Something Kinda Crazy but Fun: An All-In-One Atari 8-Bit

[+mytek]

Well I wondered into a local Good Will and while I was checking out the electronics section I came across something Atari that I had never seen before.

 

The Atari Arcade Duo Powered Joystick for the Apple iPad (generation 1-3)

So for $5 I said what the heck and bought it.

 

First thing I did of course was take it apart, and discovered that it had a very nice micro-switch Joystick inside (I already removed the iPad locking mechanism and the docking port jack in this photo).

 

Here's one off the wall idea.

 

Another possibility would be to install a 7" LCD monitor where the iPad was meant to go and then build a custom Atari 8-Bit PCB to fit the available area inside with an integral FujiNet. Or do a RPI with emulation instead.

 

These Atari Arcade devices appear to be readily available from eBay at 2 to 3 times what I paid, but that's still relatively cheap.

 

It would be nice to simply plug into the provided controller PCB and convert its serial output to a parallel Joystick and Button output scheme instead. However I'm still looking for the protocol that was used, and if anyone finds something please post it in this topic.

 

The 4 buttons could be used for Fire, Start, Select, Option. And I could see using an XEGS starting point with a keyboard plugging in from the side.

 

Like the topic title says, this is probably crazy

[Geister]

Sounds like a Ben Heck hack.

[abbotkinneydude]

@mytek I actually do have an iPad3 here (the last one with the 30-pin connector) with iOS9 on it. I remember seeing this item on sale in a fancy Venice store a decade ago (that type of licensing "out" was typical during the ATARI S.A. "Chesnais" era). I will actually get one off Ebay and see if the software is still available / running as of 2023. As for hacking one into a true ATARI solution, you have my interest. I'd love to see what you do with it and get inspired by it!

[Mathy]

Hello Michael

 

On 6/25/2023 at 9:51 PM, mytek said:

And I could see using an XEGS starting point with a keyboard plugging in from the side.

 

Sounds like the XEGS version of the 576NUC+.

 

Sincerely

 

Mathy