Tackle and tested the 5200, snags included...

Tonight, I decided to tackle the Atari 5200. Mainly, the adapter issue. Sure, I could just use the PC Engine Duo's adapter and call it good, but I really didn't want to (under powering under 1.5 VDC is fine, just didn't want to over work the adapter).

So, I ordered a connector that works with an adapter that I had bought for another project but didn't work.

Same dimensions as a Sega Genesis Model 1 adapter (2.1 mm inner diameter, 5.5 mm outer diameter). Fits the 12 VDC adapter that I had.

I did a quick wiring to the power points on the board and tested it. Stunning results, even through RF!

To make room for the new power jack, I desoldered the original power connector.

Removed. Fuzzy picture warning.

Old jack removed. No love loss.

All was going good, until I needed to mount the new jack...

I had the intent of using the original hole for the stock power jack. As you can see, it didn't fare out so well.

I marked it with where the connections should be (positive to the center of the jack, negative to the outer part). 

I intend on getting back to this project. What's left to do is a video mod and probably some plastic patching like I've been doing to all the unused holes in my projects. I may invest in a mod board for it so I can get S-Video as well. 

Anyway, I know it works with the adapter, so that's good. I'm gonna have to figure out the controller thing as well. It did come with 3 controllers: 2 that was in good condition and 1 that had the joystick rubber torn. Ironically, the one with the tear it in worked, the other 2 not so much. I'm gonna tear into it later as well.

I also made a decision on the 2 joysticks that I worked on the other day. I decided that the Neo Geo stick isn't worth saving anymore. I'm gonna strip it down and use the parts in the other stick which, in turn, I'm gonna make into a multi console stick. 

More to come soon, I guess. 

Joystick done...sort of...

My daughter wasn't feeling well, so I took the day off to take care of her. Not really good to send her to daycare and get the other kids sick just because my wife or myself couldn't take the time off. She was at the tail end of a stomach bug (she's been throwing up most of the night prior), so all it was to get some food in her (soup, bread, crackers, rice, that kind of thing) and let her chill.

Since she was preoccupied with a combination of Netflix and telling her to read something so she doesn't lose reading comprehension before entering the second grade, I decided to finish up some of the projects that I've been getting lazy on working on.

First of, painting the recently patched items: The Genesis case and the Joystick case.

Here is, at least, the Genesis. Patched, sanded, and cleaned, ready for a hit of paint. Also got the Joystick case ready to go: bit of fine sanding, washing, and hit it with paint.

It was really quick, so I let them dry for about 4 hours or so.

I wanted the Joystick done more than anything, so I did that first.

Wiring all cleaned, not like that mess from a while back. 

Look! No alligator clips! I bought proper terminal connectors to make this look clean(er).

I got some countersink screws to replace the pan head ones that were there. It made it look cleaner from the top. Problem was...well, see where the one screw is missing? Well...

I over tightened that one. In turn, it caused the case to re-crack. Also, the screws I got were too long, so it was hitting the joystick terminals. I'm gonna have to trim that down sometime soon.

I was kinda upset with it at this point, but eh, it still worked. You can see where I attempted to match the paint up, but that didn't work. I may have to strip it all down again and start over from scratch. I may just go matte black all over...or maybe go another color...soon.

I mulled it over on how disgusted I was with myself for breaking my patch job. So I decided to, yet again, work on another stick. Remember that stick I stripped down from a while back? Well...

I put it to some use. I have it wired for Neo Geo control. And yes, I tested it and it works perfect!

Back during my first attempt at making a CMVS, I made a connector that didn't work so well. I opened it up tonight to rewire everything in that connector to *sorta* follow the Neo Geo wiring convention. Then wired the top row of buttons along with everything else to said connections. Tested it with a quick sesh of Fatal Fury Special to find everything working. 

As a note, the cable that I used had only 12 wires, including the shielding that I used for ground. That problem I noted with the "D" button was eliminated because I figured that I could just jump the 2 pins that is listed as registering "D" would work just fine, which it did.

I still have hopes and aspirations to convert this controller into a multi console controller. I am going to switch out the buttons currently in there to more arcade style ones...possibly change out the joysick as well.

Pic of that crazy project...

Or at least part of it.

It doesn't show, but there are casters under there, as well as the cardboard backing. These are just some of the older gen games that I had that needed to be shelved, this doesn't include the Wii/PS3/360 games, as well as the other games I keep in disc binders.

LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY...

There's a bunch of wild forest fires going on around OR and WA. Air quality has been bleh to downright horrible for the past couple of days. My asthma got jacked up from me getting sick on/after our camping trip and the smoke from the fires floating through Portland.

Needless to say, I got real lazy...well, lazy to finish up my Genesis and joystick projects.

The Genesis is ready to go. All that's left is painting the patch up I did. The joystick needs one more finishing sanding, then a quick spray of paint. Then when all the painting is done, it's soldering, testing, and closing up.

Almost there.

I did manage to clean up my garage/gaming area. I got the last of my shelving up, so now I have places to put things. There's a few more things I'll have to look for until I can fully utilize the space. But, for now, it' got a little more manageable...just little things here and there.

Since space it tight now, and I didn't want to invest in any more shelving, I took my old particle board shelf that looks like this (the one on the left of this borrowed pic):

Added a thick, cardboard slip sheet to the "back":

Then, added some RILL casters from IKEA:

And BOOM! We have a rolling shelf. It's still a bit of a mess in there, but I should have pics available soon.

I'm gonna set a goal to at least get the joystick done by the end of the week.

Quick mod and PS3 update...

I did get my PS3 back from repairs. Works like a champ! I'd like to meet the guy who did this and learn some tricks of the trade to diagnose and fix newer consoles. That would be great.

Also, recalling a Previous Post from earlier this year, I got around to quick fixing that 2600 Jr. that has been staring at me while I browse the internet or blog.

Simply put, cart slot nubs were missing, had to replace them somehow.

In the current Genesis project, I replaced the screws that I was using with countersunk ones, just so the finished look at the S-Video connector looked clean. I've used those screws to "fix" the nub situation.

They were initially cut uneven. That's because they were too long and I figured that they'd be inside the console and no one would see them.

I may take my rotary tool's cutting wheel to both screws to get them even or just go get shorter screws. 

I also came across a schematic (well, sort of) to mod this Jr. for A/V...but I may just plunk $40 to get the proper mod board...I dunno still.

Revived NES and Genesis modding...

Been SOOOOOOO lazy about finishing up the VA7 Genesis. I have all the wires soldered to the board, just need to wire up the Luma amp, Chroma and Composite amps, get them on connectors, then attempt the Jap/US region mod.

Then I realized that I took the RF module out. So, if I wanna try to sell this thing, I need to plug up that hole with Plasticweld, sand it, and paint it to make it look decent.

...ugh...

Then, there's the joystick that I need to complete, but I need to get terminals for the buttons...not to mention the crack that needs to be addressed.

...double ugh...

My brain has been all over the place lately, so I needed to decompress. I've been cleaning up my garage (aka, mini game area), getting rid of junk here and there. I found an NES that I found sitting in a parking lot. I never got around to testing it since acquiring it about...wow, it's been almost 10 years.

I used the parts that I took out of the NES that now has the BLW in it and set it up. I was missing several screws and the case had a screw post broken, so I worked with what I had.

Other than the power LED isn't working, it looks like everything works fine. Just gotta clean up the case for later...maybe I might paint it...or case mod it...Whatever, it's a spare, spare, SPARE NES.