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Joysticks: Difference between revisions

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CoCo users used two main joystick types: CoCo-native joysticks and (via adapters) joysticks intended for Atari and other machines that used Atari-compatible joystick ports.  The market for Atari-compatible joysticks (and the adapters to use them) was significant among CoCo owners because of the perceived shortcomings of the original standard CoCo joystick - the "Black Beauty".   
CoCo users used two main joystick types: CoCo-native joysticks and (via adapters) joysticks intended for Atari and other machines that used Atari-compatible joystick ports.  The market for Atari-compatible joysticks (and the adapters to use them) was significant among CoCo owners because of the perceived shortcomings of the original standard CoCo joystick - the "Black Beauty".   


CoCo-native joysticks came in two generations: those that had 5-pin DIN connectors (and thus could support only one fire button), and those that had six-pin DIN connectors (and could support two fire buttons).  As a way to ease the transition it wanted CoCo owners to make to "IBM-Compatible" MS-DOS computers, and as a way to create an exclusive accessory market for itself, Tandy made its 1000-line PCs have CoCo-style joystick ports and able use to CoCo joysticks.  But because those joysticks were not specifically labeled as such, many Tandy 1000 owners who picked up a joystick for their PC at their local Radio Shack were no doubt oblivious to the fact that they had just bought CoCo joysticks!
CoCo-native joysticks came in two generations: those that had 5-pin DIN connectors (and thus could support only one fire button), and those that had six-pin DIN connectors (and could support two fire buttons).  As a way to ease the transition it wanted CoCo owners to make to its line of "IBM-Compatible" MS-DOS computers, and as a way to create an exclusive accessory market for itself, Tandy made its 1000-series PCs have CoCo-style joystick ports and able to use CoCo joysticks.  But because those joysticks were not specifically labeled as such, many Tandy 1000 owners who picked up a joystick for their PC at their local Radio Shack were no doubt oblivious to the fact that they had just bought CoCo joysticks!


{| class="wikitable sortable"
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Caption text
|+ List of Joysticks
|-
|-
! Name !! Cat. No.* !! Brand !! Buttons !! Stick !! First Ad !! Year !! Price !! Notes
! Name !! Cat. No.* !! Brand !! Buttons !! Stick Type !! First Ad !! Year !! Price !! Notes
|-
|-
| Joystick || 26-3008 || Radio Shack || 1 || Loose. Metal, then plastic || Example || Example || Example || "Black Beauty", sold in pairs
| [[Joystick]] || 26-3008 || Radio Shack || style="text-align:center;"|1 || Loose. Metal, then plastic || || || || "Black Beauty", sold in pairs
|-
|-
| Joystick || 26-3008 || Tandy || 1 || Loose. Plastic || Example || Example || Example || "Black Beauty", sold in pairs
| Joystick || 26-3008 || Tandy || style="text-align:center;"|1 || Loose. Plastic || || || || "Black Beauty", sold in pairs
|-
|-
| Joystick || 10-1200 || TDP || 1 || Loose. Plastic || Example || Example || Example || "Black Beauty", sold in pairs
| Joystick || 10-1200 || TDP || style="text-align:center;"|1 || Loose. Plastic || || || || "Black Beauty", sold in pairs
|-
|-
| Deluxe Joystick || 26-3012 || TRS-80 || 1 || Springback/Switchable || Example || Example || Example ||
| [[Deluxe Joystick]] || 26-3012 || TRS-80 || style="text-align:center;"|1 || Springback/Switchable || || || ||
|-
|-
| Deluxe Joystick || 26-3012 || Tandy || 2 || Example || Example || Example || Example || Example
| Deluxe Joystick || 26-3012 || Tandy || style="text-align:center;"|2 || Springback/Switchable || || || ||  
|-
|-
| Pistol Grip Joystick || || Tandy || Tandy || Example || Example || Example || Example || Example
| Pistol Grip Joystick || 26-3123 || Tandy || style="text-align:center;"|2* || Springback || || || || *2 on stick, 2 on base
|-
|-
| CoCo-150 Flight Sim Yoke || || Alban Scientific || Example || Example || Example || Example || Example || Example
| CoCo-150 Flight Sim Yoke || || Alban Scientific || || || [https://archive.org/details/198504Rainbow/page/n191/mode/1up ''Rainbow'' Apr 85] || 1985 || 49.95 ||  
|-
|-
| ComMander Deluxe || || Comrex || Example || Example || Example || Example || Example || Example
| [[ComMander Deluxe]] || || Comrex || style="text-align:center;"|2* || || || 1988 || 29.95 || *2 on right, 2 on left
|-
|-
| DR-2B || || Altai || Example || Example || Example || Example || Example || Example
| Altai Joystick || DR-2B || Altai || || || || || ||  
|-
|-
| Mach II || || [[Spectrum Projects]] || Example || Example || Example || Example || Example || Example
| [[Mach II]] || || Hayes || || || || || ||  
|-
|-
| [[Spectrum Stick]] || || [[Spectrum Projects]] || Example || Example || Example || Example || Example || Example
| [[Spectrum Stick]] || || [[Spectrum Projects]] || || || [https://archive.org/details/198209Rainbow/page/n96/mode/1up ''Rainbow'' Sept 82] || 1982 || 39.95 ||  
|-
|-
| MAXX Flight Control Yoke || || ||  || Example || Example || Example || Example || Example
https://archive.org/details/color-computer-magazine-1983-10/page/n119/mode/2up
| Saturn Joystick || || Saturn Electronics ||  || || [https://archive.org/details/color-computer-magazine-1983-10/page/n119/mode/2up ''TCCM'' Oct 83] || 1983 || 15 ||  
|-
|-
| [[Advanced Gravis Mark VI Competition Joystick|Mark VI Competition Joystick]] || 900-2380 || Advanced Gravis || Example || Example || Example || Example || Example || Example
| MAXX Flight Control Yoke || 900-2176 || MAXX || style="text-align:center;"|2 || || [https://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/flipbook/cm1991_software_buyers_guide.html?fb3d-page=71%7C ''1991 Software Buyers Guide'' p. 71] || 1991 || 99.95 ||  
|-
|-
| [[Endicott Joystick]] || || Endicott || Example || Example || Example || Example || Example || Example
| [[Advanced Gravis Mark VI Competition Joystick|Mark VI Competition Joystick]] || 900-2380 || Advanced Gravis || || || [https://archive.org/details/rainbowmagazine-1989-03/page/n15/mode/2up ''Rainbow'' March 89] || 1989 || 59.95 ||  
|-
|-
| [[JARB Dual Joystick Unit]] || || JARB || Example || Example || Example || Example || Example || Example
| [[Endicott Joystick]] || || Endicott || || || [https://archive.org/details/198210Rainbow/page/n21/mode/2up?q=endicott ''Rainbow'' Oct 82] || 1982 || 18.95 ||  
|-
|-
| PBH Joystick || || PBH || || || [https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-5648057/page/n113/mode/1up HOT CoCo Vol.2 #1] || 1984 || 49.95 || "Only the fire button moves!"  
| [[JARB Dual Joystick Unit]] || || JARB ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||
|-
| [[PBH Joystick]] || || PBH || style="text-align:center;"|1 || || [https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-5648057/page/n113/mode/1up ''HOT CoCo'' Jun 84] || 1984 || 49.95 || "Only the fire button moves!"  
|-
|PBH Cordless Joystick|| || PBH || || || [https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-5648057/page/n113/mode/1up ''HOT CoCo'' Jun 84] || 1984 || 99.95 || "Coming Soon!"
|-
| || 270-9207 || Archer || style="text-align:center;"|2 || Springback/Switchable ||  ||  ||  || Tandy/IBM ports, switch select
|-
| ||  || TechDungeon || style="text-align:center;"|2 || Ball on springback short stick || [https://www.etsy.com/listing/1688549403/tandy-color-computer-123-tandy-1000?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=tandy&ref=sr_gallery-1-1&frs=1&sts=1&search_preloaded_img=1&organic_search_click=1 TechDungeon Etsy store] [https://web.archive.org/web/20240320210419/https://www.etsy.com/listing/1688549403/tandy-color-computer-123-tandy-1000?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=tandy&ref=sr_gallery-1-1&frs=1&sts=1&search_preloaded_img=1&organic_search_click=1 Archive]|| 2024 || 49.50 || New/current, Sanwa-style, red or black 
|-
| ||  || BT RetroMods || style="text-align:center;"|2 || Ball on springback short stick || [https://www.etsy.com/listing/1728017284/tandy-custom-arcade-style-controller Etsy store]|| 2024 || 79.95 || Many button/ball color options 
|-
|}
=Feature Articles=
 
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Y=Year, M=Month, P=Page
|-
!  Title !! Device / ''Program'' !! Author !!  Magazine !! Y !! M !! P
|-
| ''[https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-5764309/page/26/mode/2up Build Your Own Joystick]'' || DIY || Lalo Martinez || ''[[HOT CoCo]]'' || style="text-align:center;"|85 || style="text-align:center;"|02 || style="text-align:right;"|26
|-
| ''[https://archive.org/details/rainbowmagazine-1985-08/page/n223/mode/2up The Joystick Fix-It]'' || [[Joystick|Radio Shack Joystick]], ''Stik Fix'' || John G. Williams || ''[[The Rainbow]]'' || style="text-align:center;"|85 || style="text-align:center;"|08 || style="text-align:right;"|226
|-
| ''[https://archive.org/details/rainbowmagazine-1986-08/page/n109/mode/2up The Old Switcheroo]'' || DIY Joystick Switchbox || Mark Haverstock || ''[[The Rainbow]]'' || style="text-align:center;"|86 || style="text-align:center;"|08 || style="text-align:right;"|108
|-
| ''[https://archive.org/details/rainbowmagazine-1986-08/page/n117/mode/2up The Quick Joystick Fix]'' || [[Deluxe Joystick]] || Bruce W. Goshorn || ''[[The Rainbow]]'' || style="text-align:center;"|86 || style="text-align:center;"|08 || style="text-align:right;"|116
|-
| ''[https://archive.org/details/rainbowmagazine-1987-08/page/n91/mode/2up Joy for Joysticks]'' || ''Joystick Check-Out'' || Richard S. Ellis || ''[[The Rainbow]]'' || style="text-align:center;"|87 || style="text-align:center;"|08 || style="text-align:right;"|91
|-
| ''[https://archive.org/details/rainbowmagazine-1988-08/page/n121/mode/2up The Old Switcheroo II]'' || [[High-Res Joystick Interface]], DIY Joystick Switchbox || Mark Haverstock || ''[[The Rainbow]]'' || style="text-align:center;"|88 || style="text-align:center;"|08 || style="text-align:right;"|120
|-
| ''[https://archive.org/details/rainbowmagazine-1993-03 Are Your Joysticks Dead or Alive?]'' || ''Joystick Checker'' || Trevor Boehm || ''[[The Rainbow]]'' || style="text-align:center;"|93 || style="text-align:center;"|03 || style="text-align:right;"|01
|-
|}
 
=Reviews=
 
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Y=Year, M=Month, P=Page
 
|-
! Title !! Joystick(s) !! Author !! Magazine !! Y !! M !! P
|-
| ''[https://archive.org/details/rainbowmagazine-1982-08/page/n24/mode/1up This Joystick Package is First Rate]'' || [[JARB Dual Joystick Unit]] ||  || ''[[The Rainbow]]'' || style="text-align:center;"|82 || style="text-align:center;"|08 || style="text-align:right;"|25
|-
| ''[https://archive.org/details/198210Rainbow/page/n111/mode/2up Two New Joysticks Are Big Improvement]'' || [[Spectrum Stick]], [[Endicott Joystick]] || Jim Reed || ''[[The Rainbow]]'' || style="text-align:center;"|82 || style="text-align:center;"|10 || style="text-align:right;"|112
|-
| ''[https://archive.org/details/CreativeComputingbetterScan198302/page/n124/mode/1up Spectrum Stick: Color Computer Joystick]'' || [[Spectrum Stick]] || David H. Ahl || ''Creative Computing'' || style="text-align:center;"|83 || style="text-align:center;"|02 || style="text-align:right;"|127
|-
| ''[https://colorcomputerarchive.com/repo/Documents/Magazines/80%20Micro/1983/80%20Micro%20-%208303%20-%20March%201983.pdf Review]'' || [[Kraft Joystick|Kraft]], [[Joystick|Radio Shack]], [[Wico CoCo Joystick|Wico]], [[Spectrum Stick|Spectrum]], [[Endicott Joystick|Endicott]], [[JARB Dual Joystick Unit|JARB]] || Carlos Calle || ''[[80 Micro]]'' || style="text-align:center;"|83 || style="text-align:center;"|03 || style="text-align:right;"|53
|-
| ''[https://archive.org/details/Dragon_User_1983-06_Sunshine_Books_GB/page/n15/mode/2up Jockeying to be the First in the Joystick Race]'' || Dragon Data, [[Joystick|Radio Shack]], Microdeal/Midwich/Clare, Talon, Dragon Dungeon, Cascom || Clive Gifford || ''[[Dragon User]]'' || style="text-align:center;"|83 || style="text-align:center;"|06 || style="text-align:right;"|17
|-
| ''[https://archive.org/details/rainbowmagazine-1984-11/page/n245/mode/1up Hayes Mach II Joystick Is A First-Class Performer]'' || [[Mach II]] || Ed Ellers || ''[[The Rainbow]]'' || style="text-align:center;"|83 || style="text-align:center;"|11 || style="text-align:right;"|244
|-
| ''[https://archive.org/details/rainbowmagazine-1986-08/page/n151/mode/2up A2D Deluxe Joystick: What More Could You Ask?]'' || Cinsoft [[A2D Deluxe Joystick]] || Stanley Townsend || ''[[The Rainbow]]'' || style="text-align:center;"|86 || style="text-align:center;"|08 || style="text-align:right;"|150
|-
|-
|PBH Cordless Joystick|| || PBH || || || [https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-5648057/page/n113/mode/1up HOT CoCo Vol.2 #1] || 1984 || 99.95 || "Coming Soon!"
|}
|}

Latest revision as of 17:09, 27 January 2025

WELCOME
Looking for CoCo help? If you are trying to do something with your old Color Computer, read this quick reference. Want to contribute to this wiki? Be sure to read this first. This CoCo wiki project was started on October 29, 2004. --OS-9 Al

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This page was last updated on 01/27/2025. Total Pages: 744. Total Files: 995.

Home / Hardware - Joysticks

CoCo users used two main joystick types: CoCo-native joysticks and (via adapters) joysticks intended for Atari and other machines that used Atari-compatible joystick ports. The market for Atari-compatible joysticks (and the adapters to use them) was significant among CoCo owners because of the perceived shortcomings of the original standard CoCo joystick - the "Black Beauty".

CoCo-native joysticks came in two generations: those that had 5-pin DIN connectors (and thus could support only one fire button), and those that had six-pin DIN connectors (and could support two fire buttons). As a way to ease the transition it wanted CoCo owners to make to its line of "IBM-Compatible" MS-DOS computers, and as a way to create an exclusive accessory market for itself, Tandy made its 1000-series PCs have CoCo-style joystick ports and able to use CoCo joysticks. But because those joysticks were not specifically labeled as such, many Tandy 1000 owners who picked up a joystick for their PC at their local Radio Shack were no doubt oblivious to the fact that they had just bought CoCo joysticks!

https://archive.org/details/color-computer-magazine-1983-10/page/n119/mode/2up
List of Joysticks
Name Cat. No.* Brand Buttons Stick Type First Ad Year Price Notes
Joystick 26-3008 Radio Shack 1 Loose. Metal, then plastic "Black Beauty", sold in pairs
Joystick 26-3008 Tandy 1 Loose. Plastic "Black Beauty", sold in pairs
Joystick 10-1200 TDP 1 Loose. Plastic "Black Beauty", sold in pairs
Deluxe Joystick 26-3012 TRS-80 1 Springback/Switchable
Deluxe Joystick 26-3012 Tandy 2 Springback/Switchable
Pistol Grip Joystick 26-3123 Tandy 2* Springback *2 on stick, 2 on base
CoCo-150 Flight Sim Yoke Alban Scientific Rainbow Apr 85 1985 49.95
ComMander Deluxe Comrex 2* 1988 29.95 *2 on right, 2 on left
Altai Joystick DR-2B Altai
Mach II Hayes
Spectrum Stick Spectrum Projects Rainbow Sept 82 1982 39.95
Saturn Joystick Saturn Electronics TCCM Oct 83 1983 15
MAXX Flight Control Yoke 900-2176 MAXX 2 1991 Software Buyers Guide p. 71 1991 99.95
Mark VI Competition Joystick 900-2380 Advanced Gravis Rainbow March 89 1989 59.95
Endicott Joystick Endicott Rainbow Oct 82 1982 18.95
JARB Dual Joystick Unit JARB
PBH Joystick PBH 1 HOT CoCo Jun 84 1984 49.95 "Only the fire button moves!"
PBH Cordless Joystick PBH HOT CoCo Jun 84 1984 99.95 "Coming Soon!"
270-9207 Archer 2 Springback/Switchable Tandy/IBM ports, switch select
TechDungeon 2 Ball on springback short stick TechDungeon Etsy store Archive 2024 49.50 New/current, Sanwa-style, red or black
BT RetroMods 2 Ball on springback short stick Etsy store 2024 79.95 Many button/ball color options

Feature Articles

Y=Year, M=Month, P=Page
Title Device / Program Author Magazine Y M P
Build Your Own Joystick DIY Lalo Martinez HOT CoCo 85 02 26
The Joystick Fix-It Radio Shack Joystick, Stik Fix John G. Williams The Rainbow 85 08 226
The Old Switcheroo DIY Joystick Switchbox Mark Haverstock The Rainbow 86 08 108
The Quick Joystick Fix Deluxe Joystick Bruce W. Goshorn The Rainbow 86 08 116
Joy for Joysticks Joystick Check-Out Richard S. Ellis The Rainbow 87 08 91
The Old Switcheroo II High-Res Joystick Interface, DIY Joystick Switchbox Mark Haverstock The Rainbow 88 08 120
Are Your Joysticks Dead or Alive? Joystick Checker Trevor Boehm The Rainbow 93 03 01

Reviews

Y=Year, M=Month, P=Page
Title Joystick(s) Author Magazine Y M P
This Joystick Package is First Rate JARB Dual Joystick Unit The Rainbow 82 08 25
Two New Joysticks Are Big Improvement Spectrum Stick, Endicott Joystick Jim Reed The Rainbow 82 10 112
Spectrum Stick: Color Computer Joystick Spectrum Stick David H. Ahl Creative Computing 83 02 127
Review Kraft, Radio Shack, Wico, Spectrum, Endicott, JARB Carlos Calle 80 Micro 83 03 53
Jockeying to be the First in the Joystick Race Dragon Data, Radio Shack, Microdeal/Midwich/Clare, Talon, Dragon Dungeon, Cascom Clive Gifford Dragon User 83 06 17
Hayes Mach II Joystick Is A First-Class Performer Mach II Ed Ellers The Rainbow 83 11 244
A2D Deluxe Joystick: What More Could You Ask? Cinsoft A2D Deluxe Joystick Stanley Townsend The Rainbow 86 08 150
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