Gaming People ..

[Sunny]

I have a question .... Our TV is high on the wall. The kids like to play games, but when we plug in the cord, it barely reaches the floor.  Is there some kind of adapter that we can leave a main gaming cord plugged in and plug the other games into it?  All we have is a PS1, Game Cube and just bought an Atari Flashback3.

Thanks ..

[Todd W.]

Depends on what kind of cord runs to each device.  Is it Composite, Component, a Proprietary design or other?

[Sunny]

Depends on what kind of cord runs to each device.  Is it Composite, Component, a Proprietary design or other?

lmao ....  I have no idea what you just said.  I seriously have no idea what cord they are.  Bill just plugs them into the TV.

[Todd W.]

Too Funny 

That is the only way to answer your question is to know what kind of cords they are.  What colors are the connectors that go into the TV?

[Sunny]

I looked in the cabinet, I see yellow, red and white ends on the cords.  The Flashback, I don't know about, it's wrapped (Christmas present).

[swatem]

Those game systems all have their own connector design. No standard composite/usb or anything like that. You have to buy a controller extension cord for each one. Gamestop carries them, just tell them what you're looking for when you go in. As for the atari you may have to go to the flea market for an extension. There is a old game system store in tricounty mall but not sure if they carry that. Hope that helps.

Sorry, if you are referring to the cables from the game system to the tv you are looking for a rca extension (red, yellow, white.) Neither one of those came in hd.

[jeblin]

#1) Playstation1(One)

PS1 uses a PSX to RCA cord to connect to the Playstation to most TV channels. Does your cable look like this one --> http://www.amazon.com/Playstation-PS2-PSX-RCA-Cable-2/dp/B000GACEHQ ? If so, you can buy RCA extension cables like this --> http://www.amazon.com/LK-131035-Male-Female-Extension-Cable/dp/B003V7B6FC/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1324318012&sr=8-6

#2) Nintendo Game Cube

Same question.

#3) Atari Flashback 3

I don't know about this one. I have never owned one, but if its the same connector at the end (Red/Yellow/White), it should work with the extension cables.

Now, would it be better to buy extension cables for each set, or would it be better to buy whats called an AV switch? An AV switch would have one set of cables that run from it to your tv. All your other devices would plug into the AV switch. The AV switch has push buttons and it redirects the connections from the device plugged into the respective port to the TV.

Say you have your PS1 plugged into port 1 on the AV switch, the GameCube on port 2, and the Atari on port 3. If you wanted to play the PS1, you would push the button that says 1, or if you wanted to play GameCube, push 2, etc. On our primary TV, we are limited to how many RCA/Composite connections we can have so we purchased an AV switch to plug all the devices to it.

Hope it helps!

Jerry

[Todd W.]

I looked in the cabinet, I see yellow, red and white ends on the cords.  The Flashback, I don't know about, it's wrapped (Christmas present).

So that is a Composite cable.  Yellow for the video, red and white for the audio.  If all the cables coming from all the game consoles are Composite you can get a switch.  Something like this.  http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=composite+video+switch&hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=13377170364906586399&sa=X&ei=MIDvTrakKsWCtgfzw8SqDw&ved=0CMUBEPMCMAM#

If the one that is wrapped is different then there are switches made that will handle different video technologies.  All depends.

[Todd W.]

Looks like it is composite also...

The systems are powered by an AC adapter (included), come with a pair of joystick controllers, and use standard composite video and monaural audio RCA plugs to connect to a television.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_Flashback

So the composite switch would work.  That and they are cheap, you need the switch and the additional cable that Jeblin posted.

[Viggen]

Due to the game systems you have figured it was RCA

You can get a longer RCA cable which would allow you to reach the floor easily.  Not sure if best buy has them (radio shack does) but there are barrel type connectors which connect to the end of the RCA cable (where you usually plug into your TV) then you attatch another RCA cable to that.  Depending on how much longer you need you can add 1ft to 30ft of cable. Going this route you can use the existing cable that comes off each of your game systems & plug it into the tv.

Or like mentioned above a switching box would be a easy upgrade as well. The switching box would sit next to where the games are & you would just need a RCA cable that can reach from the box to the TV.  All the games would connect to the box making it easy to select which game they want to play.

Or.... get kids that don't want to play games. 

[Sunny]

Or.... get kids that don't want to play games. 

That sounds even better ... lol   This is all so confusing.  After the original Atari (yes, I'm that old) I never kept up with the games.  It would be so much simpler if they could all be universal.  I looked up that box, it's around $60.  We were hoping to just keep a main cord plugged into the TV, and plug the games in when the kids (actually grand kids) wanted to play them.  They put the outlets in the worst place on the TV.  It's hard to get to.

Thanks for all the help ... 

[Viggen]

I was just at best buy & they have the connectors for the RCA cables, allows you to attatch another RCA cable to reach where you want it to.  You could then keep a RCA cable hooked up all the time & when needed connect the RCA cable that attatches to each game system to the cable.

The connectors are $5-6 ea if I recall (you would need 3) & I think I have some extra cables you can have, I do not use RCA's any more.

I myself am still a kid & purchased xbox360 for my xmas present to myself.  My tv has xbox, kids have ps3..... & yea I am from the atari days.  Just found my old Coleco vision.... trying to find a adapter so I can hook that up & see if it works, that was pre rca days though thus not haveing any luck. 

[Sunny]

I was just at best buy & they have the connectors for the RCA cables, allows you to attatch another RCA cable to reach where you want it to.  You could then keep a RCA cable hooked up all the time & when needed connect the RCA cable that attatches to each game system to the cable.

The connectors are $5-6 ea if I recall (you would need 3) & I think I have some extra cables you can have, I do not use RCA's any more.

I myself am still a kid & purchased xbox360 for my christmas present to myself.  My tv has xbox, kids have ps3..... & yea I am from the atari days.  Just found my old Coleco vision.... trying to find a adapter so I can hook that up & see if it works, that was pre rca days though thus not haveing any luck. 

I looked online at Walmart, couldn't find any, but I might have been calling it the wrong thing, good possibility.    We are going to Meijer and Walmart this week sometime, I'll look and see.  That is exactly what we want, the TV is above the freshwater tank, we can leave the cable behind the TV and run it through the cabinet and leave it there.   Thanks !! 

[slandis3]

It should look something like this I think. except you will need one for 3 wires

http://www.fullcompass.com/product/364625.html?utm_source=googleps&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=googleps&gclid=CJrtq66Pj60CFQLrKgodTlTolg

[Sunny]

I knew you guys would point me in the right direction ....  You have all been very helpful   

[jeblin]

That sounds even better ... lol   This is all so confusing.  After the original Atari (yes, I'm that old) I never kept up with the games.  It would be so much simpler if they could all be universal.  I looked up that box, it's around $60.  We were hoping to just keep a main cord plugged into the TV, and plug the games in when the kids (actually grand kids) wanted to play them.  They put the outlets in the worst place on the TV.  It's hard to get to.

Thanks for all the help ... 

Sounds like an AV switch box would be right up your alley. Here is the link to a relatively cheap one ($26) at Walmart --> http://www.walmart.com/ip/RCA-4-Way-AV-Switcher-With-S-Video/3312963 (this one also supports S-Video but you wouldn't use it with your systems)

It sounds more complicated than it is to use one. If you look at the second picture in the link I posted, you will see that it has 4 spots where you can plug in game systems/dvd/vcr/etc using the Red/White/Yellow Composite/RCA connectors. The last set is labeled OUTPUT which goes from the AV Switch to the TV itself. If you want to play whats plugged into spot 1, push the 1st button.

You can go even cheaper, but then I would worry about how long the box would last. Here's on from Amazon for under $5 --> http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Composite-Selector-Switch-Gamecube/dp/9867299434  but I would be worried about how long it will last. We have one from Walmart and its lasted for over 4 years now (knocks on wood)

Jerry

[Sunny]

We talked last night and we think the cables would be better since the games will only be plugged in while they are here.  I can hide them in the freshwater cabinet.  It will be good not to worry about the TV being pulled down while they are playing the games.

[DarinSchmidt]

We talked last night and we think the cables would be better since the games will only be plugged in while they are here.  I can hide them in the freshwater cabinet.  It will be good not to worry about the TV being pulled down while they are playing the games.

good choice. its probably an analog signal being sent through those cables so you dont have to worry about the length of the cable unless you go over 50'.

[Viggen]

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Zax-87303-Pro-Series-3m-Composite-Audio-Video-Cable/17113948

These are RCA cables that wally world sells..... just figure out the length you need, these are possibly longer then what you need at 9-10ft.... there is no need getting expensive cables.... if they have cheaper ones in the store get them

http://www.walmart.com/ip/RCA-Extension-Adapter-2pk/17473905

these are the barrel adapters, you would need two packs of them

[Sunny]

Great, I wrote them down.  It just needs to be around 10'.  That will be good enough to come from the TV, down the back of the cabinet to hook up to a game.  Will be so much better than what we do now.  Later on, we want to get an extendable wall mount for the TV.  We built in the freshwater tank, the TV sits on top of it.  Kind of scary when the kids get excited playing a game and pull on the cords.   I can just see that TV come crashing down .... 

[Reefpete]

Great, I wrote them down.  It just needs to be around 10'.  That will be good enough to come from the TV, down the back of the cabinet to hook up to a game.  Will be so much better than what we do now.  Later on, we want to get an extendable wall mount for the TV.  We built in the freshwater tank, the TV sits on top of it.  Kind of scary when the kids get excited playing a game and pull on the cords.   I can just see that TV come crashing down .... 

Hopefully that doesn't ever happen.