RickR

Wired-Up Retro
Published on Mar 2, 2019
In today's presentation my guest-host from the Atari 5200 Podcast, Pete Spivak, and I will show you how to use adapters to play your Atari 5200 with a wired PS3 and wired Xbox 360 controller.
Also shown is how to easily fix the Atari 5200 when the controllers aren't properly responding to your joystick/pad direction input with a  potentiometer adjustment.  This is a reliable method to troubleshoot your mother of all consoles.
The adapters needed to get the wired PS3 controllers compatible with the Atari 5200 are as follows:
1) a 15 pin PC Gameport controller to 15 pin Atari 5200 adapter.  These are obtained by contacting Atariage member, bohoki.  He makes these for under $20.
2) An adapter that converts Atari/Amiga/Sega controllers with a 9 pin connector to a 15 pin PC gameport.  These are available on Ebay from  "Ikonsgr74" and can be obtained for under $20
3) A Tototek Joypad Convertor version MD (for Playstation controller compatibility on the Megadrive/Sega Genesis).  These adapters are under $30.
4) A Brook Game Controller Super Convertor for adapting a PS3/PS4 controller to a PS2 console.
5) a USB splitter cable ($12 or less).
6) a powersupply with a USB cord (5Volts) OR a USB Hub with connected power supply.
To get the Xbox 360 controllers compatible with the 5200, you'll need one additional adapter.  It is the Mayflash Universal Adapter for Xbox360/PS3/PS2/PC USB.  These may be found at Amazon.  Current price for these on Amazon is $30, but that is subject to change.  Mayflash adapters tend to become scarce and go up in price.
Special thanks to Emforay for the music in today's episode. 
Intro: "Wander"
5200 fix-it music: "Candle Dance"
Music playing during comments at the end: "Sister"
DJ Kestutis gets credit for the outro song, "Reborn": License: http://goo.gl/ZSoZf
 
 

Dragster
Atari 2600
Difficulty: B
High Score: 5.57
October 12th, 2017
Notes: Run Starts at 7:42 on Video

Congratulations Scott Stilphen!
 
KA-POW!! Congratulations Scott Stilphen on an excellent performance! Battlezone is a game that we haven't talked much about lately and I think this game proved to be a lot of fun. It was great to see so many old faces jump in on this Challenge! High Score Squad is always at its most fun when the gang's all here. @Scott Stilphen won the Squad Challenge with a high score of 182,000. @RickR came in with his Slik Stick and a score of 91,000, @nosweargamer was right behind with 70,000 and @atarilbc flew in with 57,000. @Arenafoot, @kamakazi20012and @Atari Creep all showed up with their best! Congrats to everyone who played! I'd encourage Scott to post his new high score on the Scoreboard, and maybe this Challenge can continue on! 
2019 will be changing it up in High Score Squad with new challenges for Lynx, SNES, Genesis, Master System, Atari ST, Jaguar, 5200, TurboGrafx-16, Intellivision, ColecoVision, Game Boy and much much more, in addition to the usual lineup of video game systems. We may even have an Arcade challenge! Be ready to play all of these game systems, we'll be breaking new ground with more interesting Squad Challenges coming up very soon and throughout the year, and we hope to see you there. Way to go everybody!
 
 
BATTLEZONE FINAL STANDINGS
 
1   SCOTT STILPHEN         182,000
2   RICKR                                91,000
3   NOSWEARGAMER           70,000
4   ATARILBC                         57,000
5   ARENAFOOT                    49,000
6   KAMAKAZI20012           39,000
7   ATARI CREEP                  33,000
 
 

That's the strategy I kind of stumbled onto as well.  But once those yellow tanks show up...it gets really tough.  Incredible score, Scott. 

Switched to a "Slik Stik" joystick and BOOM.  91,000.  Plus I got super lucky to hit several of those stupid red things. 
 

182,000
I use the tried-and-true strategy of turning and going in reverse.  Don't let the tanks get behind you, no matter what.  Keep them off to the sides.  When you see a shot fly past you, that's when you turn to shoot them.

Cant say I have a lot of experience with this game, real fun. 
33000 is my latest offering. Playing original cart on an Atari 2600 Jr, original joystick.
Void my last entry, I was playing game 1 not 2. 
 
 
 

Switched to a "Slik Stik" joystick and BOOM.  91,000.  Plus I got super lucky to hit several of those stupid red things. 
 

Switched to a "Slik Stik" joystick and BOOM.  91,000.  Plus I got super lucky to hit several of those stupid red things. 
 

May as well put this here.  It's a good review and helpfully goes over the scoring and gameplay.
 
 

66,000
 

I have been SO busy I didnt even see there was a new challenge. So while in Wed night chat I pulled out my Atari portable and played a few rounds. I have all day tomorrow to get a last min entry in. Here is my first score, yes going to work on it. Hahaha
 
 

May as well put this here.  It's a good review and helpfully goes over the scoring and gameplay.
 
 

May as well put this here.  It's a good review and helpfully goes over the scoring and gameplay.
 
 

YES we are interested.  Post at will. 
 

I put Sting Ray Afternoons on hold at my library (the audiobook version).  Thanks for the suggestion.
 

YES we are interested.  Post at will. 
 

I put Sting Ray Afternoons on hold at my library (the audiobook version).  Thanks for the suggestion.
 

Still here!

Sorry for the lack of posts/updates, etc.
Still working & much busier. The island is still quiet and peaceful.
The internet still works great, I'm a member of the volunteer fire department (FF1, Treasurer & Lieutenant, not sure how I got that last responsibility, since I still haven't seen a real fire yet), assistant coach for the boys basketball team & just enjoying the solitude. Oh & we had a tornado last October. 😀 🌪️
I'll do better at sharing more pics/videos if you're interested.

So, Sting Ray Afternoons is a MUST read. This book was fantastic & right up our (as in age group) alley. He's not much of a gamer & is a little older than (most) of us, but it's a wonderful nostalgia trip. I highly recommend it.
SRAs ends when the author graduates high school. He has since announced a sequel that picks up where SRAs leaves off.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0316419435/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_1sUDCb72C96KB
 

An 83 megabyte cartridge that will run on an UNEXPANDED TI-99/4A!
 
 

I suppose I better live up to my review, lol.
Seems to me a big part of getting a high score is the simple luck of where some of the tanks pop up. I played a bunch of games to get this one.
70,000 (Atari GH Vol 1 DS, Played on a 3DS XL)

 

An update!  Here's a picture of the old girl on my shelf.  And also, a picture of the re-fixed axle.  The original repair broke after a few forays onto the carpet.  But now it's exoxy and a metal clip and it seems to be holding much better.
 

Cleaning complete.  Re-assembly complete.  Should we take a poll about whether it works?
 
Naw!  It works!  It works nicely.  The only thing wrong at this moment is that the "laser" light bulb is burnt out.  I'll need to find a new one, and it's kind of a strange bulb.  The repaired front axle appears to be fine.  I am stoked! 
 

I just purchased a Milton Bradley Big Trak on ebay.  It was in broken/parts/as-is condition.  The price was right, and I thought it would be fun to try and restore it. 
For those that are unfamiliar -- the Big Trak was an electronically programmable toy vehicle from 1982.  More info here:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Trak
I always wanted one, thanks to commercials like this:
I thought I could skip the apple and deliver a beer to my father.  Alas, the budget would never allow for this purchase.  Until now!
Well, the Big Trak arrived yesterday.  As advertised, in pretty sad shape.  Lots of dirt and grime, a broken battery terminal, and worst of all, a broken front axle.  So I immediately got busy.  I took apart the wheels and applied some epoxy to that broken axle.  Everything removed got washed.  Next steps are to take the top off and see what's going on with the electronics.  And replace that battery terminal.
I've got mixed expectations.  I think at the low end, I may end up with a Big Trak that is cosmetically good, but doesn't work.  I'd be ok with that...it will look great on a shelf.  Best case, I get it fully working. 
The main body section, not yet opened:



 
Broken battery connector:

 
Fixing Axel Foley.  Using a lot of epoxy will make it stronger, and it will still fit in it's slot.


 
Removed parts have been washed.