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I just did a very quick search and didn't find a picture of this so I thought I would post it. It's from a 1984 Montgomery Ward Christmas Catalog (page 535). It may just be the picture, but this controller does seem to look a little different than the standard Proline controller from the 7800. This version appears to be designed for the Atari 2600 (most likely the same as the 7800 proline I assume). Anyway here's the full catalog page:
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I've got a new discovery of a special joystick that can get digital control games on the Atari 5200 & 2600 like Meteorites & other 80s versions of Asteroids to be more analog for fine-tuning the placement of your shots. This can also be helpful on Star Trek Strategic Operations Simulator and Wizard of War. On the flip side this variance in movement of your onscreen character may not be such a good idea in certain digital games because it may slow you down when you need to always be full-steam-ahead (ie. PacMan, Dig Dug, Frogger, Q-bert, etc...). It also will not be a preferred method of control with 5200 games that already have the benefit of innately working in an analog way with an analog controller (Missile Command, Super Breakout, Dreadnaught Factor, and Star Wars Arcade). But on the certain digital-control games which require specific shot placement or character placement, it's going to enhance your control. I am really excited to tell you that Beamrider and Gyruss are completely beyond awesome with this new method of control. I have yet to try Pitfall or Pitfall II with this method, but I can imagine there'd be a benefit with them as well. So I'd like to go over the details of how to set this up on the 5200. First you will need an original Playstation flightstick made by Madcatz. This controller has a switch to enable digital or 'pulse' digital control. The following adapters will be connected to that flightstick: 1] A PC gameport to Atari 5200 15 pin adapter. (Source: bohoki here at Atariage makes them) 2) An Atari/Amiga controller 9 pin to PC gameport controller adapter (Source: Ebay seller Ikonsgr74 makes them) 3) Best Electronics Atari Systems to Sega controller Convertor cable (Source: Best Electronics- call their 800 number to order) 4) A Tototek Joypad Counverter (Version MD). This allows Playstation controllers to work on a 9 pin port of a Sega Genesis. (Source: Tototek website) Alternate method: Replace adapters 1,2, and 3 with a Masterplay Clone adapter, and user the Tototek with it. One more method: Use a PC gameport to 5200 15 pin controller adapter with an Innovation SmartJoy Emulator adapter (Playstation to PC gameport adapter). The latter adapter is not easy to find at a reasonable price these days. If you want to see a presentation/tutorial on this, here you go:
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From the album: Hardware
Another pic of my 7800 ProLine Joystick Coupler. Formerly owned by Dan Kramer. One of 3 known to exist in the world. Maybe there's more in the alt.universe that the Atari Force traveled to... -
I mean these: Basically, I remember using these on my Atari 2600 Jr. and I liked how they felt to me. (I understand they probably weren't meant for the Jr, but the 7800, but still!) But ebay seems to want like... 59.99 for a set? That seems realllllly steep. Is that correct?
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There's been a new discovery and I'm here to explain how to get certain Atari 2600 and 7800 controllers to work on your Atari 5200 for a pretty reasonable price. The 2600 and 7800 controllers will only be working on 5200 games that have a single button involved in the gameplay, not two. Also, I need to point out that the games that require analog movement (ie. Breakout, Kaboom, Missile Command) can't be effectively played with the 2600 and 7800 controllers. First, you'll need the PC gameport to 5200 controller adapter (the one I have is made by fellow Atariage resident 5200 expert, bohoki, and it's a good design at a quite reasonable price). If you own one of these, you will want to get a PC joystick and/or gamepad with two buttons to go along with it (to play games which require two buttons like Defender). The schematics are available online if you choose to make one on your own. Secondly you need to buy an Atari 2600 to PC gameport controller adapter (schematic is available if you pm me). This adapter is currently made available on Ebay by ikonsgr74. Here is the current Ebay listing: http://m.ebay.com/itm/AMIGA-ATARI-AMSTRAD-COMMODORE-DB-9-PIN-JOYSTICK-ADAPTER-DB15-PIN-PC-GAME-PORT-/111807334682?nav=SEARCH The two adapters can be connected together allowing for a 2600 or 7800 controller to be put into use for games which have compatibility with digital controllers. This is going to essentially give you something kinda like a Masterplay Interface adapter, but with a couple downsides. 1) The original Atari-made 2600 joysticks, paddles, and trackballs that I've tried are incompatible. The heavy sixer CX-10 could work, though. I don't own one of those. Wico bat handle sticks are incompatible. I have 4 or 5 Atari-made/Wico-made joysticks and a single trakball and not one worked properly. 2) Even though you'd think it'd work with Genesis controllers, it's not compatible. I've been looking for a workaround but have come to the conclusion that the design of the 2600 to PC Gameport adapter is preventative for getting the power to the Genesis controller circuit that requires +5 volts (and that includes attempts to use an Edladdin Genesis to 7800 conversion cable). If you want to hear any details of my attempt to wire in an external power supply, pm me. 3) If you have a Pointmaster, Spectravideo 2 button, Quickshot 2 Deluxe, or Colecovision controller you were hoping to use, you'll be disappointed. The upsides are: 1) One controller that works and works well is the Slik Stick which is a favorite of mine. 2) it not only works with an Atari-made 7800 Proline controller, but a couple of my NES-to-7800 conversion controllers (converted NES Epyx 500xj and a converted rectangular NES controller). I figure it'll also work with the rectangular Atari-made European pad, too, but I don't have one to test out. You get single button compatibility out of all of them. 3) Sega Master System gamepads and Control Sticks work and work well for single button games. (But not the Sega Sportspad) 4) Wired controllers made for the Atari Flashback 2 system work and work well. 5) Sears Video Arcade II joysticks (not the paddle part), Gemsticks, Mindscape Power Player trigger-joysticks, Epyx 500xj, and Coleco Gemini joysticks (not the paddle part) all work great. Well, there you go. It's not exactly a Redemption adapter, but for less than $30 you can enjoy many 5200 games with a reasonably good number of controllers. I never got an opportunity to use a Masterplay Interface (or a Redemption adapter for that matter), but now I'm seeing the true value of what many have come to appreciate before me... and it didn't cost me an arm and a leg! If you're concerned about whether it's safe for your game system, I will say that nothing bad has happened to my 4 port system over the past couple months of hot swapping various controllers into the connected adapters with the 5200 on. If you haven't tried 2600/7800 compatible controllers on your 5200, you now have a great opportunity.
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I'm running a ProLine BBS on my Apple IIgs (http://bbs.fozztexx.com) and I keep running into problems with not knowing how to do things. The PDF manaul that came with ProLine has lots and lots of info, but doesn't describe how to do some really basic things. A current problem I'm having is there seems to be no way to reset a user's password! The documentation says just use the passwd command as root, but uh, there is no root user. I've tried it logged in as the sysop account and it doesn't work. Another problem is the message board conference system is extremely clunky. None of my users can figure out how to join the message boards, and even less can figure out how to post a message. Did anyone ever make a different message board system that is simply menu driven like a normal BBS? I also can't find a way to break in and chat with someone while they're online! It's not a BBS if you can't jump in and freak people out by chatting with them. So far all I can do is bang my way through the menu system and go to the chat. Again, very crude and when the user doesn't realize what's going on they keep choosing different menus while I'm trying to get to the chat. If anyone out there used to (or still does) run a ProLine BBS, I'd love to hear from you!