The Bally controller left problem

[ianoid]

I have two controller I just tested. Both do not register left on the joystick.

 

Actually when I disassembled them, they registered all directions, but it is the design of the controller case that prevents the stick from moving far enough left to register. In face, one registers left if I hold the stick up a bit while using it (when the housing is on).

 

Is there some easy fix? Bending one of the contacts a bit or something? I tried that, but didn't get any response and then thought I'd ask those who know better,

 

Thanks,

 

ian

[ballyalley]

I have two controller I just tested. Both do not register left on the joystick.

 

Actually when I disassembled them, they registered all directions, but it is the design of the controller case that prevents the stick from moving far enough left to register. In face, one registers left if I hold the stick up a bit while using it (when the housing is on).

 

Is there some easy fix? Bending one of the contacts a bit or something? I tried that, but didn't get any response and then thought I'd ask those who know better,

 

I've not heard of this issue before. Let me clear up a few questions I have about what you've tested. When the controller is disassembled, you know left works because you've tested it with a multimeter or on the actual Astrocade console? I have many Astrocade joysticks, and I've never had any issues with them registering directions due to the plastic case.

 

Adam

[ianoid]

Hey Adam, thanks for the reply.

 

Nah, I'm not sophisticated enough to do the multimeter. Maybe one of these days.

 

When I take the case half off, the controller works perfectly. When I put the case half back on, left doesn't work. On one controller left up works, and on the other none of the 3 left directions (left up, left and left down) work.

 

When I say 'take apart the controller' I really mean open it up and take apart as little as possible.

 

Does that make sense?

[+save2600]

I've seen quite a few controllers where it looked like someone had wrenched the joystick so hard that it broke the inner collar plastic. Now I'm wondering if that was done on purpose to allow more freedom so that the stick registered directionals better. Might be the issue here? Not suggesting you break any plastic to widen the collar, but may be another kind of adjustment you can make, such as bending a leaf switch closer or something. Been a while since I buggered with one of these.

[ianoid]

Well, I don't know. I think I have seen controllers where the opening at the top for the stick was widened, but never thought much of that either.

 

It's strange in that's it's two sticks, probably from the same unit. I sort of tried to the pieces towards each other a bit. I was hoping this was a common issue.

 

I'll look and see if I recognize the inner collar plastic you are referring to when I have time to get back to this project.