Paddle question

[coleconut]

Im a Coleco guy but enjoy 2600 games on my Expansion Module 1, the Atari adaptor. I also like to use the Coleco Gemini controllers which I find both responsive and easy to maintain, the paddles on these controllers are easy to clean and eliminate jitter. Issue is that I cant use 2-player paddle games with this setup noting that the original paddles both plug into port 1 and plugging in a single paddle on port 2 doesnt seem to work.

I suppose my question is whether or not there exists an adaptor of some kind to use 3rd party single paddles like on the Gemini controller and enable player 2 or perhaps another solution could be suggested? I DO have Atari paddles but they jitter a bit and the cleaning process is much more involved, havent attempted it yet.

Goin' fer that high score in Kaboom...

thanks in advance.

[Atarian7]

I don't know the answer to your paddle question but I love playing Kaboom!. Good luck.

[BigO]

I haven't seen one personally, but I've read here at AA that there is a Y-cable that performs the function that you desire.

 

It really wouldn't be hard to make an adapter if that Y-cable is elusive.

 

 

EDIT: There's a Y-cable in this picture above the console: http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/134610-coleco-gemini-4-sale-update-on-gemini/

Edited January 20, 2010 by BigO

[brojamfootball]

To clean and repair 2600 paddles is really not very difficult, and there are a number of excellent tutorials on the web complete with pictures, etc.

 

That is the route I would take. It costs zero, and doesn't require any soldering like making a y-cord would.

 

If your 2600 paddles are messed up and you can't use them, you really have nothing to lose.

[coleconut]

I haven't seen one personally, but I've read here at AA that there is a Y-cable that performs the function that you desire.

 

It really wouldn't be hard to make an adapter if that Y-cable is elusive.

 

 

EDIT: There's a Y-cable in this picture above the console: http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/134610-coleco-gemini-4-sale-update-on-gemini/

 

I have a Y-cable. Didn't think to try it but assumed it was a straight pass thru which I assume doesnt address the issue. I mean I would assume paddle activity on player 2 paddle does not use the same "address" as 1. So what the console would be seeing is one player even with 2 paddles on a Y adaptor. For example I'd use the Y adaptor on a colecovision to use a Gemini controller to play the game and use a Colecovision controller on the other "branch" of the Y cable to input from its numeric keypad. the Colecovision would just "see" 1 controller not the two.

I will check it out though and in response to the other reply, try refurbishing the "real" paddles.

Edited January 20, 2010 by coleconut

[BigO]

Yeah, definitely a straight through cable that duplicates the pin connections on all 3 connectors would be worthless for this job. I don't believe a straight through cable would hurt anything though if you tried it out.

 

Probably can find the pinout of the needed cable on the 'net somewhere. If not, it would be easy enough to figure it out just by using the standard Atari controller pinout information.

 

Don't you have to do something weird like push the joystick right to act as the fire button in paddle games? If the OEM Y-cable doesn't remap the fire button, that'd be reason enough for me to build a custom cable anyway.

[Nukey Shay]

As mentioned, the Y-cable originally included with a pair of Gemini controllers does not use "pass-thru" wiring on both female DB9 ends...only for controller #1. The 2 wires specific to controller #2 (for player #2) are used on the other one. Check the bottom of this page for the diagram:

 

http://www.epanorama.net/documents/joystick/ataristick.html

 

The connection for controller #1 needs the joystick firebutton remapped to be the LEFT button (pin 6 -> pin 3). The connection for controller #2 needs both the button AND the potentiometer wires remapped to be applicable to the RIGHT paddle (pin 6 -> pin 4 & pin 9 -> pin 5).

 

 

Attempting to use a standalone Gemini controller in the 2600's right port for player #2 gets you nowhere unless the software was written to use Paddle #3 for player #2 (and I don't know of any besides game variations that allow 3 or 4 players in a game).