69 replies to this topic

[ApolloBoy]

I did this mod last weekend and it was a success, but after completing it I realized that I left out the 0.1 uF cap. Presumably this acts as a filter of sorts? I mainly ask this because I also did an S-video mod (the one shown in the 5200 FAQ) and there's a gray bar that rolls across the picture.

EDIT: I was able to solder in the cap today and it made a difference. Never mind.

Edited by ApolloBoy, Sat Oct 4, 2008 7:59 PM.

[jetblue]

hi,im about to do this mod and read mitch's thread but i dont understand the wiring on the jack and where the ceramic cap goes. Can someone go into more detail?

The center pin is negative? does that ceramic cap solder onto a wire or the jack itself then a wire? the picture is covered by electrical tape in that area.
thanks

[carmel_andrews]

I didn't have time to read the whole thread (all posts) but am i to understand that atari used exactly everything of the 2 port 5200 in the 4 port 5200 but without modifying the 4 port 5200 to account for additional components etc

if that is so, could'nt that be dangerous, i.e power shortages and outages because the power regulation is only rated for a 2 port 5200, which over time and constant use could irrevicably ruin and damage the 4 port system (i.e the psu itself and also the motherboard components and the part of the motherboard itself that works the power regulation and power input)

Please correct me if i am wrong

[mellis]

 carmel_andrews, on Mon Jun 15, 2009 7:49 AM, said:

I didn't have time to read the whole thread (all posts) but am i to understand that atari used exactly everything of the 2 port 5200 in the 4 port 5200 but without modifying the 4 port 5200 to account for additional components etc

if that is so, could'nt that be dangerous, i.e power shortages and outages because the power regulation is only rated for a 2 port 5200, which over time and constant use could irrevicably ruin and damage the 4 port system (i.e the psu itself and also the motherboard components and the part of the motherboard itself that works the power regulation and power input)

Please correct me if i am wrong

The four port model was the initial design, so no, it's not accurate to state "atari used exactly everything of the 2 port 5200 in the 4 port 5200 but without modifying the 4 port 5200 to account for additional components etc".

The 2 port model was a cost-reduced adaptation of the 4 port, not the other way around. It eliminated the fancy automatic switch box and two of the controller ports, and in doing so, the power adapter connected directly to the 5200 base unit instead of to the auto switch box. It really was not that dramatic of a change.

[remowilliams]

 carmel_andrews, on Mon Jun 15, 2009 8:49 AM, said:

Please correct me reply if i am wrong correct

There, that should save everyone an immense amount of time going forward.

[jetblue]

Thanks guys for the info
Completed the mod today works fantastic. Heres a pic of the ceramic cap placement in case anyone has trouble:



ceramic cap soldered on each pin of the jack. Ceramic cap has no polarity. The center pin is + positive.









anyone needs a ceramic cap and diode i have a spare from the radioshaq 2 pack,throw me a pm and il drop it in the mail

Edited by jetblue, Thu Jun 18, 2009 10:52 PM.

[Joeyray]

I an amatuer when it comes to electronics and soldering. However, I managed to do this mod and thank fully it worked out great. Those old 4 port switch boxes were pain back in the day (and still are today).

[Waterborn]

I finally got around to modding my 4-port 5200 tonight and it works like a charm. Thanks to everyone who provided content for this thread and the original. It is information like this that makes AA such a tremendous resource.

[atariksi]

 jetblue, on Thu Jun 18, 2009 10:49 PM, said:

Thanks guys for the info
Completed the mod today works fantastic. Heres a pic of the ceramic cap placement in case anyone has trouble:



ceramic cap soldered on each pin of the jack. Ceramic cap has no polarity. The center pin is + positive.









anyone needs a ceramic cap and diode i have a spare from the radioshaq 2 pack,throw me a pm and il drop it in the mail

Original link to text instructions is not working.

[Mitch]

 atariksi, on Tue Sep 15, 2009 6:13 AM, said:

Original link to text instructions is not working.

It seems the forum upgrade killed the link. Try this one: http://www.atariage....wer-mod-success

Mitch

[atariksi]

 Mitch, on Tue Sep 15, 2009 11:58 AM, said:

 atariksi, on Tue Sep 15, 2009 6:13 AM, said:

Original link to text instructions is not working.

It seems the forum upgrade killed the link. Try this one: http://www.atariage....wer-mod-success

Mitch

This is reply to request in another thread.

[WERY]

 remowilliams, on Tue Nov 28, 2006 10:36 AM, said:

I'll list 'em all just in case someone else digs up this thread

Size N Panel-Mount Coaxial DC Power Jack
Model: 274-1576 | Catalog #: 274-1576

0.1µF 50V Hi-Q Ceramic Disc Capacitor Pk/2
Model: 272-135 | Catalog #: 272-135

3-Amp Barrel Diodes
Model: 1N5404 | Catalog #: 276-1144

47µF 35V 20% Radial-lead Electrolytic Capacitor
Model: 272-1027 | Catalog #: 272-1027

So these are the components for doing the power-mod? Will do it myself once I get a 5200 system with 4 ports

Edit: Is that brown RCA jack inside the console possibly the Video and Audio In/Out?

Edited by WERY, Mon Oct 11, 2010 7:17 PM.

[Official Ninja]

 CPUWIZ, on Thu Feb 13, 2003 8:31 PM, said:

This is a followup for Mitch's instructions on how to get rid of the pesky switchbox on the 4 port Atari 5200.

See:
http://www.atariage....pic.php?t=17441

I did mine slightly differently ...

Hopefully this will help someone else who was confused by the text-only instructions.

Old post from 2003, but I wanted to say "Thanks" for it. I did the mod to my 4 port over the weekend just like the pictures show. It works great.

Two things to add and I didn't read this whole thread so maybe its been brought up already....

1st is I installed the 8 bit domain video mod on this 4 port. I thought it would be no big deal to keep the power going through the special switch box. I normally keep the RF hooked up to the TV anyway because I use the VCS adapter as my main 2600 machine most of the time. What I found was if the RF was hooked up the the TV using the special switch box and I was using the 5200 composite out to the TV, there was interference in the picture. A thick line that scrolled up the screen repetitively. I did this power mod, replacing the RF cable with the same type as in a VCS or 2 port 5200 and it works great with no interference.

2nd is that my 4 port is modified for VCS adapter compatibility. That mod includes a wire that goes to the 2.7uH inducter located between the modulator and soldered in RF cable. So not knowing anything about how things work, I'm just following instructions, I didn't know what to do with the wire after removing that part. I just soldered it to the board where the removed part had gone into the board. It all works fine.

[OldAtarian]

So does this make the cable that wraps underneath exclusively an RF signal carrier or is there still power going through it? Can you still use the four port switchbox after the mod or do you need a game/tv switchbox?

Edited by OldAtarian, Mon Nov 1, 2010 7:50 AM.

[Official Ninja]

 OldAtarian, on Mon Nov 1, 2010 7:49 AM, said:

So does this make the cable that wraps underneath exclusively an RF signal carrier or is there still power going through it? Can you still use the four port switchbox after the mod or do you need a game/tv switchbox?

I'm pretty sure when you remove LB (L8?) from the board you are separating the RF from the power line. I didnt put a meter on the wire, but I used the system for many hours already and nothing bad has happened.

If the switch box isn't getting power it wont trigger (click) so I don't think it will work.
You dont need a game/tv switch, the RCA to F adapter work much better.

[stringfellow]

I really want to do this mod but I don't trust myself soldering. I have so little experience with soldering and don't want to ruin my 5200.

[Official Ninja]

 OldAtarian, on Mon Nov 1, 2010 7:49 AM, said:

So does this make the cable that wraps underneath exclusively an RF signal carrier or is there still power going through it? Can you still use the four port switchbox after the mod or do you need a game/tv switchbox?

Following up on your 1st question, I tested the RF wire with a meter and there is no voltage. So yes it is exclusively RF. Also when you remove the original fat RF wire from the board when you do this mod, there is a female RCA plug on the board. After the mod you plug a standard RF wire in there and run it out of the system just the same way a 2 port would be. The RF wire needs to have a low enough profile as it sticks straight up and you still need to be able to close the case on the system.

[Official Ninja]

 stringfellow, on Mon Nov 1, 2010 8:08 PM, said:

I really want to do this mod but I don't trust myself soldering. I have so little experience with soldering and don't want to ruin my 5200.

The hard part is removing the components. The L8 can be snipped off. So can all the legs and wire holding the RF cable.
Removing C45 is the hard part. I used a solder gun and heated the pins on the bottom of the board and pulled up from the top. It worked but Its surely not close to the right way of doing it.

After that though its very basic soldering with plenty of room to work, IMO.

[Gandor]

So I'm in the middle of doing this power mod but have a couple of questions:

First of all I have a NTSC 5200 but the inside of my 5200 doesn't look like the one in post #1, it looks more like the one in post #40.
Are there different revision of the NTSC board?

Where do I solder the power connections on to the board?
Can I solder the positive in the hole (where the 2.7uH inducter was removed) near the LB text?
Look like I can solder the negative next to the 47uf Electrolytic capacitor?
How do I make sure I don't ruin my 5200?
Any help/advise would be welcome.

One thing I noticed was that the capacitor which was remove only had 2 connection and not 3 like shown in post #1 and was already 47 uF!
I bought this 5200 of ebay last year and the seller had bought it from 4jays. Could they have done something with this?

Thanks

[Gandor]

Gandor, on Sun Feb 5, 2012 6:22 PM, said:

So I'm in the middle of doing this power mod but have a couple of questions:

First of all I have a NTSC 5200 but the inside of my 5200 doesn't look like the one in post #1, it looks more like the one in post #40.
Are there different revision of the NTSC board?

Where do I solder the power connections on to the board?
Can I solder the positive in the hole (where the 2.7uH inducter was removed) near the LB text?
Look like I can solder the negative next to the 47uf Electrolytic capacitor?
How do I make sure I don't ruin my 5200?
Any help/advise would be welcome.

One thing I noticed was that the capacitor which was remove only had 2 connection and not 3 like shown in post #1 and was already 47 uF!
I bought this 5200 of ebay last year and the seller had bought it from 4jays. Could they have done something with this?

Thanks

Never mind, figured it out myself.