15-pin irritation

[Jess Ragan]

I needed parts for some 5200 Y-cables, so I decided to order them from this web site:

 

http://www.vpi.us/db-connectors.html

 

I purchased some DB15 solder cup connectors, thinking that they would be the ones shown on this page. What I received instead were VGA connectors, which are obviously not going to work for this project. I'm fast approaching my wit's end here, because I've checked several places in town and they don't have the connectors I need, either... the closest I could come was a MIDI cable that cost a whopping twenty two dollars. Where do you recommend I go to find the right connectors for the job?

[classics]

http://www.bgmicro.com/index.asp?PageActio...mp;ProdID=12310

 

BG Micro is pretty reliable, I've purchased from them many times over the years with no issues.

 

Steve

[Jess Ragan]

Thanks for the recommendation. They didn't have everything I needed for this mod, but they had plenty of parts for the Atari 2600 Jr. composite video mod that I've been wanting to try. Damn, I hate RF!

[SINGLE TOOTH]

I really hate that they use the 15-pin connector. Not only that, but why couldnt they have switched the male/female ends around. That way, you could at least use a cable from an old PC gamepad controller, that plugs into the soundcard..

[Atariman]

Have you tried http://www.digikey.com or http://www.mouser.come yet? I know I ordered some 15 pin DIN connectors from them a short while ago. The only thing you need to make sure is that they are solder cup - and, of course, that they aren't the high-density versions (VGA).

Edited August 28, 2007 by atariman

[SRGilbert]

I'd never seen that site before and found this:

 

http://www.bgmicro.com/index.asp?PageActio...amp;ProdID=9370

 

 

I wonder if it could be modified to sub for a 5200 keypad?

[Jess Ragan]

I am SO ordering this.

 

I ordered some miscellaneous parts from BG Electronics, but got the 15-pin connectors from Winford, a manufacturing company right here in Michigan. The connectors came at light speed... I was really impressed!

[BigO]

I'd never seen that site before and found this:

 

http://www.bgmicro.com/index.asp?PageActio...amp;ProdID=9370

 

 

I wonder if it could be modified to sub for a 5200 keypad?

 

If it's just a matrix of switches, as opposed to active electronics, there's a very good chance that it could be adapted. I wonder which Atari machine was this originally intended for. I assume an 8 bit computer.

[+Stephen]

Yeah - it's the CX-8 keypad. plugs into the joystick port of the 8-bit computers. It was out when the original 400/800 were new. I have one, and the manual that came with it. I can scan it if needed.

 

Stephen Anderson

[JB]

I really hate that they use the 15-pin connector. Not only that, but why couldnt they have switched the male/female ends around. That way, you could at least use a cable from an old PC gamepad controller, that plugs into the soundcard..

The gender selection is probably because having the male connector on the console made it far less likely that the exposed pins would get mangled.

 

 

And I don't see anything wrong with using a standard 15-pin DSub. It's a standard, readily available component.

Really, compared to the wide array of proprietary ports that came to dominate the market(or even some flavors of DIN)...

[Jess Ragan]

I did manage to finish that Y-cable. It seems to work all right, but the Wico Command Control joystick is another story. I can't seem to get it properly centered, even when I adjust it with the trimmers. It's not so bad with a game like Moon Patrol, but maze games like Pac-Man and Wizard of Wor are a total bust with this stick. It's weird because I seem to remember the Wico joystick working great with just about everything! Is there anything I can do to get it back up on its feet, or did I wire this Y-cable up incorrectly?

[Prodos8]

I'd try adjusting the internal controller pot.