Study Guide for the Prospective 5200 Owner

[Akidagain]

Preface- This outline was written to help those considering a 5200 purchase. It has most of the information you’ll need to make an informed buying decision. I don’t claim to have all the answers; this is simply what I wish I had in front of me when I started looking. Corrections of mistakes and omissions are welcome.

 

I. 5200 Console- You have a choice of a 2-joystick port or 4-joystick port machine. The differences are:

1.) Obviously the 4-port model supports 4 joysticks, allowing 4 player gaming. There are only a handful of 5200 games that have this option. Superbreakout, Realsports Tennis, Beamrider, Asteroids, Castle Crisis, Combat 2, and M.U.L.E. are ones I know of.

2.) The 4-port model comes with an unique automated RF switch box that is not found on the 2-port machine. This is a weak link in the system. The console can be modified to eliminate it (see A/V modification).

3.) The 4-port model will play all cartridges. Most 2-ports will not play Pitfall!, Krazy Shootout, and Mountain King due to the BIOS chip in the 2-port. This doesn’t apply if you have a multicart (discussed below).

4.) The 2600 VCS adapter only works on 2-port models and 4-port models with an “*” in the serial number. A 4-port model can be modified to allow the adapter.

 

Two sources for consoles purchase are eBay or:

 

http://4jays.net/store//page23.html

 

 

If your machine doesn’t start up it’s usually either a faulty RF switch box or a fried motherboard. Replacements for both can be found at:

 

http://www.best-electronics-ca.com/text.htm

 

 

II. Controllers- The original CX-52's were a problem due to poor reliability. The fire buttons were “mushy” in response, the control (start/pause/reset) and keypad (*#0-9) buttons often stopped working shortly after purchase. The non-centering joystick design bothered many gamers and the cheap rubber boot that quickly shredded didn’t help matters. Today all these problems (save the non-centering design) have been corrected with the refurbishing of controllers. The Rev 9 flex circuit, gold dot fire buttons, and replacement boots are huge upgrades-- transforming an old CX-52 from junk into a playable controller. Best Electronics (BE) can:

 

1.) Refurbish your controllers

2.) Sell you refurbished controllers

3.) Sell you the parts to DIY

 

You need to be handy to DIY. Instructions for this are here:

 

http://www.geocities.com/chazbeenhad/5200joy/

 

III. Games- If you want to collect the game cartridges, go the Atari Age (AA) Rarities Guide for info and approximate pricing/availability. Games fall into four basic categories:

1.) Official 5200 releases- you know these.

2.) Prototypes- games designed by Atari but never released due to various reasons (ex. Asteroids, Millipede, Stargate)

3.) Conversions- games converted from other systems to play on the 5200 (ex. Donkey Kong, Mario Brothers, etc.)

4.) Homebrews- games made by consumers for the 5200 (ex. Beef Drop, M.U.L.E. and dozens of others). New homebrews are still being developed. Go here to see what’s coming:

 

http://www.atariage.com/development_list.html

 

The easiest way (in terms of time and cost) to obtain all these games (except Bounty Bob Strikes Back) is to get a 128-in-1 multicart. There is a choice of programmable vs. non-programmable. The advantage of the non-programmable cartridge is that it’s ready to go out of the box. The disadvantages are:

1.) You are locked in to what’s on the cartridge.

2.) If there’s an issue with a game(s) not playing, you will likely need to send it back to the designer to fix the problem.

 

The programmable version requires a PC with internet and minimal computer skills. A CD-ROM, USB cable, and instructions are included. It offers the flexibility to change the ROM images (games). Since new games are constantly being developed this gives you a virtual revolving 5200 arcade.

The cost for both is the same. Available here:

 

http://www.atarimax.com/usb5200/documentation/

 

The Bounty Bob Strikes Back ROM will not play on the multicart due to unique programming for that game. The hope among 5200 gamers is that it will eventually become available as a compatible ROM or a separate cartridge for a reasonable price.

Downloads of ROM images for Atari releases are in the Emulation section of AA.

Activison (Pitfall!, River Raid, etc.) and other third party ROMs can be found here:

 

http://www.rom-world.com/dl.php?name=Atari_5200&letter=A

 

Prototype, conversion, and homebrew ROMs can be found through this great link:

 

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=125406

 

IV. Accessories-

1.) Trak-ball- The best accessory for the 5200 and a must if you play Centipede, Millipede, or Missile Command. Here’s a complete list of trak-ball compatible games:

 

* -- Plays best when used with the trak-ball

# -- Some gamers prefer to play it with the trak-ball, others don't.

X -- Works with the trak-ball but is not recommended.

 

* Centipede

# Football/RealSports Football

X Galaxian

# Kaboom!

X K-Razy Shootout

* Millipede

* Missile Command

X Pole Position

X RealSports Baseball

# Soccer/RealSports Soccer

X Space Invaders

# Super Breakout

 

Buying one used means you’ll probably have to clean it out and possibly replace the bearings (available at BE). Here are very good instructions on how to clean the trak-ball:

 

http://cafeman.www9.50megs.com/atari/5200trak-ball.html

 

2.) Joystick Coupler- Space Dungeon and Robotron 2084 require 2 controllers for game play. Originally these games were packaged with a joystick coupler that holds the controllers together, allowing easier game play. 4jays or eBay.

 

3.) Joystick Extension Cords- Six-foot extension cords can be purchased allowing the console to rest in your entertainment center while seating yourself comfortably with minimal eyestrain. Found here:

 

http://www.oldschoolgamer.com/information.aspx?SID=19

 

 

4.) 2600 VCS Adapter- As mentioned above, this fits all 2-port consoles and a few 4-ports, allowing 2600 games to be played on the 5200. You’ll still need 2600 controllers. It is questionable how beneficial this accessory is versus buying a separate 2600, or even better, a 7800 which has built-in 2600 compatibility.

 

 

 

V. A/V Modification- When you fire up your 5200, whether you have an old TV or the latest plasma screen, you’ll notice “snow”, “static”, or “fuzz” in the picture. You’ll also get wavy lines with some games. This is radio frequency (RF) interference and it can be eliminated by A/V modifying the console. Here is the link to someone who provides this service:

 

http://www.longhornengineer.com/Videomods/Videomods

 

VI. Third Party Controllers- These are replacement options for the standard CX-52. If anything, people’s opinions on their favorite controller are personal, with many 5200 owners insisting that a refurbished standard controller is just fine. Others disagree. A lot depends on “feel” which is subjective. Here is a basic outline of third party controllers to help you decide:

 

http://www.atarihq.com/5200/sticks52.html

 

 

VII. Wrap Up- In conclusion AA is a terrific resource for all things Atari-- from ROMs and manual scans to their forums, available vendors, and everything else in between. I was surprised when I began my 5200 search to find so much interest in a game system I had figured was lost to mankind. As I read and learned, I came to understand the 5200 for what it was; a great game system that had some bugs at the start which were never corrected due partly to poor management at Atari and mostly to the video game crash of 1983-84. The graphics and games are first-rate–arguably the best of their era– and still fun and challenging today. With a few sensible upgrades applying today’s technology the 5200 is better than ever. The average cost for everything discussed here as of this writing is around $450-550 so budget accordingly. If you can do it for less–great! If you have to or are willing to pay more, that’s your choice and no one should criticize you or even really care. Supporting the vendors that contribute to AA ensures more 5200 improvements on the horizon and should be appreciated and acknowledged by those of us with no background in electrical engineering or computer programming. It is their ideas and efforts along with our interest and support that keep retro gaming alive.

 

Best,

 

Eric

[+Mitch]

Very nice write up.

Maybe one of the 5200 mods can pin this topic.

 

One thing I'll add, from the four player games section: I believe Beamrider only uses 2 joystick ports and players 3 and 4 use joysticks 1 and 2 respectively.

 

Mitch

[shadow460]

Good article. Although we have different troubles in the 7800 camp, we need one of these kind of things also to answer questions that seem to keep popping up.

[Atari2008]

Nice article! I recently purchased a 5200 (2-port) so this is good info. Glad to know that there are extension cables for the controllers, was getting a lil tired of lugging the 5200 back and forth from my entertainment center so I dont have to play right in front of the tv.