edladdin Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Just a quick post to show off my new 5200, which arrived from ebay a couple weeks ago. This was very exciting, as I had not played a 5200 since my original 4-porter disappeared while I was at college in the late 80's, when my folks moved to another house. This one is a 2 port console and it came with a Trak-ball, four joysticks, a joystick coupler, and 19 carts. Surprisingly, many of the overlays were present with the carts. So far we have 100% performance on everything but the joysticks, where one is fully functional, one is "stick only" and the other two are DOA. As such, mostly I have been playing Space Dungeon and Trak-ball games. I never had the Trak-ball as a kid and boy is it awesome. Really having a lot of fun with Galaxian, Missile Command, and Centipede in particular. In fact, I think playing Galaxian with a joystick is pretty well ruined for me now. The other thing that impressed me was what a nice package both the console and Trak-ball present sitting on the shelf where my little collection is on display... Sitting side-by-side with a Coleco Roller Controller, the Coleco has a giant wad of wires to deal with, while the Atari Trak-ball winds up so neatly with everything out of sight. Love that elegance of design, though The Bride sure did a double-take when she saw this console sitting next to the 7800, which looks so small in comparison! :-) Life is good! 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ransom Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Yup, it's a good looking console (and I see the trak-ball still has the protective strip on the bezel). I'm glad you're having fun with it. There are a lot of great games for the 5200, and it looks like you have quite a few of them! I have an Atari 8-bit computer, with which this system's library has a wide overlap, but the 5200 versions are my favorites in most cases. As you noticed, the 5200 trak-ball is awesome and really improves many of the games. The 5200 version of Star Raiders is also the best ever produced, IMO. Have fun! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amityville315 Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Im in the same boat. Just picked up a 5200 and a bunch of games. Fun! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutsy Doodleheimer Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Fun to relive in the past again! I have a 2 port model 5200 myself, and enjoy a ton of games for It. I really like the trak ball controller. Goes great in a game of Missle Command. One must buy is the Atarimax 128 in 1 SD multicart. It is worth owning. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyperboy Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 I second the Atarimax SD Cart! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edladdin Posted July 1, 2015 Author Share Posted July 1, 2015 I second the Atarimax SD Cart! Yes! AtariMax just arrived! Looking forward to my first game of Qix in 30 years! :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edladdin Posted July 1, 2015 Author Share Posted July 1, 2015 Yup, it's a good looking console (and I see the trak-ball still has the protective strip on the bezel). I'm glad you're having fun with it. There are a lot of great games for the 5200, and it looks like you have quite a few of them! I have an Atari 8-bit computer, with which this system's library has a wide overlap, but the 5200 versions are my favorites in most cases. As you noticed, the 5200 trak-ball is awesome and really improves many of the games. The 5200 version of Star Raiders is also the best ever produced, IMO. Have fun! Funny thing about the protective strip on the Trak-ball bezel... I was about to pull that off and The Bride announced "it looks prettier in red"! And thus we will have our protective strip for the foreseeable future. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyperboy Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Yes! AtariMax just arrived! Looking forward to my first game of Qix in 30 years! :-) Well that didn't take long 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 The 5200 matches the LCD TV nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amityville315 Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Admittedly, I'm jealous of the trak ball. I got one as well but it's "wiggy." It pulls to the right slightly all the time. I tried popping it open and fixing it but it didnt completely fix the issue. I want to try and fix it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edladdin Posted July 1, 2015 Author Share Posted July 1, 2015 Admittedly, I'm jealous of the trak ball. I got one as well but it's "wiggy." It pulls to the right slightly all the time. I tried popping it open and fixing it but it didnt completely fix the issue. I want to try and fix it again. Its such a crapshoot buying anything on ebay... It might work great, it might work "with issues", or it might be a paperweight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amityville315 Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Well, I got 97 games, an atari 7800, a 5200 with trak ball, and tons of controllers for the 7800 (paddle, racing, 6 joysticks) - all got $100! Can't complain too much if the trak ball is off. However, I would like to get it 100% working. Seems like a strong suit of the 5200. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscoDr.Bones Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 I've been wondering about that 5200 trackball. I have never seen one in person... do you pretty much need to use it on a table top? Or is it reasonably comfortable on the lap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thevnaguy Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Just a quick post to show off my new 5200, which arrived from ebay a couple weeks ago. This was very exciting, as I had not played a 5200 since my original 4-porter disappeared while I was at college in the late 80's, when my folks moved to another house. This one is a 2 port console and it came with a Trak-ball, four joysticks, a joystick coupler, and 19 carts. Surprisingly, many of the overlays were present with the carts. So far we have 100% performance on everything but the joysticks, where one is fully functional, one is "stick only" and the other two are DOA. As such, mostly I have been playing Space Dungeon and Trak-ball games. I never had the Trak-ball as a kid and boy is it awesome. Really having a lot of fun with Galaxian, Missile Command, and Centipede in particular. In fact, I think playing Galaxian with a joystick is pretty well ruined for me now. The other thing that impressed me was what a nice package both the console and Trak-ball present sitting on the shelf where my little collection is on display... Sitting side-by-side with a Coleco Roller Controller, the Coleco has a giant wad of wires to deal with, while the Atari Trak-ball winds up so neatly with everything out of sight. Love that elegance of design, though The Bride sure did a double-take when she saw this console sitting next to the 7800, which looks so small in comparison! :-) Life is good! Cool! - will give you a plug on the Atari 5200 Super Podcast about your pickup and the custom controllers you build for the 7800 and such 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ave1 Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Welcome to the wild wacky land of the Atari 5200. Get the right controllers for the right games and you'll begin to really appreciate it. Glad to hear the Trackball works. My 1st one didn't, but the second does work (got it up in Chicago at a video game store in 2013)... Having one of these makes it a stellar arcade experience on Centipede and Missile Command especially. I'm going to have to try it on Galaxian... sounds great 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DamonicFury Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Admittedly, I'm jealous of the trak ball. I got one as well but it's "wiggy." It pulls to the right slightly all the time. I tried popping it open and fixing it but it didnt completely fix the issue. I want to try and fix it again. Hmmm, the problem may not be with the trackball, but with the 5200 itself. See the below thread for tips on how to adjust the control pot: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/181930-my-5200-is-acting-kinda-strange/?p=2280867&hl=calibration%20pot&fromsearch=1&do=findComment&comment=2280867 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reklen Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 How does one get these sd carts? I have a 400, 800xl, xe, and a 5200. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyperboy Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 How does one get these sd carts? I have a 400, 800xl, xe, and a 5200. Atarimax.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edladdin Posted July 2, 2015 Author Share Posted July 2, 2015 Cool! - will give you a plug on the Atari 5200 Super Podcast about your pickup and the custom controllers you build for the 7800 and such That's awesome! Thank you very much!!! I have to admit that hearing you and RK talk about the greatness of the Trak-Ball a few weeks ago tipped me over the edge as far as preceding with getting back into that system. I was trying to put it off... As you know, I have been under the hood of the Colecovision for the last couple months and have been focused on getting that project to the finish line... But you made it sound so sweet that I had to leap when I found an auction with both a Trak-ball and a Joystick coupler in the mix. I have been itching to write you guys an email but wanted to have something more interesting to say besides just "back in the day" memories. If nothing else I need to give a huge shout out to whomever selects the music for the show. My "day job" is building vibroacoustic sound therapy systems for people/businesses and I can tell you... That main Atari 5200 Super Podcast theme would be OFF THE HOOK on one of my tables! Here's a link to our promo video, in case anyone is wondering what those systems look like: Hopefully its ok to post that here. Definitely not trying to spam up the works! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thevnaguy Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 That's awesome! Thank you very much!!! I have to admit that hearing you and RK talk about the greatness of the Trak-Ball a few weeks ago tipped me over the edge as far as preceding with getting back into that system. I was trying to put it off... As you know, I have been under the hood of the Colecovision for the last couple months and have been focused on getting that project to the finish line... But you made it sound so sweet that I had to leap when I found an auction with both a Trak-ball and a Joystick coupler in the mix. I have been itching to write you guys an email but wanted to have something more interesting to say besides just "back in the day" memories. If nothing else I need to give a huge shout out to whomever selects the music for the show. My "day job" is building vibroacoustic sound therapy systems for people/businesses and I can tell you... That main Atari 5200 Super Podcast theme would be OFF THE HOOK on one of my tables! Here's a link to our promo video, in case anyone is wondering what those systems look like: Hopefully its ok to post that here. Definitely not trying to spam up the works! I made a promo audio clip for the podcast edladdinpromo.mp3 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edladdin Posted July 2, 2015 Author Share Posted July 2, 2015 I made a promo audio clip for the podcast edladdinpromo.mp3 Wow, that is wonderful! I am really blown away! Thanks so much for doing that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynxpro Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 Wow, that is wonderful! I am really blown away! Thanks so much for doing that! Edladdin, You might want to partake in 3 Atari based Facebook groups. Since you like the 5200 Trak-Ball so much [and rightfully so!], its creator Dan Kramer participates in all three groups. He's quite a resource when it comes to advice on how to clean, maintain, and repair the Trak-Ball. He's also sold replacement "Atari" strips for the Trak-Ball signed by him [looks pretty cool]. Here's the groups: https://www.facebook.com/groups/trakbombers/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/1071190119564807/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/7800ProSystemGamers/ On a side note, the 7800 group would be of interest because your wares are mentioned quite a bit there, especially the Genesis controller-to-7800 adapter as a viable option to those pining over how much they'd like to have the Atari Euro 7800 Game Pads and link over to some rip-off eBay auction for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edladdin Posted July 5, 2015 Author Share Posted July 5, 2015 Thank you so much for the invitation! I wasn't aware of any of these pages and appreciate the opportunity to get involved. :-)! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodLightning Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 I've been wondering about that 5200 trackball. I have never seen one in person... do you pretty much need to use it on a table top? Or is it reasonably comfortable on the lap? It's rather large IMHO for a controller, but very sturdy and big enough to be comfortable in you lap. The track ball is actually a standard billiard cue ball. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutsy Doodleheimer Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 I've been wondering about that 5200 trackball. I have never seen one in person... do you pretty much need to use it on a table top? Or is it reasonably comfortable on the lap? For me I place it on my lap or on the floor. It's a sturdy beast and never moves around. They are awesome to have and a must have if you own a 5200. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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