Spinners designed for Mame, used for Atari paddle games

[jcroach]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this.

[SirPoonga]

It would work ok.  Though the paddles are pot based based like you know.

I haven;t used a 2600 emu.  It partly involves what the emu can handle.  If it can handle mouse and joystick input than oyu can do whatever you want.

For modding actual controllers you will need to hacke the pots into either the gameport, or if you want usb into a pc joystick.

[jcroach]

For modding actual controllers you will need to hacke the pots into either the gameport, or if you want usb into a pc joystick.

I'd love to hack them into a USB joystick.  Anything in particular that I should look for when buying a joystick to hack?

Oh, and I believe Z26 (an atari2600 emulator) will allow mouse input for paddles.  I'm not sure how good the gameplay is however.

Thanks!

[Minwah]

You could also just buy a 100k pot and interface to the gameport as shown here:

http://www.gunpowder.freeserve.co.uk/wheels/wiring.htm

...then get a GamePort > USB adaptor.

Possibly just buying a USB joystick would be cheaper, I'm not sure.

[jcroach]

You could also just buy a 100k pot and interface to the gameport as shown here:

Why an 100k pot?

[jcroach]

Could I use the Dual Strike USB hack? I think the atari paddles and the Dual Strike both use 5k pots. 

http://1uparcade.robandmitsue.com/projects-dualstrike.html

[Oddfeld]

If you can't find original Atari 2600 paddles in decent condition, you may be interested to know that Jakk's released a paddle version of their TV game units (those 'play umpteen old Atari games all built into this retro-style joystick that you plug into your TV' things). Dunno how easily hackable they are...

http://gear.ign.com/articles/526/526896p1.html

[jcroach]

If you can't find original Atari 2600 paddles in decent condition, you may be interested to know that Jakk's released a paddle version of their TV game units (those 'play umpteen old Atari games all built into this retro-style joystick that you plug into your TV' things). Dunno how easily hackable they are...

http://gear.ign.com/articles/526/526896p1.html

Thanks for the suggestion.  I actually got one of these for Christmas.  It made me want to play Kaboom! again with a real paddle.  Kaboom! was an activision game and the Jakk's system only has Atari software on it.  I might opwn mine up and see how it works though. 

I may end up going with the Dual Strike hack though.

[Tiger-Heli]

Could I use the Dual Strike USB hack? I think the atari paddles and the Dual Strike both use 5k pots. 

http://1uparcade.robandmitsue.com/projects-dualstrike.html

I would think so . . .

[quarterstringer]

Oh, and I believe Z26 (an atari2600 emulator) will allow mouse input for paddles.

[Minwah]

Why an 100k pot?

Because 100k pots can be interfaced straight to the gameport (5k ones can't).  Not sure how close a 100k pot + cable + a gameport plug + gameport > USB adaptor would be cost-wise compared toe a Dual Strike, probably a bit cheaper I would think.