Calibrating Atari 5200 Controllers

[+Ransom]

How does one calibrate the Atari 5200 controllers?

Edited March 6, 2009 by Ransom

[bohoki]

How does one calibrate the Atari 5200 controllers?

 

 

basically you need popeye and missile command

 

missile command is for precise centering and popeye is for thresholds(mainly the down threshold adjustment

[ninermaniac]

If you want to test the buttons play Miner 2049er.

 

BTW: A new boot helps keep it near center. The pot arms also move on the internal pots. If it moves left well but not right very well then twist the POT arm slowly to the right. Vice versa if it is the other way around. Same goes for the up and down. If it goes up well but not down then twist the POT arm down a millimeter or two until the desired movement is achieved. Opposite direction = movement desired.

Edited March 7, 2009 by ninermaniac

[Charlie_]

How does one calibrate the Atari 5200 controllers?

 

You need to open the 5200 and adjust the a knob inside. If you search for pokey adjustment, you might find more information here on this forum.

[+Ransom]

How does one calibrate the Atari 5200 controllers?

 

You need to open the 5200 and adjust the a knob inside. If you search for pokey adjustment, you might find more information here on this forum.

 

Diagnostic cart; loopback board; pot on lower right side of motherboard. Got it!

 

Thanks.

[atariksi]

How does one calibrate the Atari 5200 controllers?

 

You need to open the 5200 and adjust the a knob inside. If you search for pokey adjustment, you might find more information here on this forum.

 

Diagnostic cart; loopback board; pot on lower right side of motherboard. Got it!

 

Thanks.

 

Here's another method:

 

Hook up potx to pin 5 of DB9 connector, poty to pin 9 of DB9 connector and pot gnd to pin 7 of DB9 connector and then run the following on any Atari 8-bit computer after connecting DB9 to joystick port #0:

 

10 ? PADDLE(0),PADDLE(1)

20 GOTO 10

[MrRetroGamer]

I've found that different games react to the inputs from the joystick differently, so you may end up making the response in some games better while making others somewhat worse. Plus, the potentiometers in the joysticks can drift out of spec too and you really can't correct for that too much by adjusting the console.

[+Ransom]

Thank you for the options and advice. Once I get my hands on some good controllers, I'll set about trying to calibrate Pokey's input as best I can.

[Charlie_]

I think a masterplay interface can be used in place of a loop-back board. Plus they are very nice to have if you can find one.

[ninermaniac]

I've found that different games react to the inputs from the joystick differently, so you may end up making the response in some games better while making others somewhat worse. Plus, the potentiometers in the joysticks can drift out of spec too and you really can't correct for that too much by adjusting the console.

 

Exactly!

[Henry Lee]

My question:

To calibrate the controller by tuning the Atari 5200 console inner small pod, can we use Star Raiders' Galactic chart instead of Missile Command?

 

I recently bough 2 Best Electronic controllers and they are great.

Until now, I calibrated the controller by tuning the pod of the console, using Popeye and it works okay.

 

Extra question:

I noticed with Galaxian, when plugging one of the two controllers on the second port, the left to right movement is slow. I find it strange because it does that only with one controller and only on the second port. The other controller is fine with both ports.

Could it be the second port is weak?

Edited November 9, 2015 by Henry Lee