520ST Mouse issues

[AtariLeaf]

As I mentioned in another thread, I recently purchased a 520ST lot with a mouse that only seems to want to move up. I've cleaned the ball and little rollers with no effect. I then thought I'd try my trackball but it would only move down and to the right so the cursor always ended up in the bottom right corner and would stay there, even if I moved up and to the left on the trackball. I tried it in both trackball and joystick mode.

 

I then tried just a joystick but I had to turn it sideways for the joystick movements to match the movements of the cursor and that seemed to work but the increments of movement were so minimal that it was a useless option, plus the joystick button didn't act like the left mouse button. I assume it's wired up too differently.

 

I guess my question is how do I know if it's the mouse or mouse port? Are these common problems with these mice and are there common fixes for problems like this? I have a soldering station if it comes to that. Any advice or recommendations appreciated.

[walter_J64bit]

Do you have an other mouse you can try on your St? That way you can see if its your mouse or the St that isn't working like it should.

Edited December 10, 2017 by walter_J64bit

[AtariLeaf]

No only more modern mice, all USB as far as I know. Is there another retro system I could try the mouse on? Like plugging it into a 2600 and try it to play missile command perhaps?

[walter_J64bit]

Try myatari.com or best-electronics-ca.com you can get your hands on new a mouse and other St. goodies. ;)

Edited December 10, 2017 by walter_J64bit

[AtariLeaf]

What about an 800XL? I wonder if I could test it on that and if so, what game might work with an ST mouse?

[walter_J64bit]

What about an 800XL? I wonder if I could test it on that and if so, what game might work with an ST mouse?

There are a handful of games for the 800XL but only one mouse button works on the 800XL! http://www.mushca.com/f/atari/?idx=6

Edited December 10, 2017 by walter_J64bit

[Zogging Hell]

I'd check the continuity on the solder points on the keyboard mouse port (remove the keyboard from the ST and flip it over - I can't remember whether you also have to remove all the tiny screws and totally dismantle the keyboard to see the solder joints - its been a while) as a first step and check for visible breaks in the solder joints on the mouse port. Your 800 trackball won't work without some modifications as it is wired up differently, some Amiga third party mice will work if they have a Atari / Amiga switch. If the keyboard looks ok it may be the mouse is faulty. I would remove the top (of the mouse) with the ST on and physically rotate the two wheels inside and see if that works on the desktop.

There was also a virus that caused the mouse to head northwards iirc (Ghost?). You might want to check your disks with UVK if the hardware checks out. Just don't use it with any original games as they always look like viruses to a lot of virus checkers.

[AtariLeaf]

Thanks, I think I'd open the mouse before the computer itself. I'm going to try to hook it up to my 800XL if I get a chance too, try Missile Command with CTRL-T and see I can determine from that if the mouse works or not.

[AtariLeaf]

So I tried it on Missile command in trackball mode on my 800xl and the mouse only moves the cursor down, which is kind of odd since it only moved up on the ST but I guess the conclusion is that it's probably the mouse. If I can't fix it I think I'll go the route of one of those adapters that allows for use of a modern usb mouse. Seems there's a few out there? Can anyone recommend a particular one that has a high compatibility rate with modern mice?

 

My other issue with the ST is the power switch itself. I have to click it in the "on" position just so to get it to work, any little jiggling and it will shut off. I wonder if the switch itself may need replacing which I hope would be a simple solder job or perhaps a good cleaning with deoxit?

[Zogging Hell]

I'm not sure I read this correct, but the way I read that the mouse probably won't work in the other direction either as the pins are different from the trackball so not a great test. https://www.exxoshost.co.uk/atari/last/storenew/will probably one of the best places to get an adaptor, although I'm not sure what the shipping will be to Canada. I would plug it in the ST, take the top off and try rotating the wheels inside on the GEM desktop. In the short term you can use alternate and the arrow keys to move the mouse pointer around and alternate and insert to click.

I would be careful with that power switch, it does sound like it is on the way out. You could try resoldering the wires that connect to it from the psu itself, but if the switch itself is going you might be on a looser. You might be able to get a dead donor PSU to swap over the switch from that, but the PSU will probably need recapping at this stage in its life anyway. Alternatively if you are comfortable, you could adapt a PicoPSU to run the ST, but it is not a completely straightforward task.

If you are ordering from Exxos he also does replacement PSUs, which might save the hassle..

[AtariLeaf]

 

I'm not sure I read this correct, but the way I read that the mouse probably won't work in the other direction either as the pins are different from the trackball so not a great test. https://www.exxoshost.co.uk/atari/last/storenew/will probably one of the best places to get an adaptor, although I'm not sure what the shipping will be to Canada. I would plug it in the ST, take the top off and try rotating the wheels inside on the GEM desktop. In the short term you can use alternate and the arrow keys to move the mouse pointer around and alternate and insert to click.

I would be careful with that power switch, it does sound like it is on the way out. You could try resoldering the wires that connect to it from the psu itself, but if the switch itself is going you might be on a looser. You might be able to get a dead donor PSU to swap over the switch from that, but the PSU will probably need recapping at this stage in its life anyway. Alternatively if you are comfortable, you could adapt a PicoPSU to run the ST, but it is not a completely straightforward task.

If you are ordering from Exxos he also does replacement PSUs, which might save the hassle..

 

 

I'll try your advice on the mouse and take the top off and see what happens but I'm confused about your comments on the switch. The power supply itself is fine and the power port the PSU plugs into is fine - it's just the actual on/off switch, it doesn't seem to firmly click into an "on" position and it has to be fiddled with a bit to get it "just right" for it to come on

[Zogging Hell]

Yeah that was what I thought you meant The switch itself could be on the way out, rather than anything else, and is no longer making good contact. You could try some contact cleaner in there I guess.

I just meant that if the switch itself is knackered and if you will have to go to the trouble of replacing it eventually, it might be less hassle to get a new supply.

[walter_J64bit]

Here's an A8 disk with a game called Patience it use the ST Mouse in Port 2.

GAMES359.ATR

Edited December 11, 2017 by walter_J64bit

[AtariLeaf]

Thanks and that is my third issue - I need to get virtual disks on floppies from a PC to play on the ST but I only have 1.44 inch disks. I know there's a way to use those floppies and a program that I need to do it. I think I saw it watching an LGR video on the ST, so I'll need to figure that out too

[walter_J64bit]

http://atari.8bitchip.info/floimgd.php

Floppy Image app.

 

[AtariLeaf]

http://atari.8bitchip.info/floimgd.php

Floppy Image app.

 

 

Thanks so much I'll give it a shot. I've got an XP machine with a floppy drive that should work great. I'll update as I go

[tjlazer]

Power switch failure is common. Needs to be replaced.

 

I think I have a used one in good condition if you want to buy one. Pretty easy to do it if you know how to use a soldering iron.

Edited December 11, 2017 by tjlazer

[AtariLeaf]

Thanks for the offer. I may take you up on it in the new year. I gotta control spending right now but I appreciate it.

I'm new to soldering but I did fix a couple consoles, replaced chips, caps, a couple switches on an XEGS, etc so I'm hoping the switch on the ST is an easy fix.

[AtariLeaf]

Update: More than a month later and I finally got around to tackling this ST and it's two issues. I seem to have fixed both the power switch and mouse issue. Thanks to tjlazer for the ebay link for the switches I needed. The mouse problem was indeed the mouse port as a little touch up solder fixed the issue and I have full range of motion in the mouse now.

 

[walter_J64bit]

Awesome work! Now I wonder if the PS3000 plays nice with the Jag?

[mchorvat]

i see your ST mouse is working now, which is great. A little tip in case you might want a replacement in the future.

 

bought this little baby recently and my old ST mouse had to go:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Atari-520-1040-computer-ST-STF-STFM-STE-Mega-Falcon-030-TT-speed-mouse-BRAND-NEW/162050719399?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

 

It's superior to the original mouse - pointer moves much faster and it's more precise.

[tjlazer]

That is an Amiga Technologies mouse that was modified and it sucks! I hate it. Very cheap.