+remowilliams Posted July 3, 2005 Share Posted July 3, 2005 (edited) With a little work the crappy Radica Space Invaders TV Game can be turned in to an awesome microswitch joystick for the 7800. First I ripped out the crappy game board and the AV, and DC jacks. Then add a joystick cord from an extra beatup proline joystick, some resistors and perfboard, a little extra wire and the 7800 button wiring from the faq here - and voila - one two button (left or right handed) joystick that's a pleasure to use with the 7800. The joystick cord fits neatly out of the space previously occupied by the DC jack. Seeing as you can get these things for $10 now, they're quite a deal Edited July 3, 2005 by remowilliams 2 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/72198-radica-space-invaders-7800-joystick/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferris Posted July 3, 2005 Share Posted July 3, 2005 Hey thats really creative! Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/72198-radica-space-invaders-7800-joystick/#findComment-885138 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+remowilliams Posted July 3, 2005 Author Share Posted July 3, 2005 Hey thats really creative! 885138[/snapback] Thanks I knew after a few minutes of playing Space Invaders on it that I wasn't going to be playing it again in the future. Then I thought, "Hmm, what could I use a nice microswitch two button pair joystick for?" That was shortly followed by "Damn, those 7800 proline joysticks seriously bite" I *highly* recommend this mod to anyone with even a slight DIY ability. It makes such a great controller for the 7800 and 2600. And for $10 no less. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/72198-radica-space-invaders-7800-joystick/#findComment-885267 Share on other sites More sharing options...
moycon Posted July 3, 2005 Share Posted July 3, 2005 What was wrong with the game before hand to make it crappy? I thought it looked pretty decent and was thinking of picking one up. Cool use for it tho. 1 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/72198-radica-space-invaders-7800-joystick/#findComment-885287 Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveW Posted July 3, 2005 Share Posted July 3, 2005 That's pretty creative, and that joystick in that Space Invaders unit is a really good one. And it's built for lefties and righties. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/72198-radica-space-invaders-7800-joystick/#findComment-885297 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+remowilliams Posted July 3, 2005 Author Share Posted July 3, 2005 What was wrong with the game before hand to make it crappy?I thought it looked pretty decent and was thinking of picking one up. Cool use for it tho. 885287[/snapback] The conversions are just plain bad. Space Invaders looks like it was written by someone who never saw the original game, the speed of gameplay is all wrong in Phoenix, QIX is to slow and the sound is awful. Colony 7 and Lunar Rescue seem to be fairly arcade faithful, but I wasn't really interested in those titles. Funny thing is - they obviously went out of their way to make the physical build of the stick true to the arcade (the quality really is excellent), but they failed to make the actual games themselves true to the arcade. I think I'll mail a copy of this picture, and the brains for the unit back to Radica's R&D department. I really need to find another Atari logo to stick on there, the bellbottom fuji is just plain ugly. 1 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/72198-radica-space-invaders-7800-joystick/#findComment-885376 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+remowilliams Posted July 3, 2005 Author Share Posted July 3, 2005 That's pretty creative, and that joystick in that Space Invaders unit is a really good one. And it's built for lefties and righties. 885297[/snapback] Yeah, it's built well. Hopefully I'm not the only person who uses one this way. Stores are trying to blow them out for $10, and there's going to be an awful lot of perfectly good arcade sticks going into the bin when they don't sell. I think my 7800 high scores went up immediately upon first use. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/72198-radica-space-invaders-7800-joystick/#findComment-885379 Share on other sites More sharing options...
uosipa llamxew Posted July 4, 2005 Share Posted July 4, 2005 That's pretty creative, and that joystick in that Space Invaders unit is a really good one. And it's built for lefties and righties. 885297[/snapback] Yeah, it's built well. Hopefully I'm not the only person who uses one this way. Stores are trying to blow them out for $10, and there's going to be an awful lot of perfectly good arcade sticks going into the bin when they don't sell. I think my 7800 high scores went up immediately upon first use. 885379[/snapback] Not everyone is so technically inclined. Maybe you could offer a service to us on Atariage to rebuild these sticks and offer them for a bit of a profit on your side(?) I'd be interested. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/72198-radica-space-invaders-7800-joystick/#findComment-885417 Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveW Posted July 4, 2005 Share Posted July 4, 2005 Or just as good, you could give step-by-step instructions on how you did the conversion, along with photo documentation. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/72198-radica-space-invaders-7800-joystick/#findComment-885509 Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCBored4404 Posted July 4, 2005 Share Posted July 4, 2005 this is good, id buy one, it would be great for when me and my krazy left handed friend zakk come by to play the old 2600. and soon itl be a 7800, too! Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/72198-radica-space-invaders-7800-joystick/#findComment-885644 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex H Posted July 4, 2005 Share Posted July 4, 2005 Nice! I might have to make myself one of those. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/72198-radica-space-invaders-7800-joystick/#findComment-885681 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Songbird Posted July 4, 2005 Share Posted July 4, 2005 I *highly* recommend this mod to anyone with even a slight DIY ability. It makes such a great controller for the 7800 and 2600. And for $10 no less. Where did you find this for $10? Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/72198-radica-space-invaders-7800-joystick/#findComment-885711 Share on other sites More sharing options...
keilbaca Posted July 4, 2005 Share Posted July 4, 2005 I felt the same, I bought the thing for Qix and it was horrible. I gutted it and turned it into an Atari 2600 controller, both right and left handed, the outmost button being the fire button. I left the space invaders sticker on though, I think it looks great. 1 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/72198-radica-space-invaders-7800-joystick/#findComment-885720 Share on other sites More sharing options...
uosipa llamxew Posted July 4, 2005 Share Posted July 4, 2005 I do too! I was going to ask about leaving the sticker on there. So, uh, Keilbaca... you think you might offer up this mod along with your others? Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/72198-radica-space-invaders-7800-joystick/#findComment-885722 Share on other sites More sharing options...
keilbaca Posted July 4, 2005 Share Posted July 4, 2005 I do too! I was going to ask about leaving the sticker on there. So, uh, Keilbaca... you think you might offer up this mod along with your others? 885722[/snapback] We'll see, although I hafta get some 620ohm resisitors to do 7800 controllers, along with some cables. I think i still have quite a few atari 2600 cables I can do it from. However, if you send a joystick AND a 7800 controller, then I don't hafta get anything extra. We'll see, as I am in PA till July 23rd, but I don't see why not Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/72198-radica-space-invaders-7800-joystick/#findComment-885724 Share on other sites More sharing options...
uosipa llamxew Posted July 4, 2005 Share Posted July 4, 2005 Cool! Now I just need to track one down. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/72198-radica-space-invaders-7800-joystick/#findComment-885725 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+remowilliams Posted July 4, 2005 Author Share Posted July 4, 2005 I felt the same, I bought the thing for Qix and it was horrible. I gutted it and turned it into an Atari 2600 controller, both right and left handed, the outmost button being the fire button. I left the space invaders sticker on though, I think it looks great. 885720[/snapback] Awesome! I'm glad somebody else was thinking along the same lines and got a great joystick out of it, instead of just throwing it away in retro disgust Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/72198-radica-space-invaders-7800-joystick/#findComment-885752 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+remowilliams Posted July 4, 2005 Author Share Posted July 4, 2005 (edited) We'll see, although I hafta get some 620ohm resisitors to do 7800 controllers, along with some cables. I think i still have quite a few atari 2600 cables I can do it from. However, if you send a joystick AND a 7800 controller, then I don't hafta get anything extra. We'll see, as I am in PA till July 23rd, but I don't see why not Nice. I would do some of these for the community if I had the time, but I just don't these days I didn't have any 620ohm resistors laying around either, so I put a 680 and a 6.8K (had a bunch of these) in parallel and it works fine. I might make another one - there were some cries of "Hey unfair, you've got a great controller and mine sucks!" at yesterdays BBQ If so I'll try and document the process for those who'd like to see it. Though I suck at documentation. Also - I bought mine at Gamestop. They're selling them for $10, and the local stores seem to each have a few of them in stock. Edited July 4, 2005 by remowilliams Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/72198-radica-space-invaders-7800-joystick/#findComment-885761 Share on other sites More sharing options...
PacManPlus Posted July 9, 2005 Share Posted July 9, 2005 Very cool idea! You guys are right - it is a well built joystick 1 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/72198-radica-space-invaders-7800-joystick/#findComment-888872 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Songbird Posted July 9, 2005 Share Posted July 9, 2005 Very cool idea! You guys are right - it is a well built joystick 888872[/snapback] So anyone want to build one of these for me? Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/72198-radica-space-invaders-7800-joystick/#findComment-888880 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted July 9, 2005 Share Posted July 9, 2005 Well, it looks like I know what one of my projects this weekend is going to be... Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/72198-radica-space-invaders-7800-joystick/#findComment-888893 Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank_c Posted July 10, 2005 Share Posted July 10, 2005 i don't have a 7800, but thanks for the great idea. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/72198-radica-space-invaders-7800-joystick/#findComment-889127 Share on other sites More sharing options...
hookem Posted July 10, 2005 Share Posted July 10, 2005 Wow, I had thought about doing something like this with my Namco II Ms Pacman... not that I didn't like the games, it's probably the best all-in-one controller/games package out there... It's just that playing that little $19 Namco joystick reminded me of my old top-of-the-line Wico leafswitch controllers. Plus, it "feels" like it has at least 2 other control mechanisms, l/r paddle (like driving) and push up/down on the stick. Overall, I was incredibly impressed with the mechanical feel of the thing. I guess I should just quit talking and take the thing apart... Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/72198-radica-space-invaders-7800-joystick/#findComment-889133 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+remowilliams Posted July 13, 2005 Author Share Posted July 13, 2005 Wow, I had thought about doing something like this with my Namco II Ms Pacman... not that I didn't like the games, it's probably the best all-in-one controller/games package out there... It's just that playing that little $19 Namco joystick reminded me of my old top-of-the-line Wico leafswitch controllers. Plus, it "feels" like it has at least 2 other control mechanisms, l/r paddle (like driving) and push up/down on the stick. Overall, I was incredibly impressed with the mechanical feel of the thing. I guess I should just quit talking and take the thing apart... 889133[/snapback] The build quality of the Namco stuff is pretty good (and the twist is neat), and they are microswitch as well. but the Radica stick still has them beat, it's close to some of the Happ microswitch sticks I've used in my coin ops. That and my first impression of the Namco stuff wasn't "Wow this really sucks, what else could I do with it" I gave away my original Namco TV game, in favor of the Ms Pac II - that one is good enough to sit next to the TV. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/72198-radica-space-invaders-7800-joystick/#findComment-890668 Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjk7382 Posted July 15, 2005 Share Posted July 15, 2005 Anyone need 620 ohm resistors, this guy on ebay sells them for 2.00 per 100 of them 620 ohm resistors Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/72198-radica-space-invaders-7800-joystick/#findComment-892085 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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