Dirt-cheap Vaus paddle clone for MSX

By Danjovic

Champion (335)

30-03-2020, 06:27

Vaus Arkanoid paddle clone using one of the cheapest Arduino boards availabe, the Digispark.

Project Page
GitHub Repository
Schematic:

By gdx

Enlighted (6210)

30-03-2020, 09:10

Oh great!
Do you have a recommendation for the potentiometer and also its cap?

By Danjovic

Champion (335)

30-03-2020, 13:08

Thanks!
The potentiometer value is not critical; any value between 1k through 100k will do. I should be linear, though.
A 100nf capacitor may be added between the potentiometer wiper and gnd.

By Dolphin101546015

Champion (336)

30-03-2020, 14:02

Danjovic wrote:

Thanks!
The potentiometer value is not critical; any value between 1k through 100k will do. I should be linear, though.
A 100nf capacitor may be added between the potentiometer wiper and gnd.

Why not encoder? I have nice code for it

By gdx

Enlighted (6210)

30-03-2020, 15:53

What I mean is that I would like to use a potentiometer not too hard to rotate and a thumbwheel not too small to be handy.

By Danjovic

Champion (335)

30-03-2020, 23:24

gdx wrote:

What I mean is that I would like to use a potentiometer not too hard to rotate and a thumbwheel not too small to be handy.

Got it!
I am using a standara rotary potentiometer with metal shaft with 15mm body. The diameter of the cap I am using measures 30mm.
I can not say if that this the better configuration but it feels nice to me.

By gdx

Enlighted (6210)

31-03-2020, 02:30

I have a few like that. They slide much less than the Arkanoid paddle that I have for NES.
For the thumbwheel maybe 3D printing would do?

By st1mpy

Paladin (932)

31-03-2020, 09:57

How about using a slider (a straight line one used for a fader) potentiometer.

By sd_snatcher

Prophet (3659)

31-03-2020, 12:25

Quote:

Vaus Arkanoid paddle clone using one of the cheapest Arduino boards availabe, the Digispark.

Thank you for another nice project, Danjovic!

gdx wrote:

I have a few like that. They slide much less than the Arkanoid paddle that I have for NES.

Standard potentiometers are also quite heavier to turn than the Vaus paddles, making them somewhat slower to react.

Yes, it's the best we have for now, but I wonder if is it possible to find lighter potentiometers?

By Danjovic

Champion (335)

01-04-2020, 00:40

You welcome sd_snatcher !
I am trying to make something useful in these strange days we're living

There are some potentiometers used in professional grade audio equipment that should be smooth to turn but I am afraid they are not cheap and some care should be taken when choosing one as volume potentiometers are logarithmic while the ones used for balance should be linear.

By Danjovic

Champion (335)

01-04-2020, 02:40

st1mpy wrote:

How about using a slider (a straight line one used for a fader) potentiometer.

A slider will also work great. That was the solution used by Daniel did in his ArkaNavi paddle controller.