Question: Bending Atari 2600

djsynchro · July 04, 2008, 08:10:16 PM

I know there are good video bends to be had in a 2600, does anyone know of any audio bends?
The only thing I've ever seen online was some distortion bend, but does anyone know of any glitchy bends where the thing goes crazy? I've been poking around in it found nowt.

I am about to mod it with Highly Liquid MIDI and once that's done close it up an d leave it.
I like it as it is, but I would love some glitches of course. Googled all I could - no joy.

Circuitbenders · July 05, 2008, 04:23:10 PM

I'm not entirely sure how the carts work but might it be easier to bend a Synthcart for the 2600?

or maybe it doesn't work like that $:-\$

djsynchro · July 05, 2008, 04:52:11 PM

Hold on... or maybe it DOES work like that! The video bends apparently are pretty much all on the bottom of the cartridge connector (the ROM's data lines) ... and now that I think of it, I have some clips of someone's video-bent Atari, and I seem to remember that it does make sounds in those clips too.

OK I checked, when the video goes nuts there IS sound (usually looping) somehow I had it in my head that video glitching and sound glitching were totally seperate... duh.

Thanks dude!

theshame · July 12, 2008, 06:14:02 AM

I recently got ahold of an Atari 2600. I gather that most of the bends are done on the cartridges themselves. My question is, how do you open a cartridge? I have located one screw underneath the label of a cartridge and unscrewed it but it is still intact. Is there a secret to popping one of these open?

djsynchro · July 14, 2008, 02:40:42 AM

You don't have to open your cartridges the data lines are accesible from the connector if you flip the PCB over.
Yes opening Atari carts is hard.

Tyler1144 · December 28, 2008, 02:57:26 AM

Quote from: theshame on July 12, 2008, 06:14:02 AM
I recently got ahold of an Atari 2600. I gather that most of the bends are done on the cartridges themselves. My question is, how do you open a cartridge? I have located one screw underneath the label of a cartridge and unscrewed it but it is still intact. Is there a secret to popping one of these open?

no, you have to bend the pins that the inside of the atari that touch the cartridge, its a lot easier

computer at sea · December 28, 2008, 03:13:59 PM

QuoteI recently got ahold of an Atari 2600. I gather that most of the bends are done on the cartridges themselves. My question is, how do you open a cartridge? I have located one screw underneath the label of a cartridge and unscrewed it but it is still intact. Is there a secret to popping one of these open?

I've been taking a lot of Atari carts apart lately to use as housings for LED matrices (easy holiday gift and very appealing when using 10mm LEDs).

The secret to get the cart apart cleanly is to first pass a heat gun over the label for a second so the glue loosens up and you can peel it back easily. Steam from a teapot works too, but not as well. When the label is peeled back you can get at the screw easily.

Then smooth the label back down and pinch the sides of the cart very hard. There are four (if I recall) very stiff plastic tabs holding the sides together. If you focus on one side at a time you can get them off.