Magnavox Odyssey 2 Hardwired Controller Ver. Problems

[mtshark7]

Hey everyone!

So a friend of mine gave me a Magnavox Odyssey 2 (Hardwired controller) version. When I got it home it looked like someone tapered with it because both the controllers were disconnected from the unit as well as the RF cable. So I hooked them back together and I wasn't quite sure which side the controllers plug into the mother board? I tried both ways and the system loads the games but both controllers won't work.

 

It seems like the lock nut on the joystick broke off and the stick part just falls through the controller, I tried to level it and it still doesn't seem to work.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to fix these controllers? Also which way is the plug supposed to go into the unit?

 

If I can't fix these controllers I guess I could always gut out a few extra controllers I have and use those parts? Not sure if the wires are the same or not between the plug and the hardwired controllers.

 

Thanks!

[BassGuitari]

Dumb question: did you try plugging the controllers into both controller terminals? A lot of Odyssey 2 games use the right joystick and don't respond to the left. The problem could be simply that you didn't have the joystick in the correct socket.

 

I don't know about the stick falling through the controller though. Never heard of that.

[Seob]

You could try to mod it so it can use Atari joysticks. Look here for more info: http://videopac.nl/f...hp?topic=1327.0 and here:http://solarfox.triluminary.net/hwh_o2avc_p4.php

Edited July 18, 2013 by Seob

[mtshark7]

I was using Spin-Out! since it utilizes both controllers and nothing worked....Seob...i was thinking of doing that...actually I think that's my only option at this point but then I'll have two Odyssey 2's that are modded, haha...I guess I'll sell it once I mod it...not sure if there is any interest in that system...maybe I'll bundle it with my 10 duplicate games?

 

Not sure but yea I'll have to buy 2 atari controllers and 2 serial cables to complete the mod and maybe throw in the power LED mod and composite out.

[RickR]

I'm trying to determine how to use an Atari joystick on an O2 with detachable joysticks. maybe build a converter out of joystick cable extensions...although I think it will be critical to find extensions that have all nine wires.

[Jess Ragan]

It's a really, REALLY easy system to modify, so I would definitely take that route. I also presume that you could turn an Odyssey2 controller into an Atari 2600 controller with a 9-pin D-shell and some wires, so you wouldn't be losing that joystick if you were really attached to it.

[desiv]

I also presume that you could turn an Odyssey2 controller into an Atari 2600 controller with a 9-pin D-shell and some wires, so you wouldn't be losing that joystick if you were really attached to it.

Yep, after my original O2 died back in the day and I had my Vic-20 (with that horrible triangular shaped shaft joystick thing that I got with it), I took one of my O2 joysticks and wired it to work on the Vic.

It was my favorite joystick for ages..

 

desiv

[Jess Ragan]

Good call. That VIC-20 joystick was one of the very worst of a long line of terrible pre-crash controllers.

[Seob]

I've rewired my o2 joysticks so i can use them on a atari compatible port. Just cut the cable that comes from the board in two, leaving enough lenght to solder a dsub onto it. On the controller side also solder a dsub to it and you're done. Just make sure u rewire it correct.

[mtshark7]

Well I ended up taking two serial cables from work and splicing the ends on the wire harness that hooks up the two wired controllers and drilled two holes in the front of the console so the serial cables can go through. I also got carried away and added a LED mod that I figured out how to do myself. Also did a composite mod with dual Mono sound.

 

I have become lazy and didn't take pictures of doing the mods but I will take pics tomorrow of the finished product and working

 

Quick question: With the AV mod I know you get the video and audio signals off of the board at two junctions. In pics:

http://www.lukesandel.com/techgallery3/index.php/VideoGameTech/Odyssey2-Composite/IMG_3413

 

it looks like they took two wires for the signal, as opposed to using only one wire...I did it with two wires just to be on the safe side but I'd imagine you can only use one right?

 

So now all I need is two used Atari 2600 controllers and a AV cable and I'll be set

[Jess Ragan]

Well, one wire would be for the signal and the other would be for ground, so no, probably not.

[Seob]

Looks like both wires are connected to the same point. We sometimes do that when installing home security systems to boost the power. Better to use bigger wires, but sometimes you have to improvise.

This doesn't work when the wire is used for data. Timing differences due to different cable length can cause trouble.

[mtshark7]

As promissed here are a few pics of the mod I did. I agree, I think one wire would have been fine but it's fine...not like it was that hard to wire two extra wires lol.

 

Opps reached my file limit :-(

[mtshark7]

More pics :-)

[Jess Ragan]

So you daisy-chained ground off all three of those ports! Interesting... I'm pretty sure I used separate points.

[Osgeld]

yea its valid, most of your systems have a common ground plane anyway, where it gets messy is when you have mixed power supplies or an especially noisy ground (like in a car). See ground is not zero volts, its the lowest point in reference to the circuit, so if you measure ground and +5 volts in your system its 0-5, but if you do that in reference to true earth it may be 0-6 or whatever.

 

Ideally if you have everything nice and steady you want to connect grounds together so if ground A is 0.100 mv above ground B they will both reference to the same point, but if you have a situation where analog ground is 200mv above digital ground, then you have a earth chassis ground and you start mixing them it could take the 200mv from one ground and backfeed it to another ground that's less causing a loop

[mtshark7]

Yea daisy chaining the ground has always seem to work and less of a pain in the ass doing it individually...I'm surprised no one wondered about reasoning behind my placement of the LED power light...reason why I didn't do what 99% of every other modder does and have it next to the power button is because if you use the voice attachment it will cover the led light that's why I have it on the left side of the keyboard. My soldering wasn't the best with this project 100% due to being lazy and using a year old solder tip that is basically burnt out...Fun Tip for everyone on here that also does system mods...once your solder points come off you know it's time to replace the solder tip...two of my connections came undone while soldering the wires together :-(

[mtshark7]

I still gotta find a cheap pair of atari 2600 controllers...the one pictured is the one for my flashback 2.

[Seob]

I also used common ground on my videopac mod.

[Jess Ragan]

Man, now I'm not even sure how I had this wired up. The only picture I've got is from an early stage of the mod, with a cartridge jutting out of the bare circuit board. Naturally, you can't see the wiring on the underside. I thought for sure that I had ground wired to the solder points next to the audio and video pins, but now I'm not so confident of that. The only way to know for certain is to open up the system and check.

Edited July 26, 2013 by Jess Ragan

[mtshark7]

I also noticed these guys floating around ebay:

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 181078338355

 

I as well as a lot of other modders on here didn't use any amplification circuit.I just took the audio and video signal directly form the board.

However, I did notice the video is slightly better than the RF, mine has slight wavey-ness to it, but the sound is nice and crisp.

 

Has anyone on here used these boards to mod their Odyssey 2? If so, is it worth it? Are there instructions online on how to build one of these by yourself as opposed to spending $23+ on it?

[Jess Ragan]

A guy named SolarFox has this:

 

http://solarfox.triluminary.net/hwh_o2avc_p1.php

 

I dunno. I was happy enough with my own composite mod. Then again, the Odyssey2 isn't exactly cutting-edge, and it doesn't demand an advanced A/V mod.