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Masterplay Clone?


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This adapter is only designed for Atari 2600, Sega Master System, and Genesis standard controllers. Other controllers like the Intellivision, Colecovision, Astrocade, or Vectrex use a different pinout and may damage something. The Wico controller is analog so it will not work.

The keypad can be used with the Wico Y cable, I tested it out today.

If some of the buttons are not working, I would wiggle the connector going into the Atari. I've found that any problems getting the adapter to work can be traced to a bad connection. It seems the Atari's controller connector pins like to corrode after 30 years.

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I may need to buy another one. I had one, but cannot find it to complete my wireless 5200 setup. :? Haven't played with it in a while and it mysteriously disappeared.

 

Would any generous Atari Agers have a spare Masterplay clone to sell for a reasonable price?

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  • 1 month later...

After looking for a cheap Atari 5200 compatible controller extension cable for some time, I finally found one. eBay seller gamedoctorhk is selling neo geo controller extension cables that have all the pins wired. They are 4 feet long and work great with my masterplay clones (should work with the trackball too.) I paid $13.99 with shipping.

 

I still have parts and pc boards left, so I'm going to make another 8 masterplay clones for sale if anybody is interested.

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  • 1 month later...

I uploaded the schematic of my Masterplay Clone for the Atariage community's modding pleasure.

 

It uses only one IC and a few other components making it simpler to build than other schematics I've seen. It also works with more games than a real Masterplay.

Compatible with Atari 2600, Sega Master System, and Genesis controllers.

 

Notes:

I recently began adding the two diodes, which seem to improve stability.

The 0.1uf capacitor should be mounted close to the 5v input of the DG413.

The 10M and 22k resistors can be altered for max/min resistance values, although these seem to be in the sweet spot.

Pins 1-8 of the Atari joystick connector go directly to the keypad or a DB 15 pass-through connector.

The 1M pots are for adjusting the center (neutral) position on each axis.

+5v power is provided by pin 12 of the Atari connector.

 

Free to use, just please contact me if you want to mass produce them for sale or something.

post-31751-0-46924300-1343348392_thumb.jpg

Edited by low_budget
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  • 3 months later...
  • 4 years later...

<GRAVEDIGGING>

wLJwGAZ.jpg

 

I have most of the parts and only needed to order diode (the ones I have are huge 5A variety and not for this project) and the analog switch chip plus the case and keypad. The enclosure has number pad and buttons mounted. I made a boo-boo with the original file I sent for PCB, I used the silkscreen for female 9 pin connector, not male! This is why the male connector is upside down in the picture, it's the only way to make it work correctly.

 

Yes it does look like the variable resistor is backward but fortunately the pinout are reversible (center pin is tap) anyway so it's fine as it is. It would have mattered only if I was going to make a hole in the case for regular re-adjustment but I doubt it's needed at all.

 

The chip already arrived. I still need the diodes (estimated date of delivery June 10-22, tracking shows it hadn't left Mouser warehouse) and to connect the 5200 connector end. Fixed the file for that 9 pin connector, and I am planning to send it in for another run. I may change the 2x8 pin connector to use actual 15 pin socket instead, the ribbon cable to db15 connector are pretty scare since cheap stand alone sound card with separate gameport / MIDI port connector aren't common as they were 15 years ago.

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I keep reminding myself to get one of those Masterplay Clones. My OEM 5200 joystick no longer works properly, so the game has not been played in awhile, so then I forget about it... and then forget about ordering because it's "out-of-mind". When I see a posting like this, I think, "Yep better get on the stick and get one"... but then I forget who sells them. I also wonder why I didn't order one when I bought my 5200 unit... maybe it was too expensive or something. I dunno...

 

Anyway it's kind of sad and pathetic to see it sitting there unused... sml_gallery_35324_1931_148074.jpg

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I got the rest of the parts yesterday (Saturday) so I got around to finishing this. I ran into another issue, the 15 pin connector I was going to use. The pins I had on the board is arrainged as:

 

15 13 11 09 07 05 03 01
NC 14 12 10 08 06 04 02

but the connector with cable I was going to use is wired differently, unexpectedly:

 

08 07 06 05 04 03 02 01
NC 15 14 13 12 11 10 09

So my original idea isn't likely to work without reworking what I had, and since such connector with cable is already scarce due to diminishing supply of old sound card replacement cable (ATX motherboard with built in sound chip made this obsolete) so I'll just change the connector onboard to regular 15 pin D connector and use extension cable, less headaches this way.

 

The board with the corrected cable does work. I still need to adjust to get better centering as Pac Man keeps going down and right unless I pressed up or left. I need a better game cart for adjustment and testing all the functions. I don't have the flash cart, any suggestion for cheap cart that I can use to adjust the centering and to make sure all the buttons are working on my custom box?

 

Going to send off the revised PCB design Monday, it'll be about 2-3 weeks before I get them back. I used iTead, I can get 10 or 12 for only $5 plus shipping, OSHPark wants almost $20 for the same and they only offer 3 boards. OSHPark is closer and I could get it faster if I needed quick proto and testing but I can wait :P

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  • 3 weeks later...

Are you going to be selling them throu

 

I got the rest of the parts yesterday (Saturday) so I got around to finishing this. I ran into another issue, the 15 pin connector I was going to use. The pins I had on the board is arrainged as:

15 13 11 09 07 05 03 01
NC 14 12 10 08 06 04 02

but the connector with cable I was going to use is wired differently, unexpectedly:

08 07 06 05 04 03 02 01
NC 15 14 13 12 11 10 09

So my original idea isn't likely to work without reworking what I had, and since such connector with cable is already scarce due to diminishing supply of old sound card replacement cable (ATX motherboard with built in sound chip made this obsolete) so I'll just change the connector onboard to regular 15 pin D connector and use extension cable, less headaches this way.

 

The board with the corrected cable does work. I still need to adjust to get better centering as Pac Man keeps going down and right unless I pressed up or left. I need a better game cart for adjustment and testing all the functions. I don't have the flash cart, any suggestion for cheap cart that I can use to adjust the centering and to make sure all the buttons are working on my custom box?

 

Going to send off the revised PCB design Monday, it'll be about 2-3 weeks before I get them back. I used iTead, I can get 10 or 12 for only $5 plus shipping, OSHPark wants almost $20 for the same and they only offer 3 boards. OSHPark is closer and I could get it faster if I needed quick proto and testing but I can wait :P

Are you going to be selling them through eBay again once they are available?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Still waiting for boards. I've been playing with my original prototype and it played Pitfall II just great like a 2600 version with beefed up graphics. I may actually make real progress in the second quest, I could never do Pitfall II well with analog stick.

 

I'll probably have enough to make around 10 boards, you would need to pick up keypads separately, and if you don't have one a controller extension cable. The PCB mounded D-sub don't fit in 5200 because of the ears and I'm too lazy to hack em all. :P I went ahead and picked up lot of 10 analog switch chips to make boards with, if those works and aren't fake then it's only $2.70 each. USA seller wants around $5 each :/ I don't know what the final price would be for the small run.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

xDzXKWY.jpg

5J0FWSs.jpg

 

Finally got it assembled and done. All the stuff lined up just fine. I do have one problem: the source of the case has it listed out of stock. So unless I find another source of the same case, the mounting hole likely won't fit different case.

 

I could just sell the clone without the case and let you make one or use it naked. Still waiting on a few parts to make it finished and ready to sell. At this time I'll have 9 available

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xDzXKWY.jpg

5J0FWSs.jpg

 

Finally got it assembled and done. All the stuff lined up just fine. I do have one problem: the source of the case has it listed out of stock. So unless I find another source of the same case, the mounting hole likely won't fit different case.

 

I could just sell the clone without the case and let you make one or use it naked. Still waiting on a few parts to make it finished and ready to sell. At this time I'll have 9 available

 

Nice job.

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Do Atari 7800 controllers work as well?

 

No, 7800 controller is wired a bit differently. Only left button would work that correspond to 5200 bottom button, and using right button would short ground and 5v together. The circuit is hard wired to put 5v on pin 5 for Genesis controller (not used on SMS controller) while it's used as right button on 7800. I could make a minor revision by adding a switch that toggles pin 5 between 5v for Genesis and fire button for 7800 controller. Cut a trace there, a few pieces of wires, and a switch screwed in.

 

I do have 7800 controller to test with but I am not fond of it anyhow, it's somewhat uncomfortable compared to Genesis controller.

 

Update: I searched for a switch to test this. All I found are SPSTs, very long 10PDT, and a huge DPDT switch measuring 1"x2" so I'd have to pick up something a little smaller that isn't SPST.

Edited by 7800fan
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No, 7800 controller is wired a bit differently. Only left button would work that correspond to 5200 bottom button, and using right button would short ground and 5v together. The circuit is hard wired to put 5v on pin 5 for Genesis controller (not used on SMS controller) while it's used as right button on 7800. I could make a minor revision by adding a switch that toggles pin 5 between 5v for Genesis and fire button for 7800 controller. Cut a trace there, a few pieces of wires, and a switch screwed in.

 

I do have 7800 controller to test with but I am not fond of it anyhow, it's somewhat uncomfortable compared to Genesis controller.

 

Competition? I'm in! :)

 

I can offer bare or assembled boards with a case of better quality that can be sourced. Hell, I can include the case and keypad at my cost. I'll place an order of new boards w/ some slight alterations that will make it more user friendly for the DIYer. I can have them by the end of this month. My design also has a built-in paddle mode for games like Kaboom and Super Breakout.

 

I determined that these membrane keypads were unreliable in my testing and that's why I've stuck with the more expensive keypads that I've been using for years (they've never failed). Also, I abandoned low budget's circuit using the DG413 since the chip can be hard to find at a reasonable price. I instead opted for an equally reliable circuit that uses two CD4052's, which are reasonably priced and readily available. If you need to replace an IC in the future, which is more probable if you don't house the PCB in a proper case, you will be able to find them easily and for a fair price.

 

If there's demand for a DIY version I'm happy to provide another alternative.

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Competition? I'm in! :)

 

I can offer bare or assembled boards with a case of better quality that can be sourced. Hell, I can include the case and keypad at my cost. I'll place an order of new boards w/ some slight alterations that will make it more user friendly for the DIYer. I can have them by the end of this month. My design also has a built-in paddle mode for games like Kaboom and Super Breakout.

 

I determined that these membrane keypads were unreliable in my testing and that's why I've stuck with the more expensive keypads that I've been using for years (they've never failed). Also, I abandoned low budget's circuit using the DG413 since the chip can be hard to find at a reasonable price. I instead opted for an equally reliable circuit that uses two CD4052's, which are reasonably priced and readily available. If you need to replace an IC in the future, which is more probable if you don't house the PCB in a proper case, you will be able to find them easily and for a fair price.

 

If there's demand for a DIY version I'm happy to provide another alternative.

 

Yeah membrane keypad isn't reliable for long term or repeated plays but my plan was mostly playing games that didn't rely on keypad so it won't get much use, like Pitfall. I was never in the market for a large run of Masterplay clone. I get 10 PCB board with the order but I only needed 2, one prototype with the original (bugged) board and one finished design, and then offer the extra PCB to people who don't have the skill or experience in producing one.

 

If the keypad was going to be used a lot like Star Raiders, it'd be easier if it was on the controller itself, and Sega never offered a controller with built in keypad so it's either a 5200 clone, official 5200, or a custom controller which would defeat the original purpose of a masterplay clone.

 

EDIT: my version 1.03 board if anyone wants em: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3oz0vz3wcilbyig/masterplay_clone.zip?dl=0 brd and sch are Eagle file, the rest are gerber 274x format for most PCB jobs if you want to send them. It's already updated for 7800 support. The 2 pins header above the 5200 port is for 5v and ground for future use if I wanted to add something optional, those can be skipped for standard clone build.

Edited by 7800fan
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EDIT: my version 1.03 board if anyone wants em: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3oz0vz3wcilbyig/masterplay_clone.zip?dl=0 brd and sch are Eagle file, the rest are gerber 274x format for most PCB jobs if you want to send them. It's already updated for 7800 support. The 2 pins header above the 5200 port is for 5v and ground for future use if I wanted to add something optional, those can be skipped for standard clone build.

 

I respectfully withdraw my “like” of your post... I didn't notice your edit.

 

I was game for some friendly competition (even if that never was your intention), competition is good for the marketplace imho. And by competition, I mean competition with a worthy adversary who invested time and thought into this project, someone like you. In that scenario, the two competing parties each get some sales and the community hopefully gets an improved product at a lower price. Unfortunately, by sharing your work up until this point you've lowered the cost of entry to almost nothing. I can see why some would say something similar to, “Open sharing of these files is good for the community.” I disagree. If someone (or multiple someone's) now decide to make a run of your PCB's with the intention of making some quick money rather than the intended DIY objective, they have almost no money, time, or resources tied up in the project and can offer them for just above their cost and walk away happy. This person will likely add nothing to the project, use the lowest cost/quality parts they can find, and quite possibly not stand behind what they're selling if issues arise. They will likely fail in these areas, however, they may succeed in siphoning off the sales from the guy (Me!) who offers a quality, more polished product that they stand behind. And if sales dry up too much, there's little incentive to offer the higher quality product...

 

Perhaps I was a bit territorial with my initial response, I've had some sort of relationship with these silly little boxes for almost 5 years (time flies!) judging from the date of the photos I shared in Post #31. I meant no offense and hopefully none was taken.

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