Rotary Joystick Question

[NY_in_TX]

I have 2 old rotary joysticks, like the ones in Ikari Warriors.  Anyways They are pretty beat up.  one is okay (the spring is still good and rotary is pretty firm), the other is a mess (broken spring, loose rotary)

Couple of questions 'cause I have NO clue about these things.

Anyone try and refurb these things is it worth the trouble or just buy new ones?

I know I'd need druin's interface, but what about cables from the joystick rotary board to the interface?  would I have to make the cables or is this an easy to find item?

I was playing Heavy Barrel last night with my patented "joystick in pinky-thumb fire-trackball spin" technique, but realized about halfway through that I should get up off my arse and see what I could do with these old rotaries.

Thanks!

ny

[Tiger-Heli]

>Anyone try and refurb these things is it worth the trouble or just buy >new ones?

www.videoconnect.com used to have the SNK's for $15 NOS.  Otherwise they come up on Fleabay, or there are the Happ Mechanicals ($$$$)

>I know I'd need druin's interface,

for $45 or a complete MK64 with rotary support for $63.

> but what about cables from the joystick rotary board to the >interface?  would I have to make the cables or is this an easy to find >item?

Happ sells the 96-1000-00 cable for their mechanical rotaries.  Druin's end should be the same.  The MK64 just uses bare wire anyway, so I would probably try to hack this together, if needed.

[Hoagie_one]

can you just use a spinner for the same effect?  (assuming you have a top fire stick)

[Aceldamor]

Yeah, you can use a spinner, or the horizontal axis on your trackball, or an optical rotary.  It's really a matter of personal preferance.

[NY_in_TX]

Yeah, you can use a spinner, or the horizontal axis on your trackball, or an optical rotary.  It's really a matter of personal preferance.

I do use my trackball, but it's just not the same.  You don't have that same reference to top down left right that you do with the rotary.  I find myself having to dial in the right target rather than having the clicks of the rotary to aim my shot with.  

again, not a big deal, but if you want realistic and accurate play you need the rotary.

Tiger-Heli thanks for the tip on the MK64, I really haven't learned too much about it.  Wish I heard about that before I bought my IPAC, but then again for a newbie the simplicity of the IPAC was probably what I needed.  I'm gonna check it out.


ny