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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: Everblue on January 07, 2012, 04:27:56 PM

Title: Do not buy the Competition Pro Retro Joystick by Individual Computers
Post by: Everblue on January 07, 2012, 04:27:56 PM
Seriously, don't waste money. The first one I got broke after 1 hour of use (and I am particularly careful) - the microswitch on the left button broke. Now I bought another one - only to find that (again the same microswitch) one of the buttons does not work (yes, dead on arrival).

Will have to send back to Vesalia, and most probably incur more charges!

On a side note, anyone knows if these can be easily modded with Sanwa or Seimitsu parts?
Title: Re: Do not buy the Competition Pro Retro Joystick by Individual Computers
Post by: runequester on January 07, 2012, 05:38:18 PM
Quote from: Nostromo;674765
Seriously, don't waste money. The first one I got broke after 1 hour of use (and I am particularly careful) - the microswitch on the left button broke. Now I bought another one - only to find that (again the same microswitch) one of the buttons does not work (yes, dead on arrival).
 
Will have to send back to Vesalia, and most probably incur more charges!
 
On a side note, anyone knows if these can be easily modded with Sanwa or Seimitsu parts?

Hate to be the dissenting opinion but mine has been rock solid. So either you were unlucky or I was lucky :)
 
Buying joystick is always a frustration for me, as most you can get on ebay are knackered and will barely work, after the seller dug them out of a garage box.
Title: Re: Do not buy the Competition Pro Retro Joystick by Individual Computers
Post by: Darrin on January 07, 2012, 05:39:05 PM
I've got three of them that still work perfectly.  My only issue with them is the overall design - they just don't fit my hands and I cant get a good grip on them.  I prefer "fighter pilot" style joysticks with 2 buttons on the stick and industrial type suction cups that remove the varnish from your table top when they break loose.  Unfortunately nobody seems to be selling them.
Title: Re: Do not buy the Competition Pro Retro Joystick by Individual Computers
Post by: Krischan76 on January 07, 2012, 06:22:49 PM
Both of mine work. So folks, go buy those joysticks!
Title: Re: Do not buy the Competition Pro Retro Joystick by Individual Computers
Post by: Everblue on January 07, 2012, 06:24:19 PM
Guess I'm just being unlucky then :(
Title: Re: Do not buy the Competition Pro Retro Joystick by Individual Computers
Post by: runequester on January 07, 2012, 06:25:02 PM
Quote from: Darrin;674772
I've got three of them that still work perfectly. My only issue with them is the overall design - they just don't fit my hands and I cant get a good grip on them. I prefer "fighter pilot" style joysticks with 2 buttons on the stick and industrial type suction cups that remove the varnish from your table top when they break loose. Unfortunately nobody seems to be selling them.
yeah, they arent overly comfortable.
 
I was disappointed in all the buttons being wired the same too, though apparently its easy to rewire.
Title: Re: Do not buy the Competition Pro Retro Joystick by Individual Computers
Post by: x303 on January 07, 2012, 06:45:25 PM
Yeah, with the new style competition pro's you have to be very carefully. So don't play any games like speedball2 or so.:smack:
My old one (which survived every game) without microswitches is much better than the new one. Also feels much lighter and doesn't have this annoying hard clicking sound.
Title: Re: Do not buy the Competition Pro Retro Joystick by Individual Computers
Post by: Mr_DBUG on January 07, 2012, 07:02:32 PM
I have to agree with the OP, these sticks are not very good .. Nowhere NEAR as good as the original .. Particularily as to the durability ..
Title: Re: Do not buy the Competition Pro Retro Joystick by Individual Computers
Post by: save2600 on January 07, 2012, 07:08:17 PM
The two I have seem fine so far. But then again, they're mostly for my GF to use as she's quite hard on joysticks.  :(

@x303: when you say you have to be careful with them and don't play Speedball 2, what do you mean? Is the two button config shorting out circuitry in the Amiga's? Or are you saying the joystick doesn't lend itself well to the game?

@Runequester: I thought the switch on 'em chooses between all the buttons wired as one or two discrete, with the triangular button being the second button? I was trying to play Super Street Fighter 2 the other night though and my computer only recognizes the one button mode. When I flipped the switch, the triangular buttons no longer worked.

I must have a bad CIA or something in that system.  :(
Title: Re: Do not buy the Competition Pro Retro Joystick by Individual Computers
Post by: ChaosLord on January 07, 2012, 07:51:33 PM
I would have bought 4 of these joysticks a long time ago but since one of the buttons is broken/miswired on every one that was manufactured, they are completely useless to me.   Having a 2-button joystick that can't actually work with any of the Amiga's 2-button games is useless to me.
Title: Re: Do not buy the Competition Pro Retro Joystick by Individual Computers
Post by: x303 on January 07, 2012, 09:35:50 PM
Quote from: save2600;674788
@x303: when you say you have to be careful with them and don't play Speedball 2, what do you mean? Is the two button config shorting out circuitry in the Amiga's? Or are you saying the joystick doesn't lend itself well to the game?
With speedball 2 (and others) you use the button quite hard else you don't get to win the game. :hammer:  You can use the little triangle button too, but that doesn't do the job. I modified the button, so now it works again, but i'm not using it anymore for these type of games. Think I'm gonna buy a USB->Joystick adapter for my old one, which works great after using it for more than 10 years or so.
Title: Re: Do not buy the Competition Pro Retro Joystick by Individual Computers
Post by: lsmart on January 07, 2012, 09:42:35 PM
I own two of those. Mine are of much better quality than many recent controllers, but are really more easy to break than the original Competition Pro 5000s. I had to repair mine three times in just a few years. But usually the repair is not a big deal: reposition, tighten screws, done.

The discussion about the fire-buttons is interesting. Maybe I should try to modify mine to have the two big fire buttons to be "button 1" and turn off the top two buttons. Ideally I could use the rapid-fire switch to switch between my and the default button configuration.

Then again, I am not much of a gamer. The work probably wouldn´t pay off.
Title: Re: Do not buy the Competition Pro Retro Joystick by Individual Computers
Post by: bbond007 on January 07, 2012, 10:23:37 PM
Quote from: Nostromo;674765
Seriously, don't waste money. The first one I got broke after 1 hour of use (and I am particularly careful) - the microswitch on the left button broke. Now I bought another one - only to find that (again the same microswitch) one of the buttons does not work (yes, dead on arrival).

Will have to send back to Vesalia, and most probably incur more charges!

On a side note, anyone knows if these can be easily modded with Sanwa or Seimitsu parts?

I bought one too and while mine has never broken I do think that the type of plastic it is made out of just feels flimsy and squeaky and I really overall underwhelmed with the build quality when  it arrived.

I got a used konix epyx 500 from ebay shipped for $15 or so that I like much better. Seems like lately I been using a CD32 Gamepad more than anything.
Title: Re: Do not buy the Competition Pro Retro Joystick by Individual Computers
Post by: runequester on January 07, 2012, 10:26:29 PM
I have a comp pro CD32 pad.. one of the old ones.. which would be amazing but its pretty worn out.
 
I normally use the amiga version of the Gravis gamepad which is outstanding
Title: Re: Do not buy the Competition Pro Retro Joystick by Individual Computers
Post by: NovaCoder on January 07, 2012, 11:46:45 PM
I use a wireless PS2 controller with my 1200, works great :)
Title: Re: Do not buy the Competition Pro Retro Joystick by Individual Computers
Post by: haywirepc on January 08, 2012, 12:12:05 AM
Mine broke too. I now use a retrro nes usb controller. (on my dedicated emulation pc) Works great and once you remap the buttons works fine.

I think the feel of the competition pro joysticks is absolutely horrid. Feels so stiff! Nothing like amiga controllers of the old days, but maybe its just me, since they seem to be quite popular...

Steven
Title: Re: Do not buy the Competition Pro Retro Joystick by Individual Computers
Post by: bbond007 on January 08, 2012, 12:12:47 AM
Quote from: NovaCoder;674820
I use a wireless PS2 controller with my 1200, works great :)



I was given some wireless NES gamepads. I wonder if there exists a converter to go from NES to Commodore/Atari.
Title: Re: Do not buy the Competition Pro Retro Joystick by Individual Computers
Post by: RobertB on January 08, 2012, 02:09:43 AM
Quote from: bbond007;674823
I wonder if there exists a converter to go from NES to Commodore/Atari.

It's here at

http://www.64hdd.com/64jpx/64jpx.html#

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
Title: Re: Do not buy the Competition Pro Retro Joystick by Individual Computers
Post by: HotRod on January 08, 2012, 02:37:27 AM
Quote from: haywirepc;674822
Mine broke too. I now use a retrro nes usb controller. (on my dedicated emulation pc) Works great and once you remap the buttons works fine.

I think the feel of the competition pro joysticks is absolutely horrid. Feels so stiff! Nothing like amiga controllers of the old days, but maybe its just me, since they seem to be quite popular...

Steven


No it's not just you, they are horrible! Really stiff, my thumb hurts after a short while of playing. The Tac-2 was the joystick that I loved back then and still do. That's how a joystick should be IMO. The other joystick that I liked was the joystick from the Atari 2600, really good. Only way seems to be to build an adapter or buy one and use one of your old joysticks if you're lucky to have one. The Tac-2 is the only one that I'm interested in. I got three of these Competition Pro and they suck ass! It's better than nothing but far from good. Also I got a PS2-like joypad but playing Amiga-games with that isn't right, it doesn't have the right feal.