Jinks Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 I'm hoping to have everything for the Kickstarter complete in the next few weeks, then all the new Atari/Coleco products will be listed in the store. The prices will be close to the Kickstarter pledge amounts, but before I can finalize I have to sit down and figure out how much these products actually cost to build versus our estimates beforehand. The ultimate goal is to have everything in place with plenty of time for Christmas shopping. The Seagull CV controller adapter will allow you to use your UberArcade 7800 controller with either version of ColecoVision (classic and Flashback), with two button gameplay on the controller and keypad action on the adapter. Thanks for the reply! I will definitely get one of these from you when the time comes cause factory coleco sticks are beyond junk and most games are almost unplayable using it. Even with the ball knob it makes it 1% less sucky. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldenWheels Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 Happy to report my converter works great on both the 7800 and with my Coleco. Having quite a bit of fun using my Asciiware "power clutch" Sega stick on my Coleco. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inky Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 I've been toying with the idea of using one of these with my Raspberry Pi. Is there extra space inside to where I could mount it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAZ Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 (edited) Question: Has anyone gotten this controller to work with Xbox classic? I have an adapter that allows a DB-9 controller connection (Atari 2600/genesis style cord) to my xbox. I kinda wanted to use it to play pac-man (coinops or whatever). The controller works fine on a PC, and the device is wonderful! Edited October 11, 2016 by KAZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyReierson Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 (edited) Any update on when to expect controllers to arrive? Edited October 14, 2016 by AndyReierson 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edladdin Posted October 15, 2016 Author Share Posted October 15, 2016 Hi Everyone! Last month we completed and shipped the first round of products - the Seagull CV controller adapters. As soon as that was finished we began work on the next batch - the Super Arcade Controllers. This is the unit that serves up arcade controls in one of our new custom-made 14 inch wide aluminum cases: a Sanwa joystick, a 12 button membrane keypad, and 4-6 arcade fire buttons by Suzo-Happ, with output to the Atari 2600/7800, vintage ColecoVision, and Flashback ColecoVision. Custom-Manufactured Alumimum Enclosure From an assembly perspective, it ends up being easier to complete a single step or set of steps to the whole batch at once, so we set about adding the "speed button" holes to all of the enclosures where the Backers selected that option, adding the keypads and graphic overlays, mounting the control hardware, completing the internal wiring, and then finally installing the printed circuit board that interprets the control data and feeds it out to whichever game console it connected. First Batch of Super Arcade Controllers At this point, all of the Super Arcade Controllers are complete to this level: Panel Wiring Complete! Proceeding from there, I completed two of the controllers, which tested perfectly using the AtariMax and Nuvatec diagnostic software that we have used throughout the process of developing these products. Testing: Spy Hunter on the CV Problem Uncovered! However, in the course of play testing some games in our collection, I made a dreadful discovery. Exactly ten of the games for the classic ColecoVision did not operate correctly, or at all. The controller was dead with these games, then working perfectly with all the rest of them. It would be another week before I was able to meet with our design engineer to figure out the problem. Explaining the issue requires a bit of discussion on how our controllers operate versus the original, vintage controllers. Seagull CV Controller Board Most of the original controllers for these game consoles are really just a box of unpowered switches. When you push a button or move the stick, a switch opens and the signal runs to and from the console. All three consoles handled this and any power requirements a little differently: the Atari 2600 and 7800 each have a wire in the controller cord that provides 5 volts of power, the Flashback sends out a signal to take a survey of the controller status, and the vintage ColecoVision carries out all its interpretation inside the console. For the Edladdin controllers, we use a microprocessor to interpret all the incoming signals and put them in the right format for whatever console is connected. This microprocessor requires a tiny flow of 3 volt electricity to operate correctly. With the Atari, this power is drawn right from the 5 volt wire. With the two Coleco consoles, our engineer devised an ingenious scheme by which the controller steals tiny bits of power from the other console/controller operations. This scheme worked great except on these 10 games, where the game programmers apparently did not bother to tell the console to open all nine ports in the controller wire, so our power-stealing scheme failed. Solution Developed Fixing this problem turned out to be relatively simple. Additional testing revealed that we just had to feed the 3 volts to the controller from a different source and then the controllers worked perfectly with all 10 games. After weighing the options, it was decided that the best way to do this would be to add a long-life Lithium Ion battery to the controller, as well as a toggle switch to allow the battery to be turned off when not needed. The toggle switch will be mounted on the rear of the controller. The battery, a CR123A, should provide 8,000-10,000 hours of continuous use on the 10 games, with a 7-10 year overall shelf life IF users are scrupulous about turning off the switch when not in use on one of those 10 games. The battery will be mounted in a quick release battery holder, so it will be easy to replace as needed, though the enclosure will need to be opened up (four screws) in order to do so. Again, the battery is only needed for those 10 games, so for most games the switch will remain "off". New Toggle Switch Moving Forward At this point the batteries, holders, and switches have all been ordered and will be fitted to the Super Arcade Controllers that are already so near to completion. As soon as everything arrives and the work is done, we will resume shipping. However, I'm about to launch out on a BETAR sales trip that was scheduled back in the springtime, so work will resume in earnest in two weeks.I apologize for this unexpected delay. We tested the prototype controller with two different controller diagnostic programs as well as a couple dozen games, but it was not until I tested the first production unit against every single game title that this problem was revealed. The battery solution will ensure these controllers are usable on all the titles you want to play on your classic ColecoVision, as well as the Flashback CV, the Atari 2600, Atari 7800, and Atari-compatible consoles/8-bit computers. Best wishes, Ed The Troublesome Ten Alcazar: The Forgotten Fortress (Telegames) Antarctic Adventure (Coleco) Aquattack (Interphase) Cabbage Patch Kids: Adventure in the Park (Coleco) Centipede (AtariSoft) Defender (AtariSoft) Jungle Hunt (AtariSoft) Monkey Academy (Coleco) Sector Alpha (Spectravision) Sewer Sam (Interphase) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPR Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 Wow, what a very interesting discovery! To be honest, the delay doesn't bother me at all and I'm actually more IMPRESSED at the level of quality assurance you guys are going through to make sure everything works just fine. Looking forward to getting mine! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyReierson Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 ^^^That exactly. 100% OK with waiting longer if QA warrants it. Thank you for putting in the time for making sure all the kinks are worked out before shipping out product! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldLeader Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 Ed you have an Incredible work ethic and truly pay attention to every detail and clever solutions to any problems....We are lucky to have you! I have no problem waiting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiddlepaddle Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 Very interesting! Probably too late, but be nice to have a LED power light to indicate toggle switch accidentally left on (yes, even though it would reduce batter life). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edladdin Posted October 16, 2016 Author Share Posted October 16, 2016 Thanks to all of you for your kind replies. Our reputation is all we have, so I am grateful for everyone's patience while we nail everything down to 100%. We DID talk briefly about the idea of the LED... Decided against it because: 1. We would have to drill another hole in the enclosure 2. More expense for the part 3. Dramatic increase in power usage/reduced battery life. The microprocessor uses a minuscule amount of power, so leaving it "dark" would make a big impact on battery life. Cheers! Ed 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldenWheels Posted October 17, 2016 Share Posted October 17, 2016 Are these "troubleseme ten" games also an issue for the Seagull CV controller adapter or no? I have Defender and Centipede on the way to me in the mail... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edladdin Posted October 18, 2016 Author Share Posted October 18, 2016 Are these "troubleseme ten" games also an issue for the Seagull CV controller adapter or no? I have Defender and Centipede on the way to me in the mail... I honestly don't know! At the moment I do not have a Seagull CV controller adapter on hand to test. We shipped every one we made to Kickstarter backers. Would you mind reporting back when your carts arrive? If the Seagull CV does NOT work with Troublesome Ten, I will be happy to retrofit them with the battery solution. We will pick up the postage as well. *fingers crossed* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldenWheels Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 Will check it out as soon as my package comes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edladdin Posted October 19, 2016 Author Share Posted October 19, 2016 Will check it out as soon as my package comes! Spoiler alert... A Kickstarter backer from Germany has confirmed that the Seagull CV adapter is also DOA with the Troublesome Ten. :-( So this launches our first recall... I'm on the road now for this BETAR sales trip, but I think I can mobilize the team back in the office to get the recall started. We will arrange UPS return shipping for the dozen adapters that went out. You'll each get an email from UPS with a pre-paid shipping label that you can print out and put on the package. You will just have to call the toll free number to arrange a UPS pickup at your home/work, or you can drop the package at a retail UPS store if that is more convenient. We'll install the battery and switch, then ship your Seagull CV back to you. I apologize for all this hassle! We will do whatever we can to make this as painless and easy as possible. Best wishes, Ed 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPR Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 I apologize for all this hassle! We will do whatever we can to make this as painless and easy as possible. You guys are a class act! So glad I backed you! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edladdin Posted October 21, 2016 Author Share Posted October 21, 2016 Hi Everyone! Today we issued the return shipping labels to the 12 domestic (USA) owners of the Seagull CV controller adapter, as per the above post. If you are one of those owners and did not get one, please check your spam folders. I believe the email will be coming directly from UPS. If you still did not get one, let me know and I will help sort it out. Let me know if you have any questions! Ed 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inky Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 Now that's good customer service! Kudos! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamchevy Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 Next we need a vectrex controller Kickstarter 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariBrian Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 Next we need a vectrex controller Kickstarter I believe he said next is to see if a self centering analogue 5200 controller can be done . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edladdin Posted October 25, 2016 Author Share Posted October 25, 2016 Next we need a vectrex controller Kickstarter As AtariBrian said, once we get this Coleco project put to bed, my next priority is a 5200 controller. For that one the challenges are the analog, self-centering stick AND a source for a 5200-friendly molded DB-15 cords. Most of the DB-15s these days are made for PC and have those metal casings, so finding that is the wild card. I already have a solid lead on an analog joystick, but have not actually tested a sample. That's the second wild card. With that said, I have been chatting with Willie Culver about the guts of the Vectrex controller. That one seems pretty straightforward, so I would definitely consider it. It also needs the analog joystick (see above), but it would only require the still-common DB-9 cord, so that is a non-issue. Ed 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+lawdawg710 Posted October 27, 2016 Share Posted October 27, 2016 Ed, I havent had a chance to send my cv seagull back into you, but i should have it shipped by friday at the latest. I wanted to thank you for your prompt attention to the issue and being so quick amd willing to get it taken care of so quickly. Beyond impressed by all of this. So a very big thank you!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariBrian Posted October 27, 2016 Share Posted October 27, 2016 As AtariBrian said, once we get this Coleco project put to bed, my next priority is a 5200 controller. For that one the challenges are the analog, self-centering stick AND a source for a 5200-friendly molded DB-15 cords. Most of the DB-15s these days are made for PC and have those metal casings, so finding that is the wild card. I already have a solid lead on an analog joystick, but have not actually tested a sample. That's the second wild card. With that said, I have been chatting with Willie Culver about the guts of the Vectrex controller. That one seems pretty straightforward, so I would definitely consider it. It also needs the analog joystick (see above), but it would only require the still-common DB-9 cord, so that is a non-issue. Ed What about something like these ? http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-6-FOOT-Controller-Joysstick-Extension-cable-for-NEO-GEO-AES-System-Console-/381701927963?hash=item58df35341b:g:-ggAAOSwnipWaw0Z 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edladdin Posted October 27, 2016 Author Share Posted October 27, 2016 Ed, I havent had a chance to send my cv seagull back into you, but i should have it shipped by friday at the latest. I wanted to thank you for your prompt attention to the issue and being so quick amd willing to get it taken care of so quickly. Beyond impressed by all of this. So a very big thank you!!! You are certainly welcome. No worries on the delay... I'm actually still on the road, writing this from a hotel in South Dakota. All the needed mod parts are waiting for me when I get back: batteries, battery holders, toggle switch, and the diodes and resistors we decided to add to further protect the circuit. I really appreciate everyone's generous response on this problem. I was really embarrassed not to catch the flaw during the development process. Not fixing it was never an option... We could hardly claim to have the ultimate ColecoVision controllers/adapter if it failed on 10 titles, including giants like Centipede and Defender... Best wishes, Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edladdin Posted October 27, 2016 Author Share Posted October 27, 2016 What about something like these ? http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-6-FOOT-Controller-Joysstick-Extension-cable-for-NEO-GEO-AES-System-Console-/381701927963?hash=item58df35341b:g:-ggAAOSwnipWaw0Z WHOA! I have zero experience with Neo Geo, so I had no idea these existed. Order placed! If the sample gives a good fit, that's a major hurdle cleared! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.