new atari 5200 controller Making A New Atari 5200 Controller In The Original Form Factor

[Bill Loguidice]

This is exceptional and will no doubt make a lot more 5200s more fun to use. I look forward to getting a pair.

[BIGHMW]

Myself as well, I already PMed him about reserving a couple of them. 

[MIKE5200]

On 6/19/2022 at 6:10 PM, Lucas Lac124 said:

I've spent the better part of a year and a half developing a replacement controller for the Atari 5200 in my (infrequent) spare time, and I hope that this will be a reasonable place to discuss both my personal progress, future prospects, and what I should be thinking about in further development of the controller. Now for some preliminaries:

 

Does it work (what state is the controller in)? 

 

As of now, although exact wiring types, routes, and shielding, etc. are not finalized, I have made several prototype revisions whose buttons work. This has been proven using various games and both 2-port and 4-port consoles (not that the particular console revision should have any affect on performance). Original overlays have also been tested and work with the cavity provided for them. My controller has a few more curves than the original, which makes holding it a better experience in my opinion, but only a larger test sample will determine ultimately how reasonable it is to use.

 

As the highest resistance commercially available joysticks of an approximately correct form factor are 10kΩ, I've had to take the route of previous joystick attempts and use a digital potentiometer, a microcontroller, and some capacitors to simulate the correct resistance. I am currently waiting on some perfboards and such in order to internally test this method, results should be in within several weeks on whether what I have will work for the given purpose. In short, the buttons work, the joystick does not (yet).

 

Future (pre?-'production') goals?

 

- Wireless connectivity --> using an Arduino: will require a battery and a secondary microcontroller: costs will go up

- Some supply for made-to-order purchase (probably using eBay)

- wire routing improvement and trigger button stiffening

- Simplification and cost-reduction: due to long manufacture time and limited material availability, if I were to sell a controller, it would cost upwards of $100 to a buyer before shipping would be factored in. With a little help from economies of scale and an easier production process, this could be lessened.

 

Are you willing to go 'open source' (make 3D files, code, and production documents entirely available)?

 

Although I've considered it several times now, the time investment that has been poured into this single project is too great to be immediately given away. I can make no promises, but if I never get to a point where I can sell the controllers, I may make enough of the project available so that it can at least positively impact the community in that way. In the mean time, look out in several months for a method of purchase.

 

 Opening the Floor

 

 - What do people that have been waiting on a controller replacement want out of a controller? I've tried to make all of the buttons more tactile, the joystick self-centers, the triggers use microswitches, the controller was made specifically so that most major components can be replaced with screws alone: what other things should I consider including or altering?

 - Is this even something that anyone wants?

 

 

 

 

Thank You,

~ Lucas Lac124.

 

 

Did you try any games like Pole Position on it? Interesting to see how the gas and brake works.

[SledgeHammerD]

I would be interested in one if there's any left or in another batch.

 

 

[1980gamer]

I would also be in for 1 or 2.  Did I miss the price?

 

[Greg2600]

On 8/12/2022 at 5:08 PM, 1980gamer said:

I would also be in for 1 or 2.  Did I miss the price?

On 8/10/2022 at 10:30 PM, SledgeHammerD said:

I would be interested in one if there's any left or in another batch.

There was a post about them being available via eBay at $75 plus shipping/etc.

[BIGHMW]

5 hours ago, Greg2600 said:

There was a post about them being available via eBay at $75 plus shipping/etc.

I can't find them on eBay please send a link so we can all get ours.

[Atari Nut]

The post was explaining how he could sell them.  They are not available yet.

[Greg2600]

17 hours ago, BIGHMW said:

I can't find them on eBay please send a link so we can all get ours.

I know you read this, because you hit the like button.  These seem to be highly time consuming for Lucas to build, so I'm not sure when he'll finish that first batch.  If they work as described, I would hope he'd be open to maybe partnering with someone on A.A. that could produce them at a larger scale.  I mean, Maker Matrix sold quite a few of their 5200 game pads.

[Henry Lee]

 

It is so surprising to see an update of the 5200 controller after so many years. It looks wonderful ... Bravo !

 

I'll get at least one for sure ...

 

[phuzaxeman]

Hi, any updates on the first batch? 

 

Thanks 

[sirlynxalot]

Looks great!  Excellent job developing this controller!

[Lucas Lac124]

- Update 9/11/2022 -

For those wondering about the status of this first batch of controllers, the time frame for putting them together has slipped due to academic and personal responsibilities. The first 17 controllers are still on their way, but other priorities have taken hold temporarily. Just about 2/3 of controllers are essentially completed, but the controllers that still need to be finished will take some time. Patience is all that I can ask from you for now.

 

Thank you,

Lucas Lacerda.

[0078265317]

5 hours ago, Lucas Lac124 said:

- Update 9/11/2022 -

For those wondering about the status of this first batch of controllers, the time frame for putting them together has slipped due to academic and personal responsibilities. The first 17 controllers are still on their way, but other priorities have taken hold temporarily. Just about 2/3 of controllers are essentially completed, but the controllers that still need to be finished will take some time. Patience is all that I can ask from you for now.

 

Thank you,

Lucas Lacerda.

And how much are they?

[leech]

I'll need 2.  Not that I play games with people, but Robotron 2084 and Space Dungeon are amazing with twin sticks!

[BIGHMW]

Any word on when they will be ready for sale yet?

[+Stephen]

8 hours ago, BIGHMW said:

Any word on when they will be ready for sale yet?

Is this part of your plan to save money, or spend money to impress Cindy Margolis?

[David Alexander]

Hi Lucas, just found out about this today. Sent you a PM. Definitely need a pair to start. Hope to hear from you soon and take care.

[phuzaxeman]

5 hours ago, David Alexander said:

Hi Lucas, just found out about this today. Sent you a PM. Definitely need a pair to start. Hope to hear from you soon and take care.

We've been discussing this since July. Where have you been man? 😀

[Tonyscouter]

David, Lucas,

Early in this discussion string I suggested that a unit get sent to Steve from Wired Up Retro and the 5200 Podcast.  He would do an excellent review of the controller!

[David Alexander]

5 hours ago, phuzaxeman said:

We've been discussing this since July. Where have you been man? 😀

Obviously sleeping on the Job. How did I not see this earlier. I would buy 4 of these

[David Alexander]

Just now, Tonyscouter said:

David, Lucas,

Early in this discussion string I suggested that a unit get sent to Steve from Wired Up Retro and the 5200 Podcast.  He would do an excellent review of the controller!

Thank you and Yes Steve from the 5200 Podcast and his Youtube channel Wired Up Retro is the best guy to provide feedback and analysis.

 

I call him the Master of Adapters and the King of Controllers

Edited October 25, 2022 by David Alexander

[RJP1138]

Things like the Wico sticks and the masterplay (clone) have tuning potentiometers because different games on the 5200 have different voltage values for the center position. Is this an issue for this new controller? Does it just take the median best fit values for center so that it works "well enough" for most games?

 

Isn't there also a potentiometer in the console itself that affects controller behavior depending on how it is turned?

[+-^CrossBow^-]

25 minutes ago, RJP1138 said:

Things like the Wico sticks and the masterplay (clone) have tuning potentiometers because different games on the 5200 have different voltage values for the center position. Is this an issue for this new controller? Does it just take the median best fit values for center so that it works "well enough" for most games?

 

Isn't there also a potentiometer in the console itself that affects controller behavior depending on how it is turned?

Can't answer anything in regards to these controllers. But yes, there is a trimmer in the console specifically to adjust for how the pokey reads the values from the controller ports as part of the calibration routine.

 

[BIGHMW]

On 11/9/2022 at 9:43 AM, RJP1138 said:

Things like the Wico sticks and the masterplay (clone) have tuning potentiometers because different games on the 5200 have different voltage values for the center position. Is this an issue for this new controller? Does it just take the median best fit values for center so that it works "well enough" for most games?

 

Isn't there also a potentiometer in the console itself that affects controller behavior depending on how it is turned?

I assume that also since my RetroGameBoyz 5200 controller has dual trimming pots that also act as paddle controls for games like Super Breakout and Kaboom! that I will need to readjust the pots for different games in order to get the proper response I need from them, right?