Pong .5 Done! April 1st 2012

[RoyalScam]

Howdy!
  So, I've been registered here for 3 years, been lurking longer, and I thought it was time to do something. A year ago my girlfriend had been cleaning out her attic.  She, knowing my affinity for vintage tech, had found a Sears TeleGames Hockey Pong attached to a 12 volt Radio Shack power supply and gave it to me. I thanked her, and put it in my garage with all the other crap I've been collecting.

     I find myself currently unemployed, and bored out of my mind, so I've been puttering around in the garage. I decided to play with the Pong and after plugging it in, found it would play blind but not display on a little B&W portable TV I had. Opening the case I found out why. This thing is powered by 6 C batteries. Wrong voltage...sigh. Oh well, it played blind so I'll remove the chip(AY-3-8500-1) and build my own. Reading the datasheets, I realized this thing will put out NTSC composite video and will operate at 7 volts. I built a power supply, hooked it up to a composite monitor and it worked! Well problem is the portable B&W TV doesn't have a composite input. Searching through my pile, I liberated a RF Modulator from a non-functioning (used for repair) Commodore 128 motherboard. A couple of hours later, I had a dual voltage power supply (12 volts for the TV, 7 for the Pong) and an RF Modulator on a breadboard. Why bulid when you can hack!

     I've found some 3/8" plywood, and some scrap composite flooring material left over from last month's project, and started putting it all together. Today I'm starting on the finish and assembly should follow soon. I'll have to work a little late tomorrow as I start my new job Tuesday.

Regards,
Scam
 

[Well Fed Games]

Very cool- I would love to do a pong sometime!

I find myself currently unemployed, and bored out of my mind

... that is how it began for me, too...

[RoyalScam]

Hi Gang!
 
I did a little finish work on the half pint pong today. I still need to make a control panel and do a bit of wiring, but the end is in sight. I don't think they manufacture 3/8" t-molding so until I get a better idea, black electrical tape seems to look right.
Regards,
Scam

[theredlineboss]

Very nice!  I like how this build has an assortment of vintage components + some good ole' fashioned hacking.  

-Rob

[Nephasth]

Like the build! Lose the tape...

[RoyalScam]

Hi Gang!
     After some little hiccups, I'm calling this one done.  The junkbox transformer I had just wasn't up to the task. Even though it was rated at 1 amp (the circuit was measured to draw 600mA) it would overheat, and cause a low voltage condition to the regulators after about an hour of use.  The only thing I had on hand was a 12v 1 amp walwart, so now the pong is saddled with that. I've left the power supply board intact so when I score another transformer, I'll be ready to just drop her in.  The monitor bezel "plexi" was cut and fitted, and not having any aluminum on hand, I used a piece of the cut-off plexi, to fabricate a control panel. I engraved the panel to read "Player 1, Player 2, and Jordan's Pong" my niece, for whom I've made it for.

I find myself currently unemployed, and bored out of my mind

... that is how it began for me, too...

Thankfully I've started a new job, and ofcourse, now that I have this one under my belt, I've got the bug. I'll be starting something as soon as I get back on my feet.

Very nice!  I like how this build has an assortment of vintage components + some good ole' fashioned hacking.  

-Rob

Thanks! Yeah it really grew out of boredom, and just random crap I had lying around in the garage. Like I said, "Why build , when you can hack!"

Like the build! Lose the tape...

I know, I know, but as soon as I find something better, you can bet it's going on there.


     I brought the gift to my girlfriend's and presented it to my niece.(ok nieces, god children, girlfriend, it's sounds convoluted, but we get it, so deal). Jordan seemed to really dig it, and my girlfriend said " You know I have another one of those TV laying around somewhere...". I think she's got a bit of the bug too. I'm a very lucky man!

Regards,
Scam

BTW, I delivered this thing April 1st, finished it the day before, but for some reason Firefox no longer works on my PC, so the posting is a day late. Posted via Google Chrome.

[RoyalScam]

edit: removed duplicate post

[RoyalScam]

edit: removed triplicate post...sigh, sorry.

[yotsuya]

Just saw this. Damn, I'd love to do the same thing with a Super Pong that I have.