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Stiff Joystick?


Ronnie Volkert

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I am fairly new to Atari. I grew up with the Sega Genesis and really, the Original Xbox, so Atari is not my nostalgia console. 

I am finding that the Joysticks are fairly stiff. I've read that over time, the rubber on the controllers stiffens up a bit, but as I don't have anything to compare them to, I'm not sure if that's what this is. 

I have about 8 controllers and they are all fairly stiff. 

 

Is this normal for Atari Controllers? 

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 7/13/2020 at 9:27 PM, Ronnie Volkert said:

I am finding that the Joysticks are fairly stiff.

Is this normal for Atari Controllers? 

Yes!  In my opinion, this is caused by there being no haptic/tactile feedback when you move the controller so you're naturally inclined to press a bit hard.  Also, the contacts in the controller that register input when moving the joystick often crack and/or shift, further compounding the issue -- you end up pressing harder because you're not seeing any response.

 

I published a tear-down video where I demo how the problem manifests itself and noted some solutions: installing/soldering push buttons with tactile feedback and replacing the board with a modern one that has surface-mount tactile switches pre-installed.  I think using one of these products is probably the easiest way to improve the controller -- though I've never tested one personally (I modified mine by installing push-buttons on the internal board).

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Yep, the original CX-40 joysticks were always pretty stiff. If you're looking for some more easily maneuvered sticks that retain the look and feel of the originals I highly recommend ATGames Atari Flashback wired joysticks. They're super smooth and comfy on the wrists, just make sure to get ones from the Atari Flashback 5 or later. The earlier ones had a design flaw with the tabs that press the contacts inside being too long and thin that would cause them to break after a while, but the later revisions are rock solid. Best Electronics' gold PCB and silicone boot upgraded CX-40s are pretty darn nice too, though the button on them is too stiff for my liking.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 8/2/2020 at 11:54 PM, Steve Guidi said:

Yes!  In my opinion, this is caused by there being no haptic/tactile feedback when you move the controller so you're naturally inclined to press a bit hard.  Also, the contacts in the controller that register input when moving the joystick often crack and/or shift, further compounding the issue -- you end up pressing harder because you're not seeing any response.

 

I published a tear-down video where I demo how the problem manifests itself and noted some solutions: installing/soldering push buttons with tactile feedback and replacing the board with a modern one that has surface-mount tactile switches pre-installed.  I think using one of these products is probably the easiest way to improve the controller -- though I've never tested one personally (I modified mine by installing push-buttons on the internal board).

Thank you very much! I will watch these videos later this weekend. 

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Most sticks use dome contact buttons, Atari first party have always been rather stiff imo, I'm sure the 'boots (rubber stick cover) can become stuff due to age, but it's still normal for them to be stiff.

 

You can buy new sticks (look up hyperkin or retron 77 joystick) or there's any number of old sticks, including Sega compatible sticks you can use (master system or genesis pads are great) and you can use your originals or buy modern replacements.

 

2600 is a standard db9 and most controllers with that plug work on it, though there are a few that wont.

 

Are you just looking for a softer feel, or a longer throw? Someone could make a recommendation based on what you want. I personally like the wico batwing types, and those have a hat button too.

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On 8/2/2020 at 11:54 PM, Steve Guidi said:

I think using one of these products is probably the easiest way to improve the controller -- though I've never tested one personally (I modified mine by installing push-buttons on the internal board).

I tried this exact one and it ended up being way too stiff. I ended up purchasing New Old Stock OG Joystick PCB and installed it and worked like a charm!

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