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Do you use a "Homebrew Joystick"? - Post your pics!


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I've not had time to do anything personal or hobby related this past week, (argh) so I now that I found 15 minutes to breathe, I came to Atari Age. Looking back at this thread, there have been some real nice custom sticks made, even some nice conversions... but I don't recall any track ball stuff, so since they are controllers too, let's bring them into the mix with the joysticks, game pads and simple button controllers.

 

I'll start off with my modified Wico...

 

Before Modification

gallery_35324_1249_250202.jpg

 

 

After Modification

gallery_35324_1249_192577.jpg

 

Sadly I have to go already... I hope to get my life back soon so I can finish a couple of hobby projects I'm now behind on.

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I've not had time to do anything personal or hobby related this past week, (argh) so I now that I found 15 minutes to breathe, I came to Atari Age. Looking back at this thread, there have been some real nice custom sticks made, even some nice conversions... but I don't recall any track ball stuff, so since they are controllers too, let's bring them into the mix with the joysticks, game pads and simple button controllers.

 

I'll start off with my modified Wico...

 

Before Modification

gallery_35324_1249_250202.jpg

 

 

After Modification

gallery_35324_1249_192577.jpg

 

Sadly I have to go already... I hope to get my life back soon so I can finish a couple of hobby projects I'm now behind on.

Nice! Did you rewire the output pins for native trackball use?

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Nice! Did you rewire the output pins for native trackball use?

 

No, I was lucky and did not need to re-wire anything. I purchased the TI-99/4A compatible version which requires a power supply. All I needed to do was paint the case to match, replace the ugly yellow track ball with a new silver cue ball and add a gasket to raise the top a little to accommodate the slightly larger ball. In doing so I also needed to add a small extender to the bottom of the button internally. It works like a charm. Sadly there are only a couple of game programs that work better with a trackball than a joystick, but where it really shines is with Stuart's Internet browser for the TI. :thumbsup:

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It's a generic arcade stick branded 'Zippy'

 

Got it and the buttons from here: http://www.ultracabs.co.uk/red-ball-top-joystick-220-p.asp

Those are good sticks. Didn't recognize it without the restrictor doo-dad. I have use a couple in projects. US supplier FYI:

http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=371

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  • 3 weeks later...

^^Nice! :D

 

= = = = = = = =

 

I recently ordered some Purple Convex and Pink Concave buttons from Paradise Arcade Shop. I decided my SNES arcade controller needed to be purple NA colors instead of the multicolor PAL/Japan colors. There's no "light violet" option but the "Paradise Pink" complements the purple nicely.

 

Before:

31480921136_ea98c4587a_b.jpg

 

New buttons:

32076691300_99d71f9374_b.jpg

 

Installed:

31643096253_4d70ae3ab8_b.jpg

 

Which version do you guys like the best? Old Euro with convex multicolor buttons, or New NA with convex purple / concave pink? ;-)

 

Full album (SNES):

https://www.flickr.com/photos/30203515@N04/sets/72157634800361528/

 

NES: https://www.flickr.com/photos/30203515@N04/albums/72157629736738048

Atari: https://www.flickr.com/photos/30203515@N04/albums/72157629736738048

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So I got busy making an Pacman themed cigar box enclosure for my Nambo 35th Pacman Plug and Play. Nothing actually wired up yet. Now I can't make up my mind if I want to wire a joystick port on the outside of Pacman (usage of an external controller would be entirely optional) or totally gut the Namco and place the PCB and battery holder inside the cigar box:

post-33189-0-26645600-1485565172_thumb.jpg

 

The plug and play has a fairly decent 4-way joystick, but Bosconian and Xevious are totally gimped due to diagonals being nearly impossible to hit on it. The Paradise Arcade Joystick has a restrictor plate with "clover" and square cutouts that can easily be converted between 4- and 8-way actuation using a Phillips screwdriver.

 

So should I gut the plug and play to install inside the box, or keep the original housing and simply add a joystick port? I'll give it some thought over the weekend...

 

Waka-Waka! :P

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  • 2 weeks later...

WOW! Plus 50 likes for original design! I like it!

post-33189-0-26645600-1485565172.jpg

Thanks. I completed the transplant last weekend and the project turned out nice. :D

post-33189-0-96122700-1486525491_thumb.jpg

post-33189-0-01623400-1486525556_thumb.jpg

post-33189-0-74389600-1486525583_thumb.jpg

 

I just shot a video and am uploading it to Youtube. I apologize in advance for the terrible contrast. I was trying to photograph some light bulbs the other day and still had the camera manually set to 80 ISO, in a room with already bad lighting. Fortunately I was able to salvage it in post processing. :dunce:

 

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Frankly I'm getting a little carried away at this point, after learning how to wire up 7800 sticks. It's fun and I enjoy the design/thought process...but I have 4 sticks now.

 

This is the latest one I built because at this point I am just enjoying trying different things. 30mm button on top is Button 1 on the 7800, the 24mm button on the back is Button 2. So thumb works 1, your index works button 2. It works pretty well (trigger type action feeling pretty natural at this point if you've played a modern console) and for some single button games I find myself using the 24mm as my primary.

 

The Atari 2600 stick topper simply sits (very tightly) over a piece of dowel I drilled out to mount to the thread on the arcade stick.

 

b4859bfe-e10f-4173-b59e-804a4c55bcb2.jpg

b8f011fb-a50d-4cd7-b7b0-6a7f9cbce84f.jpg

509e7515-4d3d-4c43-bd31-c2e574d73f47.jpg

 

I made one like this (brown wood vinyl tho) with a 7800 stick topper and two 24 mm buttons on top, so it's a little more traditional of a stick, I'll have to take some pics of that one.

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