Are 5200 Controllers As Bad As Everyone Says

[Are 5200 Controllers As Bad As Everyone Says]

Copper foil dot the contacts....never have to worry about it again......Also, for games that use analog style controls they work very well....but games that need digital style control they're not as optimal.  For what they are inclined to do well with YES they do very well......in spite of that, a fixed one will still work for digital games...The 5200 should have come with 2 types of controllers....the original for analog style control, and another for digital.

 

Missile Command is for example...best played with the Trak-ball.....but if not...a 5200 controller will destroy any digital controller in that context.

[Is Best Electronics gone?]

Placed an order over the phone, was very cool to talk to...got my order fast.  It's just old school, I got no problem with that.  Just know what you want, pay with a card.  Fast shipping and great packaging as always.

[Just watching Mr. Mom]

Pretty cool, I remember that! My fav. role/scene from Mr. Keaton, never gets old, hilarious

 

[5200 CX-53 Trak-Ball disassembly]

 

Thanks but the bearings look okay. It looks like the optical sensor is not picking up the movements.

It's either one of the socketed chips or the sensor itself. Just get the rebuild kit from best, it contains all the chips bearings and the sensor stuff you'd ever need. Consider it replacement parts to keep it running for years to come. Price is not bad either.

 

"CB103164 5200 CX52 Trackball Complete rebuild kit, a set of 5 complete CX53 Motherboard I.C. chips plus 2 Optocoupler modules and 5 New CX53 bearings $30.00"

[Asteroids Deluxe from TNT]

I've ordered from TNT, good people and great company. Congrats, Asteroids Deluxe is on my list!

[Some opinions on the greatness of 5200 games & collecting for the system]

Thanks for the video! Awesome to have 5200 content out there, appreciate it!

[some more 15 pin gameport pc to 5200 adapters]

those are my top 3 favorites just for information you can trim the gravis joystick with a small flathead screwdriver if needed its the holes on the bottom and side

Thanks for the info! When I'm able to actually use these controllers I'll put that info to use! I was surprised on how good these controllers feel. Gravis stuff seems very high quality and the PC gamepad while I worried it would be awkward is just fine. Feels like a later console gamepad. All three very nice.

[some more 15 pin gameport pc to 5200 adapters]

Got these 3 controllers for a grand total of........10 dollars! Man, controller options for the 5200 are plenty!

 

[Testers needed for Mr. Do!]

Awesome!

[Who wants to see Liberator for the 5200]

Will buy!..Trak-Ball support please!

[Who wants to see Quantum for the 5200]

Another, would be perfect with the Trak-ball....would be awesome either way though!

[Added some Atari 5200 Reproductions to the store]

Thanks Albert!

[some more 15 pin gameport pc to 5200 adapters]

I thought the Gravis pad was quite perfect as a beginner controller. Mine stopped working, so I switched to the black “Gamepad!” PC gamepad. It’s also very good, but a bit chunkier, and is perfectly compatible.

Thanks:)

[some more 15 pin gameport pc to 5200 adapters]

This is awesome. Folks here, how is the gravis pc gamepad's d-pad? I've heard conflicting stories. Some folks really love that controller.

[Atari 5200 pin 12 spec]

According to the schematics, the 5 volt supply to pin 12, comes directly from one of the 5 volt regulators!

 

Should be no problem powering the leds.

TY!! I can solder and do full restores on arcades(restored a Tempest)...but I'm not skilled as to read schematics like that, that's a big help. Thank you so much.

[Atari 5200 pin 12 spec]

all i know is if i wire up pin 12 as the pot common the system switches over to tracball mode

 

i suggest just using pin 9 i'm not sure what its power capabilities are but i would assume under 50 ma

Thanks man, very good info. I wonder what part of the circuit in the 5200 "detects" to switch it over to trak-ball mode? If I still used pin 9 as common(rather than pin 12 for common like you did) for the joystick like normal and maybe that wouldn't flip it into trak-ball mode while taking the +5(from pin 12) to a led/resistor circuit(and in-line fuse for safety) and use pin 15 for ground.

 

The trak-ball HAS to pull more amps with it's pcb loaded with chips and two opto sensors than what was probably used for the regular controllers. I would think pin 12 would have more juice just to run the trak-ball.

 

Ive found it impossible to find amperage outputs for powered pins on most consoles. I believe I read somewhere about Atari A8 pin 7 amperage changes, but thats about it. Im not sure how to get an accurate reading. I believe the common value is 50 - 100 mA.

Thanks for the info Swami. I'm thinking the amperage for pin 12 would have to be substantially more to run the trak-ball given that it has like I said a pcb/chips/opto sensors... I just want to power 3 leds.

[Atari 5200 pin 12 spec]

Don't see this info anywhere about pin 12 other than it is +5 volts (amperage?).....the current draw of the trak-ball is not listed anywhere either.

 

I'm wondering because I'm making a custom controller box and I'm curious about providing power to 3 leds from pin 12.

 

Anyone know of any info on pin 12?

 

Thanks:)

[The Atari 5200 Podcast (New Podcast)]

I'm all about analog crt so no hdmi but I am intrigued by "other upgrades".

Right on!

[some more 15 pin gameport pc to 5200 adapters]

i just want to let all the people who messaged me that i am working on some adapters i dont want to make a deadline but i think i found a california seller of the plug i needed so it wont take a month like china ones

 

just hang in there

Thanks so much! How hard would it be to install these connections in a project box where you could mount the connectors to the box(and hiding all the wiring inside) and just use a 5200 extender cable from the box(your adapter cable) to the 5200?

[Games YOU want to see for the 5200]

Optimize/speed up the unfinished 5200 version of Stargate prototype!

[Atari 5200 Serial Numbers / Timeline]

Looks like my 4 port was made the week before Christmas in 82:

 

 

5200 Trak-Ball:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Atari 5200 HDMI, Component Video, S-Video and video upgrade comments]

Personally I don't consider the output of the 5200 going into a CRT/tube TV(if you want it to look as intended/how it was designed/and best IMO).....to be blurry or fuzzy....phosphor glow is what you need for these games.

 

So IMO, to get the BEST quality video experience:

 

Get yourself a nice tube tv with good sound and hopefully an audio out that you can run into a sound system....Get the heavy duty video cable upgrade....set your cables up clean with a quality switchbox.

 

 

 

also about the 4 port compatibility, I LOVE 5200 Pitfall....best version IMO.

[5200 CX-53 Trak-Ball disassembly]

One thing I did that made a suprising difference, is polishing the ball. Best recommended cleaning the ball until it was like new/could see your own reflection in it. At first I thought I cleaned the ball completely with alcohol.....but when I went back and polished the ball with Novus 2 for a LONG time lol(cleaning all the novus off with alcohol when finished of course), until the ball was like new/shiny again...the performance of the Trak-ball was greatly increased and the ball had much more traction on the rollers.

 

So cleaning it is not enough IMO, polish the ball until it looks like new and it will grip the roller a LOT better....so:

 

Polish the rollers til they shine and do the same with the ball itself....the ball's color actually shines through now like it did when new so it looks better too.

[5200 CX-53 Trak-Ball disassembly]

As I said this is a very good condition CX-53...here's some pics, and some before/after of the maintenance I've done so far

 

 

 

Before:

 

After:

 

Corrosion from finger oils on idler shaft assembly:

 

[5200 CX-53 Trak-Ball disassembly]

Thanks guys!

 

@atari-dna: you have to cut the encoders tabs off to get the bearing and encoder off of there? Dang.....Having a hard time visualizing your method there with the tubing.....The next part, are you talking about getting the little rod out of the bearing on the idler shaft assembly(wooden mallet?)? That's what I'm trying to figure out....The old one sounds a little ratty actually and needs replacement.