Message-ID: <167@pertec.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 21-Jul-84 11:18:51 EDT
Article-I.D.: pertec.167
Posted: Sat Jul 21 11:18:51 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 24-Jul-84 03:45:20 EDT
Organization: Pertec Computer Corp., Irvine, CA
Lines: 14

I've had a 5200 system for a year and a half, most of which time it's
spent collecting dust.  I got it out again last night, and the fire
buttons had died.  After taking one of the controllers apart, I found
that by cleaning the "contacts" I could get the fire buttons to work
again, but after setting overnight all but one are dead again, and the
one that still works requires a LOT of pressure to activate.

Has anyone figured out a solution to this problem?  (Other than buying a
new set of controllers from Atari).  Does anyone else make *better* 5200
controllers that are fairly cheap?

	roger long
	pertec computer corp
	{ucbvax!unisoft | scgvaxd | trwrb | felix}!pertec!bytebug

Message-ID: <156@qantel.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 24-Jul-84 13:52:50 EDT
Article-I.D.: qantel.156
Posted: Tue Jul 24 13:52:50 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 28-Jul-84 20:27:56 EDT
References: <167@pertec.UUCP>
Organization: MDS Qantel, Hayward CA.
Lines: 23

[color=blue]>  [/color]
[color=blue]>  I've had a 5200 system for a year and a half, most of which time it's[/color]
[color=blue]>  spent collecting dust.  I got it out again last night, and the fire[/color]
[color=blue]>  buttons had died.  After taking one of the controllers apart, I found[/color]
[color=blue]>  that by cleaning the "contacts" I could get the fire buttons to work[/color]
[color=blue]>  again, but after setting overnight all but one are dead again, and the[/color]
[color=blue]>  one that still works requires a LOT of pressure to activate.[/color]
[color=blue]>  [/color]
I have this problem, too.  Whenever my 5200 has sit idle for awhile,
the fire buttons don't function.  If you keep pressing them for awhile
(two or three minutes of pressing and releasing), they start working
again, and after that you will have no problems for the rest of that
playing session.  I have no explanation of why this works; they are
just hard to wake up, I guess.

Wico is the only other company that makes 5200 joysticks at this time.
I have been meaning to buy one, but haven't yet.  Their equipment is
generally of excellent quality, though.

Steve Vance
{ucbvax,ihnp4,zehntel,onyx}!dual!qantel!stv
Qantel Corporation, Hayward, CA