Basic maintenance is to be expected to keep a console as old as the Atari 2600 in working order. One common problem is bent or broken pins in the Atari joystick ports, which can render the console useless. If the pins are just slightly bent, straighten them out using needle-nose pliers. Once the pins are realigned, carefully plug a joystick in and out of the port to further straighten them. If the pins are severely damaged, the game will have to be opened and a new piece put in.
- Needle-nose pliers
- Soldering iron
- Solder sucker
- Replacement Atari 2600-compatible DB9 male connector
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Instructions
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1
Open the console and de-solder the faulty joystick connector from the main circuit board.
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2
Solder an Atari 2600-compatible DB9 d-sub male connector onto the main circuit board.
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3
Reassemble the console.
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4
Test the replacement joystick port using a paddle controller. Load a game like "Missile Command." The fire button should work, and the cursor should move up, down, left and right and to all four diagonals.
