Coming Soon! Drop in tactile switch controller boards

[Osgeld]

I have some work to do 

 

[Osgeld]

[BassGuitari]

6 minutes ago, Osgeld said:

 

😁

[pkriek]

orderd 4 , looking forward to it. all my joysticks are broken. 2 orignals and 2 china copies.

[laz455]

I just ordered a few sets

I'm already using them, they work great

Imagine how many joysticks are really being used broken...🧐

 

Thanks !!

[Phoenix79]

On 3/15/2020 at 3:41 AM, Osgeld said:

Thanks for this. I ordered a couple for my system 😃

[chas10e]

With all the carzyness I missed that these were in stock .... just ordered a pair thanks \o/

 

 

 

 

[mutterminder]

I had missed that your were selling these, but I guess I picked the right time to check out the forum.  I ordered up some, and I'll see if I can fix a couple of my older Atari Joysticks.   I usually use the XJ500, but sometimes I want to rest the joystick on a flat surface and you can really do that with XJ500.

Edited April 10, 2020 by mutterminder

[chas10e]

WOW what a great upgrade for the good-ole' cx-40

 

I knew I had at least a couple less than 100% reliable sticks around and wanted to give these a try.

 

First I grabbed a stick I had been moving around in a box that I have no idea where I got it (or why) plugged in Missile Command and the stick mostly worked as it was but was a bit sluggish so I knew I had a good candidate. first almost lost the spring for the button (forgot there was one there) inspected the nubs on the button and the handle (original "un-reinforced") along with the pivot pin on the bottom base of the controller and all was intact

 

The imprinted color code was very helpful and fortunately the crimped connectors were still in good shape. fitted it all togeather & saw the wires were directly across one of the screw holes ( I have learned to look for such a thing ) opened it up and the button & spring hit the floor  but was an easy retrieval.

 

Finally all fitted together. Usually I give 'em a quick test. With Missile Command still in, great for testing joysticks I started to play and after a couple waves I DIDN"T WANT TO PUT IT DOWN to move on to another thing until the game was done. Eventually I had another board to install but which controller ? ( I had 3 others readily available )

 

2 worked pretty ok & the 3'rd worked but it was a real effort to get the reticle on the screen to move and one hand working against the other I could feel the carpel tunnel want to set-in. so that was my 2'nd candidate.

 

After reassembly giving it a test I realized there was really almost no pressure needed of one hand working against the other to move or fire.

 

When I first opened the package I pressed one of the switches with my fingers & didn't seem "clicky" but when installed inside the controller it was quite "clicky"

 

I had some clear footies I installed afterwards so I could easily identify by sight what controller has these boards in.

 

 

Edited April 13, 2020 by chas10e

[Jaycee Baron]

Thanks, Osgeld, the boards are awesome!

[Osgeld]

new batch incoming, stock request notifications coming sometime tomorrow

 

daddy needs a laser cutter 😃 

[Osgeld]

More in stock 

 

 

https://osgeld.fwscart.com/CX-40_Atari_2600_Tactile_Switch_Drop_In_Replacement_PCB/p5988195_19269795.aspx

 

 

[+Pat Brady]

Just saw this thread for the first time and ordered 4.

 

I had plans to replace dome contacts with microswitches, but who knows when I might get around to that. Meanwhile all of my CX-40s remain mushy. Your boards look much better than my previous vague intentions.

[spspspsp]

I tried installing this board in a cheap CX40 I think I bought off AliExpress. I hate using this controller because the domes are incredibly stiff and loud. It sort of worked--I'm having trouble with the right and down directions (down mostly). It appears that with my Osgeld board, the joystick handle rests on the edges of these dome contact instead of the centers, and this prevents the inputs from registering.

 

I also put this Osgeld board into a CX40 I bought new from Best (with his new handle, silicon boot, and the gold contacts). I had the same issue with that controller. So, two different housings and two different handles gave me the same problem. I don't have any others to test with.

 

Has any one else experienced anything similar? Any suggestions on how I might work around this?

[AtariBrian]

Quit buying cheap joysticks and buy a better one??

[Jaycee Baron]

My boards arrived lightning fast and in good order. Thanks again, Osgeld!

[+wongojack]

Oh man . . . I finally got around to installing these and they are awesome.  I came to order more, but site is showing out of stock   Any more on the way @Osgeld?

[slacker]

Just saw this thread and was looking to pick 2 up for some worn out joysticks I have and saw like wangojack that they're out of stock.

[MMarcoux66]

Any estimate when these might become available again? Really thrilled with the one that I have and would like to install in a few more.

[Osgeld]

In 2021 I opened up my own small (legit) biz to do free lance engineering / prototyping / trade show gizmo's and whatnot in partnership with a buddy who runs a similar biz, but is more machine shop setup (his major is in ME and a side of EE, mine is EE with a side of ME) 

 

combined with my youngest daughter, who will be 2 this summer, my eldest entering kindergarten in 2021 and my day job as a Sr. Electrical Test Engineer at an automotive supplier as demand ramps back up, means ...

A) I learned a lot (4 co-bots teaming with vision and 3d laser scanners n junk, managing my personal biz and not taking a loss, dealing with two walking talking little persons and their challenges) 

B) I have not had squat time to do personal hobby projects

 

Side effect of the above is that

1) I am out of the 4th, 5th, 6th trimester of baby ... opportunities to grow 

2) I have extensively upgraded my home shop, including a second 3d printer (which has nothing to do with this) a 40 watt Co2 laser cutter (which makes better solder paste stencils among other things), a little toy 3 axis CNC, and a cheap solder reflow oven

 

I have started to re-design the board for easier construction, instead of single units handled one by one though the process of

A) each individual unit loaded into a jig with a solder paste stencil, apply solder paste

R) each individual unit has its switches placed 

G) each individual unit has its switches soldered by hand and a hot air gun

 

Usually in batches of 10 to 20 

 

The new process will be panelized (which we do at work all the time but its harder in the home shop)

Y) I can grab a single panel and a single jig and a single stencil of 6 to 10 units 

A)Apply solder paste to 6 to 10 units at a time 

Y)Still have to place the switches by hand but its easier when its in batch form

S)stick it in my easy bake reflow oven and start on another panel 

 

What all of the above means to you interested in this thread is 

B) The updated design allows me to fix alignment problems with the switches which improves quality and performance

A) It reduces cost to me in terms of labor 

R) Cost is reduced and quality is improved without a increase in price 

F) Quicker production time between runs with even more quantity available ... to the point where sales begin to drop

 

When I started this in 2018 I expected to do a couple dozen ... its at currently 1900 some odd units sold world wide

 

With the update I plan on having a 500 units before end of June, thanks for your continued interest (its going to paying off my RTX 3080) 

 

 

Edited March 3 by Osgeld

[Rob Mitchell]

Look forward to buying more merch from you. 

[Tempest]

I'll have to get some when they're available

[CMR]

Aren't the Hyperkin joysticks made with miro switch boards like this?  How do the two compare?

[+wongojack]

On 4/22/2022 at 10:46 PM, CMR said:

Aren't the Hyperkin joysticks made with miro switch boards like this?  How do the two compare?

I have tried the Best Electronics boards, The commodore4ever boards, and these.  There are also a few others who offer boards on ebay where someone has stuck a microswitch to a self-designed circuit.  @Osgeld's boards look and feel like something a complete level above everything else I've tried.  The worst thing I could say about them is they transform the CX40 into almost an entirely new stick (and that may not be what you want).  It is now sensitive where it was stiff and responsive where it used to be kinda dead.

 

Don't get me wrong Best Electronics' gold boards are really good, but you've got to try Osgeld's boards.

[Osgeld]

last week of May starting June, I had to cut back on 500 units due to budgetary reasons, down to 24.... oh forgot a zero 240 units by the end of June. I am about 5 almost 6 weeks from delivery date, and a little less half the volume I boasted about. But at least 240 units will be available for sale worldwide (excluding Russia) by the end of June

 

Edited May 24 by Osgeld