PeBo Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I mean really! Who the heck designed these bloody things? Did they do ANY play testing during the design phase??? Anyway, as usual, I'm here with a question... There's a sale on ebay selling some cables, manuals, a power supply, joysticks and assorted flotsam and jetsum (for way too much IMHO). Among them are a couple Y cables. Now I'm thinking that these are TI to Atari joystick adapters. So, were there any other Y adapters made (maybe for 4 player gaming) or am I right in assuming that these are indeed TI/Atari adapter cables? The seller is willing to sell these to me seperately for less than I could make the cable myself (since I'd have to do surgery on a couple sets of joysticks to get the cables), but I'd like to make sure I'm buying what I think I'm buying. Please, confirm (or counter) my assumptions before my thumbs fall off, or all the muscles in my hand seize up permanently in protest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 (edited) Those are definitely Atari-style joystick adapters. I have an identical one connected to my test system with a Prostick II and a Wico joystick on the two branches. It is a great little adapter. What you are looking at is a pair of adapters--you only need one of those "Y" cables--not both of them. Edited January 3, 2015 by Ksarul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I now have all five varieties of Joysticks TI released for the 99/4 series. Of them all, the ones for the MBX were the most comfortable. The earliest joysticks were a royal pain--the ball on top chewed into your hand and left welts if you played for more than 20 minutes or so. The standard ones you are used to came in three, mostly identical varieties: black buttons with an orange line around them, orange buttons, and the cream and purple/gray ones that were made right at the end to match the beige consoles. All three of those types are equally disastrous ergonomically. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 There is another option you might want to consider... keep the TI joystick cables, but attach them to a custom joystick that you build yourself, to your own specifications! You might find that this can be a cheaper solution and you'll have a kick-azz stick that will never make your hand go numb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeBo Posted January 3, 2015 Author Share Posted January 3, 2015 I now have all five varieties of Joysticks TI released for the 99/4 series. Of them all, the ones for the MBX were the most comfortable. The earliest joysticks were a royal pain--the ball on top chewed into your hand and left welts if you played for more than 20 minutes or so. The standard ones you are used to came in three, mostly identical varieties: black buttons with an orange line around them, orange buttons, and the cream and purple/gray ones that were made right at the end to match the beige consoles. All three of those types are equally disastrous ergonomically. Yuppers on the only needing one...It was one of my "reasonings" in whooing her to sell one separately. And yes, I liked the MBX joystick, but if memory serves (which it fails to do quite often these days) those were only useable with MBX games. My favorite remains the red and black Epyx joystick. They got the ergonomics and the tactile response both right in that design...and insanely comfortable for long periods. I will say though after seeing the recent MBX sale on ebay, I could kick myself for getting rid of mine so quicky back in the day. I couldn't find software in my area, and it only came with some kids game ("Look! A Strawberry!") and so I sold it shortly after buying it...probably for something like $15 or $20. 'twould be nice to go back and try again, wouldn't it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeBo Posted January 3, 2015 Author Share Posted January 3, 2015 There is another option you might want to consider... keep the TI joystick cables, but attach them to a custom joystick that you build yourself, to your own specifications! You might find that this can be a cheaper solution and you'll have a kick-azz stick that will never make your hand go numb. Very cool indeed. parts might be cheaper. To do a truly ergonomic controller, you need plastic moulding. While the construction described would be a "fun" project on it's own (I do miss the days when "contacts" didn't mean "associates"!), you'd be hard pressed to perfect much more than button placement using 'found' materials. Mind you, thinking about it, button placement IS 75% of a comfortable joystic... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
am1933 Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 What we need is for some clever hardware hacker to develop an interface that will allow us all to use the Atari 5200 controllers on our humble 4a's, this we we can discover the true meaning of PAIN!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 They sure look purdy tho... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Damnedable centering... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
am1933 Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Damnedable centering... Nailed it in one, 5200 joystick plus Munchman = multiple quick deaths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeBo Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share Posted January 4, 2015 Proof once again, that some successful designers are simpy the bosses son. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetset Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 What we need is for some clever hardware hacker to develop an interface that will allow us all to use the Atari 5200 controllers on our humble 4a's, this we we can discover the true meaning of PAIN!!!!!!! Of all the complaints I've heard of the 5200 controllers, I've never heard them described as painful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
am1933 Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Of all the complaints I've heard of the 5200 controllers, I've never heard them described as painful. Ahhhh-but cannot something be a pain in the rear end? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 They can be an especially egregious pain in the rear end, especially if you sit on them after your children left them strategically placed on a random seat when they were done playing. . . :-o 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
am1933 Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 They can be an especially egregious pain in the rear end, especially if you sit on them after your children left them strategically placed on a random seat when they were done playing. . . :-o I always coat my joysticks with a liberal covering of butter for just such an occassion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 I always coat my joysticks with a liberal covering of butter for just such an occassion "PAM" works well, too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed in SoDak Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 (edited) I think many of the TI sticks, even NOS, are failing due to foam rot or exudations from same corroding the contacts. I wondered about replacing the contacts with some modern miniature microswitches that might be easier to depress and more responsive. A hobby or craft store might have wooden spheres in various sizes that could be drilled to glue onto the stem for a better fit to the hand. But it's still a poor case design and hardly worth the effort. When I picked up a nice Prostick and Tac-II for cheap BITD, I didn't have the adapter, so I snipped the plug and cables from a worn-out pair of TI sticks and grafted it directly to the Atari wires, which gave me double-length cables. Not a bad answer, it was free, gave me a more comfortable seating distance from the console and has lasted lo these many years. Me, I apply the butter directly to my butt so I'm protected wherever I'm parked. Now, if only I could keep from sliding off the chair! Edited January 4, 2015 by Ed in SoDak 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeBo Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 I always coat my joysticks with a liberal covering of butter for just such an occassion TMI !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeBo Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 "PAM" works well, too Not as well as her sister Janet! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeBo Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 I think many of the TI sticks, even NOS, are failing due to foam rot or exudations from same corroding the contacts. I wondered about replacing the contacts with some modern miniature microswitches that might be easier to depress and more responsive. A hobby or craft store might have wooden spheres in various sizes that could be drilled to glue onto the stem for a better fit to the hand. But it's still a poor case design and hardly worth the effort. When I picked up a nice Prostick and Tac-II for cheap BITD, I didn't have the adapter, so I snipped the plug and cables from a worn-out pair of TI sticks and grafted it directly to the Atari wires, which gave me double-length cables. Not a bad answer, it was free, gave me a more comfortable seating distance from the console and has lasted lo these many years. Me, I apply the butter directly to my butt so I'm protected wherever I'm parked. Now, if only I could keep from sliding off the chair! Problem isn't responsiveness...I find the TI joysticks to be brilliantly responsive. The problem is their shape... at less than a inch thick, and shaped like a bar of soap, they ask you to wrap your hand around them at an angle that makes using your thumb for the trigger virtually impossible for any period of time without actual cramping or physical pain. I found a pair of original "spring" mechanism Atari joysticks yesterday...just trying to justify $100 (which includes shipping) for a pair of 1st generation joysticks! They WERE tough little puppies though, and would likely carry me well past my ability to use them... ...whether with Pam or butter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+hloberg Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 (edited) You can find these joysticks on ebay fairly cheap. the feel is good and the micro-switches are very responsive but they are kinda cheaply made. I had to put a shim behind one of the micro-switches because it had worked itself loose over time. Oh, I had to create an Atari to TI-99 cable to make them work. I also have some TI-99 joysticks but I'm not into masochism so they remain in on the shelf. Edited January 5, 2015 by hloberg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeBo Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 You can find these joysticks on ebay fairly cheap. the feel is good and the micro-switches are very responsive but they are kinda cheaply made. I had to put a shim behind one of the micro-switches because it had worked itself loose over time. Oh, I had to create an Atari to TI-99 cable to make them work. I also have some TI-99 joysticks but I'm not into masochism so they remain in on the shelf. thanks, I've never seen them. I'll be sure to check 'em out....they kinda look like a poor-man's Epyx joystick... ...and being a poor man (with an increasingly expensive hobby)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 There is another thread around here somewhere in which we talked about our favorites. I still very much like my Epyx 500XJ (I think, or XJ500, whatever) and Suncom TAC2s. Honestly, as much as people have made fun of it, I rather like the CD32 joypad, as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeBo Posted January 7, 2015 Author Share Posted January 7, 2015 Had no idea what a CD32 was, so I Googled it, and yup, that's a bizarre looking device. does look comfortable though. And I would never make fun of a personal choice. (much) My long time favorite has lasted me for so many years, I forget when I bought it, but I think I got it when I had my ST. It would be my tried and true Gravis Gamepad. The photo is not upside-down. I cut my gaming teeth on Atari joysticks, and to me buttons should be on the left and the controller should be on the right (I REALLY suck on modern controllers as a result). Early gravis sticks have a little toggle on the bottom that changes stick orientation for old farts like me. Now, this model came with a flimsy little plastic stick, that broke the first time I used it, but the thumbscrews from an old Dell case fit the threads on the mount perfectly, and no amount of furious gaming is gonna snap that mofo (and yes, you guessed it, I need an actual stick, not a thumbpad! My favorite system specific sticks though were the ones that came hard-wired into the North American Odyssey2 consoles. The only joystick I know of that had little ridges around the base of the actual stick, that made it dead simple to know when you were holding it at a perfect 45° angle. Or maybe I just really liked them because my next joysticks were TI's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 I had (may still have) one of those Gravis controllers. I know I used to have the old 15-pin model, and I may have a USB model in storage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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