What's the big deal about the FB2 joysticks?

[Danno]

Aren't they just re-issued CX-40's?

 

I've read quite a few people raving about them, but I don't get what's the big deal.

[tillenterprises]

Not exactly- the shaft actually screws off. They are nice- they feel like the originals, but have just the right amount of play and responsiveness- not as stiff like the 2nd version of the original CX-40s, and not as much play like the original spring versions from 1977. They feel "just right" I've been using them on my original 2600 lately. The only complaint is that the plug feels a little too tight in to the original 2600 ports, and I'm afraid of breaking the pins or the joystick port when I squeeze it into the port.

[128bytes]

Not exactly- the shaft actually screws off.  They are nice- they feel like the originals, but have just the right amount of play and responsiveness- not as stiff like the 2nd version of the original CX-40s, and not as much play like the original spring versions from 1977.  They feel "just right"  I've been using them on my original 2600 lately.  The only complaint is that the plug feels a little too tight in to the original 2600 ports, and I'm afraid of breaking the pins or the joystick port when I squeeze it into the port.

918484[/snapback]

 

Good summary. I will also add that I feel more confident in my diagonal moves with these new joysticks, and that the red button also feels a bit more responsive. They are a little tight to insert into my 7800, but I don't feel like they will damage my system at all.

[Prodos8]

Does anyone know what kind of internals these thing have?

[Lord Thag]

Does anyone know what kind of internals these thing have?

 

I pulled one apart the other day. It's pretty simple inside, just a modern re-imagining of the original design. I love the sticks. They are very responsive and have a nice feel to them. The fact that you can buy them ins tores now is pretty cool

[keilbaca]

Does anyone know what kind of internals these thing have?

918508[/snapback]

 

Ever tear apart a d-pad? You know those rubber buttons they used to make the connections? Think of a much bigger version of it. That's whats inside.

[Lord Helmet]

If that's what is inside, they should last damn near forever. I have never had a modern controller stop working becuase the buttons wore out.

[keilbaca]

If that's what is inside, they should last damn near forever. I have never had a modern controller stop working becuase the buttons wore out.

918669[/snapback]

 

Indeed. I have beaten mine in pretty good (including a recent score for sinistar for the 2600 - 763,500) and they're working great. They lasted me through vault assault, I had only one good working original stick (I am not playing with my stick with the hex disk in it), and that wore out through vault assault.

[+batari]

If that's what is inside, they should last damn near forever. I have never had a modern controller stop working becuase the buttons wore out.

918669[/snapback]

I've worn one out before - I took it apart and the conductive rubber for one button was visibly scored. The button still worked 80% of the time, so I just swapped the buttons around, putting the scored pad on a button that was rarely used.

[keilbaca]

If that's what is inside, they should last damn near forever. I have never had a modern controller stop working becuase the buttons wore out.

918669[/snapback]

I've worn one out before - I took it apart and the conductive rubber for one button was visibly scored. The button still worked 80% of the time, so I just swapped the buttons around, putting the scored pad on a button that was rarely used.

918707[/snapback]

 

If for some reason that you seem to wear one in, you can do the Atari 5200 trick and it'll work just as new - super glue a piece of aluminum foil to the contact.

[jlh2600]

They are new from the factory. THat in itself is notable, even if they were exactly the same.

[Bruce Tomlin]

They feel a lot better than the originals.

 

That being said, how long until they start showing up in thrift stores... minus the stick?

[yuppicide]

Alright I need to say it.. someone needs to put the FB2 through some torture tests to see their durability..

 

How about a long marathon of playing Activision Decathalon?! Doing that 1500m or whatever it was.. that was brutal.

[keilbaca]

Alright I need to say it.. someone needs to put the FB2 through some torture tests to see their durability..

 

How about a long marathon of playing Activision Decathalon?! Doing that 1500m or whatever it was.. that was brutal.

919242[/snapback]

 

I am giving Todd Rogers a stick very soon. So, I'll find out, as we all know he's brutal with sticks.

[adams_ale]

So any branch computer store would likely have these FB2 joysticks? I'd love to purchase them based on the reports I've heard thus far.

[A.J. Franzman]

So any branch computer store would likely have these FB2 joysticks?  I'd love to purchase them based on the reports I've heard thus far.

919457[/snapback]

I haven't seen the Flashback 2.0 yet. I looked for it at Best Buy the other day and all they had was about 200 FB1s.

[adams_ale]

So any branch computer store would likely have these FB2 joysticks?  I'd love to purchase them based on the reports I've heard thus far.

919457[/snapback]

I haven't seen the Flashback 2.0 yet. I looked for it at Best Buy the other day and all they had was about 200 FB1s.

919509[/snapback]

 

Geez, am I ever out of the loop. I wasn't aware that everyone was referring to the Flashback 2 when they said FB2. Hopefully I can get a FB2 ASAP @ BB.

[Laner]

If that's what is inside, they should last damn near forever. I have never had a modern controller stop working becuase the buttons wore out.

918669[/snapback]

I've worn one out before - I took it apart and the conductive rubber for one button was visibly scored. The button still worked 80% of the time, so I just swapped the buttons around, putting the scored pad on a button that was rarely used.

918707[/snapback]

 

If for some reason that you seem to wear one in, you can do the Atari 5200 trick and it'll work just as new - super glue a piece of aluminum foil to the contact.

918713[/snapback]

Would that work with the 5200 trackball buttons? The main fire button only works some of the time... does the aluminum foil go over or under the clear layer of... stuff (sorry don't know what it is)?

[Bruce Tomlin]

The foil is stuck to the black circles on the rubber overlays.

 

For a super easy job of it, splunge seven bucks for a roll of foil tape at Wal Mart. I haven't tried making 5200 button circles out of it yet (I got the stuff for EPROM window covers), but you should be able to peel off the foil and paper layers together, then use a hole punch to make a bunch of dots.

 

That should be a hell of a lot easier than my original method, which was to use double-sided tape and regular aluminum foil.

[HP Atari King of Michigan]

So any branch computer store would likely have these FB2 joysticks?  I'd love to purchase them based on the reports I've heard thus far.

919457[/snapback]

I haven't seen the Flashback 2.0 yet. I looked for it at Best Buy the other day and all they had was about 200 FB1s.

919509[/snapback]

You can get them at Walmart. They got them in stock now.