Atari 7800 Teardown

From Game Tech Wiki
Revision as of 00:11, 24 January 2014 by ITEM-3 (talk | contribs)
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Atari 7800 teardown01.jpg

This is a guide for completely disassembling an Atari 7800.

You will need the following tools:

  • A large Phillips-head screwdriver
  • A small pair of pliers
  • A small, sturdy (i.e. difficult to bend) flathead screwdriver for bending hard-to-reach metal tabs

Step 1 - Open the case

Flip the console over and remove the 5 screws on the bottom. Turn it back over and lift the top off. The top should come off effortlessly.

Step 2 - Remove the motherboard from the case

Step 3 - Remove RF shield

Fully exposing the motherboard can be somewhat time consuming. The board is partially encased by an RF shield consisting of top and bottom halves that interlock using several metal tabs, which are bent to prevent the halves from detaching. There are 14 metal tabs, and you'll have to straighten each one to remove the shield.