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CRTGAMER wrote:Neat TV though hopefully you move your 27" CRT WEGA back to active status. I'm spoiled by larger flat tubes and preferred over the curved glass of my Sony PVMs and Commodore 1701. The smaller CRTs reserved as secondary screen of "Lan" play. Still, that 13" TV a good holdover to enjoy your retro consoles.

Yeah, I really miss gaming on CRTs. I picked up a 30-something-inch Sony Trinitron off the side of the road a few years ago, and aside from testing it to make sure it works I haven't had the opportunity to use it yet.

I've been growing fond of the bubble screens though. Back in the day, getting a flat screen was awesome and you didn't want to go back to a bubble screen. But these days, it's a nice throw back if nothing else. Also, I think it helps to hide minor geometry problems (like when the corners pinch). At least with Trinitron screens, the screen is only curved in one direction so it isn't a true bubble screen. Don't get me wrong, I'm not getting rid of my 27" Wega any time soon.

CRTGAMER wrote:I looked over again on your modded stereo to mono adapter. If reading your schematic correctly, just resistors to reduce the attenuation? I do not see any diodes for one direction to prevent any possible cross feedback. Never have an issue of a signal too loud or distortion feedback with an RCA YPlug converting stereo to mono on the PVM or 1701. Some game manuals state to use just the white connector for mono TVs, I think some game sounds lost if leaving the red jack disconnected.

That's interesting, I'll have to ask about the diode on another forum, but I'm pretty sure you don't need it. You're mixing the signals into one, and the resistors will correct the impedance. So, yeah, the signal is just being attenuated. Mixing the signals with a Y cable wont make the signal too loud, though. Actually, quite the opposite, it can lead to signal loss.

Y cables are for splitting, not combining or mixing. But here's the thing with electronics, you can hook things up WRONG but it will still WORK. That doesn't make it OK, though. Equipment has tolerances and sometimes protections built in for that sort of thing. So sometimes you're OK, but you're kinda rolling the dice when you hookup something wrong that nothing will be damage. So combining two audio signals with a Y cable might "work" in most cases, but I'd rather be safe with my equipment. I still can't find such an adapter for sale any where, but making one is no big deal.

CRTGAMER wrote:Going the other direction such as mono PlugNPlays, interesting that older stereo CRTs can detect just the one audio feed and send sound to both internal speakers. Out of habit, I use Y cables anyways.

That's actually a giant pain in the ass, I wish TVs wouldn't do that. It makes it hard to diagnose problems. It's probably a thing because VCRs had only mono outputs for the longest time. It was only the last stretch of VHS that VCRs had stereo (or dual mono) outputs. Or, at least, that it was common.

Good info from you, I'll add these to the 7800 Mod Guide once solutions worked out.

Ziggy587 wrote:

CRTGAMER wrote:I looked over again on your modded stereo to mono adapter. If reading your schematic correctly, just resistors to reduce the attenuation? I do not see any diodes for one direction to prevent any possible cross feedback. Never have an issue of a signal too loud or distortion feedback with an RCA YPlug converting stereo to mono on the PVM or 1701. Some game manuals state to use just the white connector for mono TVs, I think some game sounds lost if leaving the red jack disconnected.

That's interesting, I'll have to ask about the diode on another forum, but I'm pretty sure you don't need it.

You're mixing the signals into one, and the resistors will correct the impedance. So, yeah, the signal is just being attenuated. Mixing the signals with a Y cable wont make the signal too loud, though. Actually, quite the opposite, it can lead to signal loss.

Y cables are for splitting, not combining or mixing. But here's the thing with electronics, you can hook things up WRONG but it will still WORK. That doesn't make it OK, though. Equipment has tolerances and sometimes protections built in for that sort of thing. So sometimes you're OK, but you're kinda rolling the dice when you hookup something wrong that nothing will be damage. So combining two audio signals with a Y cable might "work" in most cases, but I'd rather be safe with my equipment. I still can't find such an adapter for sale any where, but making one is no big deal.

I too had concerns of sending to the RCA stereo leads to a mono jack, more of if each ground had to be isolated. The ground of course is the same and the combined red and white signals never have issues and did not increase or decrease the volume when combined thru a YCable. Perhaps the game console or DVD Player sound chip thru the low level circuit splits up the total signal strength when going thru two stereo RCA jacks or sends entire signal strength when going to one mono jack? This seems the case since no difference in volume level if using just one mono jack or both stereo jacks.

Resistors decrease the audio attenuation signal and as a fix of combining channels to me does not make sense. I can see where impedance has to matched to the Ohm impedance of a speaker set, but that is at the high end amplified circuit and not the low level output. I think the resistors only just reduce the sound level attenuation on each channel and have no affect isolating each signal bank from each other. A diode would do that, but it is not needed. With resistors reducing the signal, this leads to having to turn up the amp louder downstream resulting in sound hum. The resistors do make sense if the initial attenuation too loud which does not allow a wide volume control downstream at the amp.

Question: Does an RF Atari 7800 require more volume level on a TV vs a DVD Player or TV Channel?
I have been sorting out a low attenuation sound issue for my Atari 7800 Composite Mod. The PCB audio output is mono to stereo RCA jacks and even just using one jack did not help. The volume on the TV has to be kicked way up for a decent sound level resulting in sound hum. Found a perfect solution using a dedicated line amp.

In the link, scroll to bottom of the Guide:

Audio Fix Low Level Amp Upgrade - http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1078108#p1078108

I found something kind of weird or not I guess for $10 between the two today. Both in CD jewel cases as complete as they are in such form there's Wolfenstein 3D but a newer release with the M rating, Activision branding, and it saying 'the classic that started it all' and I saw online it's worth over $20 for some reason.

The screwy one was the $4 (of the $10) pick up which is some after market oddness Wolf-3D Mania!!! Claims to have over 200 new levels, "8 Different more Graphics" and it's for the shareware and registered versions and the front of the jewel the lower right panel shows Barney twice smiling as an enemy. The back has this annoying cute cartoon bear and it's such a piratey unofficial mess from Tech Express Software from San Jose, CA. Everything about it is just cheesy but I haven't had time yet to stuff it in my disc drive to see what's there.

I happened across 2 totes of almost entirely incomplete sets (grossly beyond worth of effort) Lego sets. Seems 2-3 are salvageable between 2 police sets and the Gugenheim, and one is complete. Figured I'd give some to my kid to enjoy and sell the stuff I can part together or already is so in one case. She just loves random parts, not sets and there's lots of it between a 1/2 missing jet, a busted shuttle, ferrari parts, lots of cop and fire stuff, random other stuff too. Any day you can pick up 5-10lbs of Lego for $15 is a good one.

Tanooki wrote:I found something kind of weird or not I guess for $10 between the two today. Both in CD jewel cases as complete as they are in such form there's Wolfenstein 3D but a newer release with the M rating, Activision branding, and it saying 'the classic that started it all' and I saw online it's worth over $20 for some reason.

The screwy one was the $4 (of the $10) pick up which is some after market oddness Wolf-3D Mania!!! Claims to have over 200 new levels, "8 Different more Graphics" and it's for the shareware and registered versions and the front of the jewel the lower right panel shows Barney twice smiling as an enemy. The back has this annoying cute cartoon bear and it's such a piratey unofficial mess from Tech Express Software from San Jose, CA. Everything about it is just cheesy but I haven't had time yet to stuff it in my disc drive to see what's there.

I have that Wolf-3D mania disc, a lot of fan made levels for the Wolfenstein 3D game. There were all kinds of FPS level compilations back then.

Atari 2600 Flashback 2017 Portable - $59.99 $44.88 $25.00 Clearance Walmart
ATGames sells this for just under 60 bucks. Wow, a sweet find spotted the newest September 2017 model with 70 games at local Walmart. The Walmart website still shows full price, the local store had one left new sealed at the lower price. This was not a markdown, a regular clearance price label on the shelf. A small SD Card all that is needed to have the entire 2600 library. Hunt your local Walmarts, you just might get lucky.

Initial test, I am impressed with decent assortment of games. Sound though not very loud decent quality. Video is a very bright TFT screen even at an angle. The screen a bit small, but does smooth out the blocky pixels of the 2600 resolution.

Sales Brochure - http://www.atgames.net/resources/assets/pdf/2017-Atari-Flashback-Portable.pdf
Owners Manual - https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2060/ ... 9346893335

https://www.atgames.us/products/atari-flashback-portable-game-player

After a blockbuster 2016 debut, the Atari Flashback Portable Game Player returns in 2017 with an amazing selection of 70 built-in games, including the legendary Bandai Namco arcade hit, Pac-Man™. Other blockbuster games include Dig Dug™, Pitfall!™, and Frogger™, and you can even add your own games with an optional SD card. A built-in, rechargeable battery, means the on-the-go fun never has to end. Games can be played on the portable’s built-in, high resolution 2.8” display, or on a TV via optional cable.

Menu has a game box screenshot for each game! Seven pages of ten games each and an eighth page to read the SD Card. I have the Roms, the trick now is to find all the tiny box shot JPGs.

Check out this thread over on Atari Age: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/258970 ... lity-list/ . They've got links to a lot of ROMs that have various compatibility issues edited to properly work with the Flashback Portable.

Gunstar Green wrote:Check out this thread over on Atari Age: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/258970 ... lity-list/ .

They've got links to a lot of ROMs that have various compatibility issues edited to properly work with the Flashback Portable.

THANK YOU!

I downloaded the different version zip files, saves headache of having to rename the roms I have. Already a member over there, I gave that thread a glance months back now diving in reading all the info!

marurun wrote:You realize now that this forum knows this, you will be inundated with requests to "pick stuff up" for folks.

Oh, for sure. I’ve tried that but people don’t follow through and I’m very short on personal time these days. It’s incredibly annoying and time wasting when someone asks for something but then gives me the old “hey, I don’t get paid until XXX” or “I’ll buy it when I get my tax return.” I stopped taking requests a while ago. I still look out for stuff I know will sell or trade well but I’ll just hold onto it until I get back to the States next year.

Hey y'all!

I wanted to show some cheap Lego Dimensions toys sets at the 99 Cents only Store. So if you live on the western part of the US. Head over there!

I posted this same toy last year and they were 99 cents, but this time around they got smart and charged more. So its $1.99 this time around.







Here's a store locator site to help you out https://99only.com/stores/near-me

That's amazing. I'd stock up if they were near me but stores here still have those sets regular price. Wow.

They had some cool sets for that game that I wouldn't mind getting just for the figs.


Also, I don't know if anyone noticed but this thread hit over a million views.