FB2 Joystick Durability (just being paranoid)

[Recycled]

Since all my original 2600 joysticks have now become worn out.....as well as the junky "new" joysticks I bought off of ebay breaking within 2 months of owning them; I am using the FB2 joysticks with my original 2600. What's the chance of these wearing out? I'd rather not use them, but I don't feel like buying anymore hardware right now....just because a good amount of hardware I've bought over the past few years has turned out to be junk. I'm probably going to look at new joysticks at the next classic gaming expo here in Ohio.

Edited January 18, 2007 by Recycled

[82atari5200]

I'd imagine they would last as long as a NES controller. They are based on the same technology. My original NES controllers still work flawlessly after 20 years of hard use.

[Recycled]

I'd imagine they would last as long as a NES controller. They are based on the same technology. My original NES controllers still work flawlessly after 20 years of hard use.

 

 

I hope so. After buying those "new" junkie controllers that broke right away....I'm afraid to use the Fb2 controllers too much.

[Lord Helmet]

The only thing I have seen is that sometimes the stick will snap off where it screws into the base.

[128bytes]

My FBII joysticks are the most durable CX-40 style sticks that I have ever seen. And they get A LOT of abuse from people of all ages . Some of the plastic "tabs" have broken off mine on the insides, and the strain relief thingy cracked in half on one of mine - I have superglued them back and they are working as good as the first day I got them.

[holygrailvideogames.com]

I wish that I could buy these joysticks in large quantity. These are the best 2600 joysticks that I have ever found.

[Recycled]

I wish that I could buy these joysticks in large quantity. These are the best 2600 joysticks that I have ever found.

 

 

That's great to know. Hopefully we can get 20 years out of them.

[Retro Rogue]

I wish that I could buy these joysticks in large quantity. These are the best 2600 joysticks that I have ever found.

 

My own personal rating is that the original heavy sixer joysticks come in at the top for feel, with the FB2 joysticks in a close 2nd for durability/precision. Something about those springloaded sixer joysticks just screams "deluxe". The regular 2600 joysticks come in a far, distant third.

[Curt Vendel]

The original 2600 joysticks, which are actually CX-10's, not CX-40's really feel very arcade, infact I find them too damned stiff and reaction timing is a bit off. Talk about over-engineering a home controller, but honestly between the original heavy sixer and the CX-10's, the first run of Atari 2600's truly are tanks.

 

 

 

Curt

 

I wish that I could buy these joysticks in large quantity. These are the best 2600 joysticks that I have ever found.

 

My own personal rating is that the original heavy sixer joysticks come in at the top for feel, with the FB2 joysticks in a close 2nd for durability/precision. Something about those springloaded sixer joysticks just screams "deluxe". The regular 2600 joysticks come in a far, distant third.

Edited January 21, 2007 by Curt Vendel

[Retro Rogue]

The original 2600 joysticks, which are actually CX-10's, not CX-40's really feel very arcade, infact I find them too damned stiff and reaction timing is a bit off.

 

Could it be just the pair you got a hold of? The two I have are loose as a goose and make the CX-40's seem like trying to stir dried cement with a stick.

[Gregory DG]

So what is the model number for the new sticks?

[+karri]

The original 2600 joysticks, which are actually CX-10's, not CX-40's really feel very arcade, infact I find them too damned stiff and reaction timing is a bit off.

 

Could it be just the pair you got a hold of? The two I have are loose as a goose and make the CX-40's seem like trying to stir dried cement with a stick.

 

This is a bit off topic. I attended a Balboa dance class about a year ago in Sweden and the teacher was a top-dancer (Marty Clempner from Illinois). He told the guys "You should feel like an Atari joystick when moving towards the girls and back again".

 

The right tension is important.

 

--

Cheers,

 

Karri

[policelimit]

Gotta love the newer FB2 joysticks for their presicion and ease of motion. I believe people who still use the older stiffer atari sticks are a bit rough on the newer FB2 sticks because they are so used to really having to push and pull to get the stick to respond, hence the broken tab issues with the newer sticks. I read in a review somewhere that the FB2 sticks "hold up well under extreme River Raid conditions." I think we all can attest to that fact. However, if you really want a joystick that feels great and holds up under any conditions, find yourself one of the older Sunsticks. Sunstick made a bunch of joysticks and accessories. Their original Sunstick was and still is by far the best. I've seen a few on Ebay.

Edited January 24, 2007 by policelimit

[Feralstorm]

I like th FB2 sticks, though I seem to be a little harder on them than some. I've had at least two which died of 'plastic fatigue". The little tabs that limit the swing of the stick (on the internal base of the stick) snap off and rattle around inside, and I've also had the stick itself snap off, separating from the threaded part that screws into the base.

[supercat]

However, if you really want a joystick that feels great and holds up under any conditions, find yourself one of the older Sunsticks. Sunstick made a bunch of joysticks and accessories. Their original Sunstick was and still is by far the best.

 

I have a couple of Slik Stiks, and I like them except that one has developed a short between the fire button and joystick up. I've opened the thing and looked inside, and can't see anything shorting. Could it be a problem in the molded plug assembly?

 

I wonder if I should solidly connect the "up" and "fire" inputs to a 40 amp current-limited supply, power the thing up, and see what happens. If there's a hairline short somewhere I'd think that would fix it. Of course, if there's a more substantial short the cable could get pretty well destroyed.

[+batari]

However, if you really want a joystick that feels great and holds up under any conditions, find yourself one of the older Sunsticks. Sunstick made a bunch of joysticks and accessories. Their original Sunstick was and still is by far the best.

 

I have a couple of Slik Stiks, and I like them except that one has developed a short between the fire button and joystick up. I've opened the thing and looked inside, and can't see anything shorting. Could it be a problem in the molded plug assembly?

 

I wonder if I should solidly connect the "up" and "fire" inputs to a 40 amp current-limited supply, power the thing up, and see what happens. If there's a hairline short somewhere I'd think that would fix it. Of course, if there's a more substantial short the cable could get pretty well destroyed.

Or, get a 2-3 uF capacitor with a suitable voltage rating, like one from a microwave oven. Charge it to a couple of hundred volts and direct the terminals across the short. If it doesn't zap the short, at least it's less likely to catch anything on fire...

[policelimit]

However, if you really want a joystick that feels great and holds up under any conditions, find yourself one of the older Sunsticks. Sunstick made a bunch of joysticks and accessories. Their original Sunstick was and still is by far the best.

 

I have a couple of Slik Stiks, and I like them except that one has developed a short between the fire button and joystick up. I've opened the thing and looked inside, and can't see anything shorting. Could it be a problem in the molded plug assembly?

 

I wonder if I should solidly connect the "up" and "fire" inputs to a 40 amp current-limited supply, power the thing up, and see what happens. If there's a hairline short somewhere I'd think that would fix it. Of course, if there's a more substantial short the cable could get pretty well destroyed.

 

Yes the Slick Sticks by Sunstick are the ones that I never had any problem with and they held up tremendously well. I used them for years with my Commodore 64 and 128 as well as with the Atari 2600. A few months ago I saw two new slick sticks "new" still in the box on Ebay.

[raskar42]

I bought a set of atari 7800 cx78s and never looked back.

Edited February 8, 2007 by raskar42

[Atari Smeghead]

Yes the Slick Sticks by Sunstick are the ones that I never had any problem with and they held up tremendously well. I used them for years with my Commodore 64 and 128 as well as with the Atari 2600. A few months ago I saw two new slick sticks "new" still in the box on Ebay.

 

For the record, you guys mean Suncom. They made the Slik Stik, Starfighter, TAC-2 and many other quality joysticks.

 

Now, I've read that some of you have broken your Flashback 2 joysticks. I don't suppose Atari is selling replacement sticks separately?

 

The biggest reason I asked for, and received, my own FB2 unit this Xmas was so I could have two brand new Atari sticks!

 

Cheers,

Smeg

[igg1na]

Yes the Slick Sticks by Sunstick are the ones that I never had any problem with and they held up tremendously well. I used them for years with my Commodore 64 and 128 as well as with the Atari 2600. A few months ago I saw two new slick sticks "new" still in the box on Ebay.

 

For the record, you guys mean Suncom. They made the Slik Stik, Starfighter, TAC-2 and many other quality joysticks.

 

Now, I've read that some of you have broken your Flashback 2 joysticks. I don't suppose Atari is selling replacement sticks separately?

 

The biggest reason I asked for, and received, my own FB2 unit this Xmas was so I could have two brand new Atari sticks!

 

Cheers,

Smeg

 

 

If anyone is looking for these I still have about 50 pair left

[nyder]

i recently bought my fb2 because I heard the joysticks that were included were quality sticks.

 

I was having problems finding some decent joysticks/gamepads for my various 8 bit machines, because my genesis pads that I used my my amiga's don't work.

 

I was always a quik stick & slick stick fan. I just haven't found the one with the correct knob on the end. But now I got these joysticks, so that will do. I really prefer gamepads though, almost like the original NES pads, because they had the best control. You didn't press up when you mean up/left with NES pads, like you can do with Sega Master System pads at the time.

 

What sucks is I found a great 9 pin DB gamepad, but it's analog! It's a gravis stinger (I think) and I guess it was made for one of those multiplayer boards they had for the PC's with the 9pin db connecters on it also.

 

I also came across some 9 pin db playstation looking gamepads.

 

I know this isn't about what's the best joystick/gamepad out there, but I will tell you, if I can make an adaptor for every system, so I could use my wireless Logitch PS2 gamepads, that have built in rumble, I would be in heaven.

 

So far it's one of the best controllers I have every played any games with. They did make a Xbox version, but I've never seen any other versions for other systems. It's elegantly designed and fits into your hands really smoothly.

 

well, anyways, I'm off.

[tremoloman2006]

I bought 3 FBII's just for the joysticks alone. I caught them when they were being liquidated at a store for $14.99.

 

I've had the rubber circles snap off inside the controller on a couple and on an occasion the joystick starts to unscrew. Besides that they are by far my favorite 2600 stick.

[igg1na]

they do have a feature if you are playing too rough that the handles pop off, they go right back on though

[Lord Helmet]

they do have a feature if you are playing too rough that the handles pop off, they go right back on though

 

Huh? My FB2 sticks unscrew rather than pop off.