WaverBoy

I have a Ranger joystick plugged into the front left controller port. I have a set of rebuilt Atari paddles plugged into the 2600-daptor at the rear. Everything was working perfectly fine with this setup. Now it’s not. After I select a game with the Ranger and hit Reset, twisting the Player 1 paddle knob opens the settings menu and hitting the button moves the cursor between sections of it. And, I reflashed the SD card with completely different updated firmware and it still does that. I’m a bit stymied.

Ok, something weird happened—everything was working perfectly with a joystick in the left controller port and my paddles hooked up in the back via the 2600-adaptor. I could select my paddle game with the joystick, hit reset, and then twist the dial and press the button and presto, great paddle gameplay. Last night I went to play Kaboom and I selected the game, hit Reset, then twisted the paddle dial and a settings menu came up. Clicking the paddle button moved the cursor between the settings. Same result for all paddle games. I deleted all the files from the SD card, reflashed it with the latest Stella update and added my games folder back, and same result. Anyone know what might have happened and/or how I might be able to fix?

Ok, I now have the Retron 77 Stella analog paddle sensitivity set to 83%, which is perfect, and seems to match the feel of the original VCS + paddle. I can now play KABOOM! again without feeling like a complete loser. The default setting is too sensitive. I now have a pretty effin’ sweet HD Atari VCS setup, with the best and most accurate joystick and paddle controls EVAH! Many thanks to all in the community who helped make it possible, from you here at Atari Age to Bradley Koda of Best Electronics!

Thank you!

With the awesome community build firmware, the 2600-daptor and associated cables, and rebuilt paddles from Best Electronics, the Retron 77 is a great HD Atari VCS/2600 setup that is only missing a good wireless controller solution and a way to start/restart/change games without having to walk up to the console. Analogue, the Pong ball is in your court.

I’m in the Advanced Settings, but I can’t figure out how I get to the Devices/Ports tab using the joystick...?

It’s been quite a while since I used a pair of Atari paddles, especially ones that aren’t remotely jittery, so I must have just plum forgot how sensitive they were. Well, here’s looking forward to Stella and her most generous adjustable settings helping me improve my KABOOM! scores! And thank you so much for your D9 gizmo!!!!!

I figured it’d be in Settings, but I just wanted to say the sorcery bit 🤓 Thanks for the hot tip sir! Soon as I get back from my girlfriend’s I’ll get right on that. If I can get the paddle sensitivity setting dialed in correctly, then I’ll have a pretty sweet Atari HD setup, marred only by having to walk back to the console every time I want to start a fresh game or change games.

What sorcery is this?

Finally got my Retron 77 wood grain special, two Troopers, two Rangers, a pair of insanely rebuilt paddles from Best Electronics, and the D9 2600-daptor. My findings: don’t bother with the Ranger controllers. They’re garbage and I’m going to sell mine. The paddles are useless, because on one setting, they’re too sensitive, and on the other setting, the sensitivity is better but the wheel is still too small and the rotation direction switches to backwards on the better sensitivity setting (WHY, Hyperkin, WHY???) so it STILL makes it difficult to play. Hyperkin almost got the Trooper joystick just right; the control is accurate, there’s two fire buttons for flexibility, the cord is nice and long, and they rounded off the bottom corners which help ergonomically. However, the stick itself is hard plastic instead of rubber like the originals, so it’s (even) less comfortable in the hand, but that’s not a dealbreaker. Best Atari joystick on the market overall at the moment that will work with the original console. For paddles to work properly (they’ll work if you plug them into the controller port but they’re jittery, gee thanks a lot Hyperkin for your shitty code), you’ll need a 2600-Daptor D9, a split USB host OTG cable with USB power, a USB A male to USB B male cable, and a pair of powerfully refurbished paddles from Best Electronics (don’t even bother with anything else). Then plug a joystick into player one controller port, plug the paddles into the 2600-daptor D9, plug the D9 into the B male end of the A-to-B USB cable and the A male end into the split USB host/power cable, plug the male microUSB end of the split cable into the Retron 77, plug the male end of the microUSB power adapter, and plug the adapter into an outlet, and now you’re all set for HD Atari goodness. Of course, none of this rigmarole would have been necessary had Hyperkin been competent enough to not screw it up. Also, even with the paddle workaround it feels like the sensitivity is still too much, like you should be able to turn the paddle further for the same amount of movement which would make it easier to be more accurate. Now I need to track down a trakball controller, as Best is out of their refurbished ones, but they still sell their refurb kits at least.

No, we need an SD card slot just like the Super Nt and Mega Sg, for the many of us who have moved on from dusty cartridges but still want the authentic playing experience (except for the fuzzy CRT and dusty cartridge part 🤓).

Yep, that’s why I got while the gettin’ was good, aw yeah, so glad I did, the new one is butt-ugly, thanks again for the heads up guys!!

Jesus I hope Analogue decides to give us a retro-stylishly designed Analogue Av FPGA console for Atari VCS/5200/7800/400/800/1200XL games, with 8BitDo stepping up and releasing the following 2.4G wireless controllers: a joystick/spinner combo controller, a joypad/paddle combo controller like the Hyperkin Ranger (one of the few good ideas Hyperkin had), and last but equally important, a trakball controller, large like the original 5200 model so that it fits sturdy in the lap. They also need to figure out an analog joystick solution for the 5200, and a way to play two of the best games on that system effectively: Robotron and Space Dungeon, which both require the dual-joystick holder. If an Atari solution such as all the above would be offered, I’m predicting it would fly off the shelves and into the homes of us Atari nuts.

Oh my Zeus that’s horrendous. Thank you guys so much for the warning. I headed over to eBay immediately just now and made sure to get myself a wood grain set, $72 shipped, not gonna trust Amazon sellers to not ship me a dayglo orange one! Now to order the other controllers and adapter thingies I’ll need for maximum capability! Thanks again!

What would be the best 2.4g wireless controller to use with the II in your opinion? I just gotta find a good wireless controller solution for the Retron 77. There’s gotta be a way.

That’s a zero seconds long clip

Question: by using the 2600-daptor II or D9, can I use 8BitDo’s M30 2.4G wireless Sega Genesis controllers that I currently use with my Mega Sg? Or would I need to get the USB dongles for the controllers (I think it’s the same 2.4G controller unit for both the USB compatible and Genesis compatible 8BitDo controller sets, isn’t it?)? Or perhaps a better question would be, what is the best 2.4G wireless controller solution for the Retron 77?

A-ha, good idea — thank you for all your help sir!

Great, thanks! Question: by using the 2600-daptor II, can I use 8BitDo’s M30 2.4G wireless Sega Genesis controllers that I currently use with my Mega Sg? Or would I need to get the USB dongles for the controllers (I think it’s the same 2.4G controller unit for both the USB compatible and Genesis compatible 8BitDo controller sets, isn’t it?)? Or perhaps a better question would be, what is the best 2.4G wireless controller solution for the Retron 77?

Gotcha, that’s excellent news, thank you! Do you know if the trakball controller works using OTG and 2600-daptor?

Dammit, yep, you’re correct, they’re BT, not 2.4G. Thanks, Atari. 🙄 So then, there’s no good way to get wireless paddle control. Do regular old Atari paddles now work properly with the Retron 77, with the latest custom firmware? Last I heard they didn’t work so well...?

So what you’re telling me is...I can use the super duper fancy schmancy new Atari VCS JoySpinnerThingy with the Retron 77...? Is it? IS THAT WHAT YOU’RE TELLING ME??? (Sorry, Young Frankenstein reference, couldn’t resist, you understand...) WOW...I think I might finally be ready to pull the trigger on the Retron 77. I’ll at least be able to play all the 2600 games wirelessly except for trakball...waitaminnit...unless...hey, if I get one of these, will the Retron 77 work with the OEM Atari 2600 trakball?

We need wireless Atari 2600 joystick/spinners like the “official” ones released for the “official” VCS that will work with the Retron 77. Those controllers look brilliantly designed. An updated wireless trakball controller is also crucial; classics like Centipede and Missile Command are simply unplayable without a trakball, sorry. Also, I really wish the VCS was a proper FPGA for all classic Atari consoles with cart slot plus adapters and SD ROM loading capability. Analogue REALLY needs to release the Analogue Av, and 8BitDo needs to add some 2.4G wireless Atari controllers to their lineup!

The Collectorvision Phoenix would appear to be non-acquirable at the moment 😢

Analogue needs to put out a nostalgically designed wood grain FPGA console for the Atari VCS/5200/400/800 called the Analogue Av, with a wireless joystick/spinner combo controller, a wireless game pad controller, and a wireless trakball controller from 8BitDo. That’s the last one I need them to make, and I’ll be good.