NIAD Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 Well, the mailmen have been delivering a lot of CV goodies today. First we have the CAT S.O.S. cartridge, which is more than likely the only one in existence, and now I have received the CV Prototype Hand Controller with Speed Roller... the only one known to exist, but I have to believe that there is at least one more floating around out there. Suffice it to say that I immediately tested the controller with multiple test utilities like Nuvatec's Super Action Controller Tester and Bruce Tomlin's Controller Tester and am ecstatic to say that the controller is 100% operational (Speed Roller and all) and is actually very responsive considering it's age and that it didn't look like it was ever opened to be cleaned. Here are the pics for everyone's pleasure and note that I need to redo these pics as I had to use my kids old camera and the clarity isn't the greatest. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroillucid Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 (edited) That controller you don't need... You don't need that controlller... Trying old jedi mind trick ... Edited November 3, 2012 by retroillucid 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroillucid Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 Forgot to say that old jedi mind trick is now copyrighted by disney now .... Bambi Strikes Back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari_Bill Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 I don't get it then. If the speed controller actually works, then why was it removed in the final production models? Seems like it would have been cool to utilize in some games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroillucid Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 I don't get it then. If the speed controller actually works, then why was it removed in the final production models? Seems like it would have been cool to utilize in some games. Marketting Super Action Controllers were sold seperately = more money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ikrananka Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 Congrats Jim - glad to see that you have it. Thanks for sharing the pictures - very interesting. Didn't realise that this was likely to be the only one - I thought someone else on AA had one also. I'm curious, would they have made a full and expensive mold for the prototype and then dump that mold and have to make a new one for the final version (at least the mold for the top half of the controller where the spinner was removed in the commercial version)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari_Bill Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 Marketting Super Action Controllers were sold seperately = more money Ahhhh....makes sense. Very nice item. Thanks for sharing. It's fascinating to see things like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+5-11under Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 I'm curious, would they have made a full and expensive mold for the prototype and then dump that mold and have to make a new one for the final version (at least the mold for the top half of the controller where the spinner was removed in the commercial version)? I'm no expert, but maybe they just had to modify the mold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroillucid Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 I'm no expert, but maybe they just had to modify the mold. The first PCBs used by Coleco for their Regular Controller have this exact Roller Controller PCB without nothing connected to the spinner I'm pretty sure Yurkie did posted picture of this in one of his thread.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroillucid Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 Congrats Jim - glad to see that you have it. Thanks for sharing the pictures - very interesting. Didn't realise that this was likely to be the only one - I thought someone else on AA had one also. The AA member you are reffering sold his collection .... This is the very same controller Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ikrananka Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 The AA member you are reffering sold his collection .... This is the very same controller Ah - I didn't know that he had been successful in his sale. Well kudos to NIAD for picking up the controller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIAD Posted November 3, 2012 Author Share Posted November 3, 2012 @ Retroillucid... Man, I just got this yesterday! Let me enjoy it for a little while especially since I had been looking for this beauty since I first learned a working prototype actually existed, something like 25 years. As far as why the Speed Roller was removed for the final Hand Controller design, exactly what Retroillucid said... marketing. Why put all your eggs in one basket when you can spread them out and in this case develop/release the Super Action Controller and make more money. Also, the Speed Roller isn't the easiest to use with the positioning of it on the Prototype Hand Controller and you have to take your hand off the controller knob in order to roll it left or right while you are holding the controller with your other hand... pressing the firebuttons or holding them in like you need to do with the sports titles wouldn't be ideal in my opinion. The Super Action Controller is a lot easier to hold, press or hold in any of the four firebuttons and roll the Speed Roller all at the same time. Thanks Ikrananka. I have no clue as far as the mold for this compared to the officially released Hand Controller, but it would seem that a filler piece could have been added to cover the Speed Roller mount area or simply that money wasn't an issue for Coleco to have a new mold made... they had a lot of experience with this afterall. I'm pretty sure that this is the controller that the AA member had in his collection and I am trying to confirm this with JC of atari2600.com, but he hasn't responded back yet. If it turns out that this isn't from the AA member's collection, than there are now two known to exist, which would make a lot of sense. Yurkie did indeed post a pic comparing the two Hand Controller PCBs (with and without Speed Roller) and here it is: Hand Controller Prototype PCBs.txt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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