Page 1 of 2

Some Joysticks for my Dragon

Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2017 9:39 pm
by Commodore
Hi, haven't visited for a while, but I still like my Dragon 32, even though it did beat my VIC 20 at Chess!

Anyway, I have noticed that many of the Dragon 32 games require Joystick, and that these are a rare beast.
I have in my possession a pair of Atari Joysticks from the Atari Flashback system (so not real atari ones, repros).
I was wondering if somebody that is better with a soldering iron than I am may be able to convert these joysticks into Dragon compatible joysticks?
If somebody could do this, and the price was right, that would be great addition to my system.

Thanks for reading.

Re: Some Joysticks for my Dragon

Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2017 10:20 pm
by robcfg
There are adapters for Atari norm joysticks, like this one, that should be quite easy to build.

Re: Some Joysticks for my Dragon

Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2017 10:43 pm
by Alastair
Hello again!

Commodore, I don't know of any one currently selling adapters for a reasonable price - I have found an ebay seller selling a pair of adapters for £44.99 - so below I give links to instructions for creating adapters. These adapters are plug-in adapters so you will not have to take your soldering iron to any joystick, should that be your main concern about wielding an iron.

John (or "Stig") of this forum used these instructions, which incidentally are the same instructions used by the above ebay seller, to create an adapter as can be seen on youtube.

You may also want to check the following two threads, and the links contained within, on this forum: Dragon Joystick Adaptor and Japanese Arcade Joystick Adapter.

Re: Some Joysticks for my Dragon

Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 9:13 am
by Commodore
Thanks Alastair, and robcfg.

I shall certainly check those links, as keen though I am to get joysticks, £44.99 is a bit too pricey! I'd have trouble getting that one past the boss!

Re: Some Joysticks for my Dragon

Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 9:38 am
by Commodore
Update: I checked out the schematics, unfortunately this might still be beyond me. I did find a link to somebody on you tube that has built a smart two socket convertor, but maybe that is the £44.99 one! Anyway, I have contacted him to see what he says.

Re: Some Joysticks for my Dragon

Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 9:41 pm
by Commodore
It did turn out to be the £44.99 ebay guy. It's a nice product, but that is just too much money, especially as it does not have a case.

I might have to try to make my own after all.

Re: Some Joysticks for my Dragon

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2017 9:12 pm
by Rolo
If you can't find Dragon joysticks, just buy TANDY Color Computer analog joysticks on ebay/US, like : http://www.ebay.de/itm/Tandy-Color-Comp ... SwljZZl7sn. Not so rare and the real thing, working for all games, also real analog games (Doubleback, Arkanoid, Reactor ...).
-Rolo
;)

Re: Some Joysticks for my Dragon

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2017 10:19 pm
by Alastair
Rolo wrote:If you can't find Dragon joysticks, just buy TANDY Color Computer analog joysticks...
But make sure they are 5-pin like the ones Rolo links to and not 6-pin CoCo joysticks.

Re: Some Joysticks for my Dragon

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 8:46 pm
by Commodore
Thanks guys, that's a good idea for sure. Unfortunately shipping from the US may make that non viable.
I shall probably have to fire up the soldering iron. I'm pretty sure I can do it, I just lack confidence.

Re: Some Joysticks for my Dragon

Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2017 8:52 am
by Commodore
I have ordered the bits that I need to build a double joystick adapter.

I must admit, I am a bit puzzled by what to put where, so if when the bits arrive, somebody could point me in the right direction, that would be great.