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Verification drive: flag unverified component data pending check against a primary source
Verification drive: rebuilt against Atari's CX5200 Field Service Manual, the 5200 schematics and the 2600/5200 Field Change Orders. Corrected the power supply (CX521 P/N C018187, 9.3 V DC at 1.95 A, not 9.3 V AC at 3.5 A), removed all PAL claims (the 5200 was NTSC-only), removed the fabricated chip-register and controller-pinout tables and the IC-count table, added sourced designator maps for all three boards, the cartridge +5 V jumper, Atari's diagnostic voltages and the Rockwell 6502 field...
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{{Unverified data}}
{{Infobox computer
{{Infobox computer
| name        = Atari 5200
| name        = Atari 5200
| image        = [[File:Atari-5200-4-Port-wController-L.jpg|250px]]
| image        = [[File:Atari-5200-4-Port-wController-L.jpg|250px]]
| caption      = Atari 5200 4-port model with controllers (1982)
| caption      = Atari 5200 4-port model with controllers
| manufacturer = Atari, Inc.
| manufacturer = Atari, Inc.
| type        = Home video game console
| type        = Home video game console
| release date = November 1982 (4-port)<br>May 1983 (2-port)
| release date = November 1982 (4-port)<br>1983 (2-port)
| discontinued = 21 May 1984
| price        = US$269 (1982)
| price        = US$269 (1982)
| cpu          = MOS 6502C "Sally" @ 1.79 MHz
| cpu          = 6502 variant, Atari C014806, at U2/A2
| memory      = 16 KB RAM
| memory      = 16 KB DRAM
| storage      = ROM cartridge (4 KB - 32 KB)
| storage      = ROM cartridge
| display      = 384 × 240 pixels maximum, 256 colors (16 hues × 16 luminance)
| display      = ANTIC + GTIA, NTSC only
| sound        = POKEY 4-channel PSG
| sound        = POKEY, 4 channels
| dimensions  = 330 mm W × 260 mm D × 95 mm H
| os          = 2 KB ROM (Atari C019156)
| weight      = 2.0 kg (4-port)
| os          = 2 KB BIOS (1 KB character ROM)
| predecessor  = [[Atari 2600]]
| predecessor  = [[Atari 2600]]
| successor    = [[Atari 7800]]
| codename    = PAM, Super Stella, Video System X
| model        = CX5200
| model        = CX5200
}}
}}


The '''Atari 5200 SuperSystem''' is a home video game console released by Atari, Inc. in November 1982. Based on the architecture of the Atari 8-bit computer line, the system features the 6502C processor running at 1.79 MHz alongside the custom ANTIC, GTIA, and POKEY chips. The console was discontinued on May 21, 1984, after selling approximately 1 million units.
The '''Atari 5200 SuperSystem''' is a home video game console released by Atari, Inc. in November 1982. It uses the same custom chipset as the Atari 8-bit computer line — ANTIC, GTIA and POKEY around a 6502 — in a console package. It was sold in North America only; '''there was never a PAL Atari 5200'''.
 
This page concentrates on the information a repairer needs. Atari's ''CX5200 Field Service Manual'' is the primary source for almost everything below.<ref name="fsm5200">Atari, Inc., ''CX5200 Field Service Manual'', document FD100127 Rev. 4, July 1983, Sunnyvale, California. Section 1, console and PC board differences; Section 2, silkscreens and schematics; Sections 3/3A, testing; Sections 4/4A, diagnostic flow charts; Section 6, game controller; Section 8, parts lists for all three boards. Hosted here as [[:File:Atari CX5200 Field Service Manual.pdf]].</ref>
 
== The three PC boards ==
 
Atari shipped three different main boards, and '''they are not interchangeable for service purposes''' — the designator prefix itself changes between them.<ref name="fsm5200" />


== System Architecture ==
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{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:100%;"
! Sub-system !! Specification
|+'''Production boards'''
|-
! Board !! Ports !! Designators !! Identification !! Notes
| '''CPU''' || MOS 6502C "Sally" @ 1.79 MHz<br>Custom 6502 variant with HALT line for DMA operations
|-
| '''Graphics''' || GTIA (CO14805 NTSC / CO14889 PAL)<br>256 colors from palette of 256 (16 hues × 16 luminance)
|-
| '''Display Controller''' || ANTIC (CO12296)<br>Alphanumeric Television Interface Controller<br>Hardware display list processing, character/bitmap generation
|-
| '''Audio/I/O''' || POKEY (CO12294)<br>4-channel square wave/noise generation<br>Keyboard scanning, serial I/O, timers
|-
| '''RAM''' || 16 KB (8× 4516 DRAM chips @ 150ns)
|-
| '''ROM''' || 2 KB BIOS (CO19156A)<br>1 KB character set, 1 KB boot/initialization code
|-
|-
| '''Video Modes''' || 14 display modes<br>Text: 40×24, 20×24, 20×12 characters<br>Graphics: 320×192 (2 colors), 160×192 (4 colors), 80×192 (16 colors)
| '''CA018087''' (original 4-port) || 4 || '''U'''1–U29 || — || Needs retrofit kit CA023019 to work with the CX55 VCS cartridge adaptor
|-
|-
| '''Sprites''' || 4 players (8 pixels wide) + 4 missiles (2 pixels wide)<br>Hardware collision detection
| '''CA020108''' (4-port "Universal") || 4 || '''A'''1–A28 || Serial number on the base has a '''+''' as its third character || U4 and U15 (74LS244) deleted; U14 and U28 replaced by a 74LS125 at A14 and a 74LS51 at A15; provisional circuitry for the VCS cartridge adaptor added
|-
|-
| '''Controller Ports''' || 4 ports (4-port model) or 2 ports (2-port model)<br>Analog joystick with 12-key keypad support
| '''CA021374''' (2-port) || 2 || '''A'''1–A28 || Two controller ports || As the Universal board, plus: ports 3 and 4 and their discrete components removed; A12 and A13 removed; manual switchbox instead of the automatic one; '''the power adaptor plugs into the console instead of the switchbox'''
|}
|}


== Memory Map ==
Atari's serial-number identification for the Universal board is a plus sign as the third character, for example "AT+213…".<ref name="fsm5200" /> Collectors usually call this the "asterisk" board.
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{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:70%; text-align:center;"
== Integrated circuits ==
|+'''6502C Address Space'''
! Range !! Size !! Purpose
|-
| $0000-$3FFF || 16 KB || RAM
|-
| $4000-$BFFF || 32 KB || Cartridge ROM space
|-
| $C000-$C0FF || 256 bytes || GTIA chip registers
|-
| $D400-$D5FF || 512 bytes || ANTIC chip registers
|-
| $E800-$E8FF || 256 bytes || POKEY chip registers
|-
| $F800-$FBFF || 1 KB || Character set ROM
|-
| $FC00-$FFFF || 1 KB || System ROM/BIOS
|}


== Custom Chip Registers ==
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{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:80%; text-align:center;"
{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:95%;"
|+'''Key Hardware Registers'''
|+'''Chip locations'''
! Chip !! Address Range !! Function
! Function !! Device !! CA018087 !! CA020108 / CA021374
|-
|-
| '''GTIA''' || $C000-$C01F || Player/missile graphics, collision detection
| Microprocessor || Atari C014806 (6502 variant) || U2 || A2
|-
|-
| || $C020-$C02E || Color palette registers
| Display list processor || ANTIC, Atari C012296 || U3 || A3
|-
|-
| || $C02F || Console keys (Start/Select/Option)
| Graphics || GTIA, Atari C014805 || U5 || A5
|-
|-
| '''ANTIC''' || $D400-$D40F || Display list, DMA control, interrupts
| Sound, pots, keypad scan || POKEY, Atari C012294 || U7 || A7
|-
|-
| || $D410-$D5FF || Hardware scrolling, display mode
| System ROM || Atari C019156 (4096 × 8) || U8 || A8
|-
|-
| '''POKEY''' || $E800-$E80F || Audio frequency/control registers
| Reset and video buffer || 4050 || U1 || A1
|-
|-
| || $E810-$E81F || Paddle/keyboard input, serial I/O
| Address decode || 74LS139 || U6 || A6
|}
 
== Model Variants ==
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{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:90%; text-align:center;"
|+'''Production Models'''
! Model !! Years !! Ports !! PCB !! Key Features
|-
|-
| '''4-Port Original''' || 1982-1983 || 4 || CA018087 || Combined power/RF switchbox, controller storage
| Keypad multiplexers || 4052 || U9–U13 || A9–A13 (A12, A13 absent on the 2-port)
|-
|-
| '''4-Port Universal''' || 1983 || 4 || CA020108 || CX55 2600 adapter compatible (with asterisk serial)
| DRAM address multiplexers || 74LS258 || U16, U17 || A16, A17
|-
|-
| '''2-Port''' || 1983-1984 || 2 || CA021374 || Separate power supply, standard RF switch, CX55 compatible
| RAM, 8 × 16 K × 1 DRAM || MB8118 or 4516 family || U18–U25 || A18–A25
|}
 
The 4-port models use a unique switchbox that combines RF output with power delivery through a single cable. The 2-port model reverted to a conventional separate 9V DC power adapter and standard RF switch box.
 
== Motherboard Revisions ==
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{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:90%; text-align:center;"
! PCB Number !! Controller Ports !! ICs !! Notes
|-
| CA018087 || 4 || 28 || Original design, not CX55 compatible without modification
|-
|-
| CA020108 || 4 || 26 || Universal board, late units with asterisk serial support CX55
| Power on/off latch || 4013 || U29 || A26
|-
|-
| CA021374 || 2 || 24 || Cost-reduced, natively supports CX55 2600 adapter
| +5 V regulators || 78M05 (Atari C014348) || VR1, VR2 || VR1, VR2
|}
|}


== General Maintenance ==
The 6502, ANTIC, GTIA, POKEY and ROM identifications come from Atari's parts lists and the console schematic;<ref name="fsm5200" /><ref name="schem5200">Atari, Inc., ''Atari 5200 Programmable Video Game System'' schematics, sheet 1 (processing, I/O, ROM and RAM) and sheet 2 of 2 (RF switchbox and power supply), 23 February 1983. See [[:File:Schematic Atari5200 4000.png]] and [[:File:Schematic Atari5200 RFSwitchbox 2000.png]].</ref> the remaining functional descriptions are from the Console5 TechWiki, a secondary source.<ref name="console5-5200">Console5 TechWiki, [https://wiki.console5.com/wiki/Atari_5200 "Atari 5200"], chip info and capacitor list. Secondary source: a capacitor-kit vendor's component list, not manufacturer documentation.</ref>
{{Main|Atari 5200 General Maintenance}}
 
The Atari 5200 requires periodic maintenance to address controller degradation and RF modulator oxidation. The non-centering analog controllers are prone to flex circuit failure and require regular cleaning of the carbon contacts with isopropyl alcohol. The 4-port model's combined power/RF switchbox frequently develops cold solder joints that cause intermittent power loss. Controller storage compartments should be kept clean to prevent dust accumulation on the exposed controller ports.
 
== Troubleshooting Guide ==
{{Main|Atari 5200 Troubleshooting Guide}}
 
Common failures include blank screens from dirty cartridge edge connectors, controller drift from worn potentiometers, and power issues in 4-port models from faulty switchbox connections. The POKEY chip (CO12294) can fail causing loss of controller input or audio. Video problems often stem from failed GTIA (CO14805) or aging electrolytic capacitors. The 7805 voltage regulators run hot and may require heatsink replacement or upgraded thermal compound.
 
== Capacitor Replacement ==
{{Main|Atari 5200 Capacitor Replacement Guide}}
 
Critical capacitors include the main filter capacitors near the voltage regulators and various bypass capacitors throughout the board. The 4-port models contain larger filter capacitors due to the switchbox power design. All electrolytic capacitors should be replaced with 105°C rated equivalents. The styrene capacitors used for audio coupling are particularly failure-prone and should be replaced with polystyrene or ceramic types.


== Power Supply ==
The 5200 schematic marks the RAM as '''MB8118-12''' with the note "typical 8 chips"; Console5 lists the equivalent 4516. Either way these are 16 K × 1 dynamic RAMs, eight of them, giving 16 KB.<ref name="schem5200" /><ref name="console5-5200" />
The power requirements differ between models:
* '''4-Port Models:''' 9.3V AC @ 3.5A via switchbox
* '''2-Port Models:''' 9V DC @ 1.95A via barrel jack (5.5mm × 2.1mm, center positive)


Internal regulation provides:
== Power ==
* '''+5V:''' Logic supply via dual 7805 regulators (VR1, VR2)
* '''Unregulated:''' Direct to analog circuits


Both voltage regulators should measure 4.85-5.15V output. Heat sinking is critical as regulators run at elevated temperatures.
This is where the 4-port and 2-port machines genuinely differ, and where most surviving 5200s fail.


== Controller System ==
=== 4-port: power through the switchbox ===
The 5200 controllers use analog potentiometers for X/Y positioning with a 12-button keypad matrix and dual fire buttons. Key specifications:
* '''Potentiometers:''' 500KΩ linear taper
* '''Keypad:''' 4×3 matrix scanned by POKEY
* '''Flex Circuit:''' Carbon traces on mylar substrate
* '''Connection:''' 15-pin connector per port


The non-centering design uses a rubber boot instead of springs, leading to the notorious control issues. The flex circuits deteriorate over time, causing button failures.
The original and Universal 4-port consoles have '''no power connector of their own'''. Power and RF share one cable to the CX522 switchbox, which also contains a relay that switches the television between aerial and console.


== Cartridge Slot ==
* '''Power pack: CX521 AC/DC Power Adaptor, Atari P/N C018187. Output: 9.3 volts DC at 1.95 A.'''<ref name="fco5200">Atari, Inc., ''Atari 2600 and Atari 5200 Field Change Orders, Upgrade Bulletins and Tech Tips'': Tech Tip, model ATARI CX5200, 17 November 1982, "CX5200 Power Adaptor"; Tech Tip, model CX5200, 20 January 1983, "Defective Rockwell 6502 MPU on CX5200 PC Board"; and the CX5200 retrofit procedure for kit CA023019. Hosted here as [[:File:Atari 2600 and 5200 Field Change Orders and Tech Tips.pdf]].</ref> It is a linear supply: transformer, bridge rectifier, a 3300 µF/25 V reservoir and an MDL-5 fuse, all inside the brick.<ref name="schem5200" />
The 36-pin edge connector accepts cartridges up to 32 KB:
* Atari's tech tip warns explicitly: '''do not use an HCD power adaptor with the CX5200''' — it will damage both the adaptor and the switchbox.<ref name="fco5200" />
* '''Standard 4K/8K:''' Direct mapped
* The switchbox select switch has two positions: '''NORMAL''', which lets the console switch the television automatically when the power switch is pressed, and '''STANDBY''', which allows television viewing while the console is on.<ref name="fsm5200" />
* '''16K:''' Two 8K banks
* '''32K:''' Four 8K banks (rare)


Unlike the 2600, the 5200 cannot use bank-switching schemes beyond basic 32K mapping due to BIOS limitations.
=== 2-port ===


== Video Output ==
The 2-port console takes its own adaptor (Atari A.C. adaptor assembly CA021673) directly into the rear of the case, and uses a conventional manual switchbox.<ref name="fsm5200" />
The system generates composite video internally, output through RF modulator on channel 2 or 3:
* '''Horizontal:''' 228 color clocks per line
* '''Vertical:''' 262 lines (NTSC), 312 lines (PAL)
* '''Frame rate:''' 59.92 Hz (NTSC), 49.70 Hz (PAL)
* '''Color burst:''' 3.579545 MHz (NTSC)


Common modifications include composite and S-Video output by tapping signals from the GTIA chip.
=== Inside the console ===


== Audio System ==
Regulation is by '''two +5 V regulators, VR1 and VR2''', on a heatsink assembly (Atari CA019069). Atari's parts list gives the device as a '''78M05''' (C014348, the 500 mA part, the same regulator used in the [[Atari 2600]]); the slightly earlier schematic prints '''LM340T-5'''. Each regulator works with an '''MJE-210''' power transistor, and a '''+9 V''' rail is taken from the unregulated supply as well as the two +5 V rails.<ref name="fsm5200" /><ref name="schem5200" />
POKEY generates four independent audio channels:
* '''Frequency control:''' 8-bit divisor
* '''Volume:''' 4-bit per channel (0-15)
* '''Waveforms:''' Pure tone, polynomial noise
* '''Clock source:''' 1.79 MHz or 64 kHz


Audio output is mixed to mono and routed through the RF modulator or can be tapped for line-level output modifications.
Expected readings, from Atari's diagnostic flow charts:<ref name="fsm5200" />


== Common IC Identification ==
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{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:70%; text-align:center;"
{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:80%;"
! Atari Part !! Function !! Location
! Test point !! Expected !! If wrong
|-
| CO14806 || 6502C CPU || A2/U2
|-
|-
| CO12296 || ANTIC || A3/U3
| Core of J3 (power/RF input) || 10–12 V DC || RF cable, switchbox or power pack
|-
|-
| CO14805 || GTIA (NTSC) || A5/U5
| Input of VR2 || +12 V ||
|-
|-
| CO14889 || GTIA (PAL) || A5/U5
| Output of VR2 (pin 3) || +5 V || Check for a short on the output
|-
|-
| CO12294 || POKEY || A7/U7
| Pin 13 of U29 (A26), the 4013 latch || Toggles between 13 V and 0 V when the power switch S2 is pressed || Power latch fault
|-
|-
| CO19156A || ROM/BIOS || A8/U8
| Pin 3 of the RF module || +5 V || L13, the RF module, or an open to VCC2
|}
|}


== Controller Port Pinout ==
=== The cartridge carries the +5 V jumper ===
 
The console's +5 V distribution is '''jumpered through the cartridge''': the schematic marks a link between J1 pins 36 and 18 as "jumper in plug-in ROM cartridge".<ref name="schem5200" /> A 5200 with no cartridge in the slot is therefore not fully powered. This is designed behaviour, not a fault, and it is worth knowing before you start probing a "dead" console with an empty slot.
 
== Capacitors ==
 
The 5200 has remarkably few aluminium electrolytics — essentially one, and its value depends on the board:<ref name="fsm5200" /><ref name="console5-5200" />
 
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{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:70%; text-align:center;"
{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:90%;"
|+'''15-pin Controller Connector'''
! Ref !! CA018087 (original 4-port) !! CA020108 and CA021374 !! Type
! Pin !! Signal !! Function
|-
| 1 || Keypad Row 0 || Keyboard matrix scanning
|-
| 2 || Keypad Row 1 || Keyboard matrix scanning
|-
| 3 || Keypad Row 2 || Keyboard matrix scanning
|-
| 4 || Keypad Row 3 || Keyboard matrix scanning
|-
| 5 || Keypad Column 2 (Reset) || Reset button input
|-
| 6 || Keypad Column 0 || Keyboard matrix scanning
|-
| 7 || +5V || Power supply
|-
| 8 || Keypad Column 1 || Keyboard matrix scanning
|-
| 9 || POT0 (Horizontal) || X-axis potentiometer
|-
|-
| 10 || POT1 (Vertical) || Y-axis potentiometer
| '''C45''' || '''4700 µF 25 V''' (Atari C016033) || '''47 µF 25 V''' (Atari C020121) || Electrolytic, radial
|-
|-
| 11 || +5V || Power supply
| C41, C42, C119, C144 || 10 µF 20 V || 10 µF 20 V || Tantalum, axial
|-
|-
| 12 || Fire Button (Bottom) || Secondary fire button
| C13, C14 || 820 pF 25 V || 820 pF 25 V || Polystyrene, audio circuit (Atari C018621)
|-
|-
| 13 || Fire Button (Top) || Primary fire button
| C43, C44 || 0.22 µF 100 V || 0.22 µF 100 V || Polyester, radial
|-
|-
| 14 || Ground || Common ground
| C19, C99–C106 || 0.047 µF 100 V || 0.047 µF 100 V || Polyester, radial
|-
| 15 || NC || Not connected
|}
|}


== Technical Specifications Summary ==
Everything else on the board is a ceramic axial. The big 4700 µF at C45 on the original 4-port board is there because that board's supply comes through the switchbox cable; the later boards, which take a shorter or separate supply path, use only 47 µF in the same position.
* '''Clock Speed:''' 1.79 MHz (NTSC), 1.77 MHz (PAL)
* '''Colors:''' 256 (16 hues × 16 luminance levels)
* '''Resolution:''' Up to 384×240 overscan, 320×192 standard
* '''Sprites:''' 4 players + 4 missiles, hardware collision detection
* '''Sound:''' 4-channel square wave/noise generation
* '''Controllers:''' Analog with 360° non-centering movement


== Service Information ==
== Controllers ==
Service documentation is available in the CX5200 Field Service Manual. The system uses all through-hole components except for some RF modulator sections. Common replacement parts:
 
* '''7805 voltage regulators:''' Standard TO-220 package, 1A minimum
The CX52 controller (Atari CA018107, used on all models) has an analogue joystick, a 12-key keypad, two fire buttons on each side and three select buttons.<ref name="fsm5200" /> The keypad, fire buttons and select buttons all run through a single '''flex circuit''', which is the controller's main wear item.
* '''Power jack (2-port):''' 5.5mm × 2.1mm barrel connector
 
* '''Controller port connectors:''' 15-pin card edge
On the console side, the keypad matrix is scanned through five (or three, on the 2-port) '''4052 analogue multiplexers''', with a 470 Ω series resistor and a 470 pF capacitor on each port line.<ref name="schem5200" /> A controller fault that affects one port only is usually the flex circuit or the port's 4052; a fault affecting all ports points at POKEY.
* '''Cartridge connector:''' 36-pin (2×18) edge connector
 
Atari's potentiometer adjustment procedure gives real numbers to work to:<ref name="fsm5200" />
 
# With the arm off the wiper shaft, adjust the shaft so that the reading between pot terminals 2 and 3 is '''5 kΩ–20 kΩ'''.
# Fit the arm in the documented position and reassemble.
# With the joystick at position 1, the reading through the cable (connector pins 11 and 9, and pins 10 and 9) should be '''no greater than 50 kΩ'''.
# At position 2 the reading should be at least about 100 kΩ greater than at position 1.
# If the test fails, replace the pots; if the pots have already been replaced, replace the actuator plates, which must be replaced as a complete unit with the slide block.
 
The non-centring design uses a rubber boot rather than springs. Atari published a boot replacement procedure and a knob puller tool (FC100214) because the knob is difficult to remove without one.<ref name="fco5200" />
 
== Known factory faults ==
 
* '''Rockwell 6502 MPUs with date code 8250 and later''' (stamped with the letters RC) have a timing defect. Atari's factory modification adds an R–C network on the component side of the board at '''U14A pin 1''' and '''U6A pin 4'''. The network does not need to be removed to use another manufacturer's MPU or a Rockwell part with a different date code.<ref name="fco5200" />
* '''CX55 VCS cartridge adaptor compatibility.''' Original CA018087 boards need retrofit kit CA023019, which solders wires to pins 24, 30 and 11 of J1. Atari's procedure carries an explicit warning: '''if the red jumper wire is grounded, the 5200 power adaptor will burn out.'''<ref name="fco5200" />
 
== Cartridge slot ==
 
The cartridge socket J1 has at least 36 positions; the +5 V jumper occupies pins 18 and 36.<ref name="schem5200" />
 
== Maintenance and repair ==
 
* {{Main|Atari 5200 General Maintenance}}


== Schematics ==
== Schematics ==
Line 253: Line 170:
|+Atari 5200
|+Atari 5200
!Motherboard
!Motherboard
!RF Switch Box
!RF Switch Box and Power Supply
!Accessories
!Accessories
|-
|-
|[[File:Schematic Atari5200 4000.png|thumb|315x315px|Atari 5200 Console Schematic]]
|[[File:Schematic Atari5200 4000.png|thumb|315x315px|Atari 5200 Console Schematic]]
|[[File:Schematic Atari5200 RFSwitchbox 2000.png|thumb|Atari 2600 RF Switchbox Schematic]]
|[[File:Schematic Atari5200 RFSwitchbox 2000.png|thumb|Atari 5200 RF Switchbox and Power Supply Schematic]]
|[[File:Schematic Atari5200 Accessories 2000.png|thumb|Atari 5200 Accessories Schematic]]
|[[File:Schematic Atari5200 Accessories 2000.png|thumb|Atari 5200 Accessories Schematic]]
|}
|}


== Related Pages ==
== Service documentation ==
 
* [[:File:Atari CX5200 Field Service Manual.pdf|Atari CX5200 Field Service Manual]] — parts lists for all three boards, schematics, flow charts and controller service
* [[:File:Atari 2600 and 5200 Field Change Orders and Tech Tips.pdf|Atari 2600 and 5200 Field Change Orders, Upgrade Bulletins and Tech Tips]]
 
== Related pages ==
* [[Atari 5200 General Maintenance]]
* [[Atari 5200 General Maintenance]]
* [[Atari 5200 Troubleshooting Guide]]
* [[Atari 5200 Capacitor Replacement Guide]]
* [[Atari 2600]]
* [[Atari 2600]]
* [[Atari 7800]]
 
== References ==
<references />
 
{{Navbox-AtariConsoles|state=collapsed}}


[[Category:Atari Systems]]
[[Category:Atari Systems]]

Revision as of 23:50, 22 September 2026

Atari 5200
Atari 5200 4-port model with controllers
Specifications
ManufacturerAtari, Inc.
TypeHome video game console
ReleasedNovember 1982 (4-port)
1983 (2-port)
Intro priceUS$269 (1982)
CPU6502 variant, Atari C014806, at U2/A2
Memory16 KB DRAM
StorageROM cartridge
DisplayANTIC + GTIA, NTSC only
SoundPOKEY, 4 channels
OS / Firmware2 KB ROM (Atari C019156)
PredecessorAtari 2600
Model no.CX5200

The Atari 5200 SuperSystem is a home video game console released by Atari, Inc. in November 1982. It uses the same custom chipset as the Atari 8-bit computer line — ANTIC, GTIA and POKEY around a 6502 — in a console package. It was sold in North America only; there was never a PAL Atari 5200.

This page concentrates on the information a repairer needs. Atari's CX5200 Field Service Manual is the primary source for almost everything below.[1]

The three PC boards

Atari shipped three different main boards, and they are not interchangeable for service purposes — the designator prefix itself changes between them.[1]

Production boards
Board Ports Designators Identification Notes
CA018087 (original 4-port) 4 U1–U29 — Needs retrofit kit CA023019 to work with the CX55 VCS cartridge adaptor
CA020108 (4-port "Universal") 4 A1–A28 Serial number on the base has a + as its third character U4 and U15 (74LS244) deleted; U14 and U28 replaced by a 74LS125 at A14 and a 74LS51 at A15; provisional circuitry for the VCS cartridge adaptor added
CA021374 (2-port) 2 A1–A28 Two controller ports As the Universal board, plus: ports 3 and 4 and their discrete components removed; A12 and A13 removed; manual switchbox instead of the automatic one; the power adaptor plugs into the console instead of the switchbox

Atari's serial-number identification for the Universal board is a plus sign as the third character, for example "AT+213…".[1] Collectors usually call this the "asterisk" board.

Integrated circuits

Chip locations
Function Device CA018087 CA020108 / CA021374
Microprocessor Atari C014806 (6502 variant) U2 A2
Display list processor ANTIC, Atari C012296 U3 A3
Graphics GTIA, Atari C014805 U5 A5
Sound, pots, keypad scan POKEY, Atari C012294 U7 A7
System ROM Atari C019156 (4096 × 8) U8 A8
Reset and video buffer 4050 U1 A1
Address decode 74LS139 U6 A6
Keypad multiplexers 4052 U9–U13 A9–A13 (A12, A13 absent on the 2-port)
DRAM address multiplexers 74LS258 U16, U17 A16, A17
RAM, 8 × 16 K × 1 DRAM MB8118 or 4516 family U18–U25 A18–A25
Power on/off latch 4013 U29 A26
+5 V regulators 78M05 (Atari C014348) VR1, VR2 VR1, VR2

The 6502, ANTIC, GTIA, POKEY and ROM identifications come from Atari's parts lists and the console schematic;[1][2] the remaining functional descriptions are from the Console5 TechWiki, a secondary source.[3]

The 5200 schematic marks the RAM as MB8118-12 with the note "typical 8 chips"; Console5 lists the equivalent 4516. Either way these are 16 K × 1 dynamic RAMs, eight of them, giving 16 KB.[2][3]

Power

This is where the 4-port and 2-port machines genuinely differ, and where most surviving 5200s fail.

4-port: power through the switchbox

The original and Universal 4-port consoles have no power connector of their own. Power and RF share one cable to the CX522 switchbox, which also contains a relay that switches the television between aerial and console.

  • Power pack: CX521 AC/DC Power Adaptor, Atari P/N C018187. Output: 9.3 volts DC at 1.95 A.[4] It is a linear supply: transformer, bridge rectifier, a 3300 µF/25 V reservoir and an MDL-5 fuse, all inside the brick.[2]
  • Atari's tech tip warns explicitly: do not use an HCD power adaptor with the CX5200 — it will damage both the adaptor and the switchbox.[4]
  • The switchbox select switch has two positions: NORMAL, which lets the console switch the television automatically when the power switch is pressed, and STANDBY, which allows television viewing while the console is on.[1]

2-port

The 2-port console takes its own adaptor (Atari A.C. adaptor assembly CA021673) directly into the rear of the case, and uses a conventional manual switchbox.[1]

Inside the console

Regulation is by two +5 V regulators, VR1 and VR2, on a heatsink assembly (Atari CA019069). Atari's parts list gives the device as a 78M05 (C014348, the 500 mA part, the same regulator used in the Atari 2600); the slightly earlier schematic prints LM340T-5. Each regulator works with an MJE-210 power transistor, and a +9 V rail is taken from the unregulated supply as well as the two +5 V rails.[1][2]

Expected readings, from Atari's diagnostic flow charts:[1]

Test point Expected If wrong
Core of J3 (power/RF input) 10–12 V DC RF cable, switchbox or power pack
Input of VR2 +12 V
Output of VR2 (pin 3) +5 V Check for a short on the output
Pin 13 of U29 (A26), the 4013 latch Toggles between 13 V and 0 V when the power switch S2 is pressed Power latch fault
Pin 3 of the RF module +5 V L13, the RF module, or an open to VCC2

The cartridge carries the +5 V jumper

The console's +5 V distribution is jumpered through the cartridge: the schematic marks a link between J1 pins 36 and 18 as "jumper in plug-in ROM cartridge".[2] A 5200 with no cartridge in the slot is therefore not fully powered. This is designed behaviour, not a fault, and it is worth knowing before you start probing a "dead" console with an empty slot.

Capacitors

The 5200 has remarkably few aluminium electrolytics — essentially one, and its value depends on the board:[1][3]

Ref CA018087 (original 4-port) CA020108 and CA021374 Type
C45 4700 µF 25 V (Atari C016033) 47 µF 25 V (Atari C020121) Electrolytic, radial
C41, C42, C119, C144 10 µF 20 V 10 µF 20 V Tantalum, axial
C13, C14 820 pF 25 V 820 pF 25 V Polystyrene, audio circuit (Atari C018621)
C43, C44 0.22 µF 100 V 0.22 µF 100 V Polyester, radial
C19, C99–C106 0.047 µF 100 V 0.047 µF 100 V Polyester, radial

Everything else on the board is a ceramic axial. The big 4700 µF at C45 on the original 4-port board is there because that board's supply comes through the switchbox cable; the later boards, which take a shorter or separate supply path, use only 47 µF in the same position.

Controllers

The CX52 controller (Atari CA018107, used on all models) has an analogue joystick, a 12-key keypad, two fire buttons on each side and three select buttons.[1] The keypad, fire buttons and select buttons all run through a single flex circuit, which is the controller's main wear item.

On the console side, the keypad matrix is scanned through five (or three, on the 2-port) 4052 analogue multiplexers, with a 470 Ω series resistor and a 470 pF capacitor on each port line.[2] A controller fault that affects one port only is usually the flex circuit or the port's 4052; a fault affecting all ports points at POKEY.

Atari's potentiometer adjustment procedure gives real numbers to work to:[1]

  1. With the arm off the wiper shaft, adjust the shaft so that the reading between pot terminals 2 and 3 is 5 kΩ–20 kΩ.
  2. Fit the arm in the documented position and reassemble.
  3. With the joystick at position 1, the reading through the cable (connector pins 11 and 9, and pins 10 and 9) should be no greater than 50 kΩ.
  4. At position 2 the reading should be at least about 100 kΩ greater than at position 1.
  5. If the test fails, replace the pots; if the pots have already been replaced, replace the actuator plates, which must be replaced as a complete unit with the slide block.

The non-centring design uses a rubber boot rather than springs. Atari published a boot replacement procedure and a knob puller tool (FC100214) because the knob is difficult to remove without one.[4]

Known factory faults

  • Rockwell 6502 MPUs with date code 8250 and later (stamped with the letters RC) have a timing defect. Atari's factory modification adds an R–C network on the component side of the board at U14A pin 1 and U6A pin 4. The network does not need to be removed to use another manufacturer's MPU or a Rockwell part with a different date code.[4]
  • CX55 VCS cartridge adaptor compatibility. Original CA018087 boards need retrofit kit CA023019, which solders wires to pins 24, 30 and 11 of J1. Atari's procedure carries an explicit warning: if the red jumper wire is grounded, the 5200 power adaptor will burn out.[4]

Cartridge slot

The cartridge socket J1 has at least 36 positions; the +5 V jumper occupies pins 18 and 36.[2]

Maintenance and repair

Schematics

Atari 5200
Motherboard RF Switch Box and Power Supply Accessories
Atari 5200 Console Schematic
Atari 5200 RF Switchbox and Power Supply Schematic
Atari 5200 Accessories Schematic

Service documentation

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Atari, Inc., CX5200 Field Service Manual, document FD100127 Rev. 4, July 1983, Sunnyvale, California. Section 1, console and PC board differences; Section 2, silkscreens and schematics; Sections 3/3A, testing; Sections 4/4A, diagnostic flow charts; Section 6, game controller; Section 8, parts lists for all three boards. Hosted here as File:Atari CX5200 Field Service Manual.pdf.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Atari, Inc., Atari 5200 Programmable Video Game System schematics, sheet 1 (processing, I/O, ROM and RAM) and sheet 2 of 2 (RF switchbox and power supply), 23 February 1983. See File:Schematic Atari5200 4000.png and File:Schematic Atari5200 RFSwitchbox 2000.png.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Console5 TechWiki, "Atari 5200", chip info and capacitor list. Secondary source: a capacitor-kit vendor's component list, not manufacturer documentation.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Atari, Inc., Atari 2600 and Atari 5200 Field Change Orders, Upgrade Bulletins and Tech Tips: Tech Tip, model ATARI CX5200, 17 November 1982, "CX5200 Power Adaptor"; Tech Tip, model CX5200, 20 January 1983, "Defective Rockwell 6502 MPU on CX5200 PC Board"; and the CX5200 retrofit procedure for kit CA023019. Hosted here as File:Atari 2600 and 5200 Field Change Orders and Tech Tips.pdf.