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Alternate Colecovision controllers


Allan

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This may sound crazy, but I actually like using the standard controllers. I palm the knob (as opposed trying to grasp it with my fingers) and it works great.

 

However, games that require quick and fluid 8-way movement (Gorf, Sky Jaguar, Yie Ar Kung-Fu, for example) work horribly with the standard controller. If I want a more arcade feel, I use the Super Action Controller. The best option, though, is the Atari 7800 d-pad controller (their version of the NES pad) which works very slick on the fast-moving 8-way games. It has two separate action buttons (so it's compatible with most CV games) and I highly recommend picking one up. It may cost you some to find one, but it's well worth it.

 

+ Nathan

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This may sound crazy, but I actually like using the standard controllers. I palm the knob (as opposed trying to grasp it with my fingers) and it works great.

 

However, games that require quick and fluid 8-way movement (Gorf, Sky Jaguar, Yie Ar Kung-Fu, for example) work horribly with the standard controller. If I want a more arcade feel, I use the Super Action Controller. The best option, though, is the Atari 7800 d-pad controller (their version of the NES pad) which works very slick on the fast-moving 8-way games. It has two separate action buttons (so it's compatible with most CV games) and I highly recommend picking one up. It may cost you some to find one, but it's well worth it.

 

+ Nathan

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Thanks, I did a Nintendo D-pad to 7800 controller conversion so I'll probably use that for my Colecovision. I wasn't sure if the second button would work but from what you said it should. What about the keypad? Is there some kind of splitter that would let me use a different controller inconjunction with the keypad on the regular controller?

 

Allan

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Thanks, I did a Nintendo D-pad to 7800 controller conversion so I'll probably use that for my Colecovision. I wasn't sure if the second button would work but from what you said it should. What about the keypad? Is there some kind of splitter that would let me use a different controller inconjunction with the keypad on the regular controller?

 

Allan

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Both 7800 buttons work on the CV games, so your conversion should work as well.

 

Keeping a standard controller plugged into the 2nd port allows you to use its keypad to select game options. Playing games that require the keypad during play is a little bit tricky. The Champ Adapter is very rare, but is essentially a keypad that plugs into the 1st port and then allows a controller to be plugged into it. Those appear on eBay once in a while. I know there's been smart people out there that have made their own splitter so that two controllers can be plugged into the 1st port (one a standard controller and the other of your choice), but I can't remember where I read about that (I'm sure someone else could point you in the right direction).

 

The only problem with these two keypad options is that there is a disconnect between the controller you are holding and the keypad that is most likely lying on the ground next to you. Games that require quick use of the keypad (ex. Mouse Trap) may be difficult to play in this configuration. That's what makes the Super Action Controller a good choice. It allows you quick access to the keypad (even if the standard overlays don't fit on it).

 

+ Nathan

 

P.S. Here is a forum topic about controller splitting.

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?s...661&hl=splitter

Edited by ColecoNation
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This may sound crazy, but I actually like using the standard controllers. I palm the knob (as opposed trying to grasp it with my fingers) and it works great.

 

However, games that require quick and fluid 8-way movement (Gorf, Sky Jaguar, Yie Ar Kung-Fu, for example) work horribly with the standard controller. If I want a more arcade feel, I use the Super Action Controller. The best option, though, is the Atari 7800 d-pad controller (their version of the NES pad) which works very slick on the fast-moving 8-way games. It has two separate action buttons (so it's compatible with most CV games) and I highly recommend picking one up. It may cost you some to find one, but it's well worth it.

 

+ Nathan

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I use my modified Jaguar Controller... TO HELL WITH IGN's ranking as one of the worst controllers ever :)

 

See details here. Jag-to-Coleco Pad

 

Not really recommend that you chop up a Jag Pad like this.

 

John Soper has a better solution shown here Sopers Jag-To-Coleco Pad

 

I need to build one of these someday.

 

-Lee

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You can find a list of CV joysticks here:

 

http://www.geocities.com/djslacker1/coleco...ontrollers.html

 

The Wico joystick seems nice, and I've heard that it's compatible with standard CV overlays, but I've never tried it myself.

 

EDIT: There's a Wico joystick, apparently brand new, that just popped up on eBay if you're interested:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/WICO-COMMAND-CONTROL-J...1QQcmdZViewItem

Edited by Pixelboy
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The simplest method of alternate joystick on CV is to plug a stock Atari joystick CX40 into port #1 and a CV joystick into port two. Select game option with coleco stick and then use atari stick to play. Works pretty well most of the time (unless you need the keypad - but that's kinda rare).

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You can find a list of CV joysticks here:

 

http://www.geocities.com/djslacker1/coleco...ontrollers.html

 

The Wico joystick seems nice, and I've heard that it's compatible with standard CV overlays, but I've never tried it myself.

 

EDIT: There's a Wico joystick, apparently brand new,  that just popped up on eBay if you're interested:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/WICO-COMMAND-CONTROL-J...1QQcmdZViewItem

1027745[/snapback]

 

I personally do not like the WICO CV sticks, they are not made well like the rest of the WICO joystick line. The buttons have almost no feel at all to them, and the stick does not use leaf or micro switches. Here is a picture of some of my 3rd party CV sticks, top one is the Questar, then middle row is the Spectravideo Quickshot II Delux, Amiga Poserstik, Champ keypad, Newport ProStick III, and on the bottom is the WICO.

post-41-1141508671_thumb.jpg

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Seems like there'd be a way to engineer a superior ColecoVision controller... but I gotta be honest with you, if you're not going to torture yourself with a stock ColecoVision controller, why not make the experience even better with an emulator? I'm telling you, I'm having a ball playing the ColecoVision library on my Game Boy Micro... I don't think the real system was ever this much fun.

 

JR

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The Wico joystick seems nice, and I've heard that it's compatible with standard CV overlays, but I've never tried it myself.

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I personally do not like the WICO CV sticks, they are not made well like the rest of the WICO joystick line. The buttons have almost no feel at all to them, and the stick does not use leaf or micro switches.

I actually don't mind the Wico CV controller that much (I think it to be better than the PowerStick or the SpectraVideo controller), but your assessment of its limitations seem about right.

 

In answer to the original question: anything but the Coleco hand controller. I cannot stand that thing. I usually pair an Ergostick with the Champ Adapter for gameplay, if not that, then a Wico, and every now and again the Hi-Score controller. But for most of the games I play on the CV, the Ergostick/Champ combination is enough for me.

Edited by mumbai
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Seems like there'd be a way to engineer a superior ColecoVision controller... but I gotta be honest with you, if you're not going to torture yourself with a stock ColecoVision controller, why not make the experience even better with an emulator?  I'm telling you, I'm having a ball playing the ColecoVision library on my Game Boy Micro... I don't think the real system was ever this much fun.

 

JR

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This is the first I've heard of the ColecoVision Library, when was it released and where can I find details? There is nothing on it here in Oz.

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Okay, since my last post I have now found out about the GBA flash carts and am about to order one so I can enjoy the delights of playing CV games anywhere (and hopefully find a 2600 GBA emulator for portable River Raid :D )!

 

One more question though - what size memory cart should I buy? The price goes up pretty steeply as the memory size increases.

 

Also, will the GBA flash carts work in a DS? My assumption is they should as the DS should treat them like any other GBA cart but I would like to know if anyone knows for shure.

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I haven't taken apart a Coleco controller, but would it be possible to dismantle one and install a better stick instead of the 'doorknob' one?

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Those "stickler" snap on joysticks are fairly easy to find NOS. I think you would be better off just epoxying a joystick onto the mushrooms stem.

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Okay, since my last post I have now found out about the GBA flash carts and am about to order one so I can enjoy the delights of playing CV games anywhere (and hopefully find a 2600 GBA emulator for portable River Raid  :D )!

 

One more question though - what size memory cart should I buy?  The price goes up pretty steeply as the memory size increases.

 

Also, will the GBA flash carts work in a DS?  My assumption is they should as the DS should treat them like any other GBA cart but I would like to know if anyone knows for shure.

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I think the best colecovision emulator for GBA is not really finished and not many roms will run on it. It's been a while since I tried so i'm not 100% sure.

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http://www.jandaman.com/Merchant2/merchant...&Category_Code=

 

This is the Game Boy Advance flash card that I prefer. You buy this, stick an SD card in it, and you've got tons more storage than any of its competitors. Those supposedly one gig flash cards are really one gigaBIT, meaning that you've got only 125M of storage. Wimpy, wimpy, wimpy!

 

When you put a 256M SD card in the SD Supercard, however, you get exactly what's advertised... two hundred and fifty six megabytes of storage. You also get it for a much lower price than those other flash carts. You can get a Supercard and 256M of storage for around $90 US. A standard flash card with that much storage is gonna cost you at least $150.

 

On the down side, some backups of GBA games (backups of games you own, of course! Heh heh...) run more slowly on this card, but if you're buying it for emulators and DS backups, you're gonna love it to pieces.

 

ColecoVision emulation on the Game Boy Advance is fantastic right now! Cologne actually runs more games than the PC version of Meka, including all of Opcode's greatest hits. Nearly every game runs at full speed, with sound, and without unexpected graphics glitches. It's exceptional!

 

There's only one problem I noticed. You don't have full access to the keypad... just 1, *, and #. However, those keys are more than enough for the really good stuff in the CV library. If you want to play Chuck Norris and the Attack of the Raging Ego (trust me, you don't), you'll have to wait for an update.

 

http://gbaemu.dcemu.co.uk/Cologne.shtml

 

JR

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  • 10 years later...

 

Allan, on Fri Mar 3, 2006 9:53 AM, said:

Thanks, I did a Nintendo D-pad to 7800 controller conversion so I'll probably use that for my Colecovision. I wasn't sure if the second button would work but from what you said it should. What about the keypad? Is there some kind of splitter that would let me use a different controller inconjunction with the keypad on the regular controller?

 

Allan

 

Both 7800 buttons work on the CV games, so your conversion should work as well.

About 7800 Joypads and Sticks working with Colecovision. It only works as long as you don't need to press both buttons simultaneously. The ultimate test of that is Tutankham. If you can fire left and right, but not do the smart bomb, then you have a 7800 controller. If you CAN do the smart bomb by pressing both buttons, then you HAVE a Colecovision controller. So only use the 7800 if you don't need to press both buttons simultaneously. The funny thing is I Y-ed a 7800 gamepad and a Coleco standard controller, the Coleco controller works well including pressing both buttons for a bomb, and the keypad works for selecting, but the 7800 controller had that flaw of not pressing both buttons together, but otherwise the 7800 controller worked well.

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About 7800 Joypads and Sticks working with Colecovision. It only works as long as you don't need to press both buttons simultaneously. The ultimate test of that is Tutankham. If you can fire left and right, but not do the smart bomb, then you have a 7800 controller. If you CAN do the smart bomb by pressing both buttons, then you HAVE a Colecovision controller. So only use the 7800 if you don't need to press both buttons simultaneously. The funny thing is I Y-ed a 7800 gamepad and a Coleco standard controller, the Coleco controller works well including pressing both buttons for a bomb, and the keypad works for selecting, but the 7800 controller had that flaw of not pressing both buttons together, but otherwise the 7800 controller worked well.

I recently did the same experimemt you did with the same results. I'm wondering what kind of tampering I could do within the 7800 controller to get those simultaneous two-button-presses recognized. Could it be that adding a resistor between the two buttons on the 7800 joystick could get the job done?

Edited by ave1
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I Don't know how to fix it, but if there was a way to do that in a "middle connector" to take a 7800 and convert it to colecovision standard, it would be part of my Ambidextrous Brick-Stick setup. (like a street fighter stick, except made for every system from 2600, Channel F, And Astrocade to One, PS4, and Wii U I've got ways to convert it to many systems. A simple 7800-> Coleco Standard converter would work, if you can do something in the connector to allow both buttons to fire simultaneously. I'd hate to permanently ruin a perfectly good 7800 Joypad.

 

But the reverse isn't as nice. I think it only does a one button mode. I don't know what it does on a 2 button game. I should try that.

Also regardless of whether you're left- or right handed, the Super Action controller is the best controller for regular games, except Activision Decathlon (if flaws by always jumping early with either minimum or maximum angle.) Q*Bert's Qubes (Holding the level select keypad button for one too many frames causes visual glitches on SA controllers), and maybe Turankham unless you can think Top Fire=left and Second Fire = right and both = bombs,

 

But Tutankham has a different problem with brick sticks. In most other games where there's a main and and aux fire, main is on the index and aux is on the middle. But doing this for Tutankham (and Front Line) makes it so that it's right button to fire left and left button to fire right, (or middle finger button to rotate left and ring finger button to rotate right) if you've got no way to reverse the buttons. You must have reversible buttons for "stick-right" or else you'll have these button problems.

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But the reverse isn't as nice. I think it only does a one button mode. I don't know what it does on a 2 button game. I should try that.

 

 

 

 

 

The Coleco Stick in a 7800 during a 1 button game like Asteroids works perfectly fine. But play a 2 button game like Choplifter and it boots right aways to the main screen and neither the fire or turn button work. Hopefully this can give good information for someone making something that converts between 7800 and Colecovision. Got to try the Super Action controller.

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