Man those things needs to be conserved in museums as examples of how NOT to design things like this. The design on this is so incredibly convoluted and outright dumb. Even when thinking about it whithin the context of the time it was designed and made.
Well, it was a time when all the manufacturers were experimenting with new designs to go beyond the digital joystick and single fire button. I can't really fault them for it. The ColecoVision and Intellivision controllers are only marginally better.
Great review! Probably the easiest to follow and most informative videos on repairing these. Thank you for your information. I've ordered a flex circuit and going to try.
I think Atari hired the people from the IRS to design the joystick for the Atari 5200! Modern Classic, about "in and out or up and down..." Don't forget side way! LOL!
It's kinda tough. But after you do it a while you get the hang of it. It's always a good idea to not move the joystick and the pots after taking the controller off, so when putting it back on, it'll stay lined up.
That's why it's a good idea to hold the stick in the center position while lifting the top off so you can put it back in that position in reverse. You can approximate it by turning the top pot to 9 o'clock and the bottom pot to 6 o'clock, then try to keep the stick loosely centered when you lower the top back on.
Thanks for this video. I am back on the 5200 train after having one back in 82. Of course the controllers failed and that bummed me out completely. Anyway the gold contact kit came today and your guidance was awesome.
Just picked up my original (1980’s) Atari 5200 from my mom’s house. Your videos are very helpful. Once we get an RF to coaxial converter, my teenage son is going to go over the system, see if it works and follow any repairs suggestions you may have🤞🏼✌🏼🖖🏼🕹️
Fantastic video guide! I purchased all new replacements with gold contacts, as well as all buttons with gold contacts - and they work like brand new - but your visual guide to putting it all together was TERRIFIC!!!!
The thing about 5200 repairs is that what you need to do is HEAVILY dependent not the revision. Saying that deoxidizing the flex Circuit or rubber membrane "works 90% of the time" ignores that the other issues account for a lot more than 10%. For example, the rubber membranes on some revisions rapidly lose conductivity as the carbon does not impregnate deeply enough and flexing from use is enough for the surface carbon to flake off. Cleaning does not help. The fix is easy: Use conductive copper tape and a hole punch to make sticky conductive discs that go over the carbon pads on the rubber membrane keys. The other MAJOR issue is the pots Japanese pots (Alps or Panasonic) are usually fine but USA pots (CTS) cannot be repaired, even internally (resistance DROPS out of range, even when sealed new in the box). The thing is, Japanese pots are almost always paired with inferior rubber membranes and mylar/flex circuits. If it isn't one thing, it's another, right?! ;)
Emmett Turner did you not see part 1? He talked and did specifically what you are talking about (the “pots” I’m not sure what you mean by, but he didn’t mention that).
Believe it or not, you can actually convert an old analog PC Joystick to work on an Atari 5200. For the controls all you need to do is add 2 .22uf caps onto the positive and negative terminals on the pots, wire up a new cable to the controller with a proper connector and pinouts, and for the number pad, you can convert an old Atari Video Touch Pad by removing the resistors in it and rewiring the matrix to match the 5200's. You can then plug that into your controller, or do a split on the cable you are using. For start/pause/reset, I usually just add my own buttons on the controller and wire it up properly to the matrix.
Yikes... that Best Electronics website is something else.....
Man those things needs to be conserved in museums as examples of how NOT to design things like this. The design on this is so incredibly convoluted and outright dumb. Even when thinking about it whithin the context of the time it was designed and made.
Especially compared to the Atari 2600 joysticks that are straightforward and easy to fix.
Well, it was a time when all the manufacturers were experimenting with new designs to go beyond the digital joystick and single fire button. I can't really fault them for it. The ColecoVision and Intellivision controllers are only marginally better.
The Intellivision controller is arguably worse. The fire buttons are awful.
Yeah, INTV has an odd and inconvenient controller but I had 3 INTV systems and bought a 4th; none of the controllers I tried were broken.
Great review! Probably the easiest to follow and most informative videos on repairing these. Thank you for your information. I've ordered a flex circuit and going to try.
I think Atari hired the people from the IRS to design the joystick for the Atari 5200!
Modern Classic, about "in and out or up and down..." Don't forget side way! LOL!
I can never get the potentiometers to line up with the rails on the underside of the joystick when putting it back together, ugh
It's kinda tough. But after you do it a while you get the hang of it. It's always a good idea to not move the joystick and the pots after taking the controller off, so when putting it back on, it'll stay lined up.
That's why it's a good idea to hold the stick in the center position while lifting the top off so you can put it back in that position in reverse. You can approximate it by turning the top pot to 9 o'clock and the bottom pot to 6 o'clock, then try to keep the stick loosely centered when you lower the top back on.
Thanks for this video. I am back on the 5200 train after having one back in 82. Of course the controllers failed and that bummed me out completely. Anyway the gold contact kit came today and your guidance was awesome.
Just picked up my original (1980’s) Atari 5200 from my mom’s house. Your videos are very helpful. Once we get an RF to coaxial converter, my teenage son is going to go over the system, see if it works and follow any repairs suggestions you may have🤞🏼✌🏼🖖🏼🕹️
Fantastic video guide! I purchased all new replacements with gold contacts, as well as all buttons with gold contacts - and they work like brand new - but your visual guide to putting it all together was TERRIFIC!!!!
Summary:
Lubes up his flex circuit to impregnate the slot with some of the old in & out.
Thank you I was wondering. Very helpfull.
where do i buy the flex circuits? I go to the website but its like just informational now and on ebay its like 20 bucks per
No, you can still buy them there. It’s just a wonky web site. You have to email them to order.
Just curious, have you had to re-clean the controllers since you last made this video?
I have not, but it's probably been a year or so since I last used them.
Goes to show, that there was probably a million and one better ways this controller could have been designed.
Well little late to this party but is your watch a tissot day date? Looks tight.
The thing about 5200 repairs is that what you need to do is HEAVILY dependent not the revision. Saying that deoxidizing the flex Circuit or rubber membrane "works 90% of the time" ignores that the other issues account for a lot more than 10%. For example, the rubber membranes on some revisions rapidly lose conductivity as the carbon does not impregnate deeply enough and flexing from use is enough for the surface carbon to flake off. Cleaning does not help. The fix is easy: Use conductive copper tape and a hole punch to make sticky conductive discs that go over the carbon pads on the rubber membrane keys.
The other MAJOR issue is the pots Japanese pots (Alps or Panasonic) are usually fine but USA pots (CTS) cannot be repaired, even internally (resistance DROPS out of range, even when sealed new in the box). The thing is, Japanese pots are almost always paired with inferior rubber membranes and mylar/flex circuits. If it isn't one thing, it's another, right?! ;)
Emmett Turner did you not see part 1? He talked and did specifically what you are talking about (the “pots” I’m not sure what you mean by, but he didn’t mention that).
I just realized this comment is a year old too haha. You probably don’t remember much for any of this god damn awful controlled xD
Do they actually still manufacture the flex circuits, or are they cannibalized from other controllers?
They're NOS as far as I know. Definitely not used. The gold ones are still being made but they are much more expensive now.
Thank you for the reply. 'NOS'?
New Old Stock. Manufactured at the time, but never sold and stuck in a warehouse. A retro-fan's wet dream.
Gracias amigo !
Believe it or not, you can actually convert an old analog PC Joystick to work on an Atari 5200. For the controls all you need to do is add 2 .22uf caps onto the positive and negative terminals on the pots, wire up a new cable to the controller with a proper connector and pinouts, and for the number pad, you can convert an old Atari Video Touch Pad by removing the resistors in it and rewiring the matrix to match the 5200's. You can then plug that into your controller, or do a split on the cable you are using. For start/pause/reset, I usually just add my own buttons on the controller and wire it up properly to the matrix.
What a horrible design!
nah