Fixing and refurbishing an Atari 2600 console
Before refurbishment/repairs
After refurb/repairs
Many years ago, way back in August 2013, I picked up an Atari 130XE 8-bit computer lot from Goodwill for about $50 and I blogged about it. Since then, I would readily come across video game cartridges for the original Atari 2600 video game console, but I couldn't find an Atari 2600 console itself for an affordable price or in good condition. Due to lack of finding the console for an affordable price, I wasn't too interested in collecting for the Atari 2600 console or playing its games, especially given how simplistic most games for the Atari 2600 are.
blog articles since 2013!
Fortunately I came across a prime opportunity while browsing the great North Versailles Goodwill Outlet in Pittsburgh, PA. For those whom do not know, Goodwill Outlet are thrift stores like normal Goodwill but they sell most items by the pound in blue bins, with the maximum price being capped out depending on the type of item. I just call the stores 
Goodwill since they provide super value and super-finds. These blue bins rotate out with different donated items throughout the day. Certain high-value items are still priced individually, including electronics locked up in green security cages, furniture in the dedicated furniture department, or other specialty finds. Most items donated to other Goodwill stores that aren't selling or that would otherwise be thrown out usually end up in Goodwill Outlet. Not only do you get steep discounts by buying from the pound, but you also help to prevent unsold goods from going to the landfill, the items get reused by new owners, and the proceeds from sales help the local community. Many unique treasures and items can be found at Goodwill Outlet, including retro video games and hardware, older tech, and other nerdy finds :).
During March 2026 while browsing the bins at the North Versaillies Goodwill Outlet Goodwill, I found an old Atari 2600 console lying in one! The console's case was a bit dirty, it didn't come with any games or Atari joysticks, and it didn't come with a power supply. Furthermore, the handle for the reset switch lever was broken off. This Atari 2600 was a 4-switch CX-2600A console variant. Weighing at only ~3 lbs and thus costing only about $5.37, I thought purchasing it to try out the Atari 2600 platform was totally worth the risk! (Why not?) If it at least powers on, I would refurbish it and repair any electronic defects to get it fully functional.
Look at that woodgrain!
Powering on the Atari 2600
The first thing to examine for refurbishing was to determine if the Atari 2600 console would even power on in the first place. Luckily, I have a laboratory universal power supply and created an adapter for interchangeable tips to power on electronics with missing DC barrel jack-styled power supplies. ConsoleMods.org says to use a minimum power supply with DC 9V 500mA center-positive, and a 3.5mm TS mono DC barrel jack tip for an Atari 2600 console. (The jack is like a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, but only 1 tip ring for mono and the connection obviously supplies DC power instead of audio signals). A stock Atari 2600 only provides old-fashioned RF AV over a black male RCA-styled cable; therefore to use it on my CRT monitor I utilized an F-Type to female RCA adapter, just like when using my Atari 130XE computer with it's lowest quality RF AV output type available.
3.5mm TS connector
Although an Atari 2600 doesn't provide an LED indicating power, I was able to determine the console was alive and not DOA, both from the power draw indicated on the lab power supply and from AV feedback on the CRT. If I would power cycle the console rapidly and hold, sometimes I could get a few vertical single color bars streaked down the screen and a constant audio tone from the console's TIA chip. This looked very promising to indicate that the console was still alive!
Testing the Atari 2600 (playing a game)
With the console seeming to be alive, I placed an online order for a dedicated Atari 2600 power supply from Console5.com . Supposedly this is a quality power supply (UL certified), but my unit is a Posey power supply and the tip/molding isn't perpendicularly straight (the tip is a bit bent). Also the wire guard at the base of the PSU box is quite loose and may break off in the future. However the power supply gets the job done though for now!
Posey Atari 2600 PSU from console5.com
Next, I needed to get a few Atari 2600 cartridge games to test the gameplay functionality of the Atari 2600 further. I took a trip to the local Wyld'n Wooley's game store in Irwin, PA to pickup some cheap Atari games, and I got a cartridge copy of Bowling, Star Raiders, and the launch title Combat for $4 total. Fortunately, I have a few DB-9 Atari-compatible joysticks, and even a pair of paddle controllers from previous thrift store adventures. Fun Fact: Sega Genesis 3-button controllers are also compatible, which I have plenty 😀.
Atari joysticks and controllers
(official with 3D printed arcade handle,
x2 Gemstick joysticks,
official Atari paddle controllers)
The Atari 2600 was determined to be alive with booting up Combat, with displaying graphics, with reacting to joypad controls, and with playing sound! Being unfamiliar with standard Atari 2600 gameplay and the built-in console hardware controls, it took me some time to figure out how to run the games. Combat and Bowling both required selecting a game mode variant via the Game Select momentary slide switch, and then running the game via the Game Reset momentary slide switch. This behavior is contrary to conventional gaming consoles (e.g. Sega Genesis), where the reset button mostly power cycles the console for a soft reboot and may retain some RAM. Combat worked flawlessly in 2P mode with 2 joysticks and the joypad ports were determined as functional. Star Raiders required both a joypad and a Video Touch Pad controller. This Atari accessory is basically a 12-digit keypad, like found on analog telephones, and utilizes a paper overlay accessory to label buttons and their usage for each video game. These types of controllers are far more common and more utilized on the Intellivision, Colecovision, and Atari Jaguar video game consoles.
I created a DIY Universal 12-button Atari Keypad from this YouTube video, both by soldering up a circuit and 3D printing a case. (More about this DIY keypad project coming soon in a blog post for Maytari (20)2600 month!)
Finding hardware issues
From playing the games, I discovered a few failing hardware components:
- TV Type (Color/BW) DPST lever switch connection on the console was flaky/wearing out
- 1P and 2P Difficulty SPST slide switch connections on the console were flaky/wearing out
- Channel 2/3 SPST slide switch connection on the console was flaky/wearing out
- Game Reset momentary DPST switch lever was broken off
To further diagnose issues to confirm proper functionality after any repairs, I decided to order an affordable AtariAge Harmony flash cartridge (Encore microSD card version with Color manual) to run ROMs for the Atari 2600 on real hardware, so that I could run the AtariAge Testcart homebrew ROM to determine if issues got fixed. When the AA Harmony Encore flash cartridge did arrive, I was indeed able to determine a flaky connection on those components when running the test ROM.
I ended up ordering a 5-pack of Universal Game Cases (UGC) to house the AA Harmony Flash Cartridge and manual. I 3D printed a Atari 2600 UGC adapter, cartridge sleeve, and 2D printed out a custom cover for the UGC.
Cleaning the Atari 2600
However, before ordering and replacing hardware components, I wanted to refurbish and to clean off the dirty chassis of the console. I washed the inside of the chassis with soap, water, and a utility toothbrush and also did the same for the top lid. The toothbrush helped with cleaning inside the grooves of the top lid.
Bottom case cleaned (inside)
Bottom case cleaned (outside)
Repairing the Atari 2600
With the Atari 2600 cleaned up, I was ready to order replacement parts for the worn out components!
I ordered the following parts from console5.com :
- Worn out component - Replacement part
- 1P, 2P difficulty, and Channel 2/3 switches - part x3
- TV Type (Color/BW) DPST lever switch - 5-pack DPDT slide switch equivalent replacement for Philmore 30-9182 (ebay)
- Game Reset momentary DPST level switch - 3D printed lever
I decided to first tackle the SPST slide switch for the Player 2 Difficulty setting.
Using a temperature controlled electronics soldering iron, some Kester 186 flux fluid, a hand desoldering pump and a desoldering braid, I desoldered off the contacts from the old switch. (The switch is labeled as S206 in the photos). Using some pliers, I removed the old switch, and cleaned off the contact area with some Isopropyl alcohol.
He's dead, Jim
Finally, using the soldering iron, solder, and Kester 186 flux fluid, I installed and soldered the new switch.
The switch terminals are laid out as such (ASCII art, where x = terminal, - = gap)
A: x-x
: ---
B: x-x
: ---
C :x-x
So the switch allows for 2 positions, A-B (position 1, open), and B-C (position 2, closed).
By using pliers to open the switch housing, I replaced the broken plastic lever with the 3D printed one, installed the spring, and put the metal staple contacts back into mechanical alignment. While I was inside the mechnical switch, I cleaned up the metal contacts with Isopropyl alcohol.
The reset switch lever was also successfully installed; another repair down. I decided to also replace the Player 1 Difficulty switch too since it's connection was flaky. However this repair was where things went bad. Unfortunately I burnt off 🌋 some of the through-hole terminal rings while trying to heat up the switch component and yoinking out the old switch with pliers 🤯!
I fixed this oopsie with a bodge wire/dead bug technique. Fortunately some of the terminals were all common electrically connected (create an intentional solder bridge). The other pin no longer had a terminal. This was fixed by scraping off some of the PCB via on the top of the circuit board, exposing some copper, using some flux and solder to create a solder trace, and running a wire to the other end of the board. Fortunately this bodge wire and solder bridge saved the day 🥳!
He's dead too, Jim
The old bodge wire/deadbug trick
It's lucky that there were enough traces left for the old bodge wire/deadbug trick to get around the damage. Like with the other two switches, I replaced the Channel 2/3 slide switch since it was worn out and had connectivity issues too. Fortunately there were no hiccups with this replacement.
used as a reference for an equivalent parts replacement
Identical in style to the broken switch from HackPGH
In-progress blog posts:
- Building a DIY Atari 2600 Atari Video Keypad controller
- Creating a portable Atari 2600 using an Atari Flashback 2 with cartridge mod installed
- MrTamkis/Eagle 🦅