"Video Connection" Joystick Question

[Matthew Knotts]

Before I buy one of Video Connection's "WICO STYLE: True 4 or 8 way joystick" I wanted to know if anyone else had any experience with these.  I want to know in particular if by "true 4 or 8 way joystick" they mean that it can be converted from 4 way to 8 way with a twist of a plate on the bottom of the joystick.  Also to anyone who has this joystick how long are the shaft and what the diameter is.  Also just to make sure dosen't WICO style mean "ball top".  Any other feedback about this product or company would be great also.  Thanks in advance.  The Mame community is awesome especially to newcomers!

K-Nuttz

[Frostillicus]

I bought 2 wico style joysticks from them and the lady was pretty nice over the phone - good review on service from me.  I also bought some rotary joysticks earlier..both times the people were nice.

Anyways - she asked me if I wanted the joysticks for  a wood panel or metal panel, meaning that the ones for wood had a longer shaft, so you have a choice I guess.

The tops are blue and completely spherical.  I got the 8 ways.  

[Howard_Casto]

In "true 4 or 8 way" they mean you have your choice and both the 8's and 4's are the same price.  I bought a bunch of 8 way leaf sticks from them and they were great.  Btw, if your wanting a switchable one check out ultimarc.com,  or oscarcontrols.com for restrictor plates.  

[OSCAR]

Howard is right, when I ordered mine from them, they asked if I wanted the 4-ways or 8-ways.   I went with 8-ways, and you can see one of them installed in my bartop cab at www.skum.org/bartop.

The height from the top of base to top of ball is right about 3 1/4".  The shaft is pretty hefty at 7/16" diameter.  To compare, Happ Comp's are a bit smaller at 10mm diameter.

I took a few pics and measurements of one of mine.  They are at www.oscarcontrols.com/wico.  If you need any other measurements, just let me know.

[Grasshopper]

Unfortunately Video Connection are no longer selling 4 way Wico joysticks. They still have a few, but they are keeping their remaining stock for renovating old machines (at least that's what they told me...). They are also no longer selling red ball Wico joysticks, presumably for the same reason.

Does anyone know where 4 way Wico joysticks can still be bought?

With regards to dimensions, as far as I am aware Wico joysticks came in only two sizes. The standard joysticks had a 3.5" shaft (measured from bottom of shaft to bottom of ball handle). There was also a longer 4.0" length shaft available. I understand the longer shaft joysticks were used in Robotron cabinets.

I recently bought some black and blue 8 way joysticks from Video Connection. I did not ask for a particular length shaft. The black ones that arrived were 3.5" and the blue ones were 4.0". I believe it would be difficuly to mount the 3.5" joysticks in wood unless you mount from the top.

[Howard_Casto]

Try ultimarc.com and the new j-stick, which is a switchable, red, ball-top, microswitch stick.  For what I've heard so far, it's a very sturdy stick, but LOOKS a little flimsy.  The shaft is slightly narrower than a wico but it comes in two shaft lengths (wood and metal lengths)  and is easily switchable.  It's not a true wico but the price is right (about 15 bucks).  Compare that to the 60 bucks happs wants for a replacment pacman stick and it seems more and more adequate.  

[Jeehemdee]

About the Ultimarc "J-Stick":

Does anyone knows who is the original manyfacturer of those joysticks ?