Bill Loguidice Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 5 minutes ago, MarquisDeSang said: So there are 4 hidden buttons that we cannot see and probably cannot feel with our fingers? Wow, I am eager to experience this new unintuitive, but beautiful looking design. Did anyone actually got their hand on these? I think you're making a big issue out of something that doesn't need to be an issue. They're secondary buttons. Atari 8-bit games used a single button when playing, but certainly it will be convenient having access to 7 additional buttons that can replicate some of the things a keyboard would have done, especially when navigating menus and what-not. I think we're all capable of remembering what I circled are buttons. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzip Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 6 minutes ago, MarquisDeSang said: So there are 4 hidden buttons that we cannot see and probably cannot feel with our fingers? Wow, I am eager to experience this new unintuitive, but beautiful looking design. Did anyone actually got their hand on these? They probably cover Start/Option/Select/Pause functions rather than be something that will affect your gameplay 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donjn Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 7 minutes ago, MarquisDeSang said: So there are 4 hidden buttons that we cannot see and probably cannot feel with our fingers? I guess so. I have never seen anything like this ever. I guess we are trolls.. 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+remowilliams Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 Request for Albert - new subforum for THECXSTICKMYSTERY 😄 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 10 minutes ago, MarquisDeSang said: So there are 4 hidden buttons that we cannot see and probably cannot feel with our fingers? Wow, I am eager to experience this new unintuitive, but beautiful looking design. Perhaps reserve judgment until you can actually experience one in person (or see reviews from those who have)? 11 minutes ago, MarquisDeSang said: Did anyone actually got their hand on these? No, as they are not shipping yet. ..Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockymin Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 4 minutes ago, Bill Loguidice said: I think you're making a big issue out of something that doesn't need to be an issue. They're secondary buttons. Atari 8-bit games used a single button when playing, but certainly it will be convenient having access to 7 additional buttons that can replicate some of the things a keyboard would have done, especially when navigating menus and what-not. I think we're all capable of remembering what I circled are buttons. Didn't some 8 bit games use keyboard keys for extra buttons? Like Star Raiders? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 Just now, Rockymin said: Didn't some 8 bit games use keyboard keys for extra buttons? Like Star Raiders? Yes, various 8-bit games will use the keyboard, Star Raiders is certainly one of them. It will be interesting to see if the buttons can be mapped differently for each game. ..Al 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzip Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 3 minutes ago, remowilliams said: Request for Albert - new subforum for THECXSTICKMYSTERY 😄 Can we get a new subforum for new subforum requests too? 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donjn Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 (edited) You know what, save this thread. I'm not convinced Unique button ring Access game functions through the unique four-position button ring What if this is just a fancy way of saying that these are just joystick movements? Moving the joystick up and down and around is considered a "game function" is it not? I think they are counting these as buttons.. Either that or they are showing old pictures and newer ones will have those ring buttons look more like buttons. Edited January 24 by donjn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 16 hours ago, bent_pin said: The traditional power switch is missing from the side. Perhaps that round button on the back is the power button? I've confirmed that the round button is indeed the power button. ..Al 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Loguidice Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 Just now, Albert said: Yes, various 8-bit games will use the keyboard, Star Raiders is certainly one of them. It will be interesting to see if the buttons can be mapped differently for each game. ..Al Yep, and with something like 12 functions (and more speeds), it will be interesting to see how they map a game like Star Raiders. Since it's not included, that may just be a game that can ONLY be used with an external keyboard. It's similar on the Commodore versions of these. The virtual keyboard just wouldn't be an option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bent_pin Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 1 minute ago, Albert said: I've confirmed that the round button is indeed the power button. ..Al Awesome, thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Loguidice Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 1 minute ago, donjn said: You know what, save this thread. I'm not convinced Unique button ring Access game functions through the unique four-position button ring What if this is just a fancy way of saying that these are just joystick movements? Moving the joystick up and down and around is considered a "game function" is it not? I think they are counting these as buttons.. Either that or they are showing old pictures and newer ones will have those ring buttons look more like buttons. I have your answer. This is NOT the CX40 we're talking about. We're talking about a new USB joystick that is designed for THE400 Mini. Problem solved. You can sleep at night now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockymin Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 17 minutes ago, MarquisDeSang said: So there are 4 hidden buttons that we cannot see and probably cannot feel with our fingers? Wow, I am eager to experience this new unintuitive, but beautiful looking design. Did anyone actually got their hand on these? Could the 400 mini be using a joystick like the Flashback one? I haven't opened one of them yet, but they don't feel as if they are the traditional Atari joysticks with the buttons on the circuit board inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donjn Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 1 minute ago, Bill Loguidice said: I have your answer. This is NOT the CX40 we're talking about. We're talking about a new USB joystick that is designed for THE400 Mini. Problem solved. You can sleep at night now. Never said it was the CX40. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enter_Your_Initials Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 On 1/19/2024 at 5:36 PM, Bill Loguidice said: If I recall correctly that one was actually a real wired replacement on that 400, not just something that fit over the membranes (I had one like that as well). I've actually never had a huge problem with either the Atari 400 or Magnavox Odyssey2 keyboards. Both are/were usable, it's just that they're definitely inferior to full-stroke keyboards and not enjoyable for longer sessions (in my opinion). I'd say I even like them better than most chiclet/rubber key keyboards from back in the day, at least for general typing. There were definitely plenty of keyboards that were worse. Agreed there's a lot of unnecessary disparaging remarks about the original 400's keyboard especially on the recent news articles on tech sites. Mine still works to this day with mostly light touches and the click from the speaker. Far better than the ones you needed to stab hard, such as the rubber ones. If you were a typist or coder you made sure you got the 800 computer. The 400 was designed to live on the floor in front of the TV. It's great Atari offered a choice. And let's be honest even the proper keyboards from this era are not great. A cheap mechanical keyboard from Ali-express is in a different league. My first decent keyboard was an IBM Model M pulled out of a dumpster, among dozens back in the late 1990s. This doesn't show the actual keyboard but the box for a replacement 400 keyboard. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donjn Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 Now i see it, for those who dont, look closely. The whole ring moves, when you push one side down, the other side will rise, not unlike the Intellivision disc. Look at this image, the outer ring has a small dark gap. That's because when you push one corner, it goes down. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Loguidice Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 4 minutes ago, donjn said: Never said it was the CX40. You literally showed a picture of the underside of the CX40 board, which has ZERO to do with this USB joystick. What you showed were the contact points for the CX40 joystick. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 8 minutes ago, donjn said: What if this is just a fancy way of saying that these are just joystick movements? Moving the joystick up and down and around is considered a "game function" is it not? I think they are counting these as buttons.. NO, as I and others have said several times in this thread already, these four buttons have nothing to do with the joystick. They are under the ring. When you press on the cardinal directions of the ring and you are pressing on buttons. 10 minutes ago, donjn said: Either that or they are showing old pictures and newer ones will have those ring buttons look more like buttons. The photos are accurate. ..Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockymin Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 Reading about it, it sounds like other controllers will be usable with the 400. I'm in. I just preordered from Amazon. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donjn Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 (edited) CX40 on the left, new on the right. See how the CX40 has no gap in the plastic? The plastic around the button is connected to the ring. On the new one there is a gap, because the whole ring is a disc. Edited January 24 by donjn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donjn Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 3 minutes ago, Bill Loguidice said: You literally showed a picture of the underside of the CX40 board, which has ZERO to do with this USB joystick. What you showed were the contact points for the CX40 joystick. We are way past that, read my latest responses. But people prefer drama. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Loguidice Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 1 minute ago, donjn said: CX40 on the left, new on the right. See how the CX40 has no gap in the plastic? The plastic around the button is connected to the ring. On the new one there is a gap, because the whole ring is a disc. Yes. And? Whether it's the ring being pressed down on an internal button or an actual button, it's four (4) additional (likely programmable) button presses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donjn Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 I just needed to see how it works,. because at first glance, the ring looked like unmovable plastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donjn Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 Just now, Bill Loguidice said: Yes. And? Whether it's the ring being pressed down on an internal button or an actual button, it's four (4) additional (likely programmable) button presses. Yes. And? This was me admitting I am wrong. But no one ever does that right? I wonder why... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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