ATARILUVR

Yes, 250k ohms is center for the joystick as long as the centering pot inside the console is properly adjusted. The 270k value is close enough in my experience as the sticks have a large 'dead zone' for center. I made one that didn't require a wico y-cable for someone on the board a few years ago. He used a 15-wire pc joystick extension cable to connect it to the 5200. It was quite a bit more work for me to construct it, that's why I like making them for use with the wico y-cable. I recently bought some pc joystick 15-wire y-cables, the molded type, that I'm experimenting with, if they work out then I could make something that wouldn't require a wico y-cable. Man I'd buy one of those boxes...I need one lol!...just get me an extension cable from best and i'd be all set! I'm a bit confused...to determine center the 5200 looks for a center value for both the H and V pot correct(250 on both)?... so the max values are 10k and 500k or something like that? If so would that mean that it would be more compatible with some games than the masterplay? I sure do appreciate it and thank you for answering my questions....I have a sega 6 button controller that works well with my Vader....my poor 5200 sitting next to it is quite jealous.

Not to get too tech on you....but I'm confused on how this thing works compared to the two pot method posted by another helpful forum member:) does that mean there are static resistance values for centering? Dude, it wouldn't be that much of a cost upgrade for 2 15 pin connectors, a lil' more wire and a slightly bigger box so you could eliminate the need for the wico adapter.....I would so love to buy one of your awesome lil' boxes...but wico cables are too hard to come by, and a ugly/bandaid solution anyway. I'm actually in the "like" camp for the 5200 controllers....the way i look at is that the 5200 was killed before it's arcade joystick controller came out....the 2600 had paddles and joysticks and a trackball and more....the 5200 was born with only paddles(much more advanced paddle to be sure) and a trackball.... Don't know what to do about a controller solution.... been planning my own but what a pita. Thanks for making those man, i may very well buy one if you decide to make more or have some when I do decide....don't have the cable.

The boot was already replaced(there's a lot info you missed in this thread) from best electronics parts, I bought an extra ring too, but I got the original one out without a scratch This was an easy job. It's been my experience shielding electronics with this material, I've had it out in the open for 7 years and it has yet to even tarnish in the slightest....I don't know if it has something on it or not(I've soldered to it so I would think not), but it's actually made for crafting....I don't think it's gonna wear out unless it just gets dirty.... and I put just enough krazy glue to hold them surely, but could get them off if necessary....but I don't think I'll ever have to. I have another guitar with cheaper coppper than this in it's electronics cavity from the early 90's that still looks new. The controllers work beautifully now, and the buttons are super responsive....I get all the 4 corners in missle command easily, no jitter in the pots....the new boot is definitely better than the other controller which is straight.... These controllers pretty much sat in the box for years....this one obviously on it's side. the new boot does return to center better than the one in my other controller.

Thanks. Yeah that's what it was, the pot arm slipped...It's hard to believe that it's so touchy concerning centering the pot arm at the right spot. It's hard to move that small a distance without making a big jump because of the force needed just to get it to move on the pot shaft....so lots of trial and error. Best recommended taking them off.. What were they thinking at activision....it would have been better if movement would have come from the last 25/30% of the travel on the joystick direction rather than the last 10/15% of travel they decided on(Pitfall)....I hope they fixed that with pitfall 2 5200 that'd be a real bummer.

Lol....I feel ya....Yeah it sucks I'm just gonna make some...they look nekkid to me. Just do the blue bar/multicolor bar/game font of the front label....put the atari 5200 font/writing from the front to the appropriate size on the left or right...if the game has a specific font so be it...I think it will look good, if not then I won't do it. Can't hurt...won't hurt the carts.... As a kid I was a 2600/nes gamer...5200 is a new discovery for me....but I'm diggin' the games...and even though it's a monolith(5200)...I think it's a sexy piece of hardware lol....besides I just graduated from 5200 controller repair and modification with honors lol. I have a damn fine start of a 5200 hardware(I mean, it looks store new including the boxes/controllers/everything)... the 7800...man...I'm not going there for a while.....I only have about 10 boxed games for my 5200....just terrible lol. I love the hunt for game collecting....... Space dungeon and missile commmand are what pretty much stay in my 5200 these days and I'm on the hunt for the trackball controller that doesn't cost a million bucks. I've also been drawing up plans for a custom arcade controller I'm going to build..I do have some electronics experience. Will be fun if nothing else..... Thanks for all the info on the matter....If I do them I'll take some pics and share if it turns out good....if you like them I'll upload em' to the group.

is that the games have no end label....just sucks. I've often thought of rolling my own...with a little time I bet I could make something that looks authentic using scans of the cart's front labels....print them out with adhesive or on some adhesive backed paper photo looking paper.... With the 5200's smaller library and not all carts needing one, I bet you could print them all out in 3 or 4 pages. It looks like it's missing from them anyway...there's obviously a good space for it on the end of the cart. Just have to design what it might have looked like if atari or whoever had done it. I hate not having the carts on display a la my 2600 collection and I hate how much it makes it a pain when looking through games.

Thank ya man. That's what I used was just a hole punch too...I would think the aluminum would be a fine conductor. This brand I use(copper foil) is pretty thick, they've been through years abuse without any discoloration or corrosion(I don't know it it even does)...pretty tough........and even if it did I only put enough krazy glue to keep it on there and I left some edge on the foil so it would be easy to grab onto...np replacing(I don't think I will have to really) It won't tear easily. The thing that is the pain in the ass(i'm gonna have to open this thing again) is getting the pot arms perfectly lined up(i'm talking about when it has "slipped" on the pot shaft) ....pitfall want it perfect or it's tough to get up or down a ladder just right...one way or the other way will be easier or may not even work. We're talkin' minute adustments...I'm hoping it's not the atari or an adjustment of the atari...but I'll do it if I have to.....send some good vibes to my 5200(it's been in the box for years) so it doesn't have to be adjusted. All the buttons are perfect...there's no jitter to the controller...keeping fingers crossed There's no information out there about the internal calibration or whatever. Thanks.

Well, the controllers were repaired many times since then lol...the carbon pads just just kicked the bucket....yes i did everything to try...so I gave up and did a mod, with some really thick adhesive backed copper foil that i usually use to shield guitars. The adhesive doesn't stick lol, but some krazy glue did the trick. Now it probably works better than new, new boot.....pretty nice. I did have to recenter the pot arms to get everything perfect...pitfall is a picky bitch with the controllers!

Thanks for the comments fellas. I really do think it's a bug....and it's not unlikely that it would go unnoticed all these years....considering pitfall only worked on 4 ports and most likely would only be noticed by folks trying to play by the map. Hopefully Nukey's suggestion is a workaround. Pretty bummed if it's not possible to play the game right, I luv da pitfall. I really like the graphical enhancements and additional button control. The joystick takes getting used to if you're coming from the 2600 version...but I can manage that. Contrary to what's said about this version, I find 5200 pitfall a bit different....the timing of the game is a bit different than the 2600 version.

Righteous. I pretty much follow the path on the map. You did this on the 5200 version without the troubles I talked about? Thanks man, I'll try your suggestion.

I think I may have discovered a bug in the game.....yeah I know it's old but.....Obviously I have a 4 port....Coming from a 2600 background pitfall was always my game. I think it is impossible to jump over the 1st scorpion after the 1st gold bar in the 5200 version(If you know pitfall strategy you start out going right, after you get the gold bar, you go down then continue your journey going left)...the first scorpion here is almost impossible(if not impossible) to jump over without dying. I don't know if it's the collision detection, or if the scorpion turns around too fast....but none of the others do it. Again, I know it's an old game but still.....about this version...it looks great, and I think the enhancements are underappreciated(I really like the run/jump button function)....going back to the 2600 version I feel i'm missing something. After you die the first time you can jump over it easy like it's supposed to. Also, sometimes you'll start a game and you notice that pitfall harry is walking a little bit above the ground. You only notice it when you go downstairs. I have screens where you can clearly see the scorpion is not even close to touching Harry yet he dies. What gives?

This looks like a really neat game! Thanks.

Thanks for sharing these cool pics of the trackball. I would try to clean them if it was me. Hate to waste something that might be salvageable.

Have to give a shout out to best electronics, dude was uber cool. Talk about fast shipping, I got it in 2 days. The new boot is flatter than the old one i noticed. Anyway, awesome service from best!

Dude, you da man....thanks so much! I'm just gonna call best in a bit and order a new one and a new ring just in case. This one is fugged. Of course I'll have to buy something else too lol. Thanks all for your advice!