Tron stick

[Angel]

I was talking to Mindfield last night about the Tron stick

anyways i told him that it would be so Cool if this stick could light up

you know like something like theses

 

 

wouldn't that be cool

[Bruce Tomlin]

Hmm... EL tubes have been around for PC modders for a few years, so why hasn't someone thought of this before?

 

And just how rare are Tron sticks, anyhow? I think I only found one over the years, and of course I got it. As I understand it, they're a variant of the Champ wind-up sticks, and were only sold in a box set with two 2600 Tron carts. (I was happy enough find one at all; I doubt I'll ever find a boxed version.)

[sku_u]

And just how rare are Tron sticks, anyhow?  I think I only found one over the years, and of course I got it.  As I understand it, they're a variant of the Champ wind-up sticks, and were only sold in a box set with two 2600 Tron carts.  (I was happy enough find one at all; I doubt I'll ever find a boxed version.)

921566[/snapback]

 

Tron sticks are hard to come by. Only a limited number were available. The Champ is a lot more common.

[Mindfield]

I'm sure the stick could probably be modded for illumination, but I think it's an issue of how far you can go. You can get EL strips with a small footprint inverter (1x1x3") you could hide in the base. They consume next to no power, but the ones I've seen for regular case mods require a 12V power source, and you could only get 5 out of the joystick port. You could either made a 12V AC adapter you'd have to plug in (cumbersome) or use a 12V battery. You'd have to replace the inverter with a 5v.

[Bruce Tomlin]

Or just add a couple of blue LEDs like the TronMan cartridge. If only they had run the +5 volts line through the cable...

[Atari Charles]

Tron

[Mindfield]

It should be possible to replace the cable with one that has a lead and contact to the +5.

 

On a related note, TRON man should have done his body suit up with one giant EL strip applique. At least then he'd have an excuse for the bulge....

[mos6507]

During the crash, Tron stick bundles were sold at Kay Bee. That's where I got mine. The stick really isn't that great. It uses microswitches and it's not that responsive.

[Mindfield]

Microswitches are good. The Epyx had microswitches, and I loved it.

[shadow460]

Microswitches are good.  The Epyx had microswitches, and I loved it.

922638[/snapback]

 

So does the Sega Twin Stick, and it's very accurate.

[mos6507]

Microswitches are good.  The Epyx had microswitches, and I loved it.

922638[/snapback]

 

So does the Sega Twin Stick, and it's very accurate.

922929[/snapback]

 

I think microswitches work okay with smaller sticks like the Epyx one for the 2600, but the Tron one doesn't work well. I don't know if the Tron stick uses microswitches. It might use bubble switches like the regular Atari Stick. I never opened mine. It's just that there is too much "throw" before you get a contact. There is a deadzone. It's kind of floppy. You could NEVER play something like Decathlon on it.

 

Believe me, it's just cool for the looks.

Edited September 1, 2005 by mos6507

[Agent00fuzz]

I just recently found one of these sticks. Problem is that it was broken and wouldn't work correctly. Did open it up and found out that the plastic parts that press the directions were broke off. Can post pics if anybody wants to see the guts of a tron stick.

[ATARIPITBULL]

Here is the fron & Back of the Tron Joystick box and yes I already know how crappy the pictures look, but on a positive note, my wife is buying a new digital camera on Tuesday.

 

:!:

[bones]

I just recently found one of these sticks. Problem is that it was broken and wouldn't work correctly. Did open it up and found out that the plastic parts that press the directions were broke off. Can post pics if anybody wants to see the guts of a tron stick.

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FWIW, you can use parts from the similar Champ joystick and replace the plastic part in your Tron js. I did that a few years back, essentially gutting the standard Champ in favor of the hip Tron one. If memory serves it was a pain in the arse to swap out the parts because of the retractable cord, but worth the effort.