Edladdin Controllers: 500th Arcade Controller

[edladdin]

Hi Everyone,

 

The other day we shipped our 500th arcade controller!   I just wanted to take a moment to thank this community for all your support and enthusiasm that you've shared with us since we first announced ourselves in November 2014.   Not the least of which, Albert, whose partnership and inclusion of our hardware in the AA Store was a tremendous validation and is still a source of pride for us.

 

Attached are photos of examples of all the controllers we've offered since the beginning:

 

Super 78 - Atari 2600 & 7800

Super Twin 78 - Atari 2600 & 7800

Supreme 78: All-Play 4/8 - Atari 2600 & 7800 (mostly retired)

Supreme 78: All-Leaf - Atari 2600 & 7800 (mostly retired)

Super CV - Atari 2600 & ColecoVision

Super Arcade Controller - Atari 2600, 7800, & ColecoVision (retired)

Super Arcade Controller Plus - Atari 2600, 7800, & ColecoVision (retired)

Super Combo - Atari 2600, 7800, & ColecoVision

Super SMS - Atari 2600 & Sega Master System

Super USB: CV - USB (never completely launched!)

 

And of course, we've shipped many, many Seagull 78 and Seagull CV controller adapters, plus "Easy 78", "Easy SMS", and "Easy CV" PCB kits for people to build their own controllers.

 

What's next for Edladdin? 

 

Its taken FOREVER to get through the retirement of our lead engineer and all the COVID slowdowns, but we are finally buying components to produce the long-awaited Super 52 controller for the mighty 5200.  At this point we've received cases of hall-effect joysticks, rotary encoders, keypad/artwork assemblies, and DB-15 extension cords from China.  We are still working on the custom-stamped aluminum enclosures, the PCBs, the rear nameplates, and the custom 3D printed keypad overlay frames.  When its all said and done, we will have enough supplies for a run of 240 controllers that deliver:

 

Self-Centering Analog Joysticks

Rotary Encoders operating in Paddle and Driving modes

Ambidextrous Fire Button Layout

12-key keypad, plus Start, Pause, and Reset buttons

3D printed keypad overlay frame

DB9 "Masterplay" circuit that permits the use of any Atari 2600 joystick or Sega Genesis controller on non-analog games

 

We should be ready to ship Super 52s this autumn.

 

Finally, the Super 52 project is also going to allow us to isolate the "Masterplay" circuit and offer a Seagull 52 controller adapter for a much more economical price than the whole controller.  Pricing for both products will be announced when we finished the procurement process.

 

Thanks again to all our customers and clients around the world!   Its been a real gift to see people getting more fun out of their old consoles with our gear.  I'm very grateful for all the online and in-person friendships that have come out of this adventure.

 

Best regards,

 

Ed

 

 

 

 

[edweird13]

I just used your Vision adapter to test a Wico Command Control joystick. Also love your Seagul.

Thanks for your great products.

[+sramirez2008]

Congrats on selling your 500th  controller.  I own three of your controllers and can’t wait to purchase a Super 52.?

[+jeremiahjt]

I have followed Edladdin controllers since your very first post, though I have never actually bought one.  I guess I am too much of an originalist, but I do have a shirt from the Colecovision Kickstarter.  I have often contemplated buying one and one day I will probably pull the trigger.  Congratulations are definitely in order.

 

Why are the two Supreme 78 controllers mostly retired?  Low sales?

 

Edit: After the Super 52, are there any other systems you plan to produce a controller for?

Edited May 26, 2022 by jeremiahjt
Future inquiry

[+sramirez2008]

18 minutes ago, edladdin said:

Supreme 78: All-Play 4/8

I love this controller.  The ability to easily switch between 4/8 way games via the restrictor plate is what sold me.  

[edladdin]

55 minutes ago, jeremiahjt said:

I have followed Edladdin controllers since your very first post, though I have never actually bought one.  I guess I am too much of an originalist, but I do have a shirt from the Colecovision Kickstarter.  I have often contemplated buying one and one day I will probably pull the trigger.  Congratulations are definitely in order.

 

Why are the two Supreme 78 controllers mostly retired?  Low sales?

 

Edit: After the Super 52, are there any other systems you plan to produce a controller for?

 

Thank you very much!  It tickles me to imagine you wearing the shirt without actually owning a controller.  ?

 

The hinged steel control panels that are at the core of the Supreme controllers are actually made from lockable doors from Rosewill server cases.  We make the server cases into audio amplifiers for another product line, but we don't need the doors.  So when Edladdin was launched we had a big pile of these leftover doors that I thought "we might have a need for these some day".  Unfortunately, we sell Supreme 78s much faster than we sell these specialty amplifiers, so we ran through that original pile and can only make Supremes when we build a batch of amps, which is not that often.

 

After the Super 52, we're looking at more properly launching a USB controller, one for the Sega Genesis, and possibly one for the Vectrex.

 

[Hydro Thunder]

4 minutes ago, edladdin said:

 

Thank you very much!  It tickles me to imagine you wearing the shirt without actually owning a controller.  ?

 

The hinged steel control panels that are at the core of the Supreme controllers are actually made from lockable doors from Rosewill server cases.  We make the server cases into audio amplifiers for another product line, but we don't need the doors.  So when Edladdin was launched we had a big pile of these leftover doors that I thought "we might have a need for these some day".  Unfortunately, we sell Supreme 78s much faster than we sell these specialty amplifiers, so we ran through that original pile and can only make Supremes when we build a batch of amps, which is not that often.

 

After the Super 52, we're looking at more properly launching a USB controller, one for the Sega Genesis, and possibly one for the Vectrex.

 

That is just awesome...what kind of Amps do you make and sell, just out of curiosity?

 

Re: Super 52, I'm in on Day 1!! 

 

Re: USB...also in on Day 1!  I have thought about writing you to see if you could make a PC / Mame / whatever USB controller, it would quickly become my favorite for arcade classics.  Edladdin is DA BOMB

[edladdin]

5 minutes ago, Hydro Thunder said:

That is just awesome...what kind of Amps do you make and sell, just out of curiosity?

 

Re: Super 52, I'm in on Day 1!! 

 

Re: USB...also in on Day 1!  I have thought about writing you to see if you could make a PC / Mame / whatever USB controller, it would quickly become my favorite for arcade classics.  Edladdin is DA BOMB

 

Amplifiers drive sound therapy systems - speaker tables that you lie on for a vibroacoustic experience that is as soothing or exciting as the music you select.  ?

 

www.betar.com

 

This is the actual bread and butter of our company.

[+GoldLeader]

Congrats Ed! 

 

 

My favorite controller ever is an Edladdin (Custom Super Arcade Controller Plus)!   I can't recommend Edladdin enough!

 

To anyone considering a Supreme 78,  remember it is leaf switches (like many very old arcade games or WICO sticks)...Obviously personal tastes come into play, but a Super 78 is Microswitched!  Which I would take any day of the week over leaf switches...It's like the difference between a clunky old WICO and a HORI Arcade Pro!  Micro switches are smooth as butter! (But more clicky!)

Edited May 26, 2022 by GoldLeader
Edited since my computer likes to write leaf springs (heh).

[+groundtrooper]

Congrats Ed. Such an amazing accomplishment.
I own two of your controllers. A Super Twin 78 and an one of the few Supreme 78: All-Play 4/8s.

I love them both. I wish I had more time to play with them but am very happy and satisfied with both of them. I did have some weird rapid fire/auto fire issues with my Super Twin and we tried to sort it out long distance and it couldn’t be fixed that way and you replaced it no questions asked and quickly.

I wish you continued success in your future projects.

[+CyranoJ]

If you guys ever make a Jaguar controller with a numberpad....

[Oldschool80skid]

The Super 52 is a day one purchase for me. Will you consider taking pre-orders?

[+jeremiahjt]

9 hours ago, edladdin said:

possibly one for the Vectrex

I figured if you were looking at another system there was a good chance it would be the Vectrex or the Intellivision.

[edladdin]

6 hours ago, Oldschool80skid said:

The Super 52 is a day one purchase for me. Will you consider taking pre-orders?

 

We considered it for a moment, then decided not to take pre-orders.  The Kickstarter campaign of 2016 taught us that there is a much higher level of stress once we take money for something that we are not actually ready to ship.   Much easier to get everything lined up and ready, then just throw open the doors to regular orders.

 

[edladdin]

4 hours ago, jeremiahjt said:

I figured if you were looking at another system there was a good chance it would be the Vectrex or the Intellivision.

Vectrex is way more likely than Intellivision.   The Intelly is a weird beast, and the fact that the original controllers are hard-wired to the console on the the first release complicates matters further.

[+GoldenWheels]

Every 7800 should come with the SG78.

[edladdin]

2 hours ago, GoldenWheels said:

Every 7800 should come with the SG78.

That is an excellent idea!  ?

[Oldschool80skid]

21 hours ago, edladdin said:

Finally, the Super 52 project is also going to allow us to isolate the "Masterplay" circuit and offer a Seagull 52 controller adapter for a much more economical price than the whole controller.  Pricing for both products will be announced when we finished the procurement process

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hmmm.....

 

I'm thinking a Super 52 for single game playing and then adding the Seagull 52 for those occasions of having a second player.  ?

[atomickneedrop]

I still have my Super Twin 78 (serial #1)!

[edladdin]

1 hour ago, atomickneedrop said:

I still have my Super Twin 78 (serial #1)!

Can you believe its been 7.5 years?   We've learned so much since then! 

[Oldschool80skid]

Hello Ed,

Just checking back in on the Super 5200. Any updates on the time frame for opening to purchase?

Thanks,

Tom

[Trebor]

9 minutes ago, Oldschool80skid said:

Hello Ed,

Just checking back in on the Super 5200. Any updates on the time frame for opening to purchase?

Thanks,

Tom

The Super 5200 Edladdin joystick controller was inquired about under the 5200 forum in its respective thread too:

[+GoldenWheels]

I have a:

Seagull 78
Seagull CV

 

Then I got these anyway:

Super 78
Super CV

 

SG products got me back into 7800 (before I learned to build sticks, so easy), and got me to actually appreciate my Colecovision for the first time (just couldn't enjoy it with the bad controllers I had). I am sure the 5200 stuff will open that world up to new people too.

 

(If gotta complain...which I don't....I don't love Edladdin color schemes. I find the blue used on some stick cases and the Super CV...very unpleasant. JMO!)

[Ecernosoft]

I never remember the 7800 being jealous of the 5200's MASSIVE trak-ball controller, but WOW!!! Awesome!

[SwanSong]

Congrats and i just recently contacted you on your site for some products, prolines are leaving me dead in the water here and there and that takes all the fun out.