Arcade Stick/Cabinet

[scottyy]

I am looking for details/plans to make my own arcade stick/cabinet with track ball for my Atari 400.  Has anyone done this? Any suggestions on where to start?

[Gunstar]

I made my own arcade joystick once, back in the 90's. Not a full cabinet though, just the dash-board part with the joystick and buttons. I made it for my Atari Jaguar, and had it tied into the Jaguar controller with the controller attached in the upper-right corner of the dash-board. 3 buttons for C, B, A, and 2 buttons on the top for START and OPTION. I ordered it all from a magazine back then, basically a kit, with the particle-board and laminated cabinet dash-board being very sturdy, with real MAAS arcade components all included. It was all the rage for gamer's into Mortal Combat and Street Fighter back then. Later, I adapted two of the buttons and added a D9 Atari controller cord as well as the Jaguar one, so it worked with the 7800 (and of course worked as a on-button joystick for every other Atari console and computer but the 5200). I traded it for a Jaguar developer flash cartridge. 

 

The point is, have you searched for an arcade cabinet kit on-line? Maybe Youtube DIY videos about it? That is where I would start myself; search engine for materials, and Youtube for direction. But besides some arcade components for the joystick and button(s). wired in correctly to an Atari controller cable that can be plugged into the 400, if you can make a book shelf, you can make your own cabinet (I'd recommend real ply-wood though, not pressed or particle ), just sketch out what you want and what dimensions you want it, and again, I'm sure the are videos on you tube you can get some tips on construction from, even if you make your own design. A search could probably turn up some blue prints for making one.

Edited November 10, 2019 by Gunstar

[Rybags]

For the innards...

 

Wico actually made real arcade sticks in the day and their home versions are durable and suited to the task.

 

From the modern day - there's various arcade setups such as the Mortal Kombat controller for the PS1 which can sometimes be picked up cheap.  But you'd need to almost totally rework the innards.  Modern controllers tend to have a microcontroller chip onboard and send serial packets in response to host commands where our older ones just have dedicated pins per button or stick direction.

[Rybags]

And by lucky coincidence, today I happened to find this at an op-shop for 20 bucks.

The quality isn't the greatest but my intention is to use it for Mame and other emulators under Windows.

 

 

[Mr Robot]

This will get you a long way 

http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/Main_Page

 

[scottyy]

On 11/9/2019 at 11:01 PM, Gunstar said:

I made my own arcade joystick once, back in the 90's. Not a full cabinet though, just the dash-board part with the joystick and buttons. I made it for my Atari Jaguar, and had it tied into the Jaguar controller with the controller attached in the upper-right corner of the dash-board. 3 buttons for C, B, A, and 2 buttons on the top for START and OPTION. I ordered it all from a magazine back then, basically a kit, with the particle-board and laminated cabinet dash-board being very sturdy, with real MAAS arcade components all included. It was all the rage for gamer's into Mortal Combat and Street Fighter back then. Later, I adapted two of the buttons and added a D9 Atari controller cord as well as the Jaguar one, so it worked with the 7800 (and of course worked as a on-button joystick for every other Atari console and computer but the 5200). I traded it for a Jaguar developer flash cartridge. 

 

The point is, have you searched for an arcade cabinet kit on-line? Maybe Youtube DIY videos about it? That is where I would start myself; search engine for materials, and Youtube for direction. But besides some arcade components for the joystick and button(s). wired in correctly to an Atari controller cable that can be plugged into the 400, if you can make a book shelf, you can make your own cabinet (I'd recommend real ply-wood though, not pressed or particle ), just sketch out what you want and what dimensions you want it, and again, I'm sure the are videos on you tube you can get some tips on construction from, even if you make your own design. A search could probably turn up some blue prints for making one.

thank you!

[scottyy]

On 11/10/2019 at 6:18 AM, Rybags said:

For the innards...

 

Wico actually made real arcade sticks in the day and their home versions are durable and suited to the task.

 

From the modern day - there's various arcade setups such as the Mortal Kombat controller for the PS1 which can sometimes be picked up cheap.  But you'd need to almost totally rework the innards.  Modern controllers tend to have a microcontroller chip onboard and send serial packets in response to host commands where our older ones just have dedicated pins per button or stick direction.

thx!

[scottyy]

18 hours ago, Mr Robot said:

This will get you a long way 

http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/Main_Page

 

thank you!!!

[scottyy]

does anyone have examples of arcade cabinets people have made for their atari 2600/400/800?

[Mr Robot]

If you are wanting to plug into an atari 8-bit you could use my multifire board (link in my sig) that will let you hook up a joystick, 3 fire buttons, 2 pinball flippers, two paddle controllers and a driving controller along with all the required switches to enable/disable them per player. 

 

Theres no trackball support there, the Atari trackball doesn't work the same way as Happ arcade trackballs which are basically just a hid controller that looks like a mouse. If you wanted to interface something like that to the Atari you'd have to design something that takes mouse movements and converts to something the atari can use. Mytek has the Mousetari which will convert a PS/2 mouse to a AtariST compatible mouse and some A8 software can use that, I've not seen anything that can take a usb mouse and present it as an Atari trackball. 

 

[manterola]

The question was about the cabinet, too. Has anyone found drawings and or assembly instructions or classic arcade cabinets? I have tried without success to find in internet. 

I'm talking about drawings that allow you to go to homedepot/Lowes/etc and order some multilayered wood panels and build a cabinet yourself. 

[scottyy]

i was also looking for advice.. is it simply taking the wire harness from an old cx40 joystick and connecting the wires to the new buttons and joystick/trak-ball installed in a homemade cabinet?

[Mr Robot]

again... check the link to multifire in my sig

 

[gozar]

3 hours ago, manterola said:

The question was about the cabinet, too. Has anyone found drawings and or assembly instructions or classic arcade cabinets? I have tried without success to find in internet. 

I'm talking about drawings that allow you to go to homedepot/Lowes/etc and order some multilayered wood panels and build a cabinet yourself. 

 

Here you go: https://www.instructables.com/id/A-Super-Easy-Arcade-Machine-from-1-Sheet-of-Plywoo/

 

[Mr Robot]

9 hours ago, manterola said:

The question was about the cabinet, too. Has anyone found drawings and or assembly instructions or classic arcade cabinets? I have tried without success to find in internet. 

I'm talking about drawings that allow you to go to homedepot/Lowes/etc and order some multilayered wood panels and build a cabinet yourself. 

Here are 36 cabs in eps and jpg format. The website they came from is long gone and even archive.org doesn't have them saved. I'll upload them there too.

 

36 Arcade Cabinets.zip

[Ute]

On 11/17/2019 at 9:42 AM, scottyy said:

i was also looking for advice.. is it simply taking the wire harness from an old cx40 joystick and connecting the wires to the new buttons and joystick/trak-ball installed in a homemade cabinet?

Yes it's pretty much that simple. I used a couple of harnesses from some none working joysticks and wired them directly to arcade style joysticks and buttons. I never thought to use a trackball, but I'm sure it would work too. I encased one in a plastic enclosure, and the other I made out of particle board and put some veneer on it to make it look like a 2600.

 

Edit: That is to say if you are using an old Atari trackball it would be simple. I've used an arcade trackball in a Arcade1up conversion, and that required an encoder - At least to use it with the Raspberry Pi.

Edited November 19, 2019 by Ute
Clarity

[scottyy]

that’s awesome!

what are the extra green blue buttons for?

[Ute]

I originally intended to mount a couple of 1M pots and put 2600 paddle tops on them. So the buttons are there waiting for the paddles to be installed, but I haven't got around to it yet. But you've given me some motivation with the trackball idea, so maybe the next version I make will have the paddles, trackball, and joystick. It will have to be bigger of course.

 

I've built a few arcades, but never thought about them as a way to use the Atari. Cool idea. I might just follow your lead.

[doubledown]

They can really be as simple or as fancy as your mind can dream up, and your wallet can handle.  There is a lot of info around on the internet for whatever you're probably looking to do.  Here's one controller I made:

 

 

 

[Rybags]

That's really nice but highly specific - are the buttons intended as 1P/2P or actual jump/fire type for other games.

[doubledown]

The P1/P2 buttons are obviously not necessary for the 8-Bit/7800 versions of Robotron, but they help complete the simulated look of the arcade cabinet, and they are in fact wired as the 2 7800 buttons.  So with the left stick and these 2 buttons, this controller is compatible with all joystick only 2600/8-Bit/7800 games, 1 button 2600/8-bit/7800 games, and 2 button 7800 games.  My VVG Experience Controllers (like the Robotron:2084 Edition above) are purpose built to simulate the arcade experience as closely as possible, and thus can have very limited game compatibility.  But they offer a superior game play experience versus any sort of generic, universal, or do-all controller.  Other editions I've made:

 

Defender Edition - Joystick is a 2-way (up/down only), so not compatible with any games that require left or right:

 

 

Mouse Trap Edition - The 4 buttons are wired to ColecoVision keypad buttons 1, 2, 3, & 5, so not compatible with any games that require a fire button:

 

 

Vanguard Edition - The P1 start button is the ColecoVision left button, and the Fire Up/Down buttons are the ColecoVision right button(s) due to how the CV port was programmed, so possibly a bit confusing and/or un-ergonomic for games other than Vanguard:

 

 

The only Experience Controller that I've made thus far that is "universal", is this one:

 

#2495 Display Edition:

 

 

It's modeled after the ColecoVision store display kiosk and features an 8-way joystick, the 4 SA buttons, and a 24mm pushbutton keypad matrix vs. a standard membrane keypad.  

 

And if you don't want something that large, custom, and/or game specific, there are a lot of existing donor controllers that can be re-purposed for your needs too that can offer a little more style versus generic project enclosures:

 

CX2600 Edition - VVG Joystick Controller:

 

 

This controller started out as a Sega Saturn Virtua Fighter stick that I gutted, re-themed and wired for 2600/8-Bit/7800 compatibility.  

 

Here's a pic of the donor in its original/stock form:

 

 

 

I can definitely understand the idea of "one controller to rule them all", but I think some people go a little too far overboard trying to cram too much hardware and/or too many features into one controller, and usually into a housing that it too small to rightly even hold a joystick and a single pushbutton when taking any sort of ergonomics into account.  

 

In the end, to each is own and I just wanted to show a few examples of how radically unique controllers can be, and how when designing your own, the sky can really be the limit.  And in the realm of the old-school Atari consoles with simple common ground and contact-closure wiring, they're a good starting point for those just getting into making your own controllers.  

[+Stephen]

Fantastic collection of controllers!

[+ZuluGula]

doubledown, could you share the source of the metal enclosures you use for your controllers? 

[doubledown]

1 hour ago, Stephen said:

Fantastic collection of controllers!

Thanks, the Vanguard Edition is not currently in my collection as it was built for /sold to another member, but I made the others for me.

 

2 minutes ago, ZuluGula said:

doubledown, could you share the source of the metal enclosures you use for your controllers? 

Sure, they are Hammond Mfg enclosures:

 

https://www.hammfg.com/electronics/small-case/general-purpose/1456

 

The Defender, Mouse Trap, Vanguard & Robotron: 2084 are in the 20" wide enclosure - 1456WL1BKBK

 

The #2495 Display is in the slightly smaller 17" wide enclosure as I didn't need as much room - 1456RL1BKBK

 

These largest 2 sizes offered run in the $50-$60 range with shipping, but they also offer smaller enclosures in this series and are available in a couple different color combos.  

[scottyy]

3 hours ago, doubledown said:

The P1/P2 buttons are obviously not necessary for the 8-Bit/7800 versions of Robotron, but they help complete the simulated look of the arcade cabinet, and they are in fact wired as the 2 7800 buttons.  So with the left stick and these 2 buttons, this controller is compatible with all joystick only 2600/8-Bit/7800 games, 1 button 2600/8-bit/7800 games, and 2 button 7800 games.  My VVG Experience Controllers (like the Robotron:2084 Edition above) are purpose built to simulate the arcade experience as closely as possible, and thus can have very limited game compatibility.  But they offer a superior game play experience versus any sort of generic, universal, or do-all controller.  Other editions I've made:

 

Defender Edition - Joystick is a 2-way (up/down only), so not compatible with any games that require left or right:

 

 

Mouse Trap Edition - The 4 buttons are wired to ColecoVision keypad buttons 1, 2, 3, & 5, so not compatible with any games that require a fire button:

 

 

Vanguard Edition - The P1 start button is the ColecoVision left button, and the Fire Up/Down buttons are the ColecoVision right button(s) due to how the CV port was programmed, so possibly a bit confusing and/or un-ergonomic for games other than Vanguard:

 

 

The only Experience Controller that I've made thus far that is "universal", is this one:

 

#2495 Display Edition:

 

 

It's modeled after the ColecoVision store display kiosk and features an 8-way joystick, the 4 SA buttons, and a 24mm pushbutton keypad matrix vs. a standard membrane keypad.  

 

And if you don't want something that large, custom, and/or game specific, there are a lot of existing donor controllers that can be re-purposed for your needs too that can offer a little more style versus generic project enclosures:

 

CX2600 Edition - VVG Joystick Controller:

 

 

This controller started out as a Sega Saturn Virtua Fighter stick that I gutted, re-themed and wired for 2600/8-Bit/7800 compatibility.  

 

Here's a pic of the donor in its original/stock form:

 

 

 

I can definitely understand the idea of "one controller to rule them all", but I think some people go a little too far overboard trying to cram too much hardware and/or too many features into one controller, and usually into a housing that it too small to rightly even hold a joystick and a single pushbutton when taking any sort of ergonomics into account.  

 

In the end, to each is own and I just wanted to show a few examples of how radically unique controllers can be, and how when designing your own, the sky can really be the limit.  And in the realm of the old-school Atari consoles with simple common ground and contact-closure wiring, they're a good starting point for those just getting into making your own controllers.  

those are awesome!

especially the atari one!