manterola Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 Hello guys, I got a trak-ball cx-53 within a lot of atari stuff, and I would like to know if there is an easy way of test it. I don't have a 5200 console, but maybe a simple pin rerouting of the db15 pins to db9 can make it work. Probably is more complicated than that. I read about the one-track cable which allow st-mouse and cx80 modes with encoders but I guess it is not on sale. My idea is to try something to adapt it to xl/xe platform if it works and I like it (I would love to try missile command) I'll keep it, if I don't like it at least I can sell it "tested" and cleaned for a better price. Any comments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NISMOPC Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 That things a beast. I'd sell it and take the money to purchase a 2600/7800 CX80 or CX22 or a or a WICO Trak Ball. They are smaller and easier to use. Compatible with 8-bit computers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoundGammon Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 If you decide to sell it, let me know! I'm looking for some replacement parts for mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 Likely the 5200 trakball is setup to return analog values through the Pot inputs. Computer trakball is digital through joystick directions. So even if you made an adaptor there'd be no software to use the device anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 and yet once apon a time there was a how to that allowed it to work on both the 5200 and the 8 bit on the BBS scene of yesteryear...a by the numbers explanation in in true ascii text form... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 I suspect there's some translation going on inside... at the lowest level probably uses 2 axis * 2 bit grey encoding. Likely that gets converted by resistor ladder to a voltage that goes to each pot input. In theory with a 228 value Pokey pot you could probably encode 6 or 7 digital inputs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manterola Posted November 4, 2017 Author Share Posted November 4, 2017 (edited) Here I found the schematics http://gamesx.com/wiki/lib/exe/fetch.php?media=schematics:5200-cx53-trakball-schematic.png Signals at the output of A2 maybe are compatible with st-mouse mode, and can be adapted and connected to pins 1, 2, 3 and 4 of xl joystick port. Edited November 4, 2017 by manterola Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 (edited) the cx80 and cx22 are basically the same with some being st mouse modded at the factory or at the seller... I don't remember any of the adaption, conversion being all that involved.. the cx 53 was a little different but also adaptable Edited November 4, 2017 by _The Doctor__ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 here's some schematics mods and service manuals for the 5200 etc. https://console5.com/wiki/Atari_5200 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 (edited) I wonder how hard it would be to just make a straight up adaptor... I mean we already had a usb adapter made for the cx53 for 28 bux complete.... http://2600-daptor.com/5200-daptor.htm wonder how hard to mess about with... Edited November 4, 2017 by _The Doctor__ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigO Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 I developed an enhancement kit for the CX-53 that lets it be used in place of a CX-22 (same protocol as CX-80). It still functions as a CX-53 and requires no soldering, drilling or other permanent modifications to the CX-53 (really, there's nothing I would even call a modification). I also did a version that outputs straight quadrature encoded motion signals.I did this so that I could play the 2600 games that were, at the time, being modified to support trackball input (http://atariage.com/forums/topic/243453-atari-2600-trak-ball-games/). I have tested it with my XEGS to play Missile Command so in that respect it works with an A8. I never found any reason I couldn't make it compatible with the two button ST mouse, but I never had an ST to test with.All that to say, yes, you can get the signals you want out of the CX-53 but they are not available on the 15 pin cable. As stated above, the outputs of the CX-53 emulate the analog potentiometers of the handheld controllers and there's just one wire with the Y axis and one with the X axis. I suppose you *could* read those signals and generate the trackball protocol accordingly, but that'd be a somewhat painful way to go. A fully external adapter would probably have a bigger market than than something that requires opening up the controller like mine does. I have something else in mind for the native analog outputs, so maybe such an adapter might be a by-product of the research and testing I need to do. For reference, to help you decide how much you might want to spend on a different modification: I was selling my upgrade kit for $25. (For my own self serving purposes: I happen to still have a CX-22 style kit and a straight quadrature kit that I built on request, but the potential buyers disappeared. So, if anyone is interested... Technically speaking, there's one part of the kit that picks off the necessary signals and brings them outside the controller, and a separate "configuration cable" that arranges the signals appropriately for connection to the Atari. So, you could have both flavors without opening up the CX-53 again: an all-in-one solution. Hence the name "One-Trak".) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 and there it is nice BigO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigO Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 That things a beast. I'd sell it and take the money to purchase a 2600/7800 CX80 or CX22 or a or a WICO Trak Ball. They are smaller and easier to use. Compatible with 8-bit computers. The only unmodified WICO trackball that I've seen was a joystick emulator, so beware if looking at a WICO. (But, they can pretty easily be modified to output quadrature encoded signals. See the link in my signature.) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manterola Posted November 9, 2017 Author Share Posted November 9, 2017 So finally, I am getting a CX-22 and it will be arriving next week. That did not stopped me to clean and hack the cx-53 trackball for Atari 5200. I connected wires to test points 1, 2, 3 and 4 Which are the inputs to the A2 IC and I feed them to pins 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the joystick port. TP5 to GND. The most difficult part was +5VDC , because the is no test point in the trackball pcb and all the joystick cables I have don't have that pin wired. It worked but the left / right were inverted. I tried missile command and ctrl-t. It is pretty cool, even though all the connections are made thru a breadboard and I haven't connected the fire button. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigO Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 If you haven't already, just reverse the wires that go to the left and right inputs to fix the direction problem. I had problems coming straight off the optical encoders on a different trackball so I picked up the outputs of the amplifier chip on this one. That provides a little protection for the encoders which are less common and more difficult to replace than the lm339. Picking up the points as you describe would give you output like a mouse as opposed to the CX22 style output. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NISMOPC Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 So finally, I am getting a CX-22 and it will be arriving next week. You'll like the CX-22. I just received two in a bundle I bought. Cleaned both of them inside and out, but one trak-ball is jittering randomly all over the screen. The other one works flawlessly. I'll get back to the issue one some day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.