Trak-Ball Controllers

[toymailman]

Hi everyone, I see Al has made available again some cool hacks! This is great news, and one of them I want to get is the Missle Command TB. However, I have actually never used or owned any of the Atari Trak-Ball controllers.

 

Which one should I get the CX-80 or the CX-22 version?

 

Is one more responsive, comfortable, durable/reliable, than the other.

 

Thanks!!

[Mirage]

I have the CX-80. I bought in new in box a few years ago, and I know I've seen them recently somewhere NIB (atari2600.com maybe?). Anyway, I like mine a lot. It's built solid, and works great. I had the CX-22 back in the day, and from what I remember, it was good too, though I haven't touched or seen one in over 20 years now, so I can't really say. I got my CX-80 for $10 or $15, and I think the price I saw recently was $15 or pretty close to it.

 

BTW, works well with Centipede, Millipede as well.

[A.J. Franzman]

Don't forget the Wico track ball...

[ApolloBoy]

From what I've heard, the CX22 is plagued with fire button issues, so I'd go for the CX80. Not only do the buttons work better, they're also larger. It looks sleeker than the CX22, too.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

You should be aware of some confusion Atari created.

 

Many CX-80 are technically actually disguised CX-22. If you get a CX-22, you can be pretty sure about what is inside.

[toymailman]

Thanks for all the help guys!

[mimo]

or the Roklan Trackball, if any one has one for sale let me know

 

[Thomas Jentzsch]

or the Roklan Trackball, if any one has one for sale let me know

 

That's not a real trackball, just a disguised joystick. Won't work with Missile Command TB.

[mimo]

IIRC the Wico is not a true trackball either

[Thomas Jentzsch]

IIRC the Wico is not a true trackball either

Yup.

[Captain Beard]

Many CX-80 are technically actually disguised CX-22.

I found this out the hard way. I scored a Missile Command TB from Atari2600.com a while back, got it home and discovered my trackball was busted (it had been in storage for years.) Went on eBay, found a brand-new CX-80 and Bought It Now. A week later, I plugged it in upon arrival and... nothing. What tha...?!

Someone here on Atariage clued me in, but now that it's come up again, I WANNA PLAY MISSILE COMMAND TB!!

 

So... anyone got a genuine, confirmed CX-80 they want to part with for less than the cost of a new Missile Command TB cart? ($23.00) I'll gladly make my worthless (to me) CX-80 part of the deal.

[BigO]

IIRC the Wico is not a true trackball either

 

I'm working on a (back burner now) project to replace the dead chip in my Wico trackball with a PIC microcontroller. I have it completed but am reworking the code to accomodate a pinout that works better with the Wico socket wiring.

 

I thought about making it dual mode. I can easily code it to just pass through the Gray code signals and have already tested it that way, but what real application would it have? I understand that one or more of Thomas Jentzsch's hacks could handle that format, but what's the extent in the 2600, 7800, XE realm of games that could use that raw signal? Is it even worth the price of the switch I'd add to it to make it dual mode?

 

I know there's at least one other possible mode (speed and direction?), but never understood it enough to code it.

 

(Speaking of the raw gray code, I wrote one program that emulated the 2600 driving controller. That one was definitely not worth the effort. I don't foresee ever effectively driving a car of any sort using a trackball.)

Edited January 15, 2008 by BigO

[shadow460]

I've used CX-22's exclusively for years. I've never had any gripes. The fire buttons have a little platis pin sticking out of the bottom that presses down the dome when actuated. Although the pin breaks off, it does not seem to affect the operation of the unit. If it's annoying, just super glue the thing back on. I left it busted because I figured it would bust again.

 

Long live the mighty CX-22!

[ATARIPITBULL]

Don't forget to try the "Joyball" Trackball action controller from Marjac Limited.

 

[iwan-iwanowitsch-goratschin]

Don't forget to try the "Joyball" Trackball action controller from Marjac Limited.

 

 

You own a lot of great stuff, mate......

[A.J. Franzman]

Wait, what you really need is one of these...