19 replies to this topic

[Creekree]

hi!

we all know the VCS was designed to hold speakers in its case, so i wondered if anyone has yet built a speaker (pardon me - TWO speakers as it is capable of stereo sound- wooohoooo!!) in the case.

seems to be a nice mod because it somehow would be like atari planned it after all.

creekree

[Csonicgo]

I dunno, but it would kick ASS to play skeleton+ with that setup.

[Rob Mitchell]

Thought about it .. and putting a Combat ROM where it was supposed to be (built-in game).

Problem: I would want two small amplifier circuits with volume control. Better solution when playing Skeleton Plus is to modify the console for two channel sound output and plug into some cheap computer speakers for better sound separation.

Also when you put a Combat ROM in its place .. no games work in the slot. Did anyone come up with a solution for this?

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

[Nukey Shay]

A toggle switch?

[Happy_Dude]

Nukey Shay said:

A toggle switch?

Inside the cart slot like on the GBA

[jsoper]

Rob Mitchell said:

Also when you put a Combat ROM in its place .. no games work in the slot.  Did anyone come up with a solution for this?

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

Kevin Horton worked out a technique way back when. The cart slot has two ground connections and every known cart connects those two. So you break the ground connection on one and give it a 5v pullup resistor. It will be high with no cart and low when a cart is plugged in, so it could be used as an eprom chip enable (might need an inverter).

As for build in speakers, I would probably start with that little $50 stereo amplifier that Radio Shack sells. You could probably take the circuit board out of the case and have all the controls sticking out the front of a 4 or 6 switcher. Then add two small speakers, things might get tight.

Actually I just realized that would require an AC cord hanging out. Maybe an audio amplifier IC is a better way to go.

[Spirantho]

I reckon a quick and simple amplifier circuit may be enough.. nothing very loud, but enough to test it... just something like
http://www.reprise.c...cuits/lm386.asp
using a very simple amplifier chip. Of course you'll need two circuits, and a couple of speakers (Maplin have some 1.5W 8Ohm 100mmx100mmx38mm ones which may work).

I'm tempted to give it a go... but to be honest the biggest problem would be fixing the speakers nicely to the grill.

Maybe one day though....!

[Whisper]

Can't the speakers simply be glued to the grill? It's not that they need to be moved or anything or that they will produce heavy sub-basses , so a little glue on 4 or so points will do I think.

[Spirantho]

Whisper said:

Can't the speakers simply be glued to the grill? It's not that they need to be moved or anything or that they will produce heavy sub-basses   , so a little glue on 4 or so points will do I think.

Maybe, but I don't have a glue gun.. and superglue won't stick metal like the speaker frame, I don't think....

That's not to say I shan't try....

[Rob Mitchell]

Whisper said:

Can't the speakers simply be glued to the grill? It's not that they need to be moved or anything or that they will produce heavy sub-basses   , so a little glue on 4 or so points will do I think.

I think the heavy six switchers have speaker supports molded into the bottom case .. so it is just a matter of setting the properly sized speakers in place and then putting the case top in place. That is how it is done in other Atari consoles of the time (AVP for one).

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

[Spirantho]

Rob Mitchell said:

I think the heavy six switchers have speaker supports molded into the bottom case .. so it is just a matter of setting the properly sized speakers in place and then putting the case top in place.  

Interesting.. don't remember seeing that when I modded my heavy 6er, but then I wasn't looking for it either.

Of course I don't want to mod my heavy 6er that much, I was thinking more of a spare light 6er as I probably won't want the speakers for more than novelty value (so don't want to change my main Atari for the worse!)..
Still take a look, though, might help with mounting ideas...

[mstulir]

I believe there is a section in Joe Grand's new book that covers this topic in detail.

http://www.grandideastudio.com/

[Brad2600]

It sounds like a cool thing that could be done and I'm sure it would improve the sound of the 2600 greatly. That and the A/V mod would make the 2600 seem more modern while cutting back on problems with sound/picture quality.

[Albert]

mstulir said:

I believe there is a section in Joe Grand's new book that covers this topic in detail.
http://www.grandideastudio.com/

I wrote that chapter, and the old cases do indeed have "posts" for the speakers to rest on. An interesting mod would be to add a stereo headphone jack to the back of the case, complete with some type of volume control. The speakers could also be added, and if the headphones were plugged in, this would mute sound to the speakers (although a switch would probably be easier). Finally, an LCD panel mod could be done, and you'd end up with a nice, transportable, self-contained 2600.

..Al

[SS]

mstulir said:

I believe there is a section in Joe Grand's backbreaking book that covers this topic in detail.

:wink:

[Albert]

SS said:

mstulir said:

I believe there is a section in Joe Grand's backbreaking book that covers this topic in detail.

:wink:

I had to think about this a bit, as individually the books aren't backbreaking. But then I remembered you helped us load the van with the boxes of books after the show (14 books to a box!)

..Al

[Rob Mitchell]

Albert said:

The speakers could also be added ... Finally, an LCD panel mod could be done, and you'd end up with a nice, transportable, self-contained 2600.

Wouldn't the speakers and the LCD panel screen overlap eachother?

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

[Csonicgo]

Rob Mitchell said:

Albert said:

The speakers could also be added ... Finally, an LCD panel mod could be done, and you'd end up with a nice, transportable, self-contained 2600.

Wouldn't the speakers and the LCD panel screen overlap eachother?

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

Get onna those uh... Sony PLAYSTATION lcd screens... they work good. not the third party ones, they malfunction a LOT.

which is why I don't uinderstand, Atari , if they were smart, would make a portable 2600 with the same old cartridges... you know they'd make millions! but nooo, gotta get in the DBZ bull.

[Albert]

Rob Mitchell said:

Albert said:

The speakers could also be added ... Finally, an LCD panel mod could be done, and you'd end up with a nice, transportable, self-contained 2600.

Wouldn't the speakers and the LCD panel screen overlap eachother?

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

I was thinking of a flip-up LCD panel of some type.

..Al

[Rob Mitchell]

Albert said:

Rob Mitchell said:

Albert said:

The speakers could also be added ... Finally, an LCD panel mod could be done, and you'd end up with a nice, transportable, self-contained 2600.

Wouldn't the speakers and the LCD panel screen overlap eachother?

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

I was thinking of a flip-up LCD panel of some type.

..Al

Well .. you gotta add the flip down controllers inside the woodgrain!

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA