Custom ColecoVision Control Pad w/ Case

[doubledown]

Yeah I have a bunch of these Universal Game Cases that I store my N64 collection in. A bunch of guys over at www.thecoverproject.net have been building a serious online collection of cover inserts for people who want to store their loose games a little nicer than just stacked cartridges/CDs. I don't have the professional PhotoShop skills that most have, but it came out pretty decent. Also thinking as a collector myself the packaging makes it a little more desirable I think.

[FibroFreak78]

OH MY!!! With my mother and I both being disabled,our hands KILL us after using the regular coleco controllers...this would be PERFECT! LMK if u do make more!!!!

Edited November 26, 2007 by FibroFreak78

[BigO]

Nice job. The auction is doing quite well: a testament to your work.

 

Have you successfully auctioned other one-off or custom controllers in the past?

 

I'm building ("from scratch") a custom controller for myself for a different system and sourcing it as if I'm going to build multiples. It never occured to me that an auction would be a good way to go for selling something of this nature.

 

 

I know there are a lot of people out there tinkering with controllers. Work of this quality makes me want to see a custom controller thread or gallery here somewhere.

Edited November 26, 2007 by BigO

[doubledown]

Nice job. The auction is doing quite well: a testament to your work.

 

Have you successfully auctioned other one-off or custom controllers in the past?

 

I'm building ("from scratch") a custom controller for myself for a different system and sourcing it as if I'm going to build multiples. It never occured to me that an auction would be a good way to go for selling something of this nature.

 

 

I know there are a lot of people out there tinkering with controllers. Work of this quality makes me want to see a custom controller thread or gallery here somewhere.

 

This is the first one I've attempted to sell. I've started a few other designs, but haven't had a chance to finish up the cosmetic touches on those yet, thus haven't revealed them yet. I think the biggest problem with building them to sell is cost. I personally would prefer to sell a few high-end items versus a hundred cheap-o's.

 

I assume your custom controller is for the 5200? Definately a little easier to find a small analog thumb stick for that than a digital one for the ColecoVision.

[Pixelboy]

At the bidding price it's going now on eBay, I don't think I'll bid on that pad. At that price it can only be considered a collector's item, and as such, I wouldn't play with it if I bought it. That sort of defeats the purpose of acquiring it in the first place.

 

On the plus side, this does demonstrate how much interest there is for a good NES-style pad on the CV. If this doesn't convince you to make more, doubledown, I don't know what will.

[doubledown]

At the bidding price it's going now on eBay, I don't think I'll bid on that pad. At that price it can only be considered a collector's item, and as such, I wouldn't play with it if I bought it. That sort of defeats the purpose of acquiring it in the first place.

 

On the plus side, this does demonstrate how much interest there is for a good NES-style pad on the CV. If this doesn't convince you to make more, doubledown, I don't know what will.

 

Just from the constant barrage of thread topics I see about the "crappy" ColecoVision controllers I knew there was a market for a new controller. I definately would be disappointed if the auction winner wouldn't use the controller though. To me "collecting" things that can't be "used" (i.e. baseball cards and the likes) is fine, but if it has a functional purpose it should be used. Now if you are a "collector" and want to have one new and one that you use that's fine. I will say I never thought the auction price would get this high, currently $81.00. I started it at $9.99 and assumed I'd get something between that and $30.00. So my question to the buying public is what would you realistically pay for something like this as it stands if it were to be an offered product? Now sure everyone is going to shout out $5.00, but seriously what price would tickle your buying bone and I'll tell you if it's worth my time or not.

[+Allan]

Any chance of getting a wiring diagram so we could make our own?

 

Allan

[Pixelboy]

I will say I never thought the auction price would get this high, currently $81.00. I started it at $9.99 and assumed I'd get something between that and $30.00. So my question to the buying public is what would you realistically pay for something like this as it stands if it were to be an offered product? Now sure everyone is going to shout out $5.00, but seriously what price would tickle your buying bone and I'll tell you if it's worth my time or not.

I'd go as high as 40$, if I can buy more than one (as you said, keeping one new, and using the other one). But at that price, I would need some assurances in terms of game compatibility. For instance, does it play well with a Y-splitter cable, with the Champ Adaptor keypad plugged into the other female connector? Giving a list of games that you have personally tested yourself with this setup (Gateway to Apshai, 2010, War Games, etc.) would do the trick. I would definately not buy it if it meant I had to repeatedly disconnect the pad and connect the standard controller in order to use the keypad.

 

I happen to own a Questar joystick, and I've had problems using it with a Y-splitter. I haven't made extensive tests however, so I can't say for sure whether it works or not, but I did experience problems. So I would just like to know if this new pad works properly in conjunction with the Champ Adaptor (or with the keypad of a regular CV controller) via a Y-splitter.

[BigO]

Nice job. The auction is doing quite well: a testament to your work.

 

Have you successfully auctioned other one-off or custom controllers in the past?

 

I'm building ("from scratch") a custom controller for myself for a different system and sourcing it as if I'm going to build multiples. It never occured to me that an auction would be a good way to go for selling something of this nature.

 

 

I know there are a lot of people out there tinkering with controllers. Work of this quality makes me want to see a custom controller thread or gallery here somewhere.

 

This is the first one I've attempted to sell. I've started a few other designs, but haven't had a chance to finish up the cosmetic touches on those yet, thus haven't revealed them yet. I think the biggest problem with building them to sell is cost. I personally would prefer to sell a few high-end items versus a hundred cheap-o's.

 

I assume your custom controller is for the 5200? Definately a little easier to find a small analog thumb stick for that than a digital one for the ColecoVision.

 

I'm not familiar with the Colecovision controller. I take it from your comment that it's not a straightforward digital joystick style device. I went and looked at the schematics for the CV controller a bit. They do a few nifty-tricky things there with the diodes, but I think a DIY'er might be able to walk through instructions to gut/disable the circuitry from a D-pad of some sort and rewire it. Maybe four or five tries to get all the diodes in the right polarity... Of course, I can only say this because I have never tried it. If I get a Colecovision and want to build a controller, I know who to call on for help.

 

I'm unaware of any small analog thumbstick controller built for the 5200. Is there a custom one that you're thinking of? Without the keypad, neither the Colecovision nor the 5200 look like a huge challenge. All of the readily available custom 5200 solutions I've looked at rely on the presence of an actual 5200 controller.

[doubledown]

Nice job. The auction is doing quite well: a testament to your work.

 

Have you successfully auctioned other one-off or custom controllers in the past?

 

I'm building ("from scratch") a custom controller for myself for a different system and sourcing it as if I'm going to build multiples. It never occured to me that an auction would be a good way to go for selling something of this nature.

 

 

I know there are a lot of people out there tinkering with controllers. Work of this quality makes me want to see a custom controller thread or gallery here somewhere.

 

This is the first one I've attempted to sell. I've started a few other designs, but haven't had a chance to finish up the cosmetic touches on those yet, thus haven't revealed them yet. I think the biggest problem with building them to sell is cost. I personally would prefer to sell a few high-end items versus a hundred cheap-o's.

 

I assume your custom controller is for the 5200? Definately a little easier to find a small analog thumb stick for that than a digital one for the ColecoVision.

 

I'm not familiar with the Colecovision controller. I take it from your comment that it's not a straightforward digital joystick style device. I went and looked at the schematics for the CV controller a bit. They do a few nifty-tricky things there with the diodes, but I think a DIY'er might be able to walk through instructions to gut/disable the circuitry from a D-pad of some sort and rewire it. Maybe four or five tries to get all the diodes in the right polarity... Of course, I can only say this because I have never tried it. If I get a Colecovision and want to build a controller, I know who to call on for help.

 

I'm unaware of any small analog thumbstick controller built for the 5200. Is there a custom one that you're thinking of? Without the keypad, neither the Colecovision nor the 5200 look like a huge challenge. All of the readily available custom 5200 solutions I've looked at rely on the presence of an actual 5200 controller.

 

For either one I'd still use a hacked down PCB from an original controller for the diode matrix and what not. I personally have over 75 ColecoVision controllers, plus my personal collection of controllers, so the donor PCB isn't really an issue for me. The ColecoVision controller PCB can be cut down in less than half for stuffing purposes if you can follow the traces for wiring points. As far as the joystick, it is straight forward with 4 discrete contacts, but looking for a small D-pad'esque navigational control to be purchased new versus tact switches or the like for a completely new controller has been a challenge. I run across small analog sticks all the time similar to N64 thumbstick replacements and others, although price can always be an issue. Which again brings me back to cost for selling purposes. I don't mind spending the big dollars to make a controller for myself with high quality components, but I don't have to pay myself for labor either. If I make a controller that costs me 50-100 bucks I don't care, but then add labor to that and then you've got a selling price of 75-200 bucks and most won't spend that much. Is the keypad on the 5200 controller discrete or matrix outputs? Replacement matrix output keypads seem a bit easier to locate, but generally a little more pricey. I've found a decent source for discrete output keypads reasonably inexpensive, but they are only available in one style, black numbers on white keys and being a stickler for cosmetics I think the black matches better. I have been able to find white numbers on black keys with discrete outputs, but they are 4 times or more the price of the less expensive one I've found, which again takes us back to potential selling price problems.

Edited November 26, 2007 by doubledown

[doubledown]

I will say I never thought the auction price would get this high, currently $81.00. I started it at $9.99 and assumed I'd get something between that and $30.00. So my question to the buying public is what would you realistically pay for something like this as it stands if it were to be an offered product? Now sure everyone is going to shout out $5.00, but seriously what price would tickle your buying bone and I'll tell you if it's worth my time or not.

I'd go as high as 40$, if I can buy more than one (as you said, keeping one new, and using the other one). But at that price, I would need some assurances in terms of game compatibility. For instance, does it play well with a Y-splitter cable, with the Champ Adaptor keypad plugged into the other female connector? Giving a list of games that you have personally tested yourself with this setup (Gateway to Apshai, 2010, War Games, etc.) would do the trick. I would definately not buy it if it meant I had to repeatedly disconnect the pad and connect the standard controller in order to use the keypad.

 

I happen to own a Questar joystick, and I've had problems using it with a Y-splitter. I haven't made extensive tests however, so I can't say for sure whether it works or not, but I did experience problems. So I would just like to know if this new pad works properly in conjunction with the Champ Adaptor (or with the keypad of a regular CV controller) via a Y-splitter.

 

Well without me providing a y-adapter, or keypd, compatability is slightly up in the air. Of the 2 y-cables I have, and have tested, only 1 of them works with this controller. I checked the pinouts and they are completetly different which obiviously causes problems. Now I don't have packaging for either so I can't tell you which one is the magic one. Same with the Champ Keypad. At one point there must have been a revision change, presumably after their dual-buttoned Mini-Champ joystick was released, because the 2 I have work fine, but the older one that I sold off some time ago wouldn't support the 2 button controllers. The other option is for me to make and sell the controller with either a y-cable to have a ColecoVision controller plugged into, or make a Champ Adapter style keypad. I looked into the seperate keypad last night and using decent components (I don't use cheap crap, sorry) the keypad unit itself would be around $50.00, but then at least it would be guaranteed to work, and have full compatability with every ColecoVision game that is compatibile with the standard ColecoVision controller. The cheaper option of course would be a y-cable, but then you would need to have a working ColecoVision controller. Or obiviously I could offer both. Again it always gets back to price.

[Pixelboy]

Well without me providing a y-adapter, or keypd, compatability is slightly up in the air. Of the 2 y-cables I have, and have tested, only 1 of them works with this controller. I checked the pinouts and they are completetly different which obiviously causes problems. Now I don't have packaging for either so I can't tell you which one is the magic one. Same with the Champ Keypad. At one point there must have been a revision change, presumably after their dual-buttoned Mini-Champ joystick was released, because the 2 I have work fine, but the older one that I sold off some time ago wouldn't support the 2 button controllers.

I didn't know about that. So perhaps my Champ Adaptor (or Y-splitter) is the older model and that's why it won't work with my Questar. It does complicate things, doesn't it?

 

 

The other option is for me to make and sell the controller with either a y-cable to have a ColecoVision controller plugged into, or make a Champ Adapter style keypad. I looked into the seperate keypad last night and using decent components (I don't use cheap crap, sorry) the keypad unit itself would be around $50.00, but then at least it would be guaranteed to work, and have full compatability with every ColecoVision game that is compatibile with the standard ColecoVision controller. The cheaper option of course would be a y-cable, but then you would need to have a working ColecoVision controller. Or obiviously I could offer both. Again it always gets back to price.

I'd settle for just a female 9-pin connector built into the pad, in which I could plug the standard CV controller (or a Champ Adaptor, if I happen to have a compatible model). That way I could unplug the controller for games that don't require constant use of the keypad, and for the other games that do require the keypad, the CV controller could just sit on my lap (this implies that the 9-pin connector would be located along the bottom edge of the pad's casing). It would look a little weird, but would still be comfortable to use.

[doubledown]

To me, best case is just an entire new controller with a built in keypad. It could easily be added to any existing controller with enough room for a keypad and a portion of the ColecoVision controller PCB, but fat chance finding anyghing that fits the bill. I've been looking into a completely new controller with a built in keypad, but the navigation device is holding me up, not to mention the overall size may be little to big for some.

[Pixelboy]

To me, best case is just an entire new controller with a built in keypad. It could easily be added to any existing controller with enough room for a keypad and a portion of the ColecoVision controller PCB, but fat chance finding anyghing that fits the bill.

Agreed. I was just suggesting a cost-effective solution that could possibly be used on a standard NES pad.

[doubledown]

Agreed. I was just suggesting a cost-effective solution that could possibly be used on a standard NES pad.

 

Yeah I hear ya, "cost-effective solution" just doesn't exist in my vocabulary. I would personally rather make 1 super bad ass controller that no one would want to pay for, but everbody would want, than make and sell 100 half-assed controllers. I guess part of it always goes back to me not paying myself for labor, and this sort of thing isn't my job. If this was all I did for my entire earnings than I would be all about the dollars so to speak. But it's not, so I'm not. Just look at all the modded consoles I've done. Each ColecoVision I sold complete, went for over $150.00, including 2 over $400.00. If I wanted to sell a ton of them I'd forget the internal power supplies, new on/off & reset switches, A/V, S-video, component video, digital audio, "intro skip" bios, and whatever other cockamamey, I mean "necessary", upgrades I've come up with and sell them like hotcakes.

 

Now sure some may argue that this idealism of mine makes me an a**hole, but eh what are you gonna do. I make and mod items that I'm proud of and that most people seem to think are pretty impressive. I'm an "over-the-top" kind of guy.

Edited November 26, 2007 by doubledown

[BigO]

Oh, I see now what was meant by finding the thumb-stick. "New" was what I was missing. I thought you were talking about whole controllers, not components thereof.

 

If somebody wants to hack up a controller for themselves, a Dreamcast controller looks to have enough room to add a keypad if you're creative. It has enough buttons on top to support a 5200 (not sure about the Colecovision), though the buttons are not optimally placed. Glue some O-rings on around a couple of the buttons and wire them as Pause, Reset. The OEM unit uses hall effect sensors which require a lot of work to read and translate to something useful. But, some of the aftermarket ones use potentiometer based thumbsticks. I like that they incorporate both an analog and a digital direction controller. I can pick up Dreamcast controllers readily for $4 to $6. That's why I looked closely at them.

[+Psionic]

So my question to the buying public is what would you realistically pay for something like this as it stands if it were to be an offered product? Now sure everyone is going to shout out $5.00, but seriously what price would tickle your buying bone and I'll tell you if it's worth my time or not.

I think you could move a decent amount of them for $25-$30 quite easily. $40 is possible, but in a non-eBay fixed price setting (or any setting where people know there are many available), it's a bit unrealistic.

[Shawn]

So my question to the buying public is what would you realistically pay for something like this as it stands if it were to be an offered product? Now sure everyone is going to shout out $5.00, but seriously what price would tickle your buying bone and I'll tell you if it's worth my time or not.

I think you could move a decent amount of them for $25-$30 quite easily. $40 is possible, but in a non-eBay fixed price setting (or any setting where people know there are many available), it's a bit unrealistic.

 

 

I personally think these could sell for $50 each boxed like the one for auction. You pay for what you get and DD is right up there with his work.

[Pixelboy]

Yeah I hear ya, "cost-effective solution" just doesn't exist in my vocabulary. I would personally rather make 1 super bad ass controller that no one would want to pay for, but everbody would want, than make and sell 100 half-assed controllers. I guess part of it always goes back to me not paying myself for labor, and this sort of thing isn't my job. If this was all I did for my entire earnings than I would be all about the dollars so to speak. But it's not, so I'm not. Just look at all the modded consoles I've done. Each ColecoVision I sold complete, went for over $150.00, including 2 over $400.00. If I wanted to sell a ton of them I'd forget the internal power supplies, new on/off & reset switches, A/V, S-video, component video, digital audio, "intro skip" bios, and whatever other cockamamey, I mean "necessary", upgrades I've come up with and sell them like hotcakes.

I've often wondered myself about the practical possibility ("practical" as in beyond just proving that it can be done) of creating a compact version of the CV, especially since I saw those CV-on-a-chip FPGA solutions on the net. The original CV had a pretty big PCB with lots of chips and stuff, and I wonder how compact it could be today, without compromising any hardware features (except maybe for the front expansion port, which in my opinion could be dropped).

 

When I look at your custom CV pad, I can't help seing the bigger picture, namely a nice little homebrew CV console to plug your homebrew pad in.

 

Now sure some may argue that this idealism of mine makes me an a**hole, but eh what are you gonna do. I make and mod items that I'm proud of and that most people seem to think are pretty impressive. I'm an "over-the-top" kind of guy.

Nothin' wrong with that kind of idealism. The CV scene needs guys like you to keep the hobby interesting on the hardware side of things.

 

Of course, if you don't follow through with some more custom CV pads like the one in your auction, the term a**hole is going to pop up in several people's heads in the near future.

[doubledown]

I've often wondered myself about the practical possibility ("practical" as in beyond just proving that it can be done) of creating a compact version of the CV, especially since I saw those CV-on-a-chip FPGA solutions on the net. The original CV had a pretty big PCB with lots of chips and stuff, and I wonder how compact it could be today, without compromising any hardware features (except maybe for the front expansion port, which in my opinion could be dropped).

 

When I look at your custom CV pad, I can't help seing the bigger picture, namely a nice little homebrew CV console to plug your homebrew pad in.

 

 

While I don't have the technical skills to redesign or rebuild the ColecoVision PCB, I do have a new housing in which I plan on installing a ColecoVision PCB into, thus the Mini ColecoVision. Again another one of my projects that requires cosmetic finishing touches.

[BigO]

I'm gonna have to find me a CV one of these days.

[ianoid]

Actually on the mini side, someone should take a look at what the Splicevision looks like inside to see what has been done on a large scale for shrinkage. Actually Lee from NWCGE did a mini-CV mod, I believe. That is cool, but not a seller like a controller mod.

 

I would buy an NES CV mod controller like this given the chance. Part of it is the NES controller, the other part is the nice looking design. You'll sell more the cheaper it gets, but $50 is a reasonable price point to consider. Better to nab the gamers at $35, although collectors spend more.

 

ian

[doubledown]

As far as selling multiples of these, the guaranteed compatability issue has to be resolved, due to different y-adapters, and Champ Keypad Adapters. I'm currently working on it, but I'll need a couple more days.

[doubledown]

Well this little controller has been a hot item and a hot topic. I'm glad to see that there is so much interest in the ColecoVision even if it is from the "Atari"Age people. For anyone here who's still in the running for the auction or for those lookey-loos who are curious, it does end tonight at 10:10 PM Eastern. With any luck it will sell for about $500.00. That would be great. Honestly, I'm still even amazed it made it over $30.00!

[Phantom]

Sign me up for one if you make more that are around 40-$50.

DD&AA need to get working together on these as I think if you took a poll, you'd find many of us wanting to buy one. Great Work!