C/V Keypad Accessory made by "Champ"

[Bartsfam]

Hi;

I recently scored some things on EBay, and included were CV keypads made in Hong Kong by "Champ." These are the keypads where you can plug in a controller into the keypad, and then plug the keypad into the CV.

 

I was just curious of the history of these? Were they made during the initial CV run? Or, after market later on, so a player could chose their own controller if they were not happy with the CV controller, and still have a keypad.

 

 

Just curious......

[+cmart604]

Hi;

I recently scored some things on EBay, and included were CV keypads made in Hong Kong by "Champ." These are the keypads where you can plug in a controller into the keypad, and then plug the keypad into the CV.

 

I was just curious of the history of these? Were they made during the initial CV run? Or, after market later on, so a player could chose their own controller if they were not happy with the CV controller, and still have a keypad.

 

 

Just curious......

 

Any pics?

[Murph74]

That was an original run 3rd party item. I believe it was typically packaged with a black and red controller with yellow buttons that the cord rolled into the base on. I'd only seen them at Kay Bee during their 'blowout' days, but I think NIAD just sold a couple here or on Ebay recently- one was jsut the adapter, the other was the set.

[NIAD]

Hi;

I recently scored some things on EBay, and included were CV keypads made in Hong Kong by "Champ." These are the keypads where you can plug in a controller into the keypad, and then plug the keypad into the CV.

 

I was just curious of the history of these? Were they made during the initial CV run? Or, after market later on, so a player could chose their own controller if they were not happy with the CV controller, and still have a keypad.

 

 

Just curious......

 

Any pics?

Here's the link to the thread I started with the pics and Murph's post says it all.

 

http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/182492-interest-check-for-rare-champ-controllers/

[Bartsfam]

Hi; I recently scored some things on EBay, and included were CV keypads made in Hong Kong by "Champ." These are the keypads where you can plug in a controller into the keypad, and then plug the keypad into the CV. I was just curious of the history of these? Were they made during the initial CV run? Or, after market later on, so a player could chose their own controller if they were not happy with the CV controller, and still have a keypad.Just curious......

Any pics?

 

Here is the pic. Sorry for the quality, it was quick with my IPOD Touch, (no flash!)

 

 

I guess the keypads are the same as NIAD'S. The previous owner used a 7800(?) Atari Controller with the keypad. The other keypad was hooked up with a badly beaten 2600 controller.

 

Thanks for the info. on the keypads everyone. Even back then, someone was smart enough to offer a third party option around the CV controller.

One question NIAD, I read your old post on the keypad. Just how rare are they, and what would one be worth?

Edited June 20, 2011 by Bartsfam

[retroillucid]

A loose Champ Adaptor itself worth no more than $30 - $40

A CIB worth around $80

[Pixelboy]

Wasn't it doubledown who once said there were two models of the Champ adaptor? The first one didn't work with all third-party joysticks, but the second model offered better compatibility. My memory is vague on this, but I'm pretty sure someone posted that kind of info at one point...

[retroillucid]

Wasn't it doubledown who once said there were two models of the Champ adaptor? The first one didn't work with all third-party joysticks, but the second model offered better compatibility. My memory is vague on this, but I'm pretty sure someone posted that kind of info at one point...

 

Yep, one came with the Red/Black Joystick , while the other came alone

Wich one is better? , I dunno though

[NIAD]

One question NIAD, I read your old post on the keypad. Just how rare are they, and what would one be worth?

They are pretty rare, but as always happens, one shows up on eBay and then you see a run of them popping up and then back to a long drawn out wait to see another. I already had a Champ Keypad, but when a "Buy it Now" came up with the 2 Champ Keypads, 2 Champ Mini-Joysticks, 2 CV Hand Controllers, RF Cable and EM #2 Gas Pedal for a ridiculously low price, suffice it to say that I jumped all over it.

 

I kept one of the Mini-Joysticks and have since sold off the rest for a sweat little profit. I normally buy "auction lots" for certain items that I don't have, clean and test the other items that I don't need and then try to resell them like the ADAM systems I have sold and currently have listed in the MarketPlace. Usually I end up selling below what I probably should ask for them and what I paid, but I just want to find a good home for these items and give a potential buyer the confidence that they will be getting working equipment in good shape... that's worth a little loss to me.

 

In the last couple weeks, I have seen three other auctions other than the one that I won that have included the Champ Keypad:

 

the one you won with two keypads and a whole lot more.

an untested CV with two keypads that I think is still running

the combo keypad and mini-joystick

 

So that makes 7 Champ Keypads that appeared on eBay in about a months time.

 

BTW, my auction for the Keypad sold for $45, so the $30-$40 guesstimate by Retroillucid is probably pretty spot on... I jusgot lucky in that someone really wanted it more than the couple of other bidders.

[zylon]

I had one of those back in way back. I only ever tried it with cx-40 stick. It worked ok.

[Bruce Tomlin]

I found a pair of those at a flea market years ago. They're nice, but I was unimpressed when I traced out the circuit and found out that they didn't support the right fire button on the pass-thru.

[NIAD]

I found a pair of those at a flea market years ago. They're nice, but I was unimpressed when I traced out the circuit and found out that they didn't support the right fire button on the pass-thru.

Champ must have made two different versions of the Keypad (as Pixelboy has stated as well), because the one I got from Atari2600 a while ago supports both the left and right fire buttons and the two I picked up recently both supported the left and right fire buttons.

 

When Champ developed the Keypad, two independent fire button joysticks/controllers just weren't the norm (not that they weren't out there) and probably to save some money they went with a single fire button compatible setup. Fortunately, they learned the error of their ways (probably when developing their Mini-Joystick) and then added support for the second fire button.