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Awesome new adapter comming from Edladdin Controllers!


thevnaguy

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I make these Colecovision arcade controllers. I don't sell many for some reason.

 

It supports 4 buttons and keypad. I also make a 4-way gate for games like Pac-Man.

 

That's a handsome unit! How much are they? Where/how can people order them?

 

For my project, its discouraging that you do not sell very many!

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It doesn't. Just double checked with the manual on Kamshaft's site:

 

OH!

 

So, uh... Is it safe to say that the spinner is not going to be the Killer Feature that sells a million arcade Coleco controllers?

 

Is anyone dying for the spinner?

 

Sports games are at the bottom of my personal interest list, so I have never actually played any of the three.

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That's a handsome unit! How much are they? Where/how can people order them?

 

For my project, its discouraging that you do not sell very many!

 

I think I sold 2 or 3. Price was $200, then $180 I think, now I'm trying to sell them for $150. $150 is below my cost to produce them.

 

edit: New price is $175. I just can't see losing money on something I put my time into. If they don't sell, oh well.

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OH!

 

So, uh... Is it safe to say that the spinner is not going to be the Killer Feature that sells a million arcade Coleco controllers?

 

Is anyone dying for the spinner?

 

Sports games are at the bottom of my personal interest list, so I have never actually played any of the three.

 

For me personally, I have not played any of the games that used it in years. I always felt it was a cool feature of the SAC that was totally under-utilized. Had it been part of the original CV controller as prototyped, I'm sure we would have seen it's functionality used in many more games, but as it is now, it's not something I would suggest any hardware homebrewer put any focus on at all. Just IMO.

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For me personally, I have not played any of the games that used it in years. I always felt it was a cool feature of the SAC that was totally under-utilized. Had it been part of the original CV controller as prototyped, I'm sure we would have seen it's functionality used in many more games, but as it is now, it's not something I would suggest any hardware homebrewer put any focus on at all. Just IMO.

I agree. The spinner doesn't really work like a paddle controller anyhow, it's a really cheap and useless device. If you leave it out of your controller, no one is going to miss it.

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I agree. The spinner doesn't really work like a paddle controller anyhow, it's a really cheap and useless device. If you leave it out of your controller, no one is going to miss it.

 

Given the comments, this is probably what we will do.

 

However, I have one more idea that would be easy and inexpensive to implement but needs to be tested. Namely, the spinner is just a magnet that triggers two reed switches - one for each direction. We're going to see if we can replace this with two more Happ pushbuttons - one for left and one for right. The idea is that it would work similarly to the "run" buttons on Track and Field - instead of spinning, tap the left button to go left. Tap the left button quickly to go faster to the left!

 

The input circuit is already on the PCB, so this would be a fun solution if it works. I'll let you all know how this turns out.

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Regarding using the adapter that has a passthru for the Colecovision controller, I want to REPLACE my coleco controller, not depend on it, in which case I might as well use the Y adapter I already have. I merely have to plug in my SA controller if I want to play the few two-button games I like (though there are reliability issues with the SAC as well).

 

I like grips03 controller, and seriously considered asking for one when it originally came to my attention, but it's made from second hand controllers, so I passed. At $200+, I want new hardware.

 

Might spring for it if under $100, but I sure don't want someone to lose money on something like this with so much sweat in it. I also wasn't aware the price had been lowered, but at the same time haven't really forced myself to decide if I must have the joystick on the right, which this doesn't.

 

I guess I'm sort of caught between "finding the perfect solution that doesn't yet exist" and "living with the imperfect but tolerable solution I've been using for 30 years".

 

Also, absolutely NO need for a spinner...I hate those sports games anyway.

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Given the comments, this is probably what we will do.

 

However, I have one more idea that would be easy and inexpensive to implement but needs to be tested. Namely, the spinner is just a magnet that triggers two reed switches - one for each direction. We're going to see if we can replace this with two more Happ pushbuttons - one for left and one for right. The idea is that it would work similarly to the "run" buttons on Track and Field - instead of spinning, tap the left button to go left. Tap the left button quickly to go faster to the left!

 

The input circuit is already on the PCB, so this would be a fun solution if it works. I'll let you all know how this turns out.

This could be a nice idea, but only if your buttons are calibrated properly. In Super Action Baseball, for example, you have to spin the spinner as fast as possible to make your runner(s) run to the next base. The faster you spin, the faster they run. If your "replacement buttons" must be tapped rapidly to achieve the same result, it should be possible to reproduce the same effect with a regular human finger, if you get what I mean. Also, holding down such buttons should not produce a fast "auto-fire" effect, or that will equate to cheating within the games.

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This could be a nice idea, but only if your buttons are calibrated properly. In Super Action Baseball, for example, you have to spin the spinner as fast as possible to make your runner(s) run to the next base. The faster you spin, the faster they run. If your "replacement buttons" must be tapped rapidly to achieve the same result, it should be possible to reproduce the same effect with a regular human finger, if you get what I mean. Also, holding down such buttons should not produce a fast "auto-fire" effect, or that will equate to cheating within the games.

 

That's exactly what I am hoping. No autofire, just pure button pushing mayhem. :-)

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  • 2 weeks later...

This could be a nice idea, but only if your buttons are calibrated properly. In Super Action Baseball, for example, you have to spin the spinner as fast as possible to make your runner(s) run to the next base. The faster you spin, the faster they run. If your "replacement buttons" must be tapped rapidly to achieve the same result, it should be possible to reproduce the same effect with a regular human finger, if you get what I mean. Also, holding down such buttons should not produce a fast "auto-fire" effect, or that will equate to cheating within the games.

I like this idea, too, but anticipate you'll not get it working effectively. As best I can tell, the 'direction' function is based on which switch is triggered first by the magnet (A-B or B-A), followed by the second switch hitting as well. A typical Track & Field style button hitting wouldn't likely get the correct rhythm flowing if I'm imagining it correctly.

 

As for the Super Action buttons 3 & 4, I thought they were independent of the keypad, no? It seems like even in the pack-in game of Baseball using the 3/4 buttons and the keypad would produce undesirable results at times (IE Pitch speed conflicting with pitch type). (Here's another reference to the button mapping: http://arcarc.xmission.com/Web%20Archives/Deathskull%20(May-2006)/games/tech/cvcont.html)

 

I like the idea of what you're doing here, though! Curious what the RJ port is on the mother board, and what the price point will be. Neat work no matter where it lands, and I still love seeing what can be done! :)

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I think I sold 2 or 3. Price was $200, then $180 I think, now I'm trying to sell them for $150. $150 is below my cost to produce them.

 

edit: New price is $175. I just can't see losing money on something I put my time into. If they don't sell, oh well.

Thats cheap. I might buy one someday. I paid 250 for my 7800 arcade controller which is very nice but the coleco has alot more work to make and more money for the parts.
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Thats cheap. I might buy one someday. I paid 250 for my 7800 arcade controller which is very nice but the coleco has alot more work to make and more money for the parts.

I have 4 in stock and won't be making any more. If you buy one in the next week or two I'll include free 4 way joystick gate. Will also come with 8-way joystick gate too.

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I like this idea, too, but anticipate you'll not get it working effectively. As best I can tell, the 'direction' function is based on which switch is triggered first by the magnet (A-B or B-A), followed by the second switch hitting as well. A typical Track & Field style button hitting wouldn't likely get the correct rhythm flowing if I'm imagining it correctly.

 

As for the Super Action buttons 3 & 4, I thought they were independent of the keypad, no? It seems like even in the pack-in game of Baseball using the 3/4 buttons and the keypad would produce undesirable results at times (IE Pitch speed conflicting with pitch type). (Here's another reference to the button mapping: http://arcarc.xmission.com/Web%20Archives/Deathskull%20(May-2006)/games/tech/cvcont.html)

 

I like the idea of what you're doing here, though! Curious what the RJ port is on the mother board, and what the price point will be. Neat work no matter where it lands, and I still love seeing what can be done! :)

 

Hi Everyone!

 

Here's an update and a response to Murph74's points:

 

Well, the good news is that our PCB prototype DID successfully read the switch signals for the spinner circuit. However, as your predicted, the idea of using "track and field" style buttons was a failure as a replacement for an actual spinner. Turns out, to replicate the movement of the rotating magnet past the two reed switches you had to hold down one button, then hold down the second button at the same time, then release the first button while continuing to hold the second. Not exactly fluid and exciting gameplay! Given that no one here seems very excited about the spinner and its three supported sports games, we are going to stop worrying about the spinner and focus on a "Super Arcade Controller" that will deliver the other elements:

 

1. Ball-top Sanwa joystick with octagonal restrictor plate (has eight indents - a nice compromise for optimizing 4 and 8 way games)

2. Four Happ-Suzo arcade pushbuttons

3. 12-key membrane keypad

4. Drives either vintage or Flashback Colecovision

 

The deluxe version shown in the photo will also include the same adapter functions as the Seagull CV so you can use the on-board controls OR drive with the four external controller types: Atari 2600/7800, Vintage CV compatible, Flashback CV controller, Sega Genesis compatible. The membrane keypad is not shown on the prototype.

 

---

 

Our experience mapping Super Action buttons 3 (purple) & 4 (blue) on the vintage controller were that #3 was identical to pressing the "*" key on the keypad, while #4 is identical to pressing "2" on the keypad, though we will test to make sure the proto behaves correctly with all seven of the games listed in this thread.

 

Action button/keypad confusion would be consistent with your report on gameplay... The keypad on the original Coleco controllers used a diode matrix that looks at the intersection between row and column to identify your button press. If the bottom two action buttons are duplicating those two keypad presses, then you should get confusion when pressing an action button and also pressing a keypad button, or with pressing of both action buttons at the same time.

 

I could not get the link to open.

 

---

 

The RJ port on the PCB is for initial programming of the microprocessor that drives all the signal translation/conversion between the four controller types and the two consoles.

 

---

 

Almost at the finish line for pricing! The most shocking element yet has been the price to have the six holes stamped in the enclosures for the DB9 connectors. The case manufacturer wants more for the customization than they want for the actual case! We are looking at some alternatives...

 

Thanks for all the feedback!

 

Ed

 

 

post-40253-0-48613000-1447270122_thumb.jpg

post-40253-0-94691300-1447270169_thumb.jpg

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Our experience mapping Super Action buttons 3 (purple) & 4 (blue) on the vintage controller were that #3 was identical to pressing the "*" key on the keypad, while #4 is identical to pressing "2" on the keypad, though we will test to make sure the proto behaves correctly with all seven of the games listed in this thread.

 

Action button 3 is not keypad *

Action button 4 is not keypad 2

 

Grab a Super Action Controller and use the Atarimax test rom

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Action button 3 is not keypad *

Action button 4 is not keypad 2

 

Grab a Super Action Controller and use the Atarimax test rom

 

Exactly what I was thinking. The SA controllers also include a keypad so the purple and blue button presses must be different to the keypad so that every button press is unique.

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Action button 3 is not keypad *

Action button 4 is not keypad 2

 

Grab a Super Action Controller and use the Atarimax test rom

 

Ah, ok! Thanks for that!

 

The vintage Super Action Controllers we got from ebay were in terrible condition, so it looks like we got some bad data.

 

Ed

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Ah, ok! Thanks for that!

 

The vintage Super Action Controllers we got from ebay were in terrible condition, so it looks like we got some bad data.

 

Ed

A defective Super Action Controller will indeed give you these false/incorrect readings when pressing the blue and purple Super Action firebuttons... especially these two buttons.

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A defective Super Action Controller will indeed give you these false/incorrect readings when pressing the blue and purple Super Action firebuttons... especially these two buttons.

 

 

I'll be the first to admit, its a little embarrassing... But not even slightly as embarrassing as if we'd proceeded toward production with the wrong conclusions! I am very grateful to have you guys to save the day!

 

Our Achilles heel... We were using the diagnostic program on the CV Flashback to test the various keypads and functions through the Seagull adapter PCB. I didn't know about the test program on the AtariMax cart that would also allow us to test the purple and blue SAC buttons, nor had we yet built the prototype seen in the last photo.

 

Whew!

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Ed,

 

Sorry, the forum linker corrupted the link I was referencing by adding the ")" to the link. This on should work:

 

http://arcarc.xmission.com/Web%20Archives/Deathskull%20(May-2006)/games/tech/cvcont.html

 

Thanks for the update and responses! :)

 

Steve

 

And there is the exact info needed to set things right with a minimum of hassle! THANK YOU!

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