vintagegamecrazy Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 I have a competition Pro Joystick and I really like it, I have had more comfortable controllers but this one works great. I have found some games that don't work with it properly, with each game the controller won't go left or up. The games that won't work with it so far Bounty Bob Strikes Back It won't work with Sean's multicart menu and it won't work with A.E either but any other game so far works great. Has anyone else seen any of these problems before or know of any other games that don't work with it? Is there any way to fix this? I have found perhaps the ultimate Atari 5200 controller setup, I will share with you. It is best to have two pairs of these. Plug the Comp Pro into the console, plug a Wico keypad into the splitter and then a Wico stick into the keypad. Make sure the Wico is calibrated right and for games that work better for digital use the Comp Pro, for games that work better with analog pick up the Wico, No hassles no unplugging and swapping controllers, expensive but you have extreme versatility and perfect control quality. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phonedork Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 I have a competition Pro Joystick and I really like it, I have had more comfortable controllers but this one works great. I have found some games that don't work with it properly, with each game the controller won't go left or up. The games that won't work with it so far Bounty Bob Strikes Back It won't work with Sean's multicart menu and it won't work with A.E either but any other game so far works great. Has anyone else seen any of these problems before or know of any other games that don't work with it? Is there any way to fix this? I have found perhaps the ultimate Atari 5200 controller setup, I will share with you. It is best to have two pairs of these. Plug the Comp Pro into the console, plug a Wico keypad into the splitter and then a Wico stick into the keypad. Make sure the Wico is calibrated right and for games that work better for digital use the Comp Pro, for games that work better with analog pick up the Wico, No hassles no unplugging and swapping controllers, expensive but you have extreme versatility and perfect control quality. I just bought two off ebay and the same thing. Both controllers dont seem to work good. They say that it is a self centering controller, but it moves everywhere even when you dont touch it. Is this suppose to be a analog stick? I opened it up and it looks like joystick guts of a arcade controller. I thought about replacing the guts, get a new silver stick, and silver buttons with a better spring. But if its analog, I dont know if I can do that. Does anyone know how these controllers work? Or of they work great and mine sucks. Or if there is a way I can fix or adjust it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Mitch Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 I just bought two off ebay and the same thing. Both controllers dont seem to work good. They say that it is a self centering controller, but it moves everywhere even when you dont touch it. Is this suppose to be a analog stick? I opened it up and it looks like joystick guts of a arcade controller. I thought about replacing the guts, get a new silver stick, and silver buttons with a better spring. But if its analog, I dont know if I can do that. Does anyone know how these controllers work? Or of they work great and mine sucks. Or if there is a way I can fix or adjust it? No, it's a digital stick with a builtin d/a circuit. It sounds like your 5200 may need to be calibated. Mitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phonedork Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 I just bought two off ebay and the same thing. Both controllers dont seem to work good. They say that it is a self centering controller, but it moves everywhere even when you dont touch it. Is this suppose to be a analog stick? I opened it up and it looks like joystick guts of a arcade controller. I thought about replacing the guts, get a new silver stick, and silver buttons with a better spring. But if its analog, I dont know if I can do that. Does anyone know how these controllers work? Or of they work great and mine sucks. Or if there is a way I can fix or adjust it? No, it's a digital stick with a builtin d/a circuit. It sounds like your 5200 may need to be calibated. Mitch I tried adjusting with the pokey chip in the 5200, but no matter how far I turn either way it does not center and stay in one point. Could I replaced the guts with an arcade controller? So since it is a digital controller, then any game like missle command or kaboom would not work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Mitch Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 I don't think replacing the insides would fix anything. It's basically an arcade stick already. That's correct, Missile Command and Kaboom will not work with it. To calibrate it I usually use a diagnostic cart and loopback board. I know other have had success using Missile Command, maybe they can elaborate on the process. Mitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coleco Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 The key to the Comp Pro for me is ensuring the 5200 controllers you have hooked to it are perfectly centered. Even a slight off-center 5200 stick will cause trouble. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classics Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 Have you tried doing the adjustment using the diagnostic cart? It will let you adjust the stick and see the actual pot register value so you can get it centered just right. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phonedork Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 Have you tried doing the adjustment using the diagnostic cart? It will let you adjust the stick and see the actual pot register value so you can get it centered just right. Steve I used Petes Diagnostics through your wonderful Atari 5200 Multicart. I opened the controller and saw 4 pots?? I guess thats what there called. Amyway Two of these things that controll up and down are not reading on the diagnostics cart. Top and right are not registering. Bottom and left work fine. I am guessing I can go to a arcade supply store and replace them. Is there a certain type??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phonedork Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 So anyway I go to an arcade shop and replaced all 4 directional clickers and wired them all normally closed. Comes to find out that the bottom left and right need to be wired as normally open. Because somehow the cabling is daisy chained to the 5200 joystick you have to plug in. But I was using my 5200 paddle controllers for the number keys. It appears that the competition pro is not like the Wico. Because when the wico is plugged in it does not read the analog stick of the actual 5200 controller that you use for the keypad. the competition pro reads BOTH the analog stick of the 5200 and its own digital stick at the same time. So if your analog is not centered it will cause problems when you move even though you are using the digital stick, and being that I had paddle controllers hooked up it was definately not centered on the analog side so that is why my controls went haywire. So by putting a 5200 stick for the keypad and making sure it was centered I was able to use my competition pro. Its a great controller by the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seethransom Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 My Compy Pro is just Wonkey. It pulls right, and the A button makes it pull left. None of the directionals work right. Inside it all looks good. I have made sure to center the stock controller. I do have Pete's Diag. I have been able to work stock, and Wico controller's fine. I have also calibrated the inside POT. I do not understand what can go wring inside the digital controller? Can anyone help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Kai Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 The key to the Comp Pro for me is ensuring the 5200 controllers you have hooked to it are perfectly centered. Even a slight off-center 5200 stick will cause trouble.This. I like to center my 5200 analog stick with Berserk. Once my guy doesn't move, it's centered. Then, enjoy your competition pro. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bohoki Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 i center mine with missile command you could use star wars but parker brothers games sometimes act a little screwy even kaboom and superbreakout are different try it yourself pop in super breakout center your paddle then turn it off pop in kaboom and you will see the buckets skewed to one side a little Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7800 Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 The key to the Comp Pro for me is ensuring the 5200 controllers you have hooked to it are perfectly centered. Even a slight off-center 5200 stick will cause trouble. ^^^ This ^^^ So long as your 5200 controller is centered just the right way, the Comp Pro should work awesomely. You may need to fiddle with the analog stick to get it right were it needs to be... but that's the nature of the CX-52, it's a very quirky controller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie_ Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 ^^^ This ^^^ So long as your 5200 controller is centered just the right way, the Comp Pro should work awesomely. You may need to fiddle with the analog stick to get it right were it needs to be... but that's the nature of the CX-52, it's a very quirky controller. If I had a comp pro I would take a spare 5200 controller, set the internal pots to center using the diagnostic cart. Then put the stick back together with the movement slides removed so that it would not be movable from the center position. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegamezmaster Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 (edited) If I had a comp pro I would take a spare 5200 controller, set the internal pots to center using the diagnostic cart. Then put the stick back together with the movement slides removed so that it would not be movable from the center position. Sounds like a great idea! Anyone know where a instruction manual for the Atari 5200 Competition Pro controller can be found? I've tried searching the internet but can't find anything. Specifically what functions do the single left and right buttons do? Just firing? Got mine loose and would like the instructions. Thanks for any help! Edited April 18, 2014 by thegamezmaster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joystickjedi Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 Sounds like a great idea! Anyone know where a instruction manual for the Atari 5200 Competition Pro controller can be found? I've tried searching the internet but can't find anything. Specifically what functions do the single left and right buttons do? Just firing? Got mine loose and would like the instructions. Thanks for any help! Pretty sure left is Fire 1 (top) and right is Fire 2 (bottom) although I may have it reversed.... =P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintagegamecrazy Posted July 19, 2016 Author Share Posted July 19, 2016 I still need help with this. I have two Competition Pro Joysticks and both react the same way. I tried adjusting the pokey pot all the way in each direction and the stick still won't go left or up on Bounty Bob or the multicart menu. I am also noticing issues with HERO. I can go left and up in that game but no matter what I can't go up-left diagonal. Is my pokey possibly bad? I think I am going to test this out on several other systems that I own. I really wish I could enjoy these Comp Pros more but they're not much help one the games they'd work best with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintagegamecrazy Posted July 19, 2016 Author Share Posted July 19, 2016 Update: I tried my other working Atari 5200 two port console and I get the exact thing with a Competition Pro stick. I can't go left or up with it. I now know that this is not a pokey calibration issue but just the Comp pro not working with everything. I know it works because it's a godsend for Super Cobra and works perfectly with that game. I get it that very few own Bounty Bob Strikes Back like I do but can anyone of you try the Sean Kelly multicart, HERO or some form of A&E and see if you have the same issues like I do? I am going to try this on my 4 port console but I'd be darned if I could find my switchbox right now. Thanks again Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Mitch Posted July 19, 2016 Share Posted July 19, 2016 I still need help with this. I have two Competition Pro Joysticks and both react the same way. I tried adjusting the pokey pot all the way in each direction and the stick still won't go left or up on Bounty Bob or the multicart menu. I am also noticing issues with HERO. I can go left and up in that game but no matter what I can't go up-left diagonal. Is my pokey possibly bad? I think I am going to test this out on several other systems that I own. I really wish I could enjoy these Comp Pros more but they're not much help one the games they'd work best with. Do you have a standard 5200 controller plugged into the Y cable? You need it and it needs to be centered. Mitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintagegamecrazy Posted July 19, 2016 Author Share Posted July 19, 2016 I have tried it with a standard controller worth a removed stick and centered pots and with multiple wico sticks with wico keypads on two different consoles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsralph Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 (edited) Update: I tried my other working Atari 5200 two port console and I get the exact thing with a Competition Pro stick. I can't go left or up with it. I now know that this is not a pokey calibration issue but just the Comp pro not working with everything. I know it works because it's a godsend for Super Cobra and works perfectly with that game. I get it that very few own Bounty Bob Strikes Back like I do but can anyone of you try the Sean Kelly multicart, HERO or some form of A&E and see if you have the same issues like I do? I am going to try this on my 4 port console but I'd be darned if I could find my switchbox right now. Thanks again Doug By coincidence, I plugged in the Comp Pro for BBSB on a 4-port last night and found I couldn't go left or up. I moved on to a regular controller and didn't try it on other games, but it definitely was working before, so now I am curious. Added note: I have two working Comp Pros, both did the same thing. Edited July 26, 2016 by itsralph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintagegamecrazy Posted July 26, 2016 Author Share Posted July 26, 2016 itsralph you answered one of my questions, I couldn't find my switchbox so couldn't test my 4 port but I see that it has the same problem too. What is it with these few games? Competition Pro has been great for many other games for me, just played a long game of Astrochase and it pulled its weight for that game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bohoki Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 have you tried making a comp pro dongle with some 240k resistors one between pin 9 and 10 and the other between 9 and 11 and a push button to jump pins 4 and 7 to press start (of course that wont help with games you need the keypad for like bounty bob and countermeasure) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Kai Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 You know what I was having some problems with my Comp Pro, where I couldn't go UP with HERO, Pitfall and Zaxxon, and I wasn't getting a very good general precision with other games like Super Pac-Man and Beef Drop (even though those would work in all directions). So, I decided it must be the pot inside the console. I took apart the case of the 5200 yesterday, and plopped in Hero and adjusted the pot until all 4 directions worked properly. Double checked my adjustment with other games and now everything seems to be working just fine, and the responsiveness is overall better too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0078265317 Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 I have one also and it never worked right from since I got it off ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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