Atari2008 Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Hey everyone, So I just got my first 5200 about a month ago, and I'm really enjoying it so far. I got real lucky since the joysticks to seem to self-center, not sure why but I'm not questioning it. However, I plugged in the second joystick and found that the start button doesn't work. I tested it further using a 2 player game, and I noticed that not only does the start button not work but the joystick won't move to the right or down (it physically moves but the character on the screen doesn't). I've heard people joke that you're lucky to find two working 5200 joysticks, I see where it comes from now. I'm not tech savvy at all and have never had to tinker around with any of my systems or their controllers, but I'm curious is there any sort of maintenance or very basic repairs I could try to do on the controller? Trying to save money, but if not, I'll send it in to a professional for repair (thinking of maybe Best Electronics, especially since they rebuild them). Thanks in advance for the input! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIKE5200 Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Hey everyone, So I just got my first 5200 about a month ago, and I'm really enjoying it so far. I got real lucky since the joysticks to seem to self-center, not sure why but I'm not questioning it. However, I plugged in the second joystick and found that the start button doesn't work. I tested it further using a 2 player game, and I noticed that not only does the start button not work but the joystick won't move to the right or down (it physically moves but the character on the screen doesn't). I've heard people joke that you're lucky to find two working 5200 joysticks, I see where it comes from now. I'm not tech savvy at all and have never had to tinker around with any of my systems or their controllers, but I'm curious is there any sort of maintenance or very basic repairs I could try to do on the controller? Trying to save money, but if not, I'll send it in to a professional for repair (thinking of maybe Best Electronics, especially since they rebuild them). Thanks in advance for the input! If your are good at taken it apart then look at FAQ on here http://www.atariage.com/5200/faq.html?SystemID=5200 and if your not send it to Best Electronics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari5200 Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 I've destroyed many a controller , they are a pain in the ass to put back together. I honestly would say have someone else repair it. I had like 4 or 5 controllers and got 1 to work great, never again will I try to fix them myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigO Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 They are tricky to put back together. Frustrating. I think it took me over an hour to put the first one back together. Once I got some experience under my belt, I can get one back together in, oh, say 45 minutes. Every bad word you know will pass through your mind as you attempt to put those things together. Based on how they're constructed, I wouldn't expect the joystick part of the controller to fail. I'd bet that it has been taken apart by someone else who couldn't get it back together properly. Did I mention that it's difficult to put them back together properly? Unless the wires break or somehow become disconnected inside the controller, I don't think you'd see much total failure on the joystick part. I don't believe those signals pass through the flexible circuits which are a big share of the problems with those controllers. I'd like to see how the things were manufactured, what kind of assembly jig or methods were used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari2008 Posted July 8, 2008 Author Share Posted July 8, 2008 I checked out that FAQ here on Atari Age and the process does seem a bit daunting. Given the fact that I don't have much patience or any experience, I think I'll opt for having Best Electronics do it. Plus, maybe I'll have them put in those new gold circuits so that my controller will be better than new and I won't have to worry about it for a long time. The joystick itself not working was really weird, I was playing Berzerk with it and I could only move up or to the left. At some times depending on how far or to what degree I moved the stick I could get it to go right or down but it was with GREAT difficulty. But I'm assuming the joysticks were taken apart at some point since they self-center, and I know that 5200 sticks were known for not self-centering. Still overall, I really like the feel of the joystick (the working one anyway ) it feels quite comfy and isn't cramp inducing, plus I like the presence of buttons for left-handed people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari5200 Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 (edited) the joysticks self center somewhat depending on how rigid the rubber boot is. Mine will somewhat center, but doesn't go full center. They are not made to self center though, but it can vary from boot to boot. Edited July 8, 2008 by Atari5200 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari2008 Posted July 8, 2008 Author Share Posted July 8, 2008 (edited) That makes sense given that mine don't exactly self center but if I let go of the joystick it makes this slow crawl back to the Center enough that when I let go, the character on the screen stops moving. So it centers enough to spare me the issues that people have when they let go of the stick and it flops to one side and the character just keeps moving. I got lucky in the sense that both joysticks somewhat self center. Now being that they're not designed to do this, have you had the experience in which the rubber boot wears out enough that it then stops "self-centering" completely? Edited July 8, 2008 by Atari2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari5200 Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 (edited) i've played the hell out of my one controller, and it works just as well now as it did a couple years ago when I got it. The one thing I don't understand is the "flop" you mention. Normally if you hold the controller to the hard right, it should stay hard right, the joystick shouldn't be "falling" or "flopping" to any location on it's own. The boot brings it somewhat back to the center. My joystick if you have a game like say Defender, with the joystick hard right or left the ship will go max speed, if I let go, the joystick comes slightly back to the center to where the ship will go very slow, but it will not center entirely. I've never had a controller that came full center, but I've never had one that didn't come somewhat back to the center. If your controller flops, then your stick might not be in the grooves right. if you open it up, there's 2 things that make the stick go, the top one might be in properly but the bottom may not. If they are not lined up, that could be your problem. If i'm not mistaken the top one connects with the knub facing towards the start button, the bottom one faces with the knub to the right if you looking at it straight on. That could be your problem, and is a pretty easy fix as long as you don't take out the flex with the start select and pause, the controllers are easy to take apart, but getting that one section of circuit back in is a total pain in the ass. But if you do give it a go, just make sure the joystick is center, you'll be able to feel when it goes in correctly and the joystick will move correctly, do you feel any popping when you move the stick to the right? Edited July 8, 2008 by Atari5200 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HammR25 Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 You can't go wrong with Best Electronics rebuilt controllers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimo Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 If you take your time and follow the instructions the 5200 stick is not too hard to rebuild. Having said that the rebuilt "gold" controllers from best are very good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nognir Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 My controller also finally stopped working First it was stuck and I couldn't push it down anymore and now all the buttons won't work. I hope to "repair" it somehow.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari5200 Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 i repaired mine just by cleaning it, but getting it back together, yeah, that's the last controller I will fix myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari2008 Posted July 9, 2008 Author Share Posted July 9, 2008 I'm definitely going to just send it in to Best for a gold upgrade, they sound like a good long-term solution. Not to mention that I've never opened up a controller, and having me break something in the process of repairing it will only make matters worse, LOL. Besides I still have 1 working controller...so I'll be good until I can save up for a Best upgrade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIKE5200 Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 I've destroyed many a controller , they are a pain in the ass to put back together. I honestly would say have someone else repair it. I had like 4 or 5 controllers and got 1 to work great, never again will I try to fix them myself. I know what your saying. I think the hardest part is getting the pots line up though when i got the systems in 1998 the joysticks didn't work at all. I taken them apart they had rev 6 and rev 7. I did the eraser thing but you can only do it afew times before it wear out. So i enough of it and bought some from Best Electronics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie_ Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Its pretty easy to assemble these sticks. check out my page on the subject. http://www.geocities.com/chazbeenhad/5200joy/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari5200 Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 that is a good guide, my only problem was getting the start select pause to line up, I could never get it back into the slots properly. Everything else is easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie_ Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Did you do it with the start pause reset buttons removed? It should be very easy with the buttons and bezzel off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari5200 Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 yeah I don't think so. never thought of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigO Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Its pretty easy to assemble these sticks.check out my page on the subject. http://www.geocities.com/chazbeenhad/5200joy/ "It will all fall together just right"...nice. That's quite a different experience than I had. I notice in the picture the pots were centered prior to reassembly. That turned out to be an important step in my attempts. With them in that position and the stick centered, you have the best chance of it going together. The slides in the top shell of the controller can also easily get out of their proper positions when disassembled. Unless they're properly placed, no amount of pounding, pleading, prying or swearing will put CX52-Dumpty together again. If they just fall together for you, I'm duly impressed. I'd like to have you show me in person how that reassembly step is done . . . okay, actually I'd just like to have you buy me a lottery ticket since you have that kind of luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari5200 Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 (edited) lol..the only problem I had was putting the start pause select thing back in. And now with his guide, I should be able to do it much easier. Edited July 17, 2008 by Atari5200 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari2008 Posted July 18, 2008 Author Share Posted July 18, 2008 Are the rebuilt controllers from 4Jays good too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninermaniac Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 (edited) I have started making my own from scratch by using the one that was homemade that I got awhile back. Not too hard but it is time consuming. I'll update with pics when I get one finished. Who knows, I might get good at it and sell a few here on Atariage at an affordable price. They do work good with the mini pushbutton switches instead of the flex circuits. Edited July 18, 2008 by ninermaniac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari2008 Posted July 18, 2008 Author Share Posted July 18, 2008 I have started making my own from scratch by using the one that was homemade that I got awhile back. Not too hard but it is time consuming. I'll update with pics when I get one finished. Who knows, I might get good at it and sell a few here on Atariage at an affordable price. They do work good with the mini pushbutton switches instead of the flex circuits. Hey, if you start selling put me on a list. I'm looking for an affordable alternative, don't really feel like spending a ton on controllers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
segasaturn Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 If it's not the system itself(that can sometimes happen), you might want to get a upgraded curcuit. One of the best is called the "REV 9". I have 1 controller that has it. And I hasen't failed me since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninermaniac Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 If it's not the system itself(that can sometimes happen), you might want to get a upgraded curcuit. One of the best is called the "REV 9". I have 1 controller that has it. And I hasen't failed me since. If you want basically the best then The REV 9 gold is the way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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