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Atari 2600/7800 Dualshock 2 Adapter Part Deux


CPUWIZ

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  • 11 months later...
  • 8 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Man it's such a great idea! I'd love to have one to use for Robotron

I have this desire to mod an SNES controller for Robotron with two 9-pin extension cables. TL/TR would be the fire buttons and the diamond is player two stick. Start/Select would do nothing much like most NES->7800 mods.

 

SNES PCB shares common ground as does an Atari stick, so should be doable without cutting the ground plane. Just gotta remove the chip but SMT instead of through hole parts would make attaching wires a PITA.

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Plus iirc there were special settings for two button games like Omega Race and Spy Hunter. Pretty neat.

 

Yeah, there are a whole bunch of configurations, plus multiple speed auto-fire stuff and the ability to put a custom small 8 pin chip inside the console, to allow you to control pause and reset from the controller. Multiple people have played with it, I think iesposta has it now.

 

EDIT: I actually just found the one I still have, I totally forgot that the latest version had a 3D printed custom case. LOL

 

 

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Yeah, there are a whole bunch of configurations, plus multiple speed auto-fire stuff and the ability to put a custom small 8 pin chip inside the console, to allow you to control pause and reset from the controller. Multiple people have played with it, I think iesposta has it now.

 

EDIT: I actually just found the one I still have, I totally forgot that the latest version had a 3D printed custom case. LOL

 

 

 

 

Any chance of buying/producing a run of just the programmed boards? I can solder my own cords on and slap a case on it. I figure the cost of the board and programming might be high so I understand if its a no but thought I'd at least ask :)

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CPUWIZ,

Yep, I have it. I would still buy one.

It is the first thing I ever held that was 3D printed. Has the same labels on it too.

 

I tried to use the settings for games that use stick 2 like Stargate or the Defender De-Make.

No joy. Maybe it is programmed different from the chart I was using, or didn't program to the correct out pins?

Robotron 7800 did work.

I never tried it with a 2600. It should work with 2600's, right? And ColecoVision?

I only ever heard that C64's could be damaged if a certain Atari controller was used? And static shock can take out a 2600 component so there's a fix and foil tape they had technicians install.

A non retained or not (after power off user set up) would be nice.

Have it blink and the user would go thru J1 up, down, left, right, button 1, button 2, J2 up, down, L, R, B1, B2.

Then you would be sure J1 up is the hat stick up or the button up, and that square is J2 Button 1, and circle is J2 stick direction for smart bombs.

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and the ability to put a custom small 8 pin chip inside the console, to allow you to control pause and reset from the controller.

 

I've seen the pause/reset schematic and it works by responding to normally invalid inputs on the joystick port, ie opposite directions pressed simultaneously. If the chip actuates the Select and Reset buttons everytime an "invalid" joystick input occurs, this may cause non-standard controllers like paddles, driving controllers, trackballs, keypad, and possibly even the AtariVox (all of which are capable of pulling low U+D and/or R+L simultaneously) to spaz out the system. Just saying, installing the Reset/Select mod may break compatibility with specialty controllers and games which rely on them.

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I missed the part about the chip that could be installed to work the pause,select, reset on the console.. If I would have noticed that I would have bought one when it was still active.

 

There was not too much interest when it was being made but of course when it is not available people start wanting something they can not have.

That is always the theme for retro game people or people in general.

I know you lost interest and none of this matters but just wanted to say this was a cool project that many people probably never knew how convenient it would have made playing the 7800.

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I missed the part about the chip that could be installed to work the pause,select, reset on the console.. If I would have noticed that I would have bought one when it was still active.

Just a heads up that 7800basic has soft-detection of the SELECT and RESET signals, so games developed in it already support this without the chip. Not a remedy for the entire library, but better than nothing.

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I remember when Ax was doing regular mod work I almost pestered him into modding a Virtual Boy pad into a combo 1 and 2 player pad for Robotron and games like Indiana Jones. Still wish that had happened!

I forgot; were the SNES controllers through hole or SMT for the custom 12-bit shift register (which was really just two 4021s on the same die)? SMT would be a PITA to solder up but through hole would be easy like doing an NES -> 7800 mod. Twin 9-pin extension cables would be epic but would require widening the holes. I may have to splice in a 15-pin Famicom extension cable to two 9-pin extensions because the twin 2600 joysticks need 11 wires (5x2 buttons plus GND). Either that or get the thinner cables of those Yobo Genesis clone controllers may be doable, as the Retrobit extensions are the same weight as the original controller cables and a bit to thick to stuff two of them in there.

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Sure, if you want just basic functionality of two buttons mapped of a Dualshock 2 for the two buttons of the 7800 controller, that would likely do it. However, CPUWIZ's creation goes *way* above and beyond that. Check out this beta testing post for a variety of mappings.

 

A few highlights:

-(At least) 15 Different Configurations.
-Mapped console function buttons to controller buttons (Supported under 7800basic).
-Rapid fire toggle.
-Able to utilize the digital pad or analog stick.
-Dual 1P/2P Controls mapped to one controller input for Robotron(-like) controls / 2600 Raider of the Lost Ark - Only one controller needed.
-Ability to map non-movement up and down game input to buttons.
-Atari Keypad input mapped to buttons.
...Plus a plethora of other control configurations.
There's really nothing else that comes remotely close to that kind of functionality and versatility. ;)
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  • 2 years later...

Sorry to resurrect this old thread but I've been seriously looking for a modern control solution for the 2600 and surprised to find nothing but cheap knockoffs of original joysticks. Am I to understand the 2 above adapters would allow me to control my 2600 with a Dual Shock controller? Kind of the holy grail, no?

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Sorry to resurrect this old thread but I've been seriously looking for a modern control solution for the 2600 and surprised to find nothing but cheap knockoffs of original joysticks.

You can have a quality, cheap pad. You can have a rubbish, cheap joystick. A good joystick will cost a bit more than a pad however. One of the issues with cheap joysticks is leverage. You need a sturdy base to get good response, meaning bigger / heavier is better. The button and joystick also need light actuation pressure to prevent hand fatigue.

 

Build your own joystick with real arcade parts, or pay someone to build one for you.

 

You just need a button, a joystick, any small craft, cigar, or jewelry box with a flat top (preferably made of wood, measure first to make sure everything will fit in it), drill bits, solder, hookup wire, and a 9-pin extension cable or broken controller. Sandpaper and stain / varnish optional.

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You can have a quality, cheap pad. You can have a rubbish, cheap joystick. A good joystick will cost a bit more than a pad however. One of the issues with cheap joysticks is leverage. You need a sturdy base to get good response, meaning bigger / heavier is better. The button and joystick also need light actuation pressure to prevent hand fatigue.

 

Build your own joystick with real arcade parts, or pay someone to build one for you.

 

You just need a button, a joystick, any small craft, cigar, or jewelry box with a flat top (preferably made of wood, measure first to make sure everything will fit in it), drill bits, solder, hookup wire, and a 9-pin extension cable or broken controller. Sandpaper and stain / varnish optional.

Dont forget the drill. ?
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Build your own joystick with real arcade parts, or pay someone to build one for you.

 

Sort of the last thing I want to do actually.

 

As much as I like the nostalgia of the original joystick, I've become rather accustomed to the PS controller over the past couple decades. I'd even be happy with a PS1 controller. It's sort of the perfect layout and feel for me plus the quality and precision is great. I'd love to be able to go from PS4 to Atari with the same or similar controller.

 

Anyone have experience with the above adapters?

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