Atari 5200 Paddle Controller.

[Aswald]

A few days ago, using only some junk lying around, I finally managed to complete a 5200 paddle controller.

It looks much like this:

http://www.atarimuseum.com/videogames/consoles/5200/5200paddle.html

Except for the part where the cable connects to the controller, and that the knob is from what may have been a Coleco Telstar.

Under the Start, Pause, and Reset buttons are switches from a 1970s VCR. That stupid strip no longer worked (a big problem with these things).

The potentiometer is from a 5200 controller.

The only quirk is: the paddle onscreen does not go quite all the way to the right unless you turn the paddle controller enough to the left with each new game. Obviously, you can either do this before the first serve, or before you even press Start, so it's not a problem- just a bit curious, since it uses a 5200 potentiometer.

Super Breakout is soooo-oooooo-ooo much better now. I've actually managed to complete the DOUBLE and CAVITY options without using the extra 5 serves option.

Funny how I didn't think to try Pole Position with it- I'll do that when I get back. Must be getting old.

To this day, I'll never quite understand Atari's decision to use those 5200 controllers. If they were going to include Super Breakout with the console, why not just include at least one simple paddle controller- heck, including Super Breakout was dumb enough; if you liked the game, you already had the 2600 version!

[Pantechnicon]

Pics or it didn't happen.

[Aswald]

Well pictures of my Digital 5200 controller should soon be on another website. Along with the original prototype paddle controller.

But what would it prove? How would you know that it's not just a mock-up that doesn't work? In any case, I doubt anyone would ever accuse me of lying about anything video game related.

[Pantechnicon]

It's not a question of "proving" anything so much as it is giving the rest of the community here at DP an opportunity to see the work you've done, and give you either appropriate praise or constructive criticism on your handiwork.

You've been talking about these various 5200 controller projects of yours for roughly 18 months now (http://www.digitpress.com/forum/search.php?searchid=1023171). All you ever offer up for review are arcane text explanations and links to stock photos of existing controllers (http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1178178&postcount=6) and say "Well, it's like this stuck to one of these." As useful as you might think this information is, it doesn't really help those of us who might want to build something like this on our own.

Furthermore, while I wouldn't want to think you'd lie about something related to videogames, at the same time I find it highly dubious that someone with the technical competence to build his own Atari 5200 controllers lacks the ability (http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1172232&postcount=3) to put pictures online of the end results of your labors. I don't think it's unreasonable to ask to see some actual visual indications of your finished products.

It's like you're trying to verbally describe what your favorite band sounds like without letting anyone hear your CD collection and then getting frustrated that we don't like the band as much as you do.

But I'm still willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, so...


Well pictures of my Digital 5200 controller should soon be on another website. Along with the original prototype paddle controller.

1. What website will be displaying these pictures?
2. When can we expect to see them?

[cyberfluxor]

Well, it appears Aswald has a post on AtariAge (http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=122635) of this as well. I like that Virtual Pilot steering wheel.

[Pantechnicon]

Well, it appears Aswald has a post on AtariAge (http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=122635) of this as well.

Well, that's something, then. Looking forward to seeing the finished results.

[Aswald]

Just look under here:

http://www.atariage.com/forums/


There are a few things you have to understand here, Pantechnicon: it is not a matter of "competence," but the fact that I neither have a scanner nor access to one around here.

The "text descriptions," in case you haven't noticed, also include detailed descriptions of which wires do what, how high/low resistances affect on-screen control, etc. All of this is important for anyone ELSE who wishes to try this. Otherwise, it's just meaningless gibberish. You have to know how a 5200 controller works, and which wire does what, or it's all guesswork.

The only thing missing were the diagrams, and now, thanks to Big O at Atari age, they are now available for viewing. That was the one vital missing piece, and now it's there.

There would be no point in posting photos of the inside of the controller. It's just a mess of wires, resistors, and other odds and ends crammed into the joystick. I used what I had, and that included Gorilla glue and velcro. But the diagrams make it obvious how YOU or anyone else can make a proper circuit design.

Hope this helped.

[rpepper9]

How does the old saying go, a photo is worth a thousand words? In the era of everyone having a cell phone, enen my 6Mo nephew, I find it difficult to think that a photo could not be taken pretty quickly. Even if it is a low rez cell photo.... 1000 words!

[Pantechnicon]

I neither have a scanner nor access to one around here.

The Herkimer County Library system has no scanners for public use? Even if they don't, how about Walgreens or Wal-Mart? They have self-serve kiosks with scanners built in, and they can burn you a CD for less than $10. You can then upload the pictures yourself to a free hosting site like Photobucket, like so:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v255/pzcortez/mame07/DSCN0430.jpg
The inner control panel of my last MAME cab project, warts and all

Wills and ways, Aswald. Wills and ways...

But okay, I don't see a reason to belabor the point any further. You've got some hand-drawn diagrams up at AA and that at least proves you've done some actual work. I'm satisfied, but I'd still like to see a final picture if you can find the time.

[Aswald]

The Herkimer County Library system has no scanners for public use? Even if they don't, how about Walgreens or Wal-Mart? They have self-serve kiosks with scanners built in, and they can burn you a CD for less than $10. You can then upload the pictures yourself to a free hosting site like Photobucket, like so:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v255/pzcortez/mame07/DSCN0430.jpg
The inner control panel of my last MAME cab project, warts and all

Wills and ways, Aswald. Wills and ways...

But okay, I don't see a reason to belabor the point any further. You've got some hand-drawn diagrams up at AA and that at least proves you've done some actual work. I'm satisfied, but I'd still like to see a final picture if you can find the time.


Aside from the fact that those stores may not have such a service around here, it won't be until things really thaw out here that I'd be able to do so- money is very tight now.

"Upload?" Like how? From these computers that cannot handle most emulators and in places that won't even let you insert a regular disc for fear of viruses?

And I did send a photo- but Big O is having trouble "clearing it up" in order to send it. It is a not-so-good Polaroid.

[Aswald]

A couple of weeks ago, I made three modifications to that paddle controller:

1) I glued some aluminum foil to those $#@&*! stupid carbon pads in the fire buttons. They work beautifully NOW, but what the hell was Atari thinking when they came up with THAT stupid design?

2) Of course, it didn't work with Pole Position. You need the up/down joystick moves to shift gears. So I added a "rocker" switch to the right side (replacing the two fire buttons there) and wired the vertical circuit to it, with a resistor (100 OHMS) to work around this. It's a bit to get used to, but it does work well enough.

3) I added a resistor (33,000 OHMS) to the horizontal circuit. This solved the problem of the paddle not going all the way to the right unless you first went all the way to the left first. It isn't 100% for Pole Position, but it's good enough.

The result of all of this is incredible. I have cleared all 3 walls in Super Breakout "Double" twice so far, and three times in "Cavity." Pole Position plays like a dream. It may also be good for 5200 Kaboom!, but I do not have that game. It really is a specialty controller that is only good for 3 games.


Pantechnicon, I still can't understand your reasoning about photos. In my text descriptions I "mapped out" all of the wires, right down to what combinations do what and where they connect to the 5200*. How could I possibly have known what I posted unless I had tested them all and at least built a working circuit? Someone like Opcode or Sean Kelly would've realized this immediately upon reading it.

* One can get a 15-wire cable/plug easily enough, but not a 5200 one. This way, you know what wire does what, and how to "find" them.

[Pantechnicon]

Pantechnicon, I still can't understand your reasoning about photos.

Yes, and you already responded to the advice I put forth in message #10 of this thread, and I haven't added anything else on the matter, so let's not beat a dead horse.