't it have an antenna lead? I'm not high tech but that seems like it would work. My Sony Bravia XBR 46 LCD has an antenna or cable lead on the back.

[tetrode kink]

batari, on Fri Mar 26, 2010 11:50 PM, said:

tetrode kink, on Fri Mar 26, 2010 11:38 PM, said:

BigO, on Fri Mar 26, 2010 5:04 PM, said:

bohoki, on Fri Mar 26, 2010 4:15 PM, said:

Godzilla, on Fri Mar 26, 2010 3:48 PM, said:

yea, i use an old fisher hi-fi 4 head vcr that has mixing controls & equalizers on it, got it for $10 at a thrift and It -BLOWS- away the $60 demodulator I bought.

blinks 12:00 all the time

You can fix that with electrical tape.

Or by using your brain.

Brain has poor adhesive qualities and in thin strips, it's too translucent to block light. Also, you wouldn't want to use your own brain for that task as you might remove the wrong part and forget what you were doing.

Then again, there are things I'd rather forget... But then there's that translucent thing, so never mind. I've got plenty of beer to forget things.

-tet