0078265317 Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 (edited) I liked the how to make your own paddle for 5200 thread here. But to hard to mount potentionmeter in stock controller. Lucky I had a spare broken one to play around with. But anyhow stock controller no good. And I have big hands. So I modified a pill box and turned it into a paddle. Need something compact and easy to hold. Normal controllers are to big and fire buttons are hard to keep pressed. Anyhow big thanks to Zylon for all the help by PM. So anyway here it is. Tried it on pole position, galaxian, and super breakout. Works great. Here are some photos. I only rigged start and fire. Reset is not needed as I can just turn the 5200 off and on. And you have to for changing games anyway. The only thing I could not figure out was how to tap into the pause. Edited May 11, 2011 by 0078265317 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zylon Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Pin 6 is the hot for Pause. That's the third pin from the left on top row when looking at the plug end. Just run a jumper wire from the pin 4 connection side of your start button to a button for pause, then run wire from P6 to the other side. Good work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tz101 Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Nice work. Where did the transluscent blue case come from? What is the toggle switch on the side of the case used for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0078265317 Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 (edited) I know pin 6 is pause. I tried that and it ddin't work. I'll do some more research and see later. The translucent blue was a pill box. And the switches I have 2 sliders. One start and one pause. Reset not needed as I don't want to accidently reset during middle of game. And I can always turn the 5200 off and back on. Plus you have to for switching cartridges anyway. But 1 slider only for now as pause is not working. So just start for now until I figure out how to add pause. And the toggle is for fire. SO in galaxian don't have to keep pressing fire. Just toggle it on and good to go. Then slide the red knob left and right and kill enemies. And for pole position just toggle fire on and then left and right on the red knob to steer car. No need to keep holding fire. And for super breakout once you fire the ball goes and no need to keep firing. It does nothing if you leave it toggled on. Or toggle it on and off right away when you see the ball shoot. The red knob time again. Even jungle hunt (first round only) can be used. Sometimes you get lucky and if you keep firing he will make all vines if you get the timing just right. Or if you are quick toggle fire on and off right away as soon as he left the vine and is in mid air. He will then stop on the next vine and won't keep going. Keep doing it and you will eventually get to the water. It is hard but that is a part of the challenge and fun. Edited May 11, 2011 by 0078265317 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0078265317 Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 Oh and there was no room for a keypad in the tiny pill box. It will physically looking from outside but box is to stuffed as is to make room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0078265317 Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 I tried it again. Pause refuses to work. Volt meter says pin 6 is purple. So I stripped comon wire and looped through both switches. Then 1 wire to each switch. 1 for start and 1 for pause doesn't pause. If I add together it even freezes sometimes. I don't think it likes sharing common. I give up. But start and fire is good enough for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0078265317 Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 OK, I finally figured out how to tap into pause and maybe even do reset. But for now I got start and pause. Anyhow, but the pill box is getting a little cramped so not much room for more buttons and stuff. So any suggestions for a new box or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zylon Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 (edited) OK, I finally figured out how to tap into pause and maybe even do reset. But for now I got start and pause. Anyhow, but the pill box is getting a little cramped so not much room for more buttons and stuff. So any suggestions for a new box or something? How about a dismembered 2600 paddle? You could wire that to your existing cable, they have a fire button, and you could put buttons on the bottom or on the lower front. Edited May 12, 2011 by zylon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0078265317 Posted May 12, 2011 Author Share Posted May 12, 2011 How about a dismembered 2600 paddle? You could wire that to your existing cable, they have a fire button, and you could put buttons on the bottom or on the lower front. That would be too hard to mod. Anyhow I figured out how to tap into pause finally and rewired the whole thing. Here it is with a added slider for pause on top. Not the cleanest but good enough for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATARI7800fan Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 nice looking controller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zylon Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 (edited) I've got another controller housing idea, that I'll throw at you. The 7800 proline stick. It has 2 fire buttons and you could put the pot where the stick was. The fire buttons have their own separate boards so wiring them is cake. Start/pause/reset could then fit easily on the lower front where Atari bezel is. Edited May 13, 2011 by zylon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0078265317 Posted May 14, 2011 Author Share Posted May 14, 2011 I've got another controller housing idea, that I'll throw at you. The 7800 proline stick. It has 2 fire buttons and you could put the pot where the stick was. The fire buttons have their own separate boards so wiring them is cake. Start/pause/reset could then fit easily on the lower front where Atari bezel is. I thought about that but not sure. I saw one on ebay for 5 bucks but lost the link. Actually would flashback controllers work? Cus it has 2 fire buttons and start and pause right below the stick. No need for cutouts since it already has start and pause. Actually thought a foot pedal would be nice to control pole position cuz holding fire on the stock cuases hand cramps. But not sure if this would work? eBay Auction -- Item Number: 170612980422 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zylon Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 Based on the switch positions on it, yes. The FB controllers would work if the pot fit inside. The downer is the button are the carbon dot variety so you'd have to solder wiring to the existing internal boards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0078265317 Posted May 14, 2011 Author Share Posted May 14, 2011 And what about the foot pedal, would that work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zylon Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 And what about the foot pedal, would that work? Yep. Use the normally open set of connections for the bottom button. An idea that may or may not help: If making it a dedicated Pole position controller, then wire the top button to the normally closed contacts. That way letting off the gas would engage the brake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0078265317 Posted May 14, 2011 Author Share Posted May 14, 2011 I'd like to use it for other games as well. But if only 3 holes and 1 is closed then I can't wire top and bottom buttons. It would therefore have to be for pole position only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bohoki Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 (edited) i suppose you know how to wire a toggle switch to be up down its pretty simple you just need a 500k resistor and a switch Edited May 14, 2011 by bohoki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0078265317 Posted May 14, 2011 Author Share Posted May 14, 2011 Yes but that is getting a bit complicated. I'll just stick to the pill box for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bohoki Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 whoops i drew the pic wrong the pin 11 wire should be attached to the middle post with the 500k resistor(which doesnt have to be a 500k it can be the 470 ,510,560 you know the standard nominal values Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Manhattan Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 Nice work 007! I think I'm going to try something like this. Thanks for the inspiration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0078265317 Posted May 20, 2011 Author Share Posted May 20, 2011 The pill box was getting cramped. So I switched to a mentos gum round container. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zylon Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 Makes your game play fresher too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littleman jack Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 The pill box was getting cramped. So I switched to a mentos gum round container. Nice work! The 7800 controller idea has been tried by Video 61. If you look at their website you can see them, but I'm not sure if they are the same as Zylon's idea. Perhaps Zylon gave them the idea? Or maybe it was two great minds thinking alike. Or maybe I have no idea what I'm talking about. They do both use the 7800 controller as a starting point though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0078265317 Posted May 20, 2011 Author Share Posted May 20, 2011 Thanks the stock controllers give me hand cramps. And with autofire it is really good for games like pole position and galaxian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0078265317 Posted May 21, 2011 Author Share Posted May 21, 2011 I just added a second toggle on the side for pause works great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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