The Atari Punk Console is a classic 8-bit noise maker. It is easy to build and requires very few components- ones that are readily available at your local electronic supplier, such as Radio Shack. The problem with the Atari Punk Console is the interface; knobs can be fun but only keep me entertained for so long. A joystick on the other hand is a much more fun and active way to use interface. This Instructable will teach you how to combine the simple design of an Atari Punk Console with the fun interface of a joystick.
If you would like to know a little more about the Atari Punk Console before you start check out this video from Collin Cunningham, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi3dmSMpjsU
This article from Jameco also has some useful info. http://www.jameco.com/Jameco/PressRoom/punk.html
If you would like to know a little more about the Atari Punk Console before you start check out this video from Collin Cunningham, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi3dmSMpjsU
This article from Jameco also has some useful info. http://www.jameco.com/Jameco/PressRoom/punk.html
Remove these ads by
Signing UpStep 1: Get a Joystick
The Joystick you choose will not only determine how cool your end product ends up being but, based on what is inside it, will also determine the value of some of the parts. So getting and testing the joystick must be the first step.
Finding and Selecting a Joystick:
Finding a joystick has been fairly easy in my experience. Literally every time I have gone to Goodwill or Salvation Army there have been at least five. They are usually around three dollars. Keep in mind the simpler the joystick the easier it is to convert. Some more complicated joysticks, such as the one on the right in the first picture, actually use an optical system and not potentiometers to track their position. This might be great for a project with Arduino integration but for the purposes of this project its far too complicated. The square shape of the one in the middle made it very easy to mount everything, but it did have a few unnecessary buttons. For this Instructable I will be using the one on the left. It only had one button that did not get used and although the curved shape made it a little hard to mount everything it looks much more sleek.
Testing the Joystick:
Once you have a joystick selected you will want to open it up and marvel at its simplicity. Once you have finished doing that, you will want to hook up a multimeter up to each of the two potentiometer that the control column (the stick part) is attached to. There will be a third potentiometer not attached to the stick that will be taken out after, as it is not needed. You will want to hook up one lead of the multimeter to the center leg of the potentiometer and one to either of the side ones (polarity doesn't mater here nor does which of the side legs). So far every joystick I have dissected has used a 130K ohm potentiometer for both axises but it is worth testing just to make sure. Once you have determined the value you are going to want to remember it because you will use it to determine the value of a second set of potentiometers you will add.
Determining Which Wires are Which:
Part of this build involves using the original trigger or "fire" switch as a sort of kill switch for the punk console. Since there are two switches on the joystick and we only need one we will want to determine which two of the three wires going into the stick itself we will need to utilize the trigger (my stick only had 3 wires although if your stick has more buttons it will probably have more wires.)
As long as you have your multimeter out you may as well set it up to do a continuity test and do this now. Hook one lead of the continuity tester up to the black wire and the other lead up to any of the remaining wires and pressing the button you wish to use, if the multimeter beeps, or lights up, or does whatever yours does, you have found the combination of wires you will use for the switch. If it doesn't, keep hooking it up to different wires till it does.
Finding and Selecting a Joystick:
Finding a joystick has been fairly easy in my experience. Literally every time I have gone to Goodwill or Salvation Army there have been at least five. They are usually around three dollars. Keep in mind the simpler the joystick the easier it is to convert. Some more complicated joysticks, such as the one on the right in the first picture, actually use an optical system and not potentiometers to track their position. This might be great for a project with Arduino integration but for the purposes of this project its far too complicated. The square shape of the one in the middle made it very easy to mount everything, but it did have a few unnecessary buttons. For this Instructable I will be using the one on the left. It only had one button that did not get used and although the curved shape made it a little hard to mount everything it looks much more sleek.
Testing the Joystick:
Once you have a joystick selected you will want to open it up and marvel at its simplicity. Once you have finished doing that, you will want to hook up a multimeter up to each of the two potentiometer that the control column (the stick part) is attached to. There will be a third potentiometer not attached to the stick that will be taken out after, as it is not needed. You will want to hook up one lead of the multimeter to the center leg of the potentiometer and one to either of the side ones (polarity doesn't mater here nor does which of the side legs). So far every joystick I have dissected has used a 130K ohm potentiometer for both axises but it is worth testing just to make sure. Once you have determined the value you are going to want to remember it because you will use it to determine the value of a second set of potentiometers you will add.
Determining Which Wires are Which:
Part of this build involves using the original trigger or "fire" switch as a sort of kill switch for the punk console. Since there are two switches on the joystick and we only need one we will want to determine which two of the three wires going into the stick itself we will need to utilize the trigger (my stick only had 3 wires although if your stick has more buttons it will probably have more wires.)
As long as you have your multimeter out you may as well set it up to do a continuity test and do this now. Hook one lead of the continuity tester up to the black wire and the other lead up to any of the remaining wires and pressing the button you wish to use, if the multimeter beeps, or lights up, or does whatever yours does, you have found the combination of wires you will use for the switch. If it doesn't, keep hooking it up to different wires till it does.
Flag this comment as:
Not NiceInappropriateSpam
26
SlickSqueegie
says:
Dec 5, 2012. 12:13 PMReplyCongratulations on a well deserved grand prize! Great job!
1
patdoherty (author)
says:
Dec 7, 2012. 10:15 AMReply
thanks everyone!
23
hertzgamma
says:
Dec 5, 2012. 10:57 AMReplyCongratulations! Grand prize winner!
52
poofrabbit
says:
Nov 29, 2012. 8:38 PMReplyCongratulations on being a finalist in the DIY Audio Contest!! Good luck to you!
claires8
says:
Nov 19, 2012. 6:58 PMReply
Awesome!
1
patdoherty (author)
says:
Nov 7, 2012. 3:23 PMReply
If anyone in the Chicago land area is interested in using this for live shows or for any sort of music thing I would be happy to give one of these to you (although they are pretty easy to make on your own), all i would ask in return is that you vote on it and that if you do anything with it such as a video or a live performance you let me know.
1
patdoherty (author)
in reply to Nov 7, 2012. 3:24 PMReply
just send me a message if you're interested. I'm not a musician I just like making things.
28
janw
says:
Nov 7, 2012. 7:15 AMReplyVery nice build.
hthnc-student
says:
Nov 5, 2012. 8:54 AMReply
That's cool and would be highly useful, although I also like its shape.
2
duckef
says:
Nov 5, 2012. 6:40 AMReplyNice deffo good for live performance
13
nak
says:
Nov 4, 2012. 11:00 PMReplyThat would be fun for live performance :)
WellSpoked
says:
Nov 4, 2012. 8:49 PMReply
Sweet!
Visit Our Store »
Go Pro Today »
