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Author Topic: 'The Arcade' and 'The Boss' - Availability of NOS or currently produced joysticks?  (Read 3842 times)

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Offline FloridaTopic starter

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'The Arcade' and 'The Boss' - Availability of NOS or currently produced joysticks?
 
Competition Pro Joystick for either USB or 9-PIN connector.  Amigakit sells them, new.  Is there anything else out there that is somewhat decent?  I am not too thrilled about the joypad.  I do like the 'Competition Pro Joystick' and I have gotten a few of them so I do appreciate that they are available.
 
I am looking for 'The Arcade' joystick by SUZO, which in my opinion is the best joystick ever.  I contacted the company last week and they don't make them anymore.
 
For the C64 I used 'The Boss' by WICO.
 
Is either 'The Arcade' or 'The Boss' still available for sale as new old stock?
 
I did buy a joystick (The Boss) on E-Bay some time ago, took it apart, followed the instructions on how to restore it to its original color and finish and it did look brand new except I found broken pieces inside and I had trouble putting it back together.  So, I got some new parts and after putting it together it didn't move right.  Very frustrating.  On a positive note, the method of restoring the plastic as described on this site did indeed work. :)
 

Offline Franko

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Best place to track one down would be aBay, just been on their for the past several hours trawling through over 11,000 Commodore items and there were plenty of old joysticks available at some pretty good prices... :)

(just be careful what you buy and if in doubt email the seller first to confirm it's condition... ;))
 

Offline Ral-Clan

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Not new old-stock, but I do have several "boss" joysticks and would sell one or two if you're really stuck.
Music I've made using Amigas and other retro-instruments: http://theovoids.bandcamp.com
 

Offline runequester

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Somewhat related, anyone have some proper 2 button sticks or CD32 pads they'd like to part with?
 
Not just with multiple buttons like the competition pro, but actually wired as distinct buttons for stuff like Turrican or Alien Breed ?
 
Obviously the OP has first dibs :)
 

Offline Franko

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Quote from: runequester;615622
Somewhat related, anyone have some proper 2 button sticks or CD32 pads they'd like to part with?
 
Not just with multiple buttons like the competition pro, but actually wired as distinct buttons for stuff like Turrican or Alien Breed ?
 
Obviously the OP has first dibs :)


Make yer own... :)

It's easy to do, all you need is the two button joysticks you already own and an old mouse cable, it just a case of wiring up the new cable to the joystick and instead of having the two fire buttons linked together you just wire them separately to give you two independent fire buttons... :)

(mice cables usually contain more wires than a joystick cable to give you that one extra wire you need to make a two button joystick... :))
 

Offline TheBilgeRat

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Quote from: runequester;615622
Somewhat related, anyone have some proper 2 button sticks or CD32 pads they'd like to part with?
 
Not just with multiple buttons like the competition pro, but actually wired as distinct buttons for stuff like Turrican or Alien Breed ?
 
Obviously the OP has first dibs :)

First hand experience, I get used Genesis controllers for 5 bucks that work great.
 

Offline runequester

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Quote from: TheBilgeRat;615629
First hand experience, I get used Genesis controllers for 5 bucks that work great.


Ive had mixed luck with those. Some work and some don't. They are generally knockoff reproductions though.
 

Offline runequester

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Quote from: Franko;615625
Make yer own... :)

It's easy to do, all you need is the two button joysticks you already own and an old mouse cable, it just a case of wiring up the new cable to the joystick and instead of having the two fire buttons linked together you just wire them separately to give you two independent fire buttons... :)

(mice cables usually contain more wires than a joystick cable to give you that one extra wire you need to make a two button joystick... :))


huh, I'll have to dig around and see if I have a spare mouse lying around.
Is that really all there is to it? :)
 

Offline Franko

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Quote from: runequester;615649
huh, I'll have to dig around and see if I have a spare mouse lying around.
Is that really all there is to it? :)


Yup, simple as that... :)

I'll draw up a wiring diagram and post it here later (and maybe some pics)... :)
 

Offline runequester

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Quote from: Franko;615653
Yup, simple as that... :)

I'll draw up a wiring diagram and post it here later (and maybe some pics)... :)


thatd be awesome. Ive looked for a few guides online but I think I need something pretty idiot proof
 

Offline Franko

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Quote from: runequester;615654
thatd be awesome. Ive looked for a few guides online but I think I need something pretty idiot proof


Don't worry it must be if I can do it... :)

It only involves one extra wire in the joystick cable and bobs your uncle a two button joystick... :)

(need to get some sleep now, only woke up to go to the loo... :))
 

Offline Franko

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Ok here's how to make a standard Amiga joystick with 2 fire buttons into one with two separate buttons (ie: one for fire and the other for jump etc...) :)

Sorry but I'm not very good at making diagrams but it should be clear enough. You'll need of course a suitable cable of at least 7 cores and a female 9 pin D_Sub connector (easily obtained from your nearest electrical supply store) or even an old Amiga mouse cable should do... :)

NOTE: as there are were no "standards" for the wire colour coding in joysticks or mice the colours used here are simply to distinguish each cable... :)

All you have to do is make sure you wire the appropriate micro-switch up to the appropriate pin number... :)

 

Offline runequester

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hm. I think I have an old tank mouse where one button physically broke, but the cable is probably fine, so I'll have to try that out.
 
Are the wires soldered inside or ?
 
I guess I'll just have to take it apart :)
 
So on a stick where all of the buttons are wired the same way, you'd see the 9 pin having nothing wired to it ?
 
 
Bonus question: How would a CD32 pad be wired? Do you happen to know?
 

Offline Franko

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Quote from: runequester;615762
hm. I think I have an old tank mouse where one button physically broke, but the cable is probably fine, so I'll have to try that out.
 
Are the wires soldered inside or ?
 
I guess I'll just have to take it apart :)
 
So on a stick where all of the buttons are wired the same way, you'd see the 9 pin having nothing wired to it ?
 
 
Bonus question: How would a CD32 pad be wired? Do you happen to know?


Usually the wires inside the joystick are connected with crimped connectors that just slide off the micro switches, but using a mouse cable you'll have to cut and bare the end of the wires and solder them on... :)

Basically a normal two button joystick has both the fire buttons wired together going to pin 6 on the Amiga, all your doing is separating the two and sending one to pin 6 and the other to pin 9 to give you two separate buttons that most Amiga games that can take advantage of two button joystick will work with... :)

The CD32 pad is a bit more tricky as it contains a logic chip that handles all the other buttons on it and to be honest there's not much point or use in fiddling around with it for any reason... :)
 

Offline runequester

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Gotcha. I have a spare joystick lying around, so I think I'll test it on that one, before taking the mouse apart, since I dont have any soldering equipment