Original Atari 2600 VCS Portable Refurbishment
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- Опубліковано 27 вер 2024
- What started as a simple teardown video turned into a full refurb as my original Atari 2600 VCSp from 2000 had some issues that needed fixed once I got inside.
Take a trip into the past and gasp at how crappy my soldering used to be!
Ben, I just wanted to drop you a line and tell you how important this device was in my life too. In 1999, I was a sophomore in high school, and loved retro gaming before it was called that. I stumbled on your page back then, and you were still figuring things out. I went out and located a used Atari from the classifieds and started building along with you. I spent my first McDonald's paycheck on an active matrix portable TV and promptly tore it apart which my parents flipped about. It took 2 years of trial and error, but my 2600 portable became my Senior physics project. Fast forward to now,, I'm a successful IT architect, have a family and a great job . If it weren't for this device, and for you, my life path would have been significantly different.
wow, cool as fuck!
You go man! Sounds like a great time
This video is legitimately inspiring. Thanks for the portrait of the hacker as a young man, Ben.
agreed
the original word 'Artist' could probably fit as well too.
"This has been responsible for so many good things in my life that have happened and it looks like a piece of crap."
There is something profound about that statement.
I feel like this quote should be framed on a wall in my house 🤔
2000 was 19 years ago, which is tricky for this 40 year old to grasp. But the fact that the same time period prior to that was 1981 blows my mind.
Ed Jones stop it Ed you are making me Torschlusspanik
You and me both, Mr Jones.
Yep... I'm feeling old, 2000 feels like a couple of years ago (PS2 Release Date was 2000) and we're just months till 2020... so when showed thia Atari
Video to my 18 year old nephew it's like showing him a treasures from a distance past LOL... PS at least at my age I can Solder a PS2 Mod chip...😉
Games haven’t improved as drastically from 2000 to 2019, compared 1981-2000. Some Dreamcast games are still palatable today, like Crazy Taxi, Street Fighter 3, Dead or Alive 2, Jet Set Radio, Dayton 2000, Sega Rally 2. I remember in 2000, I can’t think of many games from 80s to really impress. Maybe some of the super scaler games from Sega in the Arcades. But early 80s console games were trash. Tetris and Super Mario Bros. being the only exceptions I can think of.
I watched The Ben Heck Show for years and loved it, and now I'm discovering how rambly of a person you are in real life when you're not being editted down into a 20 minute production. I love it, keep up the more personal videos.
I could watch Ben Heck hardware post mortems and refurbs all day long, more pretty please.
"I don't wanna try to erase the past... but I still want the past to work..." 🤣
It took me several years of mostly successful builds and repairs before I realized how important it is to have your soldering iron at an appropriate temperature before using it.
"We can rebuild it, smaller, better, portable." - Ben Heck
*portable-er
Just found your channel and started smiling. Ben Heck as he was before the show went silly. Wonderful and thank you for keeping going by yourself.
HighlandSteam I've been seeing a few videos from this channel in my recommended list and always dismissed as "Meh, it's ben heck", finally clicked on one and very surprised it's nothing like the absolute garbage the show was
It's still not nearly as bad as that "tablet" eevblog did a tear down of a few years ago.
Oh fuck, that thing. That tablet was "special"
Ben is awesome - shows interesting projects and tells a story the whole time. I am so glad you stuck around making videos after leaving E14. :D
Wait, I would watch "The Jeri Ellsworth Show"! :D I'm currently rewatching a lot of TBHS and this fits the nostalgia very well :)
Looking forward to the 2039 version of this.
"you mean i DIDN'T use micro-atomic, self-charging energy cells for this?! oh wait..."
Man, awesome to see the guts of the portable I remember seeing on the Ben Heck Forums back in like 2002-2005. Really crazy!
Oh man, this takes me back 20 years to when I was a 20'ish hardware hacker and 8bit nerd.. and even the shoutout to Jeri.. man, memory lane.
Whenever I feel inadequate when hacking up electronics in the future, I will remember young Ben, and then the today's Ben he blossomed into
This was great! I originally discovered you in an article in the Official UK PS1 magazine about 2003/2004 where they featured your PS1 portable. This inspired me pull apart my PS1 slim as an eight-year-old since my sister tripped over and smashed it anyway. Obviously, I never made my own mini but I've mostly been following you ever since. Keep up the good work!
I found your website back when you had just this portable. Crazy to think it's been that long.
Also, it's really inspiring to see you repair things, especially something as important to the retro gaming community as this. Keep these old consoles running!
This may actually better than the Ben Heck Show in terms of learning. Thank you!
Your journey is so similar to mine. I took my toys apart in the 8os and made them into other things like radio controlled firecracker lighter offers using nicrome wire and those cheap rc cars that only had one button on them. I used to yank the parts
Out of my radio shack 150 in one kits to make my own “inventions”. I then got my first computer a Trs-80 coco, then an 800xl. I traded my minibike that I made out of a Briggs and Stratton edger motor for a pinball machine and I used to stash my cash in it. I learned a lot about electro mechanical with that pinball machine and eventually used flipper solonoids to pop my shaved door handles open on my 67 bug in the 80s :) I used to do flash animation and graphic design. I was one of the first developers of photoshop plugins in the 90s. I bought a makerbot kit in 2007 and started my 3D printing journey. Today I have laser cutters and 3D printers and make prototypes as a freelancer. Designing software, hardware, and enclosures for them. I’ve got one fun thing I made back in 2013 online. It’s a 70s rotary phone converted into a cell phone. The “ui” for it is texting to it. You can program names and numbers into it and dial by name using the letters running around the dial (or dial normally using the actual phone numbers) I have a page about the build at www.retrocell.net - anyway, glad you are back on your own doing your own thing. Talk to ya later fellow old skool maker!
I remember when you sat down next to me at CGE 2001 (I was sitting all alone with my two Lynxes out, hoping someone would come play) and whipped out your VCSp. Fun to see it again, basically half a lifetime later!
I think Ben has officially developed a case of spring fever. NO SPRINGS! *whistle*
Man, I remember reading about this thing on Slashdot.
Ben, I used to make really complex potato guns back then, it's amazing how far "maker" technology has come. I remember etching circuit boards, picking over radio shack for parts. Now we have rapid prototyping circuit boards, 3d print, laser cutters, acrylic cutters, etc. It's a damn good time to be a maker. I'll be honest, I still do soldering and repair type stuff but I need to get some projects going again. I'm currently in the planning phase of consolizing an mvs, so that should scratch the itch. Keep up the good work, here's to another 20 years or "making."
It was great to see you at MGC Friday night and to talk about MRRF that I had to miss this year. It's awesome to re-visit something that you made years ago. I recently opened again a digital thermometer that I built when I was in grammar school (gulp) almost 50 years ago. It brought back memories. I hand wired the 74XX TTL and display sockets with solid telephone wire. I still remember my Uncle driving me to Newark Electronics on Pulaski in Chicago to pick up the thermistor that I needed at will call.
How have I missed this channel?!?! I loved your videos from TBHS and was sad to see you go. So glad to have you back!
The like count was at 555, so I must have great timing.
I guess not many people will get the pun XD
haha like the 555 timer.
NE one could've done it.
IC what you did there.
so cool to hear that "conversation" with yourself separated by all those years... it IS helpful to see what you did then vs what you can do now and think *maybe* there's hope for a very late starter like me
I remember when you made this, I was trying to figure out a way to do the same thing at the time. So cool to see it revisited this much later.
This is so cool, Ben. I was a child when I first followed your website, you had those cool build logs that were full of personality. I would read your site, you were doing things like the PlayStation portable (with the deadly exposed spinning disk) and dream about being an electrical engineer myself someday. Here we are, nearly 20 years later and it's come to fruition. Thank you for your inspiration, your openness, and your light-hearted way of teaching. You're the man!
I remember stumbling across this back when you did it, and I was blown away something like this was even possible. And it certainly has inspired me and many people over the years to try this sort of thing out. You should see my first attempt at a mini arcade unit, I'm amazed it didn't catch on fire! =)
I remember the first time I saw this thing, and I was blown away.
I'm still blown away. Good work Ben. You did good.
Can't wait for 19 years later when you open this again, and curse out 2019 Ben for this job.
"The Atari dies after an hour or so."
So you're saying it could be played longer than the Game Gear.
with the proper screen mod, the Game Gear can easily outperform (out of 6xAAs) some modern portables any day of the week.
This was the build that got me interested in your work. Love your past works in making consoles into portables.
*IN THE YEAR 2000, BEN HECKENDORN BUILT HIS FIRST MOD*
I think this appearing on Slashdot (or maybe Hackaday if it existed back then) is what got me into this kind of thing.
It started the (fortunately brief) era of people hollowing out old game consoles and shoving mini-ITX boards inside them. Hackaday was full of NES cases turned into PCs, which looked great until you opened the cart flap and all the wire poked out :)
No 3D printers, no PCBWay and co, even buying junk off eBay was different.
I encountered Ben Heck in all his glory when i ran across this handheld when I randomly found his website back in early 2005 and I was in awe of his work. Life changer :D
Nice to see ya Ben. Been watching since The Revision days. Happy to see your still hacking.. You should do something cool with the Nintendo switch! And the playstation vita
A portable Nintendo Switch? You madman!
This was great to watch, seeing your newer projects vs this is pretty funny. You've improved greatly in such a short time. Indeed inspiring. I learn a great deal just watching these. Already became better at identifying components.
I use to read the articals you use to publish online about these at school. Always use to amaze me & I wanted to do it as well. Your Commodore 64 Laptop comes to mind. That was pretty rad.
Correction: You did open it once before, when you built an improved version utilizing the skills you learned on your old show.
Still a great video.
Interesting how he didn't mention that
Thanks for this, Ben. I discovered you when this portable first hit the news and you've been an inspiring joy to follow ever since. 20 more years!
I semi-recently took apart a headphone amp I built when I was a teen and while it still miraculously works it is an absolute train wreck in there. Thank god we can learn from our shortcomings and mistakes.
I remembering reading your old website all those years ago. So cool to see this again. Hope to get to meet you Saturday!
What a difference a little wiring cleanup makes! (6:19 Before, 28:36 After) Nice retrospective, thanks.
Ben Heck, you're a large part of why I got into portable electronics consoles and screens and sound systems and custom retro consoles (as a hobby)
Oh man, I remember reading the original post on this project at the time. I think it was on classic-gaming.com? It was so inspiring and fun to read. I recall a gag comparison to the newly released GBA flaunting the VCSp's backlight with imagery of both in a cave. It's so rad to see it again!
I'm impressed what you managed to do back then with a lot less knowledge, and fewer tools.
Granted, from my perspective, having a CNC machine available is an extreme luxury, but still, the end result is impressive even now.
I honestly wouldn't know where to start with trying to make cases for anything at all nowadays. At best, a hacksaw and some sheeting of some kind, but really the only easily available material is various types of wood. - even getting acrylic or metal sheeting is quite an ordeal...
So yeah, without the tools this kind of project is pretty difficult.
And that's to say nothing about dealing with reproducing various kinds of connector, if required...
I cannot even describe how much joy this video gave me. Thank you Ben! Don't ever stop tinkering.
I remember this. Man, I was making things in acrylic back then too that horrible screw sound takes me back. Great video Sir!
The sad thing of this video is that 2000 is 19 years ago.
Thanks. Your vids are alway inspiring!
It's good to see the old Ben back.. I missed watching your old content and what a way to relive the past and restore your original Atari portable.. the only thing that's missing now is the corny intro the very first one I miss it. Smaller, better, portable..lol Back when revision3 was a thing.
I remember this unit and I may have seen it in person at a Gaming Convention in King of Prussia, PA around 17 years ago. They were the days. The best shows ever and great job on that first Atari 2600 handheld.
I remember that thing and a lot of the others you built from the benheck forums. That cannot have been nearly 20 years ago! I sometimes wonder if any of the kids that were on that forum went on to do anything - many of them were very clever and smart. I still have one of those Atari portables that I made following your instructions that is housed in a horrible tupperware-ish container. I remember that finding a suitable project box was one of the most difficult parts of those projects. I also have 2 of those little Casio TVs, one of them disassembled, in my large box(es) of unfinished projects that have not been opened in forever. I also have an official Ben Heck PlayStation portable kit (beta) along with instructions and nearly all the parts needed to build it. One day I will do so - maybe this was the inspiration I needed to get on it :)
When I've seen that ribbon cable I was praying for replacing it with something nicer looking.
If it works don't fix it
I do remember stumbling upon your website in 2003 and thinking this was freakin awesome.
"If it's inside this unit - it's ok" - I LIKE YOUR LOGIC!
Have great memories of Wisconsin Dells from when I was a kid.
This is almost as gloriously 80's nerdy as The Last Starfighter.... :o)
I was moving some of my old junk and found my copy of ur portableizing consoles book and thought "this is definitely not junk" watching this in 2024🤙 man awsome memories wowee🤓
We all start somewhere, you inspired my love for making things
Oh, how We miss your videos Ben!! Please keep them coming!
Ben, promise us that you will NEVER die.
I loved this. Although the Ben Heck Show might be over, you can tell Ben is reinspired. It's like watching one of the shows from the old days. By the way, is this Atari portable that inspired the original intro? "In the year 2000, Ben Heck built his first mod"
Man, this brought back some memories! I spent so many hours on the old forums, back in the early to mid 2000s when Bondo Frankenstein case mods were king and the best options for monitors were pocket TVs and the PSone screen (with LED backlight mod, of course). Port Washington, bickering over how the hell anyone will ever make a Wii portable...
You are a visionary Ben. And it is obvious that you have learnt more by the way you improved the original design of the 2600p.
Really cool Ben; I haven't seen any of your videos for quite some time, don't know why just haven't. This one was a welcome change to the regular videos I have been wasting my time watching. As I watched the video, I began to think I was going to build one of those things, then it dawned on me, I have the 2600 emulator on my cell phone, I can pull up the emulator and run Demon Attack any time I want to, well if I happen to remember that it is on there. Actually it isn't a 2600 emulator after all, I think it is a 7800 emulator that plays 2600 games, or something like that. Going to have to see if I can find the emulator for Android now since I just got a used Android phone from my sister's estate while attending her funeral, the kids gave me her husband's old cell phone. It is a couple of years newer then the old Windows 8.1 phone I am using now. I shall miss Windows 8.1 but my watch that works with phones will probably be happier with the update. Not sure how it will go though as they couldn't find the charger and it takes a USB C cable, which I don't own for some reason. I ordered one from EbAY and it was supposed to be here today, but was delayed, as usual.
12:30 - For those who have read "Neuromancer" by William Gibson, but were born after TVs no longer displayed dead channels, THIS is what he described in the first line of the book.
Came across this video by accident, ending up finding my twin. Excellent Video !
Cool to get a closer modern fidelity look inside, the old pictures don't do it justice. ;) I always kind of hoped public access could have used all those SD-TV channels but the FCC said no, my hope to watch more "Wheel of Fish" is over. :\
Well you're recording the change so no need to hold onto the crappy parts of the past. I really see the modern maker scene as an opportunity to perfect the past since there were a lot of compromises in manufacturing and costs that are a pain to work with now EGs. lack of face buttons, lack of better AV ports, the way logic reduced height resolution(192p/200p/224p), lack of stereo sound, etc.
Next project "Ben Heck Sings". :D
Thank you for keeping up woth the videos. It will inspire some folks to keep on making and impreoving their skills.
Rise from your Grave on your title gave me a funny thought. Someone needs to attempt an Altered Beast homebrew on the Atari VCS.
It's like watching my grandpa explaining how the TV circuitry works...
Is it posible for a 1bit game console to be flexible and solor powered . maybe it does no need audio component. And only to bottoms
I always enjoyed reading though your website back then.
Your younger self and my younger self were a lot alike. :)
In 2000 when i was younger, i was sooo much more open,more relaxing and more enjoying this life, after that, things are never the same again.
@@johneygd it's usually the opposite, people get relaxed when they got retired...
Man, I don't know why, but I got super nostalgic when you loaded up Asteroids. What the heck (HA), me?
I remember the lack of info back then, made projects a lot harder.
Miss you on Element14, it’s just not the same without you!!!
You are my hero! Thank you for sharing so much of your time and talent with us in such an entertaining way!
You helped with those signs in the Dells? Nice! I live in SE Wisconsin and go to the Dells a few times a year. Keep hoping to run into you at MGC.
There's a lot of my signs still up in the Dells including Moosejaw and Sarento's.
Ben - It's great to see your early Atari 2600 VCS portable again. I still have the Optimus version of your 2.5" pocket tv in mint condition. Any interest in building an updated model? It would be cool to see an Atari 7800 portable. I would definitely donate the pocket tv for one of your future projects.
10% of the subscribers, 100% of the views, 99% less overhead.
Great video I first was introduced to this project when I picked up your book when it first come out. Too fun.
I so badly wanted this back in the day!!!
I imagine Voultar saying “Nooooooo, Ben, nooooo!”
I have one of those old TVS and all the electrolytic caps are shot, need to recap it at some point
I will say that the first thing I soldered looks way worse than that, and it somehow still works after all these years. Gotta start somewhere though, start with terrible soldering skills and grow to soldering QFNs and 0402 SMD components without much effort.
I remember seeing this in a Game Informer magazine from 2002 or 2003. Had to watch this to see what happened to this relic.
"I haven't opened this thing in 14 years"
Wrong, you last opened it 7 years ago.
Oh i have to say i like you, had many a project built like this oh close to 40 years ago...thanks for the memories. And yeswe both would have been fired on the spot if we did that kind of work today...It was fun to watch...Vic
When you was holding the it, your thumb was closer the the screen so it was easier to control the volume there.
so, it was like doing a portable PS2 today!
Given the size, id compare it to the bitbuilt portablizemii project
ohhh i'm having the same portable television still, its awesome memories, i used to watch the formula one races whenever we drove to family on sundays :D
"The console is RAW!!!!!"
- Ben's Ramsey
Haha.
Do you livestream? At 6:42 I've heard Twitch's bit donation sound.
that was the default google hangouts notification i think
Man I was 5 when you made this. Great video.
I'm on the same boat. I started a NESP project long ago, never finished it because it was stored away and we moved a hell of a lot. I recently found it, the solder job was shit, lol... was a dumb kid. Anyway, price also discouraged me (ps1 screens are still expensive), but the casio hmmm this vid will definitely come in handy. I'm using the NESP tutorial on instructables, but actually started off with the one on the NESP Blog, which seems to be missing? Anyway, definitely going the casio way now.