Atari 7800 Teardown

From Game Tech Wiki
Revision as of 01:41, 24 January 2014 by ITEM-3 (talk | contribs)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

This guide is currently being written.

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
Atari 7800 teardown01.jpg

Step 1 - Open the case

Flip the console over and remove the 5 screws on the bottom, which are circled in the picture. Turn it back over and lift the top off. The top should come off effortlessly.
Atari 7800 teardown02.jpg
Here is the underside of the top of the case. The buttons can be removed easily by pushing the small plastic tabs inward and down.
Atari 7800 teardown13.jpg

Step 2 - Remove the motherboard from the case

The motherboard is not physically attached to the case, so there are no screws to remove for this step. To take the motherboard out of the case, lift up the back end first so you can slide the controller ports out of the holes in the case. You may damage the controller ports if you attempt to lift the front end first.
Atari 7800 teardown03.jpg
Here is the inside of the bottom half of the case. You can see the revision number for the 7800, which in this case is C024536. Note that this number is different from the revision numbers on the motherboard.
Atari 7800 teardown12.jpg

Step 3 - Remove the 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.

Step 4 - Remove the plastic cartridge slot enclosure

With the RF shield off, you can finally remove the final piece, which is the black plastic piece which surrounds the cartridge slot. It's easy to remove: first, remove the two screws holding the piece in place. These screws are smaller than those on the outer case, so you'll need a different screwdriver. Next, push the tabs inward and down through the holes, and the plastic piece should pop out easily.
Atari 7800 teardown10.jpg
And there you have it! The motherboard is now fully exposed.
Atari 7800 teardown11.jpg

Reassembly