Atari Electronic Projects

[Swami]

The Atari's works with MadCatz MC2 as well as the Logic3 wheel. It actually works better than with the Logic3 because you can set the deadband directly on the wheel to your liking using the calibrate button. Also, since the pedals and shifter have pre-assigned button functions (L1, L2, ect), you can move the directional and fire buttons directly to the shifter and pedals with the Wellingham adapter. This is nice, because MadCatz MC2's are much easier to come by than the Logic3 TopDrive's. I do like the Logic3's greater heft and stability, though. They both use suction cups, but the Logic3 is practically immovable on a flat surface, while the MC2 is lighter and the cups don't seem to work as well.

 

Other wheels will also likely work, but they must have standard controller support that allows them to work with all games. The Act Labs RS I have does not work with the Atari's or non-driving PS1/2 games, since it depends on game support (apparently drivers in the game software) to work with the game. On the other hand, the Logic3 and MC2 will work even with non-driving games on the PS1/2.

 

The Wellingham adapter loses all reprogramming when console power is turned off, but you can save some of the function by using on-wheel programming, if the wheel model has it, and it saves you from having to undo all the programming before redoing for different Atari games, since different racing games use different joystick functions for gas, brake and gear shifts.

 

I think this is probably the best option to date for an Atari racing wheel, unless someone were to port all the games over to using both paddles for left/right, up/down, fire one/two and build a wheel with these functions re-assignable to pedals and shifter, depending on the game. There may be better PS1/2 racing wheels than the ones I am using that could be applied to the PSX adapter. BTW, there was, of course, the Sega-1000 SH-400

 

 

but I have no idea if it works with Atari games and it would not be a very good wheel.

 

Wellingham PSX/Amiga adapter:

 

http://www.ebay.com/usr/paulwillingham4d79?_trksid=p2047675.l2559

 

This adapter may work as well, also,

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Cyclone-RX-Playstation-Joystick-Gamepad-Adapter-for-Commodore-Amiga/111338931916?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

 

but I have not tried it and it does not have button move programming like the Wellingham. It does have the up and down d-pad functions copied to the R2/L2 buttons, so you can move the up/down functions to the shifter or pedals, since most, if not all PS1/2 wheels that have button moving programming on the wheel do not allow moving directional functions (the Wellingham adapter allows you to reassign all buttons, including directional, though). You would definitely need a wheel model that has typical on-wheel button reprogramming for this adapter, like the Logic3 TopDrive or MC2.

[AtariGeezer]

 

To expand on this article, I have been in contact with ARRL regarding STEVE STUNTZ's other Ham Radio programs for the Atari.

I recently bought some QST magazines that feature these projects (3 programs I have already that I typed in back in 83-85).

After I get these completed, I'll post all of the articles along with the programs

ARRL QST 1985 Feb:
A CW Keyboard Program for Atari Computers 32

ARRL QST 1985 August:
Color SSTV and the Atari Computer   13

ARRL QST 1985 November:
A CW Receive Program for Atari Computers 51

ARRL QST 1986 August:
A CW Program Cartridge for the Atari Computer    34

ARRL QST 1987 May
Split Screen RTTY for Atari Computers 16

ARRL QST 1987 November:
A Packet Terminal for Atari Computers    15

ARRL QST 1988 September:
Baudot and ASCII RTTY Programs for Atari Computers 20

Here's the rest that I have

 

A CW Keyboard Program (Steve Stuntz, QST Feb 1985).atr

A Packet Terminal (Steve Stuntz, QST 1987).atr

ASCII RTTY Program (Steve Stuntz, QST 1988).atr

Color SSTV and the Atari Computer(0).atr

Color SSTV and the Atari Computer(1).atr

Color SSTV and the Atari Computer(2).atr

Split Screen RTTY (Rusty Lewis, QST May 1987).ATR

VisaFax01A.ATR

VisaFax01B.ATR

WefaxDecoder Patrick Bass.atr

[_The Doctor__]

wow! It is Christmas!

Edited December 5, 2017 by _The Doctor__

[Gunstar]

I remember the Wefax decoder project from either Antic or Analog back in the day, I still have the magazine in a box under my bed. That interested me back then, but I didn't have the skillz to (I thought) do such a project at the time, nor the tools. I forgot about it until revisiting the old magazine a year or two ago. Is there still a Wefax signal out there to decode?

[Gunstar]

The Atari's works with MadCatz MC2 as well as the Logic3 wheel. It actually works better than with the Logic3 because you can set the deadband directly on the wheel to your liking using the calibrate button. Also, since the pedals and shifter have pre-assigned button functions (L1, L2, ect), you can move the directional and fire buttons directly to the shifter and pedals with the Wellingham adapter. This is nice, because MadCatz MC2's are much easier to come by than the Logic3 TopDrive's. I do like the Logic3's greater heft and stability, though. They both use suction cups, but the Logic3 is practically immovable on a flat surface, while the MC2 is lighter and the cups don't seem to work as well.

 

Other wheels will also likely work, but they must have standard controller support that allows them to work with all games. The Act Labs RS I have does not work with the Atari's or non-driving PS1/2 games, since it depends on game support (apparently drivers in the game software) to work with the game. On the other hand, the Logic3 and MC2 will work even with non-driving games on the PS1/2.

 

The Wellingham adapter loses all reprogramming when console power is turned off, but you can save some of the function by using on-wheel programming, if the wheel model has it, and it saves you from having to undo all the programming before redoing for different Atari games, since different racing games use different joystick functions for gas, brake and gear shifts.

 

I think this is probably the best option to date for an Atari racing wheel, unless someone were to port all the games over to using both paddles for left/right, up/down, fire one/two and build a wheel with these functions re-assignable to pedals and shifter, depending on the game. There may be better PS1/2 racing wheels than the ones I am using that could be applied to the PSX adapter. BTW, there was, of course, the Sega-1000 SH-400

 

 

but I have no idea if it works with Atari games and it would not be a very good wheel.

 

Wellingham PSX/Amiga adapter:

 

http://www.ebay.com/usr/paulwillingham4d79?_trksid=p2047675.l2559

 

This adapter may work as well, also,

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Cyclone-RX-Playstation-Joystick-Gamepad-Adapter-for-Commodore-Amiga/111338931916?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

 

but I have not tried it and it does not have button move programming like the Wellingham. It does have the up and down d-pad functions copied to the R2/L2 buttons, so you can move the up/down functions to the shifter or pedals, since most, if not all PS1/2 wheels that have button moving programming on the wheel do not allow moving directional functions (the Wellingham adapter allows you to reassign all buttons, including directional, though). You would definitely need a wheel model that has typical on-wheel button reprogramming for this adapter, like the Logic3 TopDrive or MC2.

The Colecovision Turbo game steering wheel is also a good one to convert to Atari, IIRC. Everybody used Atari's 9-pin ports back then and conversions are easy. It wasn't until the 90's that a cash-strapped Atari Corp. finally sued Sega over it, by then most of the other companies that violated the copyright were out of business...

Edited December 6, 2017 by Gunstar

[Level42]

Since we're talking electronics....Someone here really experienced with Eagle CAD ?

Edited December 7, 2017 by Level42

[AtariGeezer]

Is there still a Wefax signal out there to decode?

Yes there are, Hi-Rez Color is still in use, same as the lower rez black and whiite used in maritime (ships at sea).

I still have the decoder circuits too...

[Gunstar]

Yes there are, Hi-Rez Color is still in use, same as the lower rez black and whiite used in maritime (ships at sea).

I still have the decoder circuits too...

Awesome. I'm going to build it then, and get off the grid except for Wefax.