Fixing Jag controller pins

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I recently acquired a Skunkboard. Yay! Homebrew time and (eventually) some simple game development. I haven't had a chance to test it yet though.

As part of the deal I bought a(nother) Jaguar with a hitherto unknown faulty controller. One of the pins is broken off, and another is bent. Technical question for anyone who's done it - how 'easy' is it to open up the plug section of the controller and solder a new pin in? My soldering skills are about 4/10, but I have friends who are 10/10. I'm deliberating over trying it myself or getting a mate to do it

In related news, I'm planning on getting in touch with the seller and if he doesn't work out some kind of compensation (or at least an apology), I'm tempted to publicly name the guy. I'm not vindictive and I'm not even worried about the money, but I did outlay a decent amount of $$$ and the principle of the thing is important to me.

Still, it gave me and excuse to briefly test out a bunch of games I haven't played in years...Battlesphere is still a fine speciment

 

[BigO]

Assuming it's a mass production, over-molded connector, cutting open and repair a high density 15 pin plug would be a non-trivial undertaking in my opinion. Maybe not impossible, but I don't know that I'd have the patience for such an operation.

 

Myself, I'd be more inclined to replace the entire connector if parts are available that will actually plug into the console. Such parts may not exist.

Replacing the cable is also something I'd consider before cutting open a connector like that to try to replace a pin.

 

Good luck.

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You bring up a good point. I had a look again and it doesn't look like a simple fix :-/

 

So, my next question does anyone here have a dead controller with an otherwise functional port that they'd like to sell me? I think I can Frankenstein the parts together if I cut the broken one off and replace it with a working port.

[+CyranoJ]

Isn't it the same pin out as a vga male cable? Chop the end off and join it to one of those.

[BigO]

Isn't it the same pin out as a vga male cable?

Doesn't necessarily mean it will physically plug into the Jag. The extra material that holds the anchoring screws on a cable (or whatever the heck they're called) sometimes get in the way when trying to plug into a console. I don't have Jag I can look at. Hopefully it will work. VGA cables are not in terribly short supply at this point.

[+Stephen Moss]

The bent pin you can probably straighten, as for the other pin depending on which one it is it may not be to big a problem as I think some controllers have all 15 even though not all 15 are used. If it is a critical pin I don't think you can successfully repair the connector, a replacement using a High Density 15 way D male is a better option, however even that is not simple as the curved front of the Jaguar makes it difficult to insert with the screw lugs on and even if you remove them from the connector the housing will still have them.

 

When I made cables for the Multi-Tap I use a heat shrink boot that was designed for circular cable connector with a special dual diameter design (wide for connector and narrow for cable), removed the outer case of the D connector, plugged it into a separate socket with the front of the plug over the front of the socket (to create a small gap) and then heat shrunk the boot over that.

You do have to keep the wires to the D plug short as the boot shrinks in both width and rather annoyingly length and so a bit of glue where it shrinks to the cable to help create a good boot to cable grip is advisable, the boot I used is quite think and so sets very firm after shrinking.

[032-Bias]

It looks like B & C Electronics has replacement cables in stock and they should fit both models of controller.

 

http://www.best-electronics-ca.com/jaguar.htm(see Jaguar Power Pad and Pro Controller replacement Atari Joystick cable)

 

"On the Jaguar Power Pads, this replacement Atari Joystick cable is a Direct Replacement for the Jaguar Power Pads with Serial numbers that start with the Letter “B” and have a Black Color (sometimes Light Gray) Pause, Option and Numeric key Silicon Pad Sets. This Atari Jaguar replacement cable with also fit all ProControllers and Jaguar Power Pads with the “G” series Serial numbers with Light Gray Pause, Option and Numeric key Silicon Pad Sets, but Requires you to enlarge the cable Strain Relief entrance hole on the top and bottom case set"

 

They also sell extension cables you could chop the female end off of to make a new controller cord if you get desperate.

 

Hope it works out for you no matter what you do.

Edited February 27, 2016 by 032-Bias

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Thanks for the info guys. I will follow up on the best electronics deal I think.

 

Yeah, it's a critical pin. I can't go left. Sometimes the l/r gets inverted :-/