Asking opinions on controller mod ports

[Kain3n]

I will be modding my O2 to use Atari controllers and cant decide where to put the new controller ports. What is everyones opinion on putting them on the back of the console to keep it kind of original looking or to have them on the front of the console to be more practical especially if the O2 is placed in a cabinet but obviously

No longer original looking?

[Kain3n]

Ok well due to the lack of replies I have just added it on the front of the console like everyone else did not as nice looking in my opinion but fits in the display cabinets I use better

[TheCoolDave]

Personally, I was thinking about creating an adapter so I can use them and keep the console able to use original controllers if I wanted to.

 

This will be preference to each owner.  Do you want to keep it looking as original as possible, or do you just want function so it's easier to play ?  

[Rob Mitchell]

The ones which have the controllers hardwired to the console require ports added somewhere .. I will probably put mine in front for easy access and make them Atari compatible.

[Lost Monkey]

I wired in the male end of a controller extension cable and have it coming out the back where the original controller wires were.  Nice and clean.  Only caveat would be to use a vintage extension cable (or the official vintage Sega ones) because the quality of the wires was better than the newer ones.

 

Not done with this O2 - also did a composite mod and am now bondo filling the scratches etc so that it can be repainted. 

[Rob Mitchell]

On 5/30/2020 at 10:27 AM, Lost Monkey said:

I wired in the male end of a controller extension cable and have it coming out the back where the original controller wires were.  Nice and clean.  Only caveat would be to use a vintage extension cable (or the official vintage Sega ones) because the quality of the wires was better than the newer ones.

 

Not done with this O2 - also did a composite mod and am now bondo filling the scratches etc so that it can be repainted. 

Nice

[Airshack]

Considering other consoles of the day I’d say the O2 controllers were pretty good. Better than: Coleco, Intellivision, Atari 5200 AND 7800.

 

Call me crazy but I kind of like the stock controllers. 

[+pboland]

8 hours ago, Airshack said:

Considering other consoles of the day I’d say the O2 controllers were pretty good. Better than: Coleco, Intellivision, Atari 5200 AND 7800.

 

Call me crazy but I kind of like the stock controllers. 

I'm right there with you. The stock O2 controller are actually quite good. I'm guessing that most who don't like the O2 controllers were exposed to the Atari 2600 controller first and because of that they feel that is "normal". As a kid our family had O2, not Atari. When I would play an Atari 2600 at my friends house I always thought the 2600 controllers were too stiff. To me (as a kid) they didn't move. The O2 controller actually moves.

[jimj]

On 1/8/2021 at 8:16 AM, pboland said:

I'm right there with you. The stock O2 controller are actually quite good.

Another O2 controller fan here.  If you don't like a joystick with a large throw you're not going to like it, but I love them.  And they're durable too.  I've been using my original O2 for close to 40 years and its joysticks still work fine.  I've also bought a few other O2 systems over the years and all of their joysticks work great.  Compare this to at least a 50% failure rate of my C64 joysticks.

 

IMHO the biggest downside to the O2 joysticks is that (most) are hardwired.  Thank goodness they never break. 

[+x=usr(1536)]

On 1/8/2021 at 8:16 AM, pboland said:

I'm right there with you. The stock O2 controller are actually quite good. I'm guessing that most who don't like the O2 controllers were exposed to the Atari 2600 controller first and because of that they feel that is "normal". As a kid our family had O2, not Atari. When I would play an Atari 2600 at my friends house I always thought the 2600 controllers were too stiff. To me (as a kid) they didn't move. The O2 controller actually moves.

That was exactly the position I found myself in any time I was someplace where the other kid had CX40s attached to <insert system here>.  They had a shorter throw than the Odyssey² sticks, to be sure - but were let down by how much effort it took to move them, as well as a lack of any real sense of having moved to the position you wanted them to.  If you've ever driven a car with a manual transmission where it's not clear if you've gone into 3rd, 5th, or are in neutral, the sensation's not dissimilar.  Just a lot more stiff.

[Airshack]

I suspect the decision to eventually hard wire the O2 controllers was influenced somewhat by this durability or superb build quality.

[Airshack]

I suspect the decision to eventually hard wire the O2 controllers was influenced somewhat by this durability or superb build quality.