[sci.electronics] need Atari 2600 schematics

tbc@cbnewsk.att.com (thomas.b.cook) (01/15/91)

I'm looking for schematics to help me repair an old Atari
2600 video game. If you have a drawing, please send me
email and we'll figure a way to get it here.

thanks,
Tom
-- 

Tom Cook BL-PR Princeton,NJ (609)-639-3131 att!pruxg!tbc

terryb@cs.fau.edu (terry bohning) (01/15/91)

tbc@cbnewsk.att.com (thomas.b.cook) writes:

> I'm looking for schematics to help me repair an old Atari
> 2600 video game. If you have a drawing, please send me
> email and we'll figure a way to get it here.
> 
> thanks,
> Tom
> -- 
> 
> Tom Cook BL-PR Princeton,NJ (609)-639-3131 att!pruxg!tbc

I remember seeing an article on the 2600 some years ago.  It was either
in Electronic Servicing (a Howard Sams publication, don't know if it's 
stilll around, or Radio Electronics.  I think it was in ES&T, the
full name was (is?) Electronic Servicing and TEchnology.  Discussed the
most common failures, as I recall.

terryb@cs.fau.edu (terry bohning) (01/16/91)

tbc@cbnewsk.att.com (thomas.b.cook) writes:

> I'm looking for schematics to help me repair an old Atari
> 2600 video game. If you have a drawing, please send me
> email and we'll figure a way to get it here.
> 
I check my 1990 SAMS annual index, and there is a computerfacts
package for the ATari CX-2600 (2197-3) and CX-2600A (2196-2).
You can call them and order with a charge-card. Howards W. SAMS,
Indianapolis, IN, (800)-428-SAMS

totty@flute.cs.uiuc.edu (Brian Totty) (01/16/91)

	I would actually be curious to know what kind of stuff actually
	were used in home video games.  Processors, graphic chips, sound chips,
	amount of memory, etc.  Anyone know this info say for:

		Simple "Pong" games
		Atari 2600
		Atari 7800
		Mattel Intellivision
		Nintendo
		Sega Genesis (and whatever it's precursor was called)

	I don't have any of these so I can't open 'em up and look, but
	I was wondering what kind of technology progression made it in
	home video games...

   /                      Brian Totty              o o
  /__  __  o       1304 W. Springfield Avenue       o  
 /  / /   /             Urbana, IL 61801           \_/  "We have corn in
/__/ /   /             totty@cs.uiuc.edu                Massachusetts too!"

whit@milton.u.washington.edu (John Whitmore) (01/18/91)

In article <1991Jan15.194359.25217@julius.cs.uiuc.edu> totty@flute.cs.uiuc.edu (Brian Totty) writes:

>	I would actually be curious to know what kind of stuff actually
>	were used in home video games.  Processors, graphic chips, sound chips,
>	amount of memory, etc.

	I got a NEC Turbo Grafix 16 this Christmas, and (naturally) wasted
no time in disassembling it.  Took about 2 hours.

	The circuit board had space for "UPD65006", 64-pin QFP (and
the part number indicates it is a NEC CMOS gate array of some sort)
and "23C1000", a 28-pin DIP, a CMOS 128kB ROM, but both spaces were
empty (the ROM presumably would have replaced the plug-in cartridge).
The actual chips on the board were:

	HuC6260     80 - QFP (i.e. eighty-pin quad flat pack)
	HuC6270     80 - QFP
	HuC6280     80 - QFP
  2@    HSRM20256LM12   28 - flatpack 120 ns SRAM, 32k x 8 bits
	HSRM2264LM10    28-flatpack 100 ns SRAM , 32k x 8 bits
		(with a tin plate soldered over it for shielding)
        21.4772 MHz oscillator
and an eight-pin chip (probably an op amp for the sound circuit).

	I suspect the memory is 32k x 16 bits, that one of the HuCxxxx
chips has the CPU on it, and that the fast memory chip is being run
as the video buffer.  All the 'HuCxxxx' chips are copyright-stamped
'Hudson', which name also appears on the title screens of some of
the video games.

	If anyone wants to pull one of these apart, the only trick
is in building the wrench.  Starting with 0.249"  hex stock in
an indexing head, drill six #66 holes at 60 degree intervals on
a .175" diameter circle.  Then drill the center with a .180" drill
to a depth of 0.140".  Clean out the six holes, cement a short 
#67 hardened rod in each, and grind the end flat.  Chuck it in the
electric screwdriver, and disassemble away!
	Curiously, there is no note on the case stating 'No user
serviceable parts inside', so I trust I have NEC's blessing in
the disassembly effort.

	John Whitmore