5200 controllers

[jak327]

Is there away to make atari 5200 controllers self-centering?

[Christophero Sly]

Rubber bands.

[0078265317]

Or is it possible to replace the stick part with a better stick. Does anybody sell analog sticks? Not the whole controller just the stick part.

[zylon]

Get a large conical spring like the ones in the bottom of cheap D battery flashlights and put it under the rubber boot.

[tz101]

Or would it be easily doable to switch out the dual-potentiometer stick mechanism with the analog thumbstick from a Playstation or Xbox controller?

 

This would certainly then be a self-centering 5200 stick.

[tz101]

Get a large conical spring like the ones in the bottom of cheap D battery flashlights and put it under the rubber boot.

 

My guess is that a conical spring like this would keep the pot arms from moving through their intended range of motion. The bottom of the spring would set right down on the top of the pots. Maybe not a good fix to try.

 

EDIT:

 

Thought about this a little further, and a conical spring would actually rest against the top plastic slider plate, not the top of the pots. But it would not be self-centering either because it would need to rest against the bottom controller housing to do so.

Edited May 22, 2011 by tz101

[0078265317]

Or would it be easily doable to switch out the dual-potentiometer stick mechanism with the analog thumbstick from a Playstation or Xbox controller?

 

This would certainly then be a self-centering 5200 stick.

 

I was thin king the same thing. Would be cool if someone knew for sure?

[jak327]

Or would it be easily doable to switch out the dual-potentiometer stick mechanism with the analog thumbstick from a Playstation or Xbox controller?

 

This would certainly then be a self-centering 5200 stick.

 

 

I am looking into that idea right now. I will post if I find anything out.

[0078265317]

See what makes me thing it can work is this.

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 280680036973

 

There are 4 wires in the 5200, 1 red, 1 brown, and 2 black. Solder 1 wire to each gold contact (4 total) should work. 4 wires and 4 contacts.

[jak327]

See what makes me thing it can work is this.

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 280680036973

 

There are 4 wires in the 5200, 1 red, 1 brown, and 2 black. Solder 1 wire to each gold contact (4 total) should work. 4 wires and 4 contacts.

 

I emailed Ben Heck to see if it was possible, this something he would be good at.

[0078265317]

Never heard of him. Hope he has good news.

[jak327]

Never heard of him. Hope he has good news.

 

 

He is the guy that makes all of the portable video games. Check out his web site.

 

http://benheck.com/

[0078265317]

Thanks for the link, hope he replies soon.

[CRTGAMER]

Using a different analog stick housing may not work, the pot resistor range are very unlikely to be matched. Besides the 5200 fire buttons are also crap without a proper mod. Though rare, maybe look for the Wico 5200 Sticks? The base has a couple of slide switches to make the stick self centering or free floating.

 

With that said, I did manage to mod Apple II+ joysticks to work on the Vectrex. The center neutral position is a bear at times to adjust with the centering sliders.

[0078265317]

Using a different analog stick housing may not work, the pot resistor range are very unlikely to be matched. Besides the 5200 fire buttons are also crap without a proper mod. Though rare, maybe look for the Wico 5200 Sticks? The base has a couple of slide switches to make the stick self centering or free floating.

 

With that said, I did manage to mod Apple II+ joysticks to work on the Vectrex. The center neutral position is a bear at times to adjust with the centering sliders.

 

 

Thanks good to know. So what are the 5200 pot values? And how do we know what the values are for others like the one in my link?

[Ataritard]

I'm going to go with, No... but, in this case, I'd like it if some one proved me wrong. I do like the D battery spring idea that zylon made.

[0078265317]

So nobody knows the default 5200 pot values?

[zylon]

1 meg ohm

In theory, you could make any stick work for directions. You'd only have full speed though. For example: Pole position would only have extreme right or left steering instead of the lower values that you get from the analog stick. If you wire them with a resistor matching the pot's max value on one side, it should work.

L&R- one direction would have the black+grey(or brown) wires to its switch. The other would have the same 2 wires, but have a resistor in the grey/brown wire

U&D- one would have black+red on it's switch. The other would have the same black+red with resistor in the red wire.

[0078265317]

1 meg ohm

In theory, you could make any stick work for directions. You'd only have full speed though. For example: Pole position would only have extreme right or left steering instead of the lower values that you get from the analog stick. If you wire them with a resistor matching the pot's max value on one side, it should work.

L&R- one direction would have the black+grey(or brown) wires to its switch. The other would have the same 2 wires, but have a resistor in the grey/brown wire

U&D- one would have black+red on it's switch. The other would have the same black+red with resistor in the red wire.

 

Sorry that is all giberish to me. If onyl 1 of these came in 500k by default.

 

http://www.mammothelectronics.com/category-s/57.htm?gclid=CISrjKH5_KgCFYEUKgodu1YoVA

[zylon]

1 meg ohm

In theory, you could make any stick work for directions. You'd only have full speed though. For example: Pole position would only have extreme right or left steering instead of the lower values that you get from the analog stick. If you wire them with a resistor matching the pot's max value on one side, it should work.

L&R- one direction would have the black+grey(or brown) wires to its switch. The other would have the same 2 wires, but have a resistor in the grey/brown wire

U&D- one would have black+red on it's switch. The other would have the same black+red with resistor in the red wire.

 

Sorry that is all giberish to me. If onyl 1 of these came in 500k by default.

 

http://www.mammothelectronics.com/category-s/57.htm?gclid=CISrjKH5_KgCFYEUKgodu1YoVA

I'm no Picasso or Rembrandt, but perhaps this crude wiring diagram will better explain.

[tz101]

Though rare, maybe look for the Wico 5200 Sticks? The base has a couple of slide switches to make the stick self centering or free floating.

 

Word of caution: The much sought after Wico sticks are not always the answer, as the potentiometers in them are prone to failure too. I got 2 of those controllers with my 5200 along with a Wico "Y" cable when I bought it at a yard sale. I was very disappointed to find that neither of the Wico sticks worked. The potentiometers in them are not standard like the stock Atari ones, so are near impossible to find for replacement. FYI.

[0078265317]

Yes, but if a joystick came 500k to begin with then we wouldn't need any resistors right?

[bohoki]

i got a pc joystick and adapter i can sell ya for $30 delivered

 

pm me for details

 

ive sold a few this is my last pc mission type ive been saving it but i have so many home mades and gamepads

 

but nothing beats a good working analog pc joystick for use with all games

 

the 5 analog games are not my favorites so i get by with gamepads

[0078265317]

i got a pc joystick and adapter i can sell ya for $30 delivered

 

pm me for details

 

ive sold a few this is my last pc mission type ive been saving it but i have so many home mades and gamepads

 

but nothing beats a good working analog pc joystick for use with all games

 

the 5 analog games are not my favorites so i get by with gamepads

 

Yes thanks but the whole point is make do without an adapter. I mean even the adapter is not gauranteed to work with every stick. I'd like to rig up my own joystick without an adapter.

[0078265317]

Just found this.

 

http://www.atarimuseum.com/videogames/consoles/5200/5200joy.html