BAMF 2600p

[Jewjo]

Alright, time for an update. I just got some parts in the mail. I've done little in regards to planning, so I hope that doesn't catch up to me later in the project.

Here's the plan for the interior. Featured in the picture is the screen (LED modded), cart/cartslot, 4x4, batteries, and pot. All of the wires shown are left over from the video mod thing that I did a few months back (mentioned in this thread).

Details

• ZN-45
• PSOne screen
• NES buttons + Knob
• 6 rechargeable 1800 mAh AA batteries

Features, time permitting

• Headphone Jack
• AV out
• Difficulty (if not, hard mode as default)
• Player 2 controller port

What I have to do (in order, mostly)

• Design the layout for the interior
• Design the controller layout
• Wire up the cart slot
• Hook up the batteries + screen (the screen will give me loads of problems, I just know it)
• Cut out holes and prepare case
• Hot glue it together

I have all the parts gathered and only 5 days until I fly out to Utah to visit my mother for a couple weeks. The race is on.

 

[XCVG]

Re: One of many possible projects.

First off, an Atari 2600 will work with a PSone screen, but not with Ben's original video mod. The updated one on his site will work, and Rekarp's too I believe.

Also, build it in a ZN-40. Everything else has been put in one, now it's Atari's turn.

 

[Jewjo]

Re: One of many possible projects.

First off, an Atari 2600 will work with a PSone screen, but not with Ben's original video mod. The updated one on his site will work, and Rekarp's too I believe.

Also, build it in a ZN-40. Everything else has been put in one, now it's Atari's turn.

Do you have a link for that? This? I have a PSOne screen, LED modded and all, but I was going to use it for my N64. I guess I could use it for a 2600.

 

[XCVG]

Re: One of many possible projects.

Yes, that's the mod. There's some instructions for modifying it to work with the PSone screen too. Different resistors I think.

 

[themadhacker]

Re: One of many possible projects.

A polycase ag-85 is perfect for an atari portable.

 

[Jewjo]

Re: One of many possible projects.

Following that guide right now, I have to make a lot of resistors. I've decided after 30min of calculating and searching through my heap of resistors to do it like this:
450 150*3
193 15*2 + 51*3
680 330*2 + 15*2
377 330 + 47

Why is this such a pain?

TMH: I don't quite like the design of the AG cases. ZN looks better, in my opinion.

 

[XCVG]

Re: One of many possible projects.

I doubt it has to be perfect, especially considering most resistors have a 5% tolerance anyway.

 

[Jewjo]

Re: One of many possible projects.

I doubt it has to be perfect, especially considering most resistors have a 5% tolerance anyway.

Oh well, I've finished anyway. But I have a question regarding the transistor: which end is which in terms of the guide I linked earlier? In other words, is the flat or round end up when bent over as in the pic? I'm assuming round is up.

EDIT: I can't get the power to work. When I wire it all up with my batteries (sans screen), I get a consistent 0v. When I wire it up with the wall power (again, sans screen), I get ~10v coming out of the 7805. I'm really not good at this portablizing thing. :\

I turns out that I didn't wire the 2600 GND to the regulator. I'm getting 5v from wall power now. I just hope that I didn't fry the Atari previously. I'll be able to test that when I hook up the screen I assume.

 

[Mako321]

Re: One of many possible projects.

for a screen you should try a 2.5" pustom, an atari should be small enough to handle it.

 

[Jewjo]

Re: One of many possible projects.

for a screen you should try a 2.5" pustom, an atari should be small enough to handle it.

2.5'' seems really small. I think I've decided to go with my PSOne screen or a 3.5'' if I can find a cheap one.

EDIT/UPDATE: I just made this diagram, but I have some questions regarding it.
1.) Will the PSOne screen run off of 10v? or 5v? My 7.4v batteries aren't working as well as I'd like, and the 2600's power cable outputs 10v. If not, what do I do to get the screen to power on? I've lost the board with the power jack for the screen.

2.) How exactly do I wire up the screen to the 4x4 board?

 

[XCVG]

Re: One of many possible projects.

The points to wire it up to are on that page. If your board looks like Type A, use that diagram. If it looks like Type B it's similar but you have to cut some other things and wire the audio to a different spot. Alternatively, you could wire them directly to the corresponding TIA pins, though you may have to cut some traces. Do you have Ben's book? Apparently each point matches up to a letter in some diagram in the book. Oh and apparently you have to rewire the color delay potentiometer, which he doesn't talk about because he wants you to buy the book.

 

[Jewjo]

Re: One of many possible projects.

The points to wire it up to are on that page. If your board looks like Type A, use that diagram. If it looks like Type B it's similar but you have to cut some other things and wire the audio to a different spot. Alternatively, you could wire them directly to the corresponding TIA pins, though you may have to cut some traces. Do you have Ben's book? Apparently each point matches up to a letter in some diagram in the book. Oh and apparently you have to rewire the color delay potentiometer, which he doesn't talk about because he wants you to buy the book.

I mostly understand how to wire the video mod thing to the 4x4, but not how to wire the screen to annything. I don't know exactly what the improved video mod does (but I assume it replaces the two 1k potentiometers in the step-by-step guide). I have the book, but I wasn't sure whether or not I had to do that potentiometer step. It's really confusing for me to follow a guide with multiple revisions all over the place, so I'm lost.

Basically, I think I need to know if the composite video out goes to "S" and if it needs that 22 resistor or not, and how to wire up the screen to whatever it's wired up to.

 

[Jewjo]

Re: One of many possible projects.

Disregard that last post. I've gotten the 2600 working on my TV with some N64 donor RCA cables! I didn't rewire that potentiometer, so it's in b/w, but I don't freakin' care right now because I'm so elated! Don't make fun of me, but this is the greatest achievement for me as a modder. It's only uphill from here! God, this is so sketchless!

Will try to get color (and probably a controller) tomorrow and report back. I'm off to bed--victoriously--right now.

 

[zeturi]

Re: One of many possible projects.

I know the feeling, it's great when youj see video working after you've screwed around with something for the first time.

 

[Jewjo]

Re: One of many possible projects.

So I've wired up the potentiometer, but I'm not getting color. Do I need to mess with this Chroma and Sync stuff?
EDIT: The answer... ...Is yes. YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAH. I now have color.

EDITQUESTION: Do I need that 22ohm resistor that goes to video out? At any rate, I don't know if I should work on sound or controllers now.

 

[eurddrue]

Re: One of many possible projects.

10v + psone screen = smoke + fried screen. Just to let you know, because you have a 10v battery in your diagram. you'll need to regulate it down to 8v or so.

Goddamnit. Sorry for the bump

 

[Jewjo]

Re: One of many possible projects.

10v + psone screen = smoke + fried screen. Just to let you know, because you have a 10v battery in your diagram. you'll need to regulate it down to 8v or so.

Goddamnit. Sorry for the bump

Good catch. Thanks.

(By the way, updated OP.)

 

[Jewjo]

I don't know if anyone is following this project or not, but I just relocated the cart slot. I can't check my work yet though because the power source/screen aren't hooked up. I think I'm just going to test it on the TV and original 12V wall power first. Will edit the OP with the results later.


Realistically, can I finish this before the 28th? How many hours should I expect to put into this project?

 

[Basement_Modder]

Probably not many. Atari's are pretty simple.

 

[Jewjo]

Well, I obviously didn't finish this in time. A couple days ago, however, I resumed the project, and with yet another deadline! My mom is flying down here on the 9th and we're going to be packing and moving stuff until the 15th, which is the day I'm moving in to my dorm. I don't think I'll have room in my dorm for soldering, etc., so I have two days to finish my atari before putting it on the back burner again. I don't expect to finish, but I guess I'll try. [/livejournal]

In the couple days I've been working on this, I've:

• Gotten the screen working after trying out many, many different combinations for a long, long time;
• Wired up the buttons;
• Ran out of juice in my batteries; and
• Played some Donkey Kong with my tact switches strewn all over the place, failing miserably.

Writing it out makes it seem like I accomplished close to nothing, but it feels like I've done a lot.

Moving on, it's the inevitable question time™. Will the PSOne screen run off of 9V? Right now, for testing and stuff, I'm powering the screen off of its 7.5V wall power cable and the 2600 off its 9V wall power cable. I'd like to run them both off of one source, the 9V, but I'm too scared to ruin my last working screen.

Also, any tips for cutting nice, clean holes? The best method I've come up with so far is putting clear tape over the area, tracing a hole on top of it with a sharpie, and cutting along said hole. This method is pretty imprecise, and I really can't afford to mess up cutting this time.

As usual, thanks, etc.