Digital 5200 Controller Update.

[Aswald]

Well, so far, so good.

Rather than using the shell of an Atari 5200 controller as the main body, I decided instead to use that keypad controller- the one for 2600 Star Raiders- instead.

This, of course, required me to rewire the circuit board, to match up the design for the 5200 controller.

I tested it out the other day. It works fine.

However, 3 buttons- Start, Pause, and Reset- have to be added. These will be momentary push-buttons added through drilled holes over the normal keys. There is enough room, and wiring them is simple enough.

Over these will be a main modification to the original design: since it is nearly impossible for me, with what I have to use, to figure the exact resistance for neutral- and I do not have enough money to buy resistors for trial-and-error- I can only estimate, based on the readings of the old multi-tester, what it is.

Therefore, I will add 2 variable resistors ("potentiometers") to the vertical and horizontal circuits. This will adjust the overall resistance until you find "neutral." The "fixed" resistance will therefore be somewhat less than what is needed, but not by much. Believe it or not, I have to use velcro inside the controller to hold these in place, but it works.

As for the controller itself, so far, so good. I have replaced 2 of the normal switches with homemade "normally closed" switches (bent roofing tin). When you move the switch to the right and/or down, tiny metal pipettes push DOWN, opening the switches. This shuts off the current completely. This makes you go down and/or to the right.

Note: Just unplug the 5200 controller after starting a game, and you will see this for yourself.

The second button, for the "upper" fire buttons, will be added right below the regular one.


As for the paddle controller- unlike the previous design, it will be separate. Therefore, since I will prefer a Y-Plug, a small on-off switch will be added to the main controller, because if not, the 2 circuits will interfere with each other. Since the wiring is there, it will be a simple matter to add its own Start, Pause, Reset, *, #, and 1 buttons.

I've already played Super Breakout with the prototype. With it, I have managed to clear all 3 walls in Double Breakout the first night I played.

Note- To make the potentiometer work more smoothly and better, it was necessary to add an 11,000 Ohm resistor to the circuit. It came from an old broken VCR from the 1970s.


Keep in mind also that this joystick is one of extremes. When you push it in any direction, it will be as though you pushed the normal 5200 controller ALL THE WAY over. In some games, such as Centipede and Star Raiders, and (from what I've heard) Galaxian, how fast you move depends on how far you move the stick. These different speeds are no longer available, if you use this controller, but Centipede, for example, will simply play like the 7800 version.

[NoahsMyBro]

This sounds very interesting. Are you planning, at some point, to post pics, schematics/plans, or both?

[Aswald]

I am unable to post any pictures directly.

However, if someone else is able to do so, I'd simply send a photo along of the (now) two controllers. Then, that someone could post it.


What I can do directly from here is explain how I did it- a sort of "text schematic." This would basically be, for example, which wire does what in what combination (red and black, for example, control vertical). I have also mapped out WHERE these wires go to, so if you have ANY such cable (not just from a 5200 controller), you have only to figure out which hole in the plug each wire goes to duplicate it.

Again, the real problem is the fact that, unlike regular controllers, you have an actual neutral value. There is no way to get all 3 (up, down, and "middle"), for example, with standard controllers; I had to drill out one such switch and make one that is normally CLOSED- pull down on the stick, you push it open, and you go (in this case) down. There's no current, which counts as near-infinite resistance. The problem now is building it "just right;" the rest is done.

Hmmm...maybe I can send them to Sean Kelly so he can see them. Then, once he has stopped laughing long enough, he can better explain it.

[Iron Draggon]

sounds silly... why not just mod a Jaguar controller to work with the 5200? it already has all the buttons that you need included, plus a few extra buttons!