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6.4
PC ANALOG JOYSTICK TO 5200 ADAPTER

Yes, you can build an adapter Y-cable for the 5200 to allow the use of a PC analog joystick. You plug the Atari 5200 controller into one connecter to use its keypad. You plug a PC joystick into the other connecter for movement and buttons. Great for Star Raiders and Galaxian. OK for Super Breakout if you have a steady hand.

How to Connect a PC Joystick to an Atari 5200 System
(Revision 1.0)
5/24/96

This is an adapter for connecting a PC joystick to an Atari 5200. It's a small cable with two 15 pin connectors on one end and one 15 pin connector on the other. The single connector end plugs into the A5200. One the other end, one connector is for a PC joystick and the other is for an Atari 5200 controller. The keypad and top row buttons are used on the 5200 controller as usual. The PC joystick replaces the A5200 direction control and fire buttons.

Any PC compatible joystick will work, but some PC compatible joystick are digital instead of analog. These seem mostly of the joypad variety. You can still use digital joysticks, but some games will not work. Super Breakout is the big one that is impossible to play with a digital PC joystick (Well you can, but the paddle can only be all the way left, all the way right, or in the middle). Games like Pac-man and Defender play no different with a digital PC joystick. However, I have noticed, that games like Galaxian and Star Raiders play better with an analog joystick. For example the ship in Galaxian has two speeds in each direction. Moving the stick a little to the left will move the ship slowly to the left and moving the stick all the way to the left will move the ship at a faster speed. So these games are still playable with a digital joystick but won't have the same feel as an analog joystick.

For the serious gamers, I would recommend an analog joystick with trimmer controls. The trimmers allow optimum sensitivity adjustment and as a bonus you can play Super Breakout with just the trimmer control. There's one from Quickshot called the Warrior 5 that is only $10. If you have a joystick without trimmers like the Thrustmaster, it still works, but it seems more sensitive in one direction than another. This can be fixed by playing with different capacitor values.

Some of you may be wondering about calibration. I can't confirm this, but from my observations, there is some auto calibration going on. For example, I put in Galaxian, and press start. My ship starts moving right even though I'm in the neutral position. However, If I move all the way left and all the way right, the ship always stops when I'm in neutral position. I have observed this behavior with my adapter as well as the Atari 5200 controller.

I have also been asked about the Gravis PC Gamepad. I don't know for sure, but I believe the Gravis PC Gamepad is digital. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong. If it is, it comes under the same restrictions discussed above.

If anybody is interested in making these adapters to sell, you have my permission. All I ask is that somewhere you give me credit for the design.

Now the Disclaimer. I am not responsible for:

1. Any damage done to your A5200
2. Any damage done to your PC Joystick.
3. Any errors in these instructions or schematic.

I'm not going to give step by step instructions. I'm going to assume that the reader has some basic knowledge of electronics and can figure out what to do with the schematics and info presented here. I will, however, answer questions if asked.

Now that I covered my backside, here is how to do it:

Parts List:

2 15 pin Female Sub-miniature D connectors
2 15 pin Male Sub-miniature D connectors
2 .22uF Ceramic Capacitors
1 ~1 ft. 15 pin cable

Schematic:
        ________                           ________
       |        |                         |        |
       | 1    1 |_________________________| 1   1  |
       | 5      |                         |     5  |
       |      2 |_________________________| 2      |
       | P      |                         |     P  |   A5200
       | I    3 |_________________________| 3   I  |   Controller
A5200  | N      |                         |     N  |
       |      4 |_________________________| 4      |   No connection
       | F      |                         |     M  |   on pins 9-15
       | E    5 |_________________________| 5   A  |
       | M      |                         |     L  |
       | A    6 |_________________________| 6   E  |
       | L      |                         |        |
       | E    7 |_________________________| 7   C  |
       |        |                         |     O  |
       | C    8 |_________________________| 8   N  |
       | O      |                         |________|         
       | N      |        
       |        |
       |        |
       |        |
       |        |                          ________
       |        |                         |        |
       |      13|_________________________| 2   1  |
       |        |                         |     5  |
       |      14|_________________________| 7      |
       |        |                         |     P  |   PC
       |      9 |_________________________| 1   I  |   Joystick
       |        |                         |     N  |
       |      10|_____x___________________| 3      |  No connection
       |        |     |                   |     F  |  on pins 5, 8-15
       |      11|_____|_________x_________| 6   E  |
       |        |     |         |         |     M  |
       |        |    _|_       _|_        |     A  |
       |        |    ___       ___        |     L  |
       |        |     | .22uF   | .22uF   |     E  |
       |        |     |         |         |        |
       |      15|_____x_________x_________| 4   C  |
       |        |                         |     O  |
       |        |          Gnd            |     N  |
       |________|                         |________|
Notes:

1. Wire up one end of the cable to a 15 pin female connector. This will be the connector that goes to the Atari 5200. Wire the other two connectors to the other end of the cable.

2. The value of the capacitors is not critical. If the PC joystick has a trimmer, a slightly smaller or larger value should work.

3. The type of capacitor is not important. If polarized caps are used, connect the negative leads to the 15---4 wire.

4. Because the Atari 5200 joystick connector is so deep, using a clam shell cover for this adapter connector makes it very loose. I recommend heat shrink tubing or electrical tape on this end.

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