strangedogs Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 Just got my Wico Stick & Keypad from an EBAY win. Stick isn't working (GRRRRR). Turns 1 way - that's it... The keypad seems fine (S,P & R all work as well as the * and #) so far - haven't experimented with the numerical part as yet. I only paid $65 including a console, PS and Switchbox with the mythical Y-Cord. AUCTION LINK The Joystick looks like a 9-pin and plugs into the keypad - the keypad into PORT 1 (I'm guessing here). What's the Y-cord for (maybe if you don't have a wico keypad to also hook up a standard 5200 controller to use for keypad operations with the joystick) ? Could I use any 9-pin analog joystick or is it 5200 only (pinouts, etc.) I may take it apart tonight to see if I can tell whats wrong with the stick... I know the fire button #2 is broken off although the only game I know that uses it, that I have, is Defender. Will any replacement joystick work? I can contact the seller as he claims I can get a refund but for what I paid the keypad is worth that much 'eh? DARN, DARN, DARN - was wanting to play AND IT"S BROKEN! Story of my life... what would ya'll do? Try to find another STICK, get a refund, etc.? We're fixing to order 4 repair kits for 4 of our original joysticks - keep 2 new rebuilt sticks (Best Electronics naturally) and sell 2 rebuilt's with a complete console and game package (we have 4 consoles now - 6 sticks - and loads of duplicate games, PS's and Switchboxes). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninermaniac Posted September 12, 2008 Share Posted September 12, 2008 (edited) The Y-Cord/cable is used with the Wico Stick in order to use the OEM sitck keypad and to use with the system. If you tried to use the Wico on a 2600 it would not work. It is wired for the functions of a 5200. As for fixing the Wico. You kinda run into some problems. As far I as know you really can't just rebuild the Wico. It has mechanisms that I don't think they make aftermarket parts for. If it is the buttons, those can be manipulated to work. Joystick functions.............Might wanna try to find another Wico. I wouldn't try to get a refund because if you wanted to just sell the keypad you'd get your money back there and still have a system and the other goodies you mentioned. You can try to tinker with the Wico but from my experience you'll just end up frustrated and possibly send it flying across the room in a fit of anger and then it would be unsalvageable. Edited September 12, 2008 by ninermaniac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bohoki Posted October 11, 2008 Share Posted October 11, 2008 The Y-Cord/cable is used with the Wico Stick in order to use the OEM sitck keypad and to use with the system. If you tried to use the Wico on a 2600 it would not work. It is wired for the functions of a 5200. As for fixing the Wico. You kinda run into some problems. As far I as know you really can't just rebuild the Wico. It has mechanisms that I don't think they make aftermarket parts for. If it is the buttons, those can be manipulated to work. Joystick functions.............Might wanna try to find another Wico. I wouldn't try to get a refund because if you wanted to just sell the keypad you'd get your money back there and still have a system and the other goodies you mentioned. You can try to tinker with the Wico but from my experience you'll just end up frustrated and possibly send it flying across the room in a fit of anger and then it would be unsalvageable. it was incredibly stupid for wico to use a 9 pin connection since it is incompatable with everything the least they could have done was to wire the joystick with the 9 pin like the atari paddle controllers and have up down fire one be paddle one and left right fire 2 control paddle 2 that way a person could just plug in paddles to the y and play games like superbreakout and space invaders with 2600 paddles paddles paddles paddles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jediknight44 Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Just got my Wico Stick & Keypad from an EBAY win. Stick isn't working (GRRRRR). Turns 1 way - that's it... The keypad seems fine (S,P & R all work as well as the * and #) so far - haven't experimented with the numerical part as yet. I only paid $65 including a console, PS and Switchbox with the mythical Y-Cord. AUCTION LINK The Joystick looks like a 9-pin and plugs into the keypad - the keypad into PORT 1 (I'm guessing here). What's the Y-cord for (maybe if you don't have a wico keypad to also hook up a standard 5200 controller to use for keypad operations with the joystick) ? Could I use any 9-pin analog joystick or is it 5200 only (pinouts, etc.) I may take it apart tonight to see if I can tell whats wrong with the stick... I know the fire button #2 is broken off although the only game I know that uses it, that I have, is Defender. Will any replacement joystick work? I can contact the seller as he claims I can get a refund but for what I paid the keypad is worth that much 'eh? DARN, DARN, DARN - was wanting to play AND IT"S BROKEN! Story of my life... what would ya'll do? Try to find another STICK, get a refund, etc.? We're fixing to order 4 repair kits for 4 of our original joysticks - keep 2 new rebuilt sticks (Best Electronics naturally) and sell 2 rebuilt's with a complete console and game package (we have 4 consoles now - 6 sticks - and loads of duplicate games, PS's and Switchboxes). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jediknight44 Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Just got my Wico Stick & Keypad from an EBAY win. Stick isn't working (GRRRRR). Turns 1 way - that's it... The keypad seems fine (S,P & R all work as well as the * and #) so far - haven't experimented with the numerical part as yet. I only paid $65 including a console, PS and Switchbox with the mythical Y-Cord. AUCTION LINK The Joystick looks like a 9-pin and plugs into the keypad - the keypad into PORT 1 (I'm guessing here). What's the Y-cord for (maybe if you don't have a wico keypad to also hook up a standard 5200 controller to use for keypad operations with the joystick) ? Could I use any 9-pin analog joystick or is it 5200 only (pinouts, etc.) I may take it apart tonight to see if I can tell whats wrong with the stick... I know the fire button #2 is broken off although the only game I know that uses it, that I have, is Defender. Will any replacement joystick work? I can contact the seller as he claims I can get a refund but for what I paid the keypad is worth that much 'eh? DARN, DARN, DARN - was wanting to play AND IT"S BROKEN! Story of my life... what would ya'll do? Try to find another STICK, get a refund, etc.? We're fixing to order 4 repair kits for 4 of our original joysticks - keep 2 new rebuilt sticks (Best Electronics naturally) and sell 2 rebuilt's with a complete console and game package (we have 4 consoles now - 6 sticks - and loads of duplicate games, PS's and Switchboxes). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jediknight44 Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 (edited) Well, don't feel too bad about your joystick not working. I just purchased 2 of the Wico Command Control joysticks off of ebay, and neither one of them work properly. 1 does everything it is supposed to except go to the right, and the other one doesn't work at all. I took the one that doesn't work at all, and checked continuity from end to end of the cable, and I have good continuity. I cleaned all the leaf switches, done all I could but it still doesn't work and it is baffling the heck out of me as to why it won't work. Thought about replacing the whole cord and the switches but don't know where to get them yet. Any ideas to try? All my other joysticks work fine with what I am using joysticks for.I have included a picture of what the inside of the Wico Command controller looks like. Pretty simple. That's why I can't understand why it won't work. Edited June 8, 2011 by jediknight44 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tz101 Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 The Wico joysticks have small, proprietary potentiometers, much like the 5200 stock controllers. Two Wico sticks and a "Y" cable came with my 5200 bought at a yard sale and I wad excited. Until I got home and found out the joysticks did not register any horizontal or vertical movement. I even took the pots apart and sprayed electronic contact cleaner inside. No dice. The pots can be found at some guitar manufacturer's website, as they are still used for something to do with electric guitars, but the last time I looked they were priced crazy at something like $30 a piece. Considering 2 pots per controller x 2 controllers and you can see why my Wico controllers are still inoperative. If I bought them in that condition, they would be going back for a full refund. I only paid $10 for my complete system and some games at that yard sale, so was not complaining about my defective Wico sticks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0078265317 Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 You got to slide the x and y sliders on the side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
82atari5200 Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Mine were flaky as well. The resistance of the pots are off. I have two NIB PCJR joysticks that I plan on modding to use with my wico control pad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie_ Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Well, don't feel too bad about your joystick not working. I just purchased 2 of the Wico Command Control joysticks off of ebay, and neither one of them work properly. 1 does everything it is supposed to except go to the right, and the other one doesn't work at all. I took the one that doesn't work at all, and checked continuity from end to end of the cable, and I have good continuity. I cleaned all the leaf switches, done all I could but it still doesn't work and it is baffling the heck out of me as to why it won't work. Thought about replacing the whole cord and the switches but don't know where to get them yet. Any ideas to try? All my other joysticks work fine with what I am using joysticks for.I have included a picture of what the inside of the Wico Command controller looks like. Pretty simple. That's why I can't understand why it won't work. That picture is not of a 5200 Wico stick. Maybe that is the 2600 wico stick? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0078265317 Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Well, don't feel too bad about your joystick not working. I just purchased 2 of the Wico Command Control joysticks off of ebay, and neither one of them work properly. 1 does everything it is supposed to except go to the right, and the other one doesn't work at all. I took the one that doesn't work at all, and checked continuity from end to end of the cable, and I have good continuity. I cleaned all the leaf switches, done all I could but it still doesn't work and it is baffling the heck out of me as to why it won't work. Thought about replacing the whole cord and the switches but don't know where to get them yet. Any ideas to try? All my other joysticks work fine with what I am using joysticks for.I have included a picture of what the inside of the Wico Command controller looks like. Pretty simple. That's why I can't understand why it won't work. That picture is not of a 5200 Wico stick. Maybe that is the 2600 wico stick? How do you know? Have you ever seen a 5200 taken apart? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie_ Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 (edited) Well, don't feel too bad about your joystick not working. I just purchased 2 of the Wico Command Control joysticks off of ebay, and neither one of them work properly. 1 does everything it is supposed to except go to the right, and the other one doesn't work at all. I took the one that doesn't work at all, and checked continuity from end to end of the cable, and I have good continuity. I cleaned all the leaf switches, done all I could but it still doesn't work and it is baffling the heck out of me as to why it won't work. Thought about replacing the whole cord and the switches but don't know where to get them yet. Any ideas to try? All my other joysticks work fine with what I am using joysticks for.I have included a picture of what the inside of the Wico Command controller looks like. Pretty simple. That's why I can't understand why it won't work. That picture is not of a 5200 Wico stick. Maybe that is the 2600 wico stick? How do you know? Have you ever seen a 5200 taken apart? Yes. That is the 2600 wico stick. Edited June 8, 2011 by Official Ninja 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jediknight44 Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Well, don't feel too bad about your joystick not working. I just purchased 2 of the Wico Command Control joysticks off of ebay, and neither one of them work properly. 1 does everything it is supposed to except go to the right, and the other one doesn't work at all. I took the one that doesn't work at all, and checked continuity from end to end of the cable, and I have good continuity. I cleaned all the leaf switches, done all I could but it still doesn't work and it is baffling the heck out of me as to why it won't work. Thought about replacing the whole cord and the switches but don't know where to get them yet. Any ideas to try? All my other joysticks work fine with what I am using joysticks for.I have included a picture of what the inside of the Wico Command controller looks like. Pretty simple. That's why I can't understand why it won't work. That picture is not of a 5200 Wico stick. Maybe that is the 2600 wico stick? How do you know? Have you ever seen a 5200 taken apart? Yes. That is the 2600 wico stick. Correct-a-mundo. It is a 2600 joystick. Sure wish I knew what was keeping it from working though. Ah Well, I'll just keep tinkering with it but it sure is about to make me just give up fooling with them until i can find some dirt cheap way of replacing the cable and 9 pin female end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Mitch Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Plug it into a 2600 and I am sure they will run fine. They aren't designed to work on a 5200 unless you have a Masterplay adapter. Mitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
82atari5200 Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 the Sorry for the necro bump, but I managed to take apart the Wico pots. It's not that difficult. I used a set of precision screw drivers and a hammer to knock out the screws/pins holding it together. Then used a small flathead to pry them out the rest of the way. Once apart I used windex and qtips to remove the build up on the resistance bands. Put it on the multimeter and to my surprise I got accurate readings. Fired up defender and the controller now works flawlessly. Now to fix my other Wico. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Mitch Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 Glad to hear yours just needed a cleaning. On the one I took apart the resistive material was worn off in the middle. Mitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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