$12 'Broken' Atari VCS Tear-Down & Restoration: 40-Year-Old "Atari Juice"
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- We found an Atari VCS in a random store and decided to buy it for a tear-down and re-assembly, plus some gaming battles between Patrick and Andrew.
Sponsor: Get bonus GN videos via Patreon (geni.us/wl916e)
This was a fun content piece. We've been in line to get Atari's new VCS since they announced it, and we're still not entirely convinced it'll ever get made. In the meantime, the actual, original Atari VCS is still available, and we just happened to walk by it when checking out a local store. The VCS was in overall great shape, but we were told it had a 'dead chip,' and we later found 40-year-old "Atari juice" inside of it. In this video, we're working on restoring the Atari VCS and getting it playable again, hopefully in anticipation of the new VCS launch. If it ever happens.
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Host: Steve Burke
Host: Patrick Lathan
Video: Andrew Coleman, Keegan Gallick
We're flying to Taiwan now! Part of the plan is to look through tech markets for cool stuff, like scopes, meters, or other gear that might be fun. Check back for that!
I've enjoyed watching GN videos over the years, you and your crew will be missed.
@@freezerburn6454 lol, this sounds like they're going to die
@@jonahhekmatyar Yes, they have a deathwish.
Or maybe they are prepared with a hazard suit and gas mask?
For sure though, if they fly back to America they will likely be quarantined for 14+ days?
@@dra6o0n Taiwan is not China. At this point being on the west coast you're probably just as likely to contract it as in Taiwan
@@jonahhekmatyar Well no matter where they fly, if they fly back into America they will most likely get Quarantined, as anyone flying back to Canada does as well as it's a absolute high level of caution.
"Senior Patrick at GN" 😂
@Ziv Zulander But what if they hire a Steve from Mexico? It'll be confusing, one will be senior Steve, the other will be señor Steve
@@neoqueto cant remember the last time a comment actually made me chuckle, good one
Good thing you went big and got the Senior Patrick on the job. We don't need no Junior Patrick's messing things up!
Damn, I didn't notice it at first, that's a nice little touch
That sir, is Stoner Patrick.
When you realize the Atari juice is probably older than Senior Patrick.
I think it should've been Señor Patrick.
That Atari is older then both of them and myself.
Ahh, christmas 1979. It's like it was yesterday, when my dad brought me the wondrous Atari VCS. I was glued to that thing for months. It was my first contact with anything computer-ish, and it changed my life. Good times. Glad you got it up and running. :)
13:07 best cutaway of any GN video ive ever seen lmao loved it GN team!
I would love to see more content like this. Also really love that you had someone else with you in the video. I haven’t personally seen this guy on your channel before but he seem pretty cool. Would be down to seeing him in more videos with you. Especially, teardown stuff like this. perhaps, you guys could do a series on stuff like this. And when you said that that was 40 years of cat hair, and dirt. You have to remember that a lot of that yellow was probably nicotine too lol. Great video guys.
Patrick plays a huge role at GN these days. He does most the case "build" sections in their entirety and is integral in the reviews. He appears in our secondary channel pretty regularly, particularly for Patreon videos, and I sometimes get Patrick on the main channel for streams. Keep an eye out for more!
@@GamersNexus Patrick is the man
Puts in E.T cartridge. . . "Mistakes Were Made"
Only real ones will know...
@@rossonerodiavolo8074 Im sure theres one non-gamer that knows....Whoever ran the Digger .
I still can't get over the fact there is an entire landfill of these cartridges out in New Mexico. Instead of just recycling the cartridge shells and the paper from the game manual and box.
@@NicolaiSyvertsen it was the 80's eco-friendly wasn't a thing untill the 90's really.
@@NicolaiSyvertsen The 80's... No one was thinking of recycling back then. I think it wasn't until '92 that recycling came up as law in many states
18:39 Heh, it's funny seeing how far we've come along where a modern tech channel is pulling DIP chips for the very first time.
I feel so old after seeing them discover this and going "Oh, that's pretty cool..." like it's this amazing new idea they've never seen before.
@@egmccann Holding an RCA end saying this goes into the co-ax on the TV just killed me.
For anyone interested in the unit they have here it's what is known as an atari vcs "4 switcher" and is one the most common revisions. There are like 10 different models of the atari consoles ranging from slight revisions to full blown hardware clones. Sears had a whole line of rebadged consoles with unique aesthetics for the systems (awesome walnut wood grain that looked sweet) they also had a unique revision that used a shell for an unreleased atari console. There was the "vader 4 switcher" in all black this also the first revision they referred to as an atari 2600. They later miniaturized the system with the atari 2600 jr. which was meant as a budget console in the mid 80's.
Coleco made their own standalone version of the system after they released an add on peripheral to play atari carts for their colecovision. Atari sued but the courts ruled in Coleco's favor so Coleco released the standalone console and called it the gemini. However the real holy grail of vcs consoles is the "heavy sixers" (6 front switch units) as they were the only systems produced in america. These aren't to be confused with the "light sixer" which was lighter, wasn't produced in the US, had slightly different molding in the plastic, and aren't as valuable today. Just some useless info from a former atari collector.
Dang, I was expecting the metal Jesus intro.
Nope just Metal Steve. One of his disciples.
Katz Meowski it happens due to how many people watch his videos. Hell even James and Mike at Cinemassacre once talked about how much they keep seeing prices go up for games that they’ve just played in a video.
It’s just classic supply and demand. And especially when it’s freakin on eBay, scalpers thrive there no matter how much you want them to go away. Just wait until the high demand goes down and then try and see if you can find a game with a good price.
This takes me back, I had one of these in the late 1970s and did a chip replacement to fix it when I was in high school. Good video guys!
Wait until Steve discovers Pitfall...
I've played it! Just never on the original hardware.
@@GamersNexus I feel you Steve, MAME life. 😎👍
I had a 2600 as a kid so I learned from a young age that Atari's are more indestructible than a Toyota Hilux or Nokia 5110. 👍
-"It's $12 dollars because its broken."
-Nope, that's the way its suppose to look and sound :)
Have you seen the incredible demos made for it?
Dude this is awesome! I used to friggin love my Atari and I miss those days. Thanks for this video dude!
"We're not doing this for the games, we're making money on the content"
You sellout! 😎
Is someone paying them to fly to Taiwan? In the midst of the 'human virus' outbreak?
@@dra6o0n GN usually pays for their own flights to avoid potential bias towards companies that would pay otherwise
Gamers Nexus = Atari shill, SHILLS!
@@bhew7409 With Atari Shells!
@@dra6o0n i thought it was 'human malware'
the 75 ohm coax connector is called an "f connector"
No, actually we had a switch to go from tv to the game console that you would hook up to the rabbit ear antenna then change the channel to 3
I DEMAND A GN-MIXTAPE ^^ ty for the cool video, would love to see a build in that
12:50
The 8-bit guy approves
1:26 Is it just me or "A couple decades worth of filth" sounds like a metal band consisting of middle aged men and "We're gonna see if we can get it to turn on" could be their hit song...
Somewhere there 8 Bit Guy says good job!
I so love that you did this! The Atari 2600 was my first console (I had Pong, so 2nd technically). It was so great to see Steve Burke working with one of these! Kudos!
You guys cleanred all of this the hardest way possible. When I restore old systems, I take all the cases apart then 409 the cases for under 5 minutes and then rinse them off under water before finally spraying them with 90% isopropyl alcohol to make sure the water doesn't leave any minerals behind and it comes out like new! If I find that I must clean grooves or details, I use a detailing brush (or nylon toothbrush) to just brush in some 409 and then rinse as before. Flawless cleaning.
Next step: install the AV mod so it'll work properly with modern TVs.
It warms my heart to see these kids excited about one of my first gaming systems back in the late 70s.
If you want to make your plastic a deeper black color use some Back to Black on it. Works great on automotive plastics, it would be perfect for this.
Thanks for the tip! We'll look into it for the next one.
@@GamersNexus you can also use a heat gun and warm it up with it, but not to much. It works for black faded car trims aswell.
(Edit) It brings the oils in the plastic back to the surface to give it its deep colour back.
@@SwishGavigan18 That can also make plastics really brittle.
Seems kinda racist to care so much how black it is. It is 2020 guys, can we advance as a people?
@@MaxUgly you funny af
13:41 Thank you, Tech Jesus, for these two drops of soap. Amen.
For those old enough to remember, this was the game changer in the 80’s. Before this there was the pong tennis game. That’s it. 100’s of games. Color! Music! Trigger finger! You may laugh at it today, but it was the BEST present you could get back then.
That ear piercing CRT screaming at the beginning brings back memories
I can't hear it anymore. Hooray for permanent hearing damage!
I feel happy to have good hearing myself.
Won't forget how Tom Scott noticed he can't hear it anymore once he got video complains about CRT noise
Remember the static that would build up on the screen that you could sometimes actually hear?
@@Roche_Furman yeah, one of my favourite things to do was to stick my Pokémon cards to the tube using the static
@@Roche_Furman I liked to clear it up with my hand, it crackled and felt like there was some sort of invisible fur on th surface.
Right on the synthetic fiber carpet. No ESD worries there. 8^)
I got one of these in 78 or 79 for Christmas. Atari Adventure was my favorite game on it. We thought it couldn't get any better than being able to play Space Invaders and Defender on our 13" color tv lol. How far we've come in 40 years
My cousin forced me to watch him play on this for hours at a time.
Were you playing as the bad guys?
Gamers Nexus ha! no unfortunately it was clear to me I was getting the short end of the stick
Is your cousin in jail now? :D
Castaa yes he is.. how’d you know?
@@TheEnd Had you gone bowling with him when he asked, things might be different.
Atari 2600 was my big Christmas gift in 1977. I loved that thing. I also still have a completely sealed unopened ET that I bought in a bargain bin in the early 80s.
Patrick: "I don't wanna go outside
Steve: (pretty much), "This is fine"
So many good memories. I grew up playing the Atari 2600 and later Atari 5200 with my dad. Now we both play PC games, but our gaming roots are solid.
Oooooooo a woody, so cool. This was my introduction to video gaming, via a friend of the family. I loved Pitfall back in the day. Thanks for the teardown, and the nostalgia run Steve.
We should get Pitfall in next time we set it up!
Two words for you. Dig dug.
Chopper Command and Yar's Revenge are also must have games.
@@timmooney7528 Indeed! Demon Attack and most other Imagic games are also some of the best. As are some of the other overlooked Activision titles, like Spider Attack. The best are the newer homebrew games, though, including some I'm working on.
I like the more relaxed feel of this type of video. I was just wondering how you manage to dive so deep into topics on a daily basis, hopefully you guys caught a little break on this one. Can't wait to see which factories you guys are visiting this time around. In case my comment isn't already convoluted enough, I'd be really interested in a trx40 taichi breakdown, bz doesn't seem too interested in that chipset for whatever reasons.
Game cheat for ATARI VCS: I discovered this cheat for Space Invaders when I was a kid. Flick the power switch from ON to OFF back to ON very very fast, so fast that the unit doesn't completely lose power. Do this while in Space Invaders. It will cause a second spaceship to appear to the side of your spaceship giving you double firepower.
Does this cheat still work?
Did anyone else discover this?
If you hold reset whenever you turn on Space Invaders, you'll get a double shot.
What you're referring to, is called frying the system. You can do this with a lot of games, with interesting results.
Yeah I did that back in the day.
Yea, I used to "fry" the system like that all the time with various games as a kid. Sometimes it was fun just to get the graphics to get all wonky and play that way, not so much to cheat.
03:57 That is a completely normal RF coaxial plug, of the RCA style.
TV's of the time had either a socket for that plug, or (more likely) a pair of screw terminals.
Consoles came with a switched adapter which took input from the console via RCA coaxial RF, and output to the TV with screw connectors (the U-shaped pads that you tighten the screws onto). Some had a secondary RF input for the TV antenna, or a set of screws on the adapter for separate antenna wires.
One of the really fancy things about the NES was that it's adapter didn't need to be switched. It just knew when the game was on, and switched automatically.
Giggling my old ass off.
Watching you both move in slow motion, and in confusion.
This was awesome in the 80's and we moved faster with smiles and dirty hands and knees from playing in the dirt just moments before cause our parents told us to go outside and play and make friends. We weren't aloud inside!
Boy the memories. If your parents had money to afford this new thing, you were popular and kids would go to your house to play with this. With open mouths and full of wonder. Till they too kicked every one out to again go play outside...
Fun times.
Puts "Space Invaders" in, hold down reset switch and hit power.
Welcome back to 1983.
"He looks so smug" Senior Patrick @ET
"Senior Patrick at GN" those get me every time. :D
I got one for Christmas 1978 when I was about 14. It was an original "Heavy Sixer" with the 6 switches, thick case that curves up on the sides and not an angle and had the big RF shield "can" the main board was in. It was also made in CA, USA. My friends and I put a lot of hours on that machine. I don't have it anymore but somehow I ended up keeping the original Paddle Controllers that came with it.
I remember browsing through a mail order catalogue back in the very early 80s, stumbling across the VCS. It just looked like the coolest thing ever, and then my heart sank when I saw the price - knowing that my parents would never buy me one and that I'd not be able to save up enough money to afford one anytime soon. If someone would've told me back then that some day you could buy this awesome, high tech, space-age machine for $12, I would've thought them insane.... :D
That man didnt sell you a broken Atari, he predicted the future.
I've just found my Dads old Atari in the loft today. It has 6 switches on the front though. The TV connection is an old RF connector which went straight into the TV. Here in the UK a lot of people get their TV via the old analogue aerials, but in digital format, Freeview. The TV's still have the analogue RF input as a result, so all I had to do was an auto channel scan but scan for analogue signals not digital. My backup was go through an old VHS VCR, again using the RF connections, and then VCR to TV via scart. The analogue channel scan worked a treat though. I've got quite a few games, including Superman. That's a trying game for sure.
I guess you've already been told this by now, but that chip puller wasn't designed for DIP packages. It's made for PLCC sockets. A DIP puller is simpler and basically consists of a flat piece of spring steel that's been bent into a U shape with the tips forming hooks that slide in under the chip.
Here is an example of on on Amazon: www.amazon.com/BCP-Green-Circuit-Puller-Extractor/dp/B01G3DDLN0?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_4
These pullers are a bit more secure and stable when lifting a DIP than using a PLCC puller.
There are more advanced DIP pullers but these are more specific about the shape and size of the chip and not as common.
Should had seen this sooner. The adapter for RF he is holding is often found as RCA to F-type. Few people aside from Eric Winston knows why it's called F, but presumably it was because its primary purpose was to carry very high and ultra high frequency connections, so the F by extension might be simply called "Frequency". Cinch connectors, Phono, oftentimes referred to as _RCA_ fro its developer Radio Corporation of America was made as a low-cost way of having single-cable two-pole connections, which invariably ended up on the Atari VCS' video output.
Good video. Brings me back to my younger days. I grew up with the "Video Gane" Industry.
Love the Hands-On stuff. Would have no problem with you doing hardware retrospectives on various consoles and PC platforms especially if you clean up and refurbish old tech while you are doing it.
I owned one of these...when they were new...but, it needs to be known that this console design was NOT Atari's first home having console. Before Atari released the "cartridge-based x console, they had released a home having console that had 4 pre-programmed games - Pong, Breakthrough, Breakout, & Atari Pinball...and, yes, I also owned one of these. On the back, there was a 'Ch. 3/Ch. 4' selection switch, and a power switch. On top of the console, close to the front, from left-to-right, were 'game select', 'start', and 'reset' switches on the left, and a "dial" (for the first three games) on the left. Finally, there were "flipper" buttons (for pinball) on the left & right sides of the console. I can't remember whether it came out in 1977, or 1978...but, as I mentioned, I had one (was one of my X-mas gifts that year).
The Atari VCS/2600 was my first system. Long story short it got either lost or stolen during a move.
A few years ago I ended up finding the exact same model you have and 40 games at a yard sale for $20, it was pretty nasty (as most of them usually are). I took it apart and cleaned it, it looks almost brand new. I did have to buy a joystick and paddles, and a PSU. I did buy a few more extras for it ( a cassette loader) called the Starpath Supercharger and I loaded a bunch of sound files into a cheap MP3 player and load many games like that.
The homebrew scene has done things on the VCS/2600 people thought wasn't possible, as well as the demoscene. It has a port of Mappy which is pretty impressive for the hardware, it has a clone of galaga named galagon, there's quite a few homebrew games on the 2600. The demoscene has made the TIA chip sing, and made some pretty impressive visuals.
This is how I started repairing electronics. My first solder was a speaker I owned. My second was my aunt's Atari 2600. Dog chewed through the RCA, so I replaced it. Good Times.
That was something different and I enjoyed it. Thanks GN team!
if you want that "fresh black plastic" look, go to an auto store and grab some Eagle One Nano Wax (its spray bottle not rag application). Makes old black plastic look great for about 6mo. on a car, probably last longer on something that's inside out of the elements and rain. Could likely just spray it on, toothbrush it down in the grooves and then let it dry. Dries clear too. Works way better than "Black magic" and lasts about 3 times longer out in the elements. Indoors probably last for years.
I appreciate that socket-able chips have been around since the beginning. Well, for the most part at least.
My childhood flashed before my eyes when you started up ET. Played it when it was new. Yeah I'm old but love your content and this just proves it. Thanks for making me smile, needed one today. :P
The empire strikes back was a amazing game, I spent hours playing that as a kid
Still have it, here.
LOL, you kids! Pro Tip: Take the electronics out, then put the case halves in the dishwasher. Those were around when I was a kid, and they made them for a very long time. The early ones had bigger boards, which shrank in later generations as more items were integrated into more complex chips. The RF output would go to a switch box, with 300-ohm (flat antenna cable) to hook to the TV, and allow Antenna/Game switching, channel 3 or channel 4 VHF.
This was the first gaming console I ever had back in the late 70's, I played spaced Invaders for hours on end.
Nice Video Guys. If you would like a Tip on saving your Sanity during Gameplay then use a MegaDrive/Genesis Controller :-) The Atari Joysticks although Nostalgic are almost always Broken
Glad you decided to properly wash the parts instead of just using q-tips.
You can also wash electronics (after properly discharging everything of course) by spraying degreaser and then rinsing with distilled water after 5 minutes (and of course letting everything dry before use)
the chip puller you’re using is for plcc (plasitic leaded chip carrier) ic packages, you need a chip puller for dip (dual inline package) ic packages.
was gonna say the same thing
I know this is a really old video now but the chip extractor you bought is for PLCC type chips with connections on all four side of the chip. They work by pushing the hooks in at opposite corners of the chip socket where there are cut outs for them, then squeeze the sides of the tool and the chip gets popped up and held in the corner shaped mould of the tool. For dual inline package chips you're better off with a small flat blade screwdriver or a basic chip extractor which looks like a pair of tweezers with the ends bent at right angles to fit under the chip.
My also very old Atari 2600 is very much connected to my 46" with surround sound set, that sound is still so cool, and those giant pixels are so big and so cool, i still love it.
I love Pong on this, Indy racing on ice tracks, Warlords, and so much more, and a lot of games are so much harder now that i am old :P
Black version, with the old controllers, and extra ones, 2 designs extra,plus tennis paddles and racing paddles, the whole thing, so happy i still have it.
But i love that old sound the most.
I did accidentally leave it on for a while while i thought i had turned it off, but it lived, but the cable receiver on my TV did not, so now it'srouted through a VCR connected with SCART.
Asteroids, Pitfall, Centipede and Missile Command. those were my favorites from the 2600.
That's pretty cool. I have mine still from when I was a kid. That thing is a tank. I once found out I had left it on for 4 years straight, still worked with no problems. LOL
Steve walking away for “a bit” while Patrick cleans seems to happen quite often 🙄
I had one of these in 80's. Pacman and Centipede. My first "console" :D
Oh man the memories. Back when ET and the game Journey were hits. Dang im old
Memories. We had one of these back in the 80's. Now I want one again.
That cut to Steve in the snow got me 🤣🤣🤣
There was one before that that had all six switches on the front panel. That is the one I had in the 70s. I'm in the 50s...
Also, love this kind of content.
The first 2600 consoles had the difficulty switches in line with all the others, and sported cast aluminum RF shielding inside. They were nicknamed heavy-sixers for that reason. Yours was made between 1980 & 82. After 1982, Atari ditched the woodgrain for an all-black shell.
When fixing/refreshing an old console/computer you'll want to replace all of the electrolytic capacitors. They can start to leak and destroy the board if they're not replaced. They might look fine (especially if the console/computer has been unused for a while) but can start leaking later when power is applied. Replacing the power supply if it's DC is also a good idea. AC-output power bricks are safe: they fail by sending nothing. old DC-output bricks can fail by sending slightly too high of a voltage and burn the system.
That chip puller is actually made for PLCC sockets, not DIP. There are dedicated chip pullers for DIP with wider hooks.
I loved this video, please do more projects like this in the future. An ITX rig would be cool to see in the Atari case as well. I'd love to see videos about any weird or retro things you guys find. Thank you for doing this, stay awesome GN
As a huge Retro Gaming fan as well as a bit PC and GN fan, this video was the greatest thing I've seen all day. I think it's pretty cute how grossed out you guys were with that tiny mess. I'm glad for you it wasn't worse but... I've seen some things. I'd take that level of gross any day.
My favorite video from you guys so far.
That opening joke was amazing!
When cleaning something with uneven edges, use an electric toothbrush. Those are designed to get into cracks and hard to clean places and get rid of the dirt.
I remember coming home from school in '77 (grade 5!) and there was a strange woodgrain box sitting on the floor in front of the TV. An Atari Video Pinball console in colour. 8) I wish I still had it. Just for nostalgia. I had never actually seen a video game as yet until that day. Playing Break Away with every kid on the block for hours at a time. It was king until I got a PET 2 years later. I had the coolest parents and grandparents. Wish I still had them too. Anyway, that trip just went dark... Ha!
That`s my first console back in 80`s ! Brings memories... :)
Jesus H, man it's only dust and dirt. You guys kill me with how fragile you're behaving about it, lol. Considering it's roughly 40 yrs old it could have been a hell of a lot worse in there. I know you've seen way worse than that! Suck it up, buttercup 🤣I'm only teasing. I do appreciate how Patrick was so careful with everything for sure though. It's funny to watch younger people see, and experience what we thought, at one time, was the pinnacle of technology. It shows how far we've come, and I love the appreciation for it. Thanks, guys it was an awesome video!
Antiques are worth more if you keep the dirt intact. Keep up the great work.
13:08 I don't understand why he doesn't want to come out Here?? LOL!
Yes!!!! Please do a modern build in a old VCS. That would be really cool to see
Steve: "It has a couple of decades of filth on it"... Me: A couple... more like four. Haha...
that wasn't a couple decades worth, that was actually in pretty good shape. a years worth of gaming and that thing would have looked more orange from all the doritos and cheese puffs.
It's so weird watching someone who doesn't restore these things a lot like I do try to figure out the best way to do it. It's actually pretty easy to just take the screws out, pull it apart, and toss the case in the sink to wash it with dish soap.
Patrick is such a unique person, he should host more videos
Patrick was great! Hope he sticks around.
Finally branching out of the hotel business. Good for Atari.
Good added content... love to see mini itx in there !
You can pull up chips with a flathead, but using a plcc extractor will make it a lot harder for you to bend the pins.
I had one of these as a kid. I remember one summer I clocked the score on Pacman. I had worked out a routine around the board which won every time. Think it took about 5 hours. I had neighbours in watching as well as my mum.
I played Phoenix a lot too. It was a favourite game I remember. It amazed me as a kid in the late 70s/early 80s. I think it was the 90s before I got my first PC ( second hand original XT with a 360K 5.25 floppy,10mb fullheight HDD {think 2 CD rom drives stacked together} and 512K of ram, which I think I bought the dip chips and upgraded to 640K) . :D
Awesome! i still have my 2600 from 1979 (6 switches) in use :-)
nice 4 switch, if that would have been a light or heavy sixer you would have really scored, nice job restoring that beauty.
You youngins' make OG gamers like me feel soooooo old.