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Yet Another Masterplay Clone


smbaker

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Mounted the boards on laser cut acrylic with rubber feet on the bottom. I really like how they came out

 

@smbaker, john_q_atari and DrVenkman - I have extra cut acrylics. PM me if you want me to send you 1 or 2 at no cost to you (I'll pay postage)

 

 

That is indeed very kind and generous of you. Thank you very much. PM has been sent.

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From my notes earlier, with the power off and the IC removed, using the two-pin pads adjacent to each pot, I measured 265K on the top one and 263K on the bottom one (the difference between 265K and 263K is probably not significant).

 

So I would start by verifying your pots are in the ballpark of those values. If that still doesn't get performance within reasonable limits, can you use a traditional controller on port 1 of the 5200, and the masterplay clone on port 2, to navigate into Pete's test cartridge? I don't have an atarimax, so I'm not entirely sure how the menu system works.

 

Scott

 

 

Adjusted posts to 265K. (All 4 were at 475K initially).

 

Did not work

 

Got Pete's test cart running on AtariMax using your instructions. Values show extreme left and extreme up on each adapter. interestingly values were the same for the two even though I forgot to reinsert the DG413DHZ in one of the adapters.

 

IMG 4204

IMG 4203

Value is 9 9. (Cannot get photos to post correct. Either upside down or rotated left)
I checked all the resisters with a multimeter whle I had the DG413DHZ out. They were what is on the BOM.
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interestingly values were the same for the two even though I forgot to reinsert the DG413DHZ in one of the adapters.

 

 

That is interesting. Without the IC installed, the only thing in circuit on each axis should be the 10M resistor and the diode. It should read full right (I think that's what DrVenkman's did when he tried it with the IC removed), not full left.

 

Scott

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That is interesting. Without the IC installed, the only thing in circuit on each axis should be the 10M resistor and the diode. It should read full right (I think that's what DrVenkman's did when he tried it with the IC removed), not full left.

 

Scott

 

Yeah, mine both read full-down/full-right without the IC inserted. Actually one reads off-scale high but if I wiggle around the 15-pin extension cable I can get 200+ values on both axes. The other is solid at about 205 - 209 values on both axes (recall I rebuilt my first one and then built the second one using different values of resistors in place of the 10M ones but it didn't help). With the ICs inserted they are both up and left - even with the trim pots maxed out they only read in the upper 50s/low 60s range and move exactly one unit when an attached stick is moved down or left.

 

The thumbsticks are between 109 - 119 or so for both, and a CX-52 I pulled out to test is about 109 - 112 on both axes when centered as best as I can get it.

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Still not working, but getting there.

 

Turns out I forgot to install the 0.1 uf capacitor on both boards. Installing them still gives a "stuck" controller but I can change directions by moving the stick. When I get time I'll play with the pots. Values "at rest" with cap installed is 24 and 24 for both adapters with all pots set at 265K resistance.

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Still not working, but getting there.

 

Turns out I forgot to install the 0.1 uf capacitor on both boards. Installing them still gives a "stuck" controller but I can change directions by moving the stick. When I get time I'll play with the pots. Values "at rest" with cap installed is 24 and 24 for both adapters with all pots set at 265K resistance.

Do you have 0.22 uf capacitors to try? Or two 0.1 uf in parallel? This may increase centerpoint and range. You could also try adding a 0.1 uf capacitor between pins 10 and 9 and also 11 and 9 to try to achieve the same result.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Rayik, I'm still concerned that you're getting a low value when the IC is not installed. Can you triple-check that the 10M resistor is 10M (and not, for example, 10K which is a similar color code) and that the diode polarity is correct?

 

Scott

 

All resisters are correct values. I just double checked with digikeys resitor five band color calculator

 

The diodes I used were 1N4148TR (Digikey part #: 1N418FSCT-ND) I also bought 1N4148TR (Digikey part #: 1N4148FSCT-ND) but don't know if swapping them out will make a try.

 

I do have a couple of other 5200s. However we have only modern flat panels and there is no way to connect them to see the video. (The one I'm testing with has a Sophia rgb adapter installed and connects to hdtv through OSSC)

 

I did try doubling up the .11uf capacitor as suggested by Swami and that had no effect.

 

At this point I don't know what to do.

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I haven't had the opportunity to mess around with my 5200 hardware in the last few weeks so I'm kind of at a loss here too. I'd really like to know why the MPC board I tested worked on my glitchy (now totally non-functional) 5200 but not on my daily-driver machine that I use all the time. I have the parts to do power mods on both boards to eliminate the need for the (one) switchbox I own, so I hope to mod the glithy/dead machine first and then get it powered for testing without taking my othwerwise-good system out of rotation.

 

Once I get the glitchy/dead machine fixed, with luck it will still work with the MPC clone and I'll be able to figure out why THAT one works (worked?) with the board while my other system does not.

Edited by DrVenkman
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At this point I don't know what to do.

 

I don't have any good suggestions left at this point. I did just try my prototype and verified that removing the IC gives me an open circuit indication on the 5200. I tried putting a 10K resistor in parallel with the 10M, and was able to bring it down to a 5 reading, which is consistent with what you're seeing. Looking at the schematic, I don't see an obvious place where a bridged solder joint would be responsible (and it would be surprising for the same problem to occur on both axis).

 

Can you post a picture of the board? Maybe another set of eyes will help and I can spot something.

 

Scott

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  • 3 months later...

Just a bump/update on my troubles with Scott's MPC boards -

 

Not surprisingly, it was the POKEY adjustment resistor (potentiometer in all but name). I had time and inclination to experiment FINALLY this afternoon, so I opened up my daily-driver 4-port, plugged in Pete's Test Cart and adjusted the pot a tiny bit to tweak the cursor mark inside the box just a bit closer to the center - it didn't take much movement of the pot, and I didn't actually adjust the position of the cursor all that much.

 

But after that, I tried my two go-two test games for 4-way control: Ms. Pac-Man and Defender. Both work perfectly now with both MPC boards. :thumbsup: :)

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Just a bump/update on my troubles with Scott's MPC boards -

 

Not surprisingly, it was the POKEY adjustment resistor (potentiometer in all but name). I had time and inclination to experiment FINALLY this afternoon, so I opened up my daily-driver 4-port, plugged in Pete's Test Cart and adjusted the pot a tiny bit to tweak the cursor mark inside the box just a bit closer to the center - it didn't take much movement of the pot, and I didn't actually adjust the position of the cursor all that much.

 

But after that, I tried my two go-two test games for 4-way control: Ms. Pac-Man and Defender. Both work perfectly now with both MPC boards. :thumbsup: :)

 

Great news, I am completely electronically illiterate but this sounds good ;)

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Great news, I am completely electronically illiterate but this sounds good ;)

Basically, I made a tiny tweak to this component. :)

 

post-30400-0-81347200-1554556993_thumb.jpeg

 

Ataris Field Service Manual calls it the POKEY Adjust Resistor but its effectively a potentiometer, just like the color potentiometer (the larger, similar part further back to the right).

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Acrylics mailed today. Enjoy

 

Just wanted to also say thanks to Bob for these. When I had trouble getting my boards to work and set the project aside last fall, I forgot about this generosity. Just wanted to make sure I posted a public acknowledgement. The acrylics look great. :)

 

post-30400-0-29419400-1554569944_thumb.jpg

 

post-30400-0-68480100-1554569970_thumb.jpg

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  • 4 weeks later...

I ended up doing my own thing here using Dr. Baker's schematic and BOM as the guide. It works great. With the PAM SALT ROM I get Pokey values of 10-12 on the low end and over range at the high. And no problems with using trimmers to get the middle right. One thing on the schematic, I think the DB9 is shown from the joystick side instead of the console side, otherwise easy to follow and hook up. Thanks again for putting the design out there.

 

post-8282-0-29823000-1557090012.jpg

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  • 2 months later...
  • 1 month later...
On 7/6/2019 at 1:48 PM, Krispy3371 said:

I would be interested if any of these are available

Second that.  Unfortunately at this point I would be looking for a completed version.

Would love to know if and when any of the completed ones are available.

Been getting my boys into the Atari 5200 the past few weeks.  Good times and fun memories!

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10 hours ago, geo said:

Second that.  Unfortunately at this point I would be looking for a completed version.

Would love to know if and when any of the completed ones are available.

Been getting my boys into the Atari 5200 the past few weeks.  Good times and fun memories!

 I don’t think any pre-assembled units are going to be made. At least, I haven’t heard of anyone considering that. 
 

Scott has boards for sale periodically - once you have the boards in hands, parts to build a pair are about $25-$30 each last I checked. They do take some time to assemble - 4 points to solder for each switch, 24 more for connectors, resistors, potentiometers, socket ... it adds up to probably an hour each or close to it if you’re being careful. Then testing each to make sure it works of course.

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1 hour ago, DrVenkman said:

 I don’t think any pre-assembled units are going to be made. At least, I haven’t heard of anyone considering that. 
 

Scott has boards for sale periodically - once you have the boards in hands, parts to build a pair are about $25-$30 each last I checked. They do take some time to assemble - 4 points to solder for each switch, 24 more for connectors, resistors, potentiometers, socket ... it adds up to probably an hour each or close to it if you’re being careful. Then testing each to make sure it works of course.

Would be fun to sit down and build one of these with someone showing me what to do.  I have soldered copper piping in the past and can program with Python, but I don't really know what to do with these.  Anyone that has built one live around Southeastern Idaho or Northern Utah?

 

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