7800 Controller Project

[+save2600]

Received my controller in the mail yesterday, and had a problem with it. I talked with Danth about it, and it was a simple fix I was able to take care of in literally 3 minutes.

Device works great, and had a great experience getting the issue resolved. I'm looking forward to whatever you have coming up the pike in the future!

10 / 10, would recommend.

Uh-oh, I'm about to plug mine in... what should I expect?

 

-edit-

 

Mine work fine! Really, really nice quality feel to these. D-pad response is good and diagonals work great. Fire buttons nice and snappy. Been a while since I had NES pads in my paws, so these are a nice nostalgic throwback for me. Thanks Dan, couldn't be happier! Well, not until I remove the middle buttons and slap an Atari badge in that space.

[toiletunes]

got mine today, works great! Thanks.

[Kaiju]

Got mine. Fantastic product. Well made, thanks so much. Will be sure to order another soon.

 

Now about that robotron dual stick/pad......N E E D

[DanthWader]

Well, not until I remove the middle buttons and slap an Atari badge in that space.

 

In version 2 i'm adding an option to jump start and select from left and right to PIN 7 which isn't used. maybe mod the console to the pause circuit from pin7 @ the port? Not entirely sure how that would work but wanted the option for a ground switch in the form of start and select...

 

 

I also agree I do want to axe them, and get those sweet delicious "atari" nes shells.

[AtariBrian]

Are you able to wire the buttons the opposite of each other . For me , this would be perfect for Bentley Bear so that run would be the B button and A would be jump . Then it would be the same as playing Super Mario Bros on nes . I think alot of people play Super Mario Bros always holding down run . If you can do that I would buy another controller .

[+-^CrossBow^-]

Are you able to wire the buttons the opposite of each other . For me , this would be perfect for Bentley Bear so that run would be the B button and A would be jump . Then it would be the same as playing Super Mario Bros on nes . I think alot of people play Super Mario Bros always holding down run . If you can do that I would buy another controller .

 

Though I haven't actually cracked one of these open yet, I imagine it would be a very easy thing to do to just find the wires for the fire buttons and reverse them within the controller for that purpose.

 

I received mine Friday and just got to try them out this morning. I really..really..really like these controllers! I finally managed to see each ship type in Xenophobe and have them start to repeat. I played my best scoring game of Xenophobe ever and in fact I found a glitch I'd not seen before in the game.

 

[Lynxpro]

 

Good afternoon Atari friends hope everyone had a great turkey day!

 

 

 

Awesome project, DanthWader. So when are you starting work on designing a thin PCB replacement for the curse-ed Flex Circuit in the Atari CX52 5200 Joysticks? Such a PCB coupled with Dome Switches would cure 90% of the complaints about that controller without resorting to using Best Electronics' expensive gold dot retrofit kits.

 

 

Another idea...for the 2600/7800/Atari 8-bits. For use with 3 button game pads. Use the Paddle Lines so 3 Fire Buttons can be recognized. That's how Dan Kramer & Co. got their custom 3-Fire Button Trak-Balls to work with the in-house version of [3-Base] Missile Command on the Atari 8-bit computers back in Atari's Consumer Engineering Division. Willie of Arcade USA added 3 such buttons to one of his CX22 Trak-Balls in preparation of the release of that game. Sadly, nobody has expressed an interest in releasing it commercially on Atari 8-Bit or converting it to the 5200...so far.

[Lynxpro]

With the SNES controller we could get real creative and turn it into a Robotron powerhouse.... with a setup like this...

SNES ROBOTRON controller.jpg

 

 

Replace the Fire Buttons on the Right Side with another D-Pad.

 

Isn't there a company that does custom retro controllers with such options?

[DanthWader]

Are you able to wire the buttons the opposite of each other . For me , this would be perfect for Bentley Bear so that run would be the B button and A would be jump . Then it would be the same as playing Super Mario Bros on nes . I think alot of people play Super Mario Bros always holding down run . If you can do that I would buy another controller .

 

 

 

Though I haven't actually cracked one of these open yet, I imagine it would be a very easy thing to do to just find the wires for the fire buttons and reverse them within the controller for that purpose.

 

I would be super simple just to switch PIN 5 with PIN 9

[Trebor]

Are you able to wire the buttons the opposite of each other . For me , this would be perfect for Bentley Bear so that run would be the B button and A would be jump . Then it would be the same as playing Super Mario Bros on nes . I think alot of people play Super Mario Bros always holding down run . If you can do that I would buy another controller .

 

The difficulty switches on the console determine what button is mapped for shoot/run and which button is designated jump for BBCQ.

 

If you want the "SMB" layout:

 

Left Difficulty Switch set to the right and Right Difficulty Switch set to the left.

 

It cannot be 'hot switched' in the middle of a round. The difficulty switches have to be set prior to starting a game/round.

 

To elaborate on the available configurations:

Left Difficulty Switch set to the left = Utilize one button controller scheme (Has to be a genuine one button function only controller). Joystick pressed up jumps.

Left Difficulty Switch set to the right = Utilize two button controller scheme.

Right Difficulty Switch set to the left = Button 1 runs and fires, Button 2 jumps

Right Difficulty Switch set to the right = Button 1 jumps, Button 2 runs and fires.

[AtariBrian]

Awesome

 

 

 

The difficulty switches on the console determine what button is mapped for shoot/run and which button is designated jump for BBCQ.

 

If you want the "SMB" layout:

 

Left Difficulty Switch set to the right and Right Difficulty Switch set to the left.

 

It cannot be 'hot switched' in the middle of a round. The difficulty switches have to be set prior to starting a game/round.

 

To elaborate on the available configurations:

Left Difficulty Switch set to the left = Utilize one button controller scheme (Has to be a genuine one button function only controller). Joystick pressed up jumps.

Left Difficulty Switch set to the right = Utilize two button controller scheme.

Right Difficulty Switch set to the left = Button 1 runs and fires, Button 2 jumps

Right Difficulty Switch set to the right = Button 1 jumps, Button 2 runs and fires.

 

Awesome , I thought I tried it that way but maybe it was when the game was on . Thanks Trebor !

[DanthWader]

I'm almost finished with the version 2 PCB. added compatibility with SMS and with some crafty wire swapping should work with a colecovision, minus the number pad.

[Lynxpro]

With all of the interest in NES controllers, maybe Edladdin should make an actual adapter like the Seagull 78 for Sega Genesis controllers.

 

And also one for the 5200. That would probably negate the Automobile Voltron menagerie that some folks are plugging in over in the 5200 Forum in order to use different system controllers with the Mighty 52. Camerica Freedom Wireless to MasterPlay Clone, to PS2 Adapter, to Bob's Your Uncle PC Gameport Adapter, to a PS3 adapter, to Hillary Clinton's email server, then looped around with Moss and Roy hooking up Christmas Tree lights into the mess, and then somehow it sorta works with an extra side of controller input lag. Just to play some gawddamn Pole Position with a Wiimote that someone's desperate grandma donated to Badwill after she learned the hard way that Saint Nick stiffed her because it wasn't actually a vibrator. And don't forget the Youtuber chronicling it all while thinking it's Vietnam because he's dropping a shite-tonne of F-bombs throughout the instructional video... Phuuuuuuuuk yeah. 'Murika.

[DanthWader]

With all of the interest in NES controllers, maybe Edladdin should make an actual adapter like the Seagull 78 for Sega Genesis controllers.

 

And also one for the 5200. That would probably negate the Automobile Voltron menagerie that some folks are plugging in over in the 5200 Forum in order to use different system controllers with the Mighty 52. Camerica Freedom Wireless to MasterPlay Clone, to PS2 Adapter, to Bob's Your Uncle PC Gameport Adapter, to a PS3 adapter, to Hillary Clinton's email server, then looped around with Moss and Roy hooking up Christmas Tree lights into the mess, and then somehow it sorta works with an extra side of controller input lag. Just to play some gawddamn Pole Position with a Wiimote that someone's desperate grandma donated to Badwill after she learned the hard way that Saint Nick stiffed her because it wasn't actually a vibrator. And don't forget the Youtuber chronicling it all while thinking it's Vietnam because he's dropping a shite-tonne of F-bombs throughout the instructional video... Phuuuuuuuuk yeah. 'Murika.

 

I strongly agree, the Seagal 78 with NES connector would be amazing. I wouldn't know the first thing about converting those signals for a 7800, someone with a few more eggs in their dozen would be more qualified. But that's a whole bunch of dongles hahaha.

I personally like just plugging a controller in and not messing with any attachments. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to play a game with a half-functioning controller... just ask Inky.

When I first started this I wanted to recreate the original CX78 euro controller like the new jaguar pro controller they are trying to make. If you've seen those posts you see the insane amount of money it takes to produce. I most certainly couldn't fund something like that.

So I sulked all the way to the NES store. You can buy the NOS cx78 from best its about 40 bucks now. Although its "new" they are still 30 years old. The controller I bought from best was garbage, the d-pad felt weird and foamy and most times you were going left or right it would tap up or down briefly. Super annoying... but I threw it in a 2600 4-switch lot on ebay and it sold for 80 bucks so sorry who ever thought they were getting a "steal" chasing a crap controller. I sold that 4-switch for 80 bucks and I proud about that. By the way, do not buy on ebay unless you don't care about money.

[Inky]

I'm almost finished with the version 2 PCB. added compatibility with SMS and with some crafty wire swapping should work with a colecovision, minus the number pad.

SMS Compatibility?

 

I should have waited! lol

[Inky]

 

Nothing is more frustrating than trying to play a game with a half-functioning controller... just ask Inky.

 

 

It's all good.

 

If anyone is wondering, Danth is a stand up guy. Don't hesitate in ordering from him..

[Mendon]

I'm new after about 8 years layoff from here.

 

So, what is the price and how do I order one?

[Inky]

I'm new after about 8 years layoff from here.

 

So, what is the price and how do I order one?

Woah! Blast from the past!

 

Welcome back!

[+GoldenWheels]

With all of the interest in NES controllers, maybe Edladdin should make an actual adapter like the Seagull 78 for Sega Genesis controllers.

 

And also one for the 5200. That would probably negate the Automobile Voltron menagerie that some folks are plugging in over in the 5200 Forum in order to use different system controllers with the Mighty 52.

 

I'd like something for the 5200 myself, but I gotta say I don't see the real point of a NES to 7800 Seagull. Sega Genesis controllers are cheap, plentiful, there's multiple brands of arcade sticks, turbo controllers, the whole deal. And next to no one collects Sega peripherals, whereas NES stuff of course is more valued, so turbo pads like the Zipper etc tend to be pricey.

 

Also, and JMO of course....1st party Genesis controllers are better than boxy old 1st party NES controllers!

[Inky]

The only NES - 7800 adapter I'd be interested in is one that supports the NES Zapper.

[DanthWader]

The only NES - 7800 adapter I'd be interested in is one that supports the NES Zapper.

I wonder how hard, if possible, it would be to convert one

 

I'm new after about 8 years layoff from here.

 

So, what is the price and how do I order one?

PM me, price is $25.

[+-^CrossBow^-]

SMS Compatibility?

 

I should have waited! lol

 

Don't quote me on this Inky, but I'm sure that once v2 is ready, we can likely bribe DanthWader into sending us just the PCBs to retrofit into our current case housings?

[imstarryeyed]

I think your project is progressing great!

 

In my opinion, I would not care if the controller was a NES or Sega Genesis style. I would ideally want a Genesis style controller where the "A" or Button 1 would be mapped to the Center button and the "B" or Button 2 would be mapped to the 1st and 3rd buttons.

 

Why would this be good? Well I have noticed that some games (e.g. Cosmic Avenger) often have the bomb and fire buttons mapped backwards. If the controller allowed for the center button to be the primary button then you could always just shift your finger positions if you wish to change the left and right buttons on the fly.

 

I also think a second controller would be perfect with 2 D-Pads with buttons on the shoulders, for those that wish to have a double joystick handheld controller.

 

In any case I think you are working on a great project that a lot of people can see value in!

 

Thank you again!

[+save2600]

 

I'd like something for the 5200 myself, but I gotta say I don't see the real point of a NES to 7800 Seagull. Sega Genesis controllers are cheap, plentiful, there's multiple brands of arcade sticks, turbo controllers, the whole deal. And next to no one collects Sega peripherals, whereas NES stuff of course is more valued, so turbo pads like the Zipper etc tend to be pricey.

 

Also, and JMO of course....1st party Genesis controllers are better than boxy old 1st party NES controllers!

 

 

'tis true about the Nintendo vs. Sega controller thing, but in my case - just want choices. The NES gamepad *is* a relatively uncomfortable and small pad to play with for very long - damn those edges! But does excel with some games. Plus, I wanted something that plugs directly into the 7800 without always having to drag out the Seagull adapter, which I also have a pair of.

 

Am still thinking an Atari badge of sorts (heck, even just the small rainbow line) to replace the 'select' and 'start buttons' would be pretty slick and make it even more "Atari like", since he went out of his way to get these NES game pads in black to match the 7800. I wouldn't have sprung for them had they been gray or sumguy's used NES pad modified to work with the 7800.

 

These new pads are very cool for what they are and appreciate all the work put into them. And then there's the new and custom board inside.

[+GoldenWheels]

The only NES - 7800 adapter I'd be interested in is one that supports the NES Zapper.

Would the Zapper work even with a converter? I think the Sega Light Phaser needs to be re-wired to work with an Atari. Some kind of different tech was my understanding.