Square rimmed button OR How I first got into BYOAC

[RayB]

This is a post about buttons with square rims. But it's also a story about my very first self-built control panel.  


When I was a young'un, back in 1988, I had the home version of "Track n Field" for my Commodore 64. It came with a nifty blue plastic controller with the same button layout as the arcade. It was better than wiggling a joystick side to side, but the buttons were CHEAP. I was unsatisfied.

I had the idea of building my own control panel (yes folks! 1988 is when this sort of hobby first hit me!) So I wrote a letter to Wico, whom I felt made the best joysticks of the time (Command Control!). I asked them if it was possible to order one 9-pin plug/wire like they use in their joysticks, and 3 arcade buttons.

Well, nice company they were back then, instead of returning a letter saying "yes you can, here's our catalog", they sent me merchandise free of charge! (plus a catalog and a credit application). I guess they didn't realize I was just some kid.

Anyways, so I got 3 or 4 buttons, and the joystick plug. The button colors didn't match, because I guess they were meant to be samples. I got 1 light blue, and 2 translucent reds. But get this, one of the red buttons had a SQUARE rim/lip! Otherwise it was a regular leaf-switch button, but the rim was square! Now, I originally was posting this thread to ask if anyone has ever seen these? I never saw any game with one, so perhaps this was a short-lived product that Wico introduced.

To finish up the story, I got a small piece of wood and had my dad drill the holes for me. I nailed a couple little blocks on either side of the panel to prop it up. Hooked the buttons up to my Wico 9-pin plug (compatible with C64, Atari 2600, etc) and voila, I had my own Track n Field controller with real arcade buttons. (It worked great with other games like Decathlon too).

I wish I still had it or the buttons so I could document it on my web site, but I don't. I'm still really curious about that square rimmed button though.

Ray B.

[Witchboard]

My dad did the same thing.  He got tired of my brother and me tearing up the joysticks mostly playing Epix Summer/Winter Games.  So he got some microswitches and made some controllers out of a 2x4.  Didn't know what we were doing at the time.  Just thought it was a way to save money.  

[greywolf22]

Ahh yes, good ol' decathlon...broke more joysticks then I care to admit playing that game.  Anyone ever attach a paddle to the second joystick port (on an Atari 2600), and turn the paddle all the way to the right?  And then while one person moves the joystick back and forth another presses the buttons on the paddles?  Makes you go REALLY fast  

[Chris]

Ahh yes, good ol' decathlon...broke more joysticks then I care to admit playing that game.  Anyone ever attach a paddle to the second joystick port (on an Atari 2600), and turn the paddle all the way to the right?  And then while one person moves the joystick back and forth another presses the buttons on the paddles?  Makes you go REALLY fast  

Paddle buttons mapped to the left and right joystick directions.  If you hold down both paddle buttons while playing one of the airplane games in Atari 2600 Combat, the plane will stop and spin in midair.