Atari 7800 Composite Mod and Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 มิ.ย. 2024
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In this episode I take a look at the Atari 7800 video game console and modify it to support composite video.
Love how 8-bit Guy produces regular videos that aren't just vlogs
A rare breed on YT nowadays.
Or videos of him playing a game for 2 hours.
Yeah agreed! And I think his ever growing subscriber count reflects that...
Shay Ellison *cough cough* pat the nes punk
I love vlogs, too, wish he WOULD!
I seriously cannot get enough of your and LGR's videos.
Be N S O N you need to check out techmoan, ave, Linus tech, too bud
Nostalgia elitist are gross too.
... and Modern Vintage Gamer.
I whole heartily agree!!! Both channels are awesome!, Has to be that growing up with the 80s / 90s with computers.. Man I miss back when I ran a BBS.
I'm subscribed to both of them but I think I prefer 8 bit guy over LGR.
The reason the 7800 doesn't have composite on it is because it was actually developed and they were all manufactured a couple of years before they was actually released. When they were all originally built composite wasn't common on TVs. They sat in warehouses for a few years. Atari stop sitting on them in released it when they saw the success of the Nintendo NES. Before the Nintendo NES had come out Atari had switched their focus to 8-bit computers to compete with Commodore. Love your videos dude 😀
This is mostly true. The 7800 was developed in 1983 for a 1984 release, and actually had a test release in 1984 in southern California. However, the console was shelved when Warner Communications, unbeknown to the 7800 development and marketing team, decided to put Atari up for sale. When Jack Tramiel bought Atari he put new projects on hold while the company was shuffled around under his direction. In addition, there was a dispute with General Communications Corporation, the developer of the 7800, over who was responsible for payment. After everything was settled, Tramiel green-lit the 7800 for nationwide release in May of 1986, 4 months _prior_ to the nationwide release of the NES. Marketing for the 7800, coupled with a small library of mostly arcade ports, didn't help the 7800 after the NES was released. "Massive" side-scrolling games like _Super Mario Bros.,_ _Castlevania,_ and _Mega Man,_ along with fantasy adventure titles like _The Legend of Zelda_ made Atari's library of games look ancient. Also, Nintendo's licensing agreements with third party developers insured a fast-growing library of exclusive, quality titles for the NES that Atari just couldn't compete with.
Nintendo nes would mean, Nintendo Nintendo entertainment system
SEGA genesis nor NES were composite, wasn't standard till 90s, new did DC have a jack on it, Sega needed adapter
The NES 100% did have a composite connection. I'm looking at it on mine right now.
@@gr8one1998 yup nes sure does have composite
I love it, another video! Thanks for making such awesome videos!
I don't know this to be fact, but I wonder if the reason Atari didn't include composite support is because the 7800 was actually designed in 1983 to be released 1984, but shelved when the company was sold. After Nintendo brought back the market, Atari brought it out without making any changes to the original design.
I had wondered about that. But you would think they could have added composite jacks before releasing it again?
The 8-Bit Guy Yeah. Just one additional misstep on Atari's long, sad road to irrelevance.
This is my theory too. Guessing the consoles were built, boxed and warehoused, according to reports, so Ataru jus decided to ship them out as-is. From other reports, the person who bought Atari during the time of the crash didn't care about game systems, so I'd also consider that no adjustments were ever considered after the release. Would have been nice though had a 7800 model 2 been released with composite and improved sound chips.
@@SumDumGy You're right, they just shipped out the original units manufactured in 1984. The 7800 was actually released in a test market in southern California in 1984, and was slated for a national release later the same year. The units were shelved suddenly because after Warner Communications sold Atari to Jack Tramiel, he did a lot of restructuring of the company, halting the release of new products. Also, there was a dispute with General Computer Corporation, the actual developer of the 7800, over who was responsible for payment. Once all that was settled, Tramiel green-lit the 7800, which was released nationwide in May of 1986, _4 months prior_ to the nationwide release of the NES.
Had the 7800 been more successful, I'm almost certain there would have been a second manufacturing run, perhaps with composite outputs and an integrated POKEY sound chip.
I can confirm this is true
I have no idea why I watched this, but I watched the whole thing! Quite interesting haha!
I see you everywhere lol
@@maotio 👍
Repair videos and mods are like my Asmr it’s addicting.
Compelling, aren't they; & David's a real dude too...
I don't give a *DAMN* what the 8-Bit Guy's talking about today, I'm pressing like and watching anyway.
Always fun to be a "late to the party" guy and sift through the older episodes.
If I ever get my hands on a 7800, I'm sure to test this mod 👍
You've got such an awesome channel. I can't get over how much knowledge you've got about these older systems and computers.
Your channel, by itself, makes youtube worthwhile. Love this stuff! all good wishes!
Love what you do, man. Straight forward and direct content, and you make everything seem very approachable. Keep on keepin' on!
awesome video as always!
What a great little modification.
This is the first thing you have reviewed/fixed that I have actually owned.
take a shot every time he say "O-KAY!"
...At who? :o
I counted, this video has 12 instances of "O-kay."
i like very much his O..kayy :-)))
The Color Computers drilled into this head from an early age
Had 5200 but it wouldn't play our old 2600 games. So Dad bought a 7800 when the 2600 finally died, Joust was the best game available for 7800 IMHO.
God I love this channel. My face lit up when I saw there was a new 8bit guy video. If I knew how to solder i would mod some consoles but I always mess it up. Great video!
dandanthetaximan
I have tried for years and screwed up. maybe one day I will be able to do it.
I appreciate this is an old video - the UAV (Ultimate Atari Video) mod is widely available now and is a huge improvement on these cheaper composite mods - and for only $25! It also adds s-video. Definitely worth looking into if you're looking to revisit this or mod any other Atari consoles. 👍
I second the recommendation of the UAV. You can install it without any changes to the existing circuit, leaving the RF module functional - you just need to add two resistors and a capacitor for sound. The picture on a CRT is amazing.
5:19 that joke was from me. Every video I want see vinegar
Thank you for mentioning me in the video !
lol
lol
lol
lol
@C B S lol
My opinion The 8 Bit Guy is the best tech channel for vintage gaming on TH-cam and one of the very best channels overall.
I have been watching your videos for a long time and it's just crazy seeing a youtubeer go from a small channel rarely uploading and fixing MacBooks to a channel that is getting new subscribers at a amazing rate and the owner of that channel is now making 8 bit games and might be in a commodore documentary
*Sees LGR, Ben Heck, and The Gaming Historian in photos* You, sir, have good taste in TH-cam channels!
in a couple of years there would be a HDMI mod for the VCR,LaserDisc,CED,Betamax,and etc. hopefully what i typed would come true.
Nope
The last couple of VCRs released had HDMI compatability. I know because I own one.
Framemeister / XRGB / OSSC / RetroTINK will work to convert any of these devices to HDMI.
That 3M VHB double-sided tape is _very_ good. It's not your run-of-the-mill double-sided tape and will hold up for a long time. It's largely water-resistant and there's even an outdoor version that's weather-proof. It's worth giving a second look next time you need to stick two things together. :)
Sweet video. I only wish I could've seen/heard some more games. Congrats on the successful modification and thanks for another great video! Stoked about your video game! It looks fantastic. I love new old(style) games. So very cool. I also have a lot of respect for the dedication to create a game in/for a format that is obsolete, it's such a cool tribue to something you loved. :D
7800 was engineered in 1983 and originally released in 84. composite was still pretty rare in 83.
***** Can we eat some 8-Bit Cornflakes together? ☺
Released in 1986
@@SumDumGy originally released in 1984 then shelved. 86 was after NES became popular.
@@musclesmouse 7800 was released in southern California in 1984, shelved, then released nationwide in May 1986. NES wasn't released nationwide until September 1986. By the time Atari was really competing with Nintendo (would have been 1987), the 7800 had been out almost a year.
I used to not give a shit about old hardware because I'm a futurist, but your channel has actually got me interested in it. In fact, so interested to the point that I've done lots of research and watched numerous videos on very early computers from 1940s - 1960s and onward. I'm now fascinated by how these older machines work because despite their obvious obsolescence, in some ways these machines are more complex than modern machines. It really took lots of ingenuity to actually begin the era of computing. Thank you for enlightening me.
Doge 2016 a futurist? Seriously?
Jeff Gordon Sure, he's a disciple of Marinetti - "zang-tumb-tumb-zang-zang-tuuumb tatatatatatatata picpacpampacpacpicpampampac uuuuuuuuuuuuuuu" and all that.
It's a joke, but everything after the first half of the first sentence is true. Of course futurism is not actually what it sounds like.
How about a transhumanist?
Are you 12?
I was excited to see a video out this morning! I love this channel!
So cool! I'm so glad 8bitguy has come this far with all his projects!
Just a heads up there is also an RGB mod coming soon for the 7800, would produce a better even sharper image.
saw RGB and thought "how would pretty colored lights make the image sharper"
then realized which RGB you meant
@@TylerFurrison Eventually when Tim gets to it. ;) Still waiting. :)
@@ChrisKewl Yeah, the modern gaming PC paradigm kinda took over in my mind...
@@realvivifromloona what video do you remember me from? 🤔
@@realvivifromloona Wait how do you remember me from 5 years ago if I only started using this name less time ago?
You do not need a switch box into an adaptor. Just a connector from rca to coax will work just fine for that.
Kevin Blankenship Yeah. I'm really surprised he didn't know that.
Hey I have one of those (RCA Fem to F-Type Coax Male), but come to think of it I've never used it.
Kevin Blankenship it depends.. if you've got other stuff hooked up via rf, you need it for ease of connection. it also depends if he received the original rf cable with his 7800.. if he had it, he'd have hooked it up direct.. here in Australia, all atari concoles had a male rf connector on the end, no rca.. But going composite video and direct audio out, is a better choice anyway. As rf in the vhf range(channel 3 and 4) is dead in Australia, no new tvs have it anymore... I'll be making this mod to my atari consoles so I use them on any TV.. of course, will just make the mod to composite and then will need a composite to hdmi adapter of some kind... as apparently, composite is also dying in Australia, in favor of hdmi.....
all of my tvs always have like 4 hdmi and 1 composite
I notice a lot of you suggest using an rca to rca cable and an rca female to f-male adapter, I find that is a bad Idea because most RCA to RCA cables are meant to carry analog audio or low frequency base band video signals like composite video and work poorly for carrying relatively high frequency broadband signals like RF video, I personally use an RCA male to F female with a piece of rg59 head-end cable with f connector on each end, although in the past I have had good results using piece of 2.5C-2V with high quality-ish push on f-connectors along with the F-female to RCA-male adapter
I'm glad that I bought a 7800 that had already been modified. I'm pretty good at putting hardware together, but when it comes to soldering, drilling holes, cutting boards etc. my hands aren't quite dexterous enough to do a good job of it. So glad that there are guys out there like you and the guy that I got my console from who can do this stuff better than I can.
I'm from Long Island and can't wait to meet you at the Retro Gaming Expo!
Best channel on TH-cam 🙂
Wow 20 likes 😂
Maxxica 25 😂😂
@@Maxxica 30 likes
And LGR 🙂
6:15 Atari was already having quad core Pokey ICs made for their arcade department. A pin-selectable duel core Pokey TIA IC would have done wonders for the 7800. What a shame. In that case, they could have kept their backwards compatibility but also provided sound that is superior to the NES in some ways. That would have been an edge. A couple years later, they rolled the dice on a custom audio IC in the Lynx, anyway. I can't imagine what would have stopped them from doing the same for the 7800. They were probably financially worse off by the time the Lynx came out and they were being run by Jack Trammell in both cases. Strange.
From what I understand the 7800 was originally designed to have an onboard POKEY, but Atari was trying to keep manufacturing costs down while also making the 7800 physically smaller (due to the ridiculous size of the 5200). So they compromised by removing the POKEY from the system board, then providing a smaller version of the POKEY for developers to install in their game cartridges. Most developers didn't use it because the cost of putting extra chips in the cartridges was seen as too high for a profitable ROI.
These videos are always so interesting, definitely makes me want to mod more of my old consoles. I already refurbished my NES. Bending the pins and over all just making it work more consistently.
There is something very satisfying about soldering something together and then having it work. Nice job!
"These swich boxes are a pain in the butt." *switches channel to AVGN*
I see a bunch of comments from people acting like the guy making the video is an idiot with statements like:
"how could he not know he doesn't need the switch box, all he needs is an RCA to coax adapter"
True there probably is no purpose for the switch box now(even if he wasn't doing the mod) since it is an analog tuner and probably the only thing he will use it for is the Atari and if wasn't going to mod it could use an RCA to coax adapter, but has anyone commenting on that have enough sense to know that maybe he doesn't have the adapter and doesn't feel like either ordering it or going to a store that has it when that switch box works just fine(and besides he was doing away with that part of the circuit that used it anyway and he was just showing how it would have been hooked prior to the mod). And he was correct saying "you will need an adapter" when showing how it hooks prior to the mod as you would have either needed the RCA to coax you guys keep mentioning, or the switch box he used which just happened to be handy since he already had it.
That's so awesome you got to meet Ben Heck!! I absolutely love his videos, he's such a cool dude.
I love your videos. I learn so much, not just about the content, but also techniques like desoldering.
hi 8-bit guy I was wondering what made you become a You Tuber ?
He mentioned this in one of his videos. He used to flip Apple laptops and started making how-to or repair videos about them. After the Apple flipping dried up, he started doing videos part-time. Earlier this year, he was able to leave his job and start TH-cam as a full time gig.
5:10 as I saw the corrosion I started ecstatically yelling : Take vinegar, take vinegar
man your channel is so addictive, makes me wish i had kept my old nes and atari, still i found a new love in emulators.
It is always a pleasure to watch your videos. Thank you for quality content :)
"This is just a small section of the board, there aren't even any traces."
Don't give him a multi layer board and tell him to route a wire through it.
dear 8-Bit guy. I'm young. Only 17, but I was always in love with retro end new tech. in fact I'm a collector(wanna be) too. I don't have a lot of money so I only own a few systems myself. But i have some saved money to buy games and stuff so if you start a kick starter for that game I'm going to buy it. I was in love with the Ultima games. the sound the story, even the graphic.Sadly I only played them on emulators. Any ways, I wanna say thank you.Your channel helps a lot.
- with love from Hungary
Just finished this mod and I must say thank you for the step by step. It comes with instructions but when I ran across that it was the 8 Bit Guy who had a run down on how to perform it, I knew I was all set! Thanks my man!
I became so addicted to your content so I finally signed myself up for a patreon support. Keep doing your great job!
8-Bit guy and LGR in one picture? I can't, someone hold me!
It's fucking beautiful
OMG he deleted it! Where's the guy with the picture of Drake who says he downloaded his video?
Thank you for posting some awesome videos! Keep up the great work. I cant get enough of you and LGR.
I must say your videos are better as you left a job. They were good but now they are great. Love this channel :) good luck in the future.
wicked
Oh a new 8-bit-guy video! *Clicks like, then starts watching*
Michael Belcher is that supposed to be weird?
Michael Belcher I like a lot of videos before I watch them too! XD
Exactly my thought just before reading this.. I just should go ahead and like the video b4 watching, cause its gonna be good anyway.
Lol ash is mad
Michael Belcher same
Great episode. This mod looks a lot easier to do than I anticipated. I personally have a composite modded system, but I did not do it myself. In hindsight, I now realize I probably could have.
thank you so much for the easy to follow instructions instead of how people rush through it i could clearly see everything and makes me confident to perform this mod
If im correct you can also use a sega genesis pad on the 7800
Sort of. If a game requires 2 buttons you need a 7800 controller. Here is a list: atari7800.org/7800list.htm
Nah. You can make an adapter for $4 in parts to use a Genesis pad with a 7800 if the game requires two buttons. If the game doesn't require two buttons, which is all 2600 games and the vast majority of 7800 games, just plug it in and go.
No don't use a Genesis pad on any Atari or Commodore. The Genesis pad puts 5v down the wrong line and can fry chips, especially Amigas are sensitive to it.
Genesis controller only works as a 1 button like 2600. I tried it as a kid. I wasn't crazy over the buttons on the side of 7800, they were uncomfortable.
has someone noticed, that 8-bit guy removed the AI video ?
You see, no vinegar => complaints => video take down.
Liked because of no vinegar
I think it was removed due copyright issues. Terminator, Star wars...
Countless videos talk about those without any kind of permission. I think it was because of the negative feedback. Personally, I think it was quite silly and didn't like it. The idea was good, but there were many faults
Reactions in the comment section were excessive. There are more important subject to get mad about than some nerdy theory.
I haven't read all the comments of course, but the ones I've seen where pretty civil, not insulting and used logic
loving the videos still man putting out awesome content you're the first guy I click on whenever I'm browsing mine feed
This was my first instance of TH-cam unsubscribing me from a channel. But yet I watch every video.
Great mod!
Iykury lol I think his internal clock was messed up
not all youtubers that rely on patreon follow the exact same system/length of time before releasing to their youtube audience. in the end donate if you like the videos they post not necessarily for the custom content/duration of early availability they make available specifically for patreon supporters.
I had that exact unit! Might of been mine when young. (sisters spilled water in mine) You have the console only which explains the missing everything else. stored games and controllers in one box and consoles in other. I loved playing Xevious, Joust, And Ms. Pacman. The controllers are a step up in function but tended to fail easily. (switches dislodge from inside) not very durable.
AMAZING video my friend!! good to hear about your game as well!!!!!
8-Bit Guy taking something old apart. Always a good time.
I've noticed one specific easter egg, That 8 Bit Guy sometimes wears a t-shirt the same brand as what he is reviewing e.g he is wearing an Atari Shirt while he is Reviewing an Atari 7800 :P
I hate how you can shorten this console's name, but I can't in my language :(
This is "Atari Siedem Tysięcy Osiemset" for me :(
I still have mine from 1987. The Sega Genesis controllers work with the Atari 7800, but just the D-pad. Great video, learned alot.
That photo of you and Clint from LGR put a huge smile on my face!
R.I.P Club Penguin
budderlovr
what, is it discontinued?
Jesse Pullum yes
Jesse Pullum today was final day
It's shutting down tonight
omg my childhood is forever lost. ); rip
You've had double sided tape last a year??? You must use some kind of super tape. Whenever I use double sided tape, it lasts maybe twelve minutes.
probably because you didnt do the proper prep work first. I never have issues with it.
Ben Heck !!!!!!!! BTW, I always start watching your videos before I get to sleep and so and I end up watching it till the end ! Great vids ! Love your work !
great video as always brother, you are a wizard for retro hardware keep on rocking
Please re-upload the A.I video :(
He stated he won't due to viewer backlash. But, I thought it was a great video but there is a reupload.
All those people you met at that expo I watch.
Ben Heck for the win!
I love your keyboards and drum pads in the background!!
It's really awesome that your game came out on the Atari 7800! :D
It not having traces on the surface doesn't mean there are no traces there. You were lucky here. PCBs don't only have traces on the surfaces, but also on the inside
That Guy not in the old days... multilayer pcbs is newer technology that started to be used largerly since 32bit hardware
If there were traces there the PCB would be darker. Also it's a simple 2-sided 8-bit board.
Raul Rojas Truez but there always are exceptions. Was fixing a pretty high-end keyboard from the 90s lately and it had a multi-layer PCB
4K SRAM? Atari had 4K that long ago when 8-Bit Guy still shoots 720p
If it's not completely obvious, I'm joking
This was a thoroughly entertaining video. Nice work.
Something about your videos are so relaxing! 👾👍
Who's in that notification squad!!!
Jaio YAS
Jaio you
kappa
Jaio here here
Why do Americans still use non-metric units? You had nice 3cm (30mm) at the bottom of ruler but you decided to use some bizarre 2,54 cm instead of just 3 cm ;)
Atak Snajpera
For the same reason they drive on the left side of the road in England
@Den Tyngaste The only reason why we use the imperial system is because that's all that most use, simply because that's what we know. Most don't actually like it, like myself. I can read metric well enough, but in practice, we don't use it often enough. (Also I completely agree that the US is pretty trash...)
I like metric and I wish the US would switch to it, but to switch a country over to an entirely different standard is a huge deal and one in which our leaders and industries are just not interested in doing yet. For what it's worth, the metric system _is_ standard in just about all scientific and medical practices in the US.
We had one of these when I was a kid, its been like 20+yrs since seeing one!
I just got one and this video will be most helpful in the installation! thanks!
+The 8-Bit Guy
>does not output stereo sound
NOT TRUE! Even the Atari 2600 did stereo, all the way back into the 70's! Even the first ever Atari cartridge, Combat, was in stereo!
While it is true that there are only a few stereo games, they do exist, especially in the Homebrews. Fact is, some Homebrews *require* stereo for you to be able to complete levels.
PIN 12 on the TIA is the RIGHT channel
PIN 13 on the TIA is the LEFT channel
Stereo was never implemented in the final design though, was it? I imagine you could probably get it by using those pins but it's not like it matters much since most games were probably designed for the mono audio that was used in the end.
Not sure about the Amiga, but to my knowledge no NES games were ever programed for stereo, whereas many Atari games actually were.
The Atari 2600 and 7800 have actual separate 2 channel left and right audio. The NES does not. Again, not sure about the Amiga.
I swear he made an AI video...
I don't know what it is about your videos, David, but I absolutely enjoy them! I used to play on my dad's Tandy 1000 back in the 80s, as well as his Atari, but that's about it for RETRO retro stuff. I grew up on NES, Genesis, and pretty much every system after that, as well. I have always loved electronics, but don't do anything with them. Your videos make me want to rip open an old system and tinker around. Thanks for these videos!
Dude I celebrate your work. Thanks for making these videos.
great video. I think I should mention that today most PCB boards consist of many layers, so just because it looks clear to cut, doesn't mean it is. Keep up the good work!
Omg Long Island is across the river from me! I'm so going! Ahhh! I have always wanted to go to an event like that. Anywho, definitely hope to see you there to say thank you because back when you were the iBook Guy your videos helped me quite a bit and all your videos about computing along with LGR and old episodes of the computer chronicles distill all the information I'd want to learn in digestible simple enough language. See you then!!
Great video! You voice is music to my ears! And your theme music is also... music to my ears.
Damn, Dave, you're pretty legit. Doing those hardware mods of retro computers and consoles, making your own c64 game (and it'll be physical, as well), etc.
I love when you take apart a thing and then you explain what chips do
This is the definitive old electronics scrubbing and cleaning channel. I love it!
It's funny how those boards looked so cutting edge in their day. Now they look positively archaic. Like something a child might build. Time is such a cruel critic. Another great video. The perfect length watch during lunch. And good luck on the game and all your other activities!
VERY good content. Me and my son love watching you
really enjoyed this video, keep up the great work
I cannot explain why I find the 8 Bit Guy's videos so satisfying to watch. Maybe its his high quality video? maybe its his sincere and honest approach to all things retro? maybe its his snazzy dress sense? I don't know, but I do. So I'll keep watching them.
i like how your tv has the shape of a scart socket, but two composite plugs in its place!
Great video and exciting updates. Thanks!!