Jakks TV Game to USB controller?

[SublimeJhn]

So I have a pretty extensive collection of USB controllers to use with various emulators I run on my HTPC. I like this setup since it's about as close as I can get to the actual feel of playing the real systems, without all the cost and hassle that would go into buying each and every one of the 15 or so systems and trying to hook them all up to my tv at the same time. Some are just knockoff USB versions of the real controllers, while others are the actual controllers which I converted to USB (the Virtual Boy for example does not have a USB version or adapter, so I had to convert a real one.)

 

Anyway, one of the few systems I have left to get controllers for is the atari 2600. The problem is the CX-40 controller is the one I remember playing with, and the $25 one that is always talked about on this site is just too much for me, since I never owned an atari so I don't have as much of a nostalgia factor with that system. My wife had one, and I played the 2600 at various friend's houses when I was younger, but that's not enough for me to justify the hefty price for a controller I'd probably only use a couple times.

 

Now, I do have one of those Jakks atari 2600 TV games which I have had for years and never use. I know this is VERY unlikely, but I was curious if anyone here might know if there is a way to convert one of them to USB? It'd be really nice actually, since the reset and select buttons would be built right into the side of the controller itself. I have no problem with soldering so there is no problem with a little modding and splicing some wires, but the obvious issue with that I'm sure would be actually sending a signal that could be read via USB. I just figured some people here seem to be pretty familiar with these games, and since they are, as far as i can tell, just some form of emulators themselves, maybe the input is already being converted to a USB signal? That would be ideal if there are just some simple solder points to attach a standard USB cable to, though admittedly I realise that this is pretty unlikely.

 

Just thought I'd ask, the stick actually feels pretty similar from what I remember, and since I already have one sitting around, free is a good thing.

 

Thanks for any help!

[Paranoid]

I feel like this has certainly been covered previously on AtariAge... but that thread is probably more than 6 or 7 years old at this point.

I have one of these... and they're not suitable for conversion to a USB controller.

The Jakks Ms. Pac Man wired PNP or the Space Invaders PNP TV games might work... because they have regular 8 way joysticks that are actually independent of the SoC that runs the emulated games... and you can find some schematics on that somewhere here in Atari Age...

I think look for PMP (Pac Man Plus) and you'll find schematics on turning the Space Invaders into a 5200 controller.

The same basic schematic works for the Ms. Pac Man TV game...

But there are some specific hardware design issues with the Atari 2600 TV game that prevent it from being used this way. I can't remember exactly what they are now, but they're basically deal breakers.