Thank you so much - this worked great! I figured the paddles were a lost cause, and it had been probably 25 years since they were working. Now I remember how fun Super Breakout is! :) Thank you encouraging people like me to open 'em up and give this a try.
I cleaned the contacts and then adjusted those little metal brush-type bits. Works a charm now! Plus, I got them in an original box, so...bonus. Thanks for the detailed instructions. (Years later and it's still helping people)
Thanks to you, good sir, I now have two fully functioning paddle controllers and I just got my highest score ever in Kaboom! This was an excellent video.
This was a great video, thanks. I bought paddles off eBay, and I wouldn’t say that they were jittery so much as completely non-functioning. I followed your instructions, and there was so much crud on them there was no contact possible anywhere along the ring. One of them was so bad that I couldn’t remove the residue without scraping with a pocket knife! But now they work like new so thanks!!
Thanks so much for posting this. Just bought jittery paddles with my Atari and was bummed. You and I share the same philosophy, if it's already not working right, you really can't make it worse! Thanks so much for your help!
Just got a set of paddles working again thanks to you! Older neighbor asked me to test this Atari that was given to him and it’s videos like this that are helping me just do him a solid getting it back in working order so he can either sell it or have me buy it off him so I can enjoy it. Just finished testing the Warlords cartridge and it’s gameplay is smooth now.
I knew there would be a video on how to repair Atari paddles, and this provided well-needed information. Thanks for sharing. I shall put this into practice when I have time.
I came here looking for a video to fix my paddle controllers. I have since subscribed to your channel and am watching all your videos. You should do more "repair" videos like this! Keep it up!
Very excellent guide. ^^ I will definitely fix my paddles tomorrow, as I need them to test a game that I'm programming for the 2600 as a project for college.
I usually just spray some electrical contact cleaner into the pot and turn the shaft back and forth a few times. That normally fixes the problem. It's true that a thorough cleaning would be better, but you can only take them apart so many times until the little metal tabs snap off and you're left with no way to hold the pots together. Depending on their age, it might only take a couple times to break them. I wouldn't take the pots apart unless it was absolutely necessary.
Thank you so much. I loved your video to help fix the jittery paddle. I loved your comments to help us be brave at taking it apart. I watched it first. Then played your video along as I worked. For a girly girl, I think I did pretty good! I used rubbing alcohol to clean the parts with. I am wondering if the acetone would have cut the grime better? Anyhow, I scrubbed away, and then put back together easily. Goodbye paddle jitters! Thank you for saving me money!!!! I am not sure if I suck at age 48 playing all the old games like Kaboom and Breakout, or if I am noticing that the paddles don't move as quickly ( especially in Kaboom). They don't jitter at all, but sometimes seem like they take longer to get where I need to be. Can't tell if it is user skill or not?
Acetone : super useful ( work outside or have a breeze inside going away from your face. ) Uses : 70's motherboards, brake cleaner, 50% acetone+ 50% atf = rusted bolt penetrate.
I finally got some paddles but no surprise they jitter. Thanks for the tips and tutorial to fix them cheaply. :) You'll get a kick out of this, I googled "fixing atari paddles" and the first video at the top is How to shave your groin from the Gillette company. WTF?
heres how i fixed mine i just took the bottom off and left the knob on then i took some circuit bord cleaner and spayed it in the middel of the metal part and started moving the knob back and forth until it was dry now it works perfectly
Both my paddles have some grease (looks like thermal paste - dark grey...and not cause it's "dirty") on the contacts that was put there by the manufacturer - none of the videos or instructions I see say to put any lubricant back on the contacts - why?
I agree, I have 2 sets of paddles, one had grease and the other did not. I am assuming the older paddles didn’t have them and the newer ones had them as some type of improvement. I didn’t re apply grease and they work like a charm.
This works I just tested it out on a jittery paddle..fixed er up..now I gotta do double work on two of them...fricking bought them today guaranteed to work or return within 7 days..takes 45 mins to get there lol.will just fix em myself... Check my vid out
Nice. I just got two sets of paddles and all jittery, but the first one I've just fixed works very nicely. Although I hear a bit of rubbing when turning them now. I guess I might need a bit of grease somewhere...
I just did the second paddle (player 1) and wow, just wow, I'm playing Super Breakout like I haven't in many, many years. Now I can't blame the controller when I miss the ball! :-D There was a black film on my black ring and contacts. I'm guessing maybe someone sprayed them with oil or something a long time ago and it just killed them.
Are there any detailed drawings of the various parts. My problem is I am seriously visually impaired and it was very hard for me to see what you were doing. You were very explanatory and encouraging but it's very hard for me to see to do such things.
I'm pretty sure you didn't buy a pink toothbrush just to use for cleaning small parts. Admit it, you used that pink toothbrush for your teeth before giving it a second life as a parts cleaner. Admit it!!
+Albert Jenkins If you can get at the pot, the process should be more or less the same. I have a set of generic paddles but it looks like I can't get anywhere near the pot of them. :(
Ten years later, I've just followed you step by step on my atari pads.
2nd controller is working perfectly, player 1 control is still dead. Thank you.
Thanks .. great down to earth repair instructions .. keep it simple and have fun, right.
Thank you so much - this worked great! I figured the paddles were a lost cause, and it had been probably 25 years since they were working. Now I remember how fun Super Breakout is! :) Thank you encouraging people like me to open 'em up and give this a try.
The video that introduced me to BitHead1000.
Thank God for jittery Atari paddles.
I cleaned the contacts and then adjusted those little metal brush-type bits. Works a charm now! Plus, I got them in an original box, so...bonus.
Thanks for the detailed instructions. (Years later and it's still helping people)
Thanks to you, good sir, I now have two fully functioning paddle controllers and I just got my highest score ever in Kaboom! This was an excellent video.
"It's almost like our trapeze artist did an eight ball before he came to work, and we all know what happens when you mix drugs with the circus"
This was a great video, thanks. I bought paddles off eBay, and I wouldn’t say that they were jittery so much as completely non-functioning. I followed your instructions, and there was so much crud on them there was no contact possible anywhere along the ring. One of them was so bad that I couldn’t remove the residue without scraping with a pocket knife! But now they work like new so thanks!!
This was very cool to see how to clean out an Atari controller
Wow... love your mentality and your communication style. Thanks so much for this video!
Thanks so much for posting this. Just bought jittery paddles with my Atari and was bummed. You and I share the same philosophy, if it's already not working right, you really can't make it worse! Thanks so much for your help!
Just got a set of paddles working again thanks to you! Older neighbor asked me to test this Atari that was given to him and it’s videos like this that are helping me just do him a solid getting it back in working order so he can either sell it or have me buy it off him so I can enjoy it. Just finished testing the Warlords cartridge and it’s gameplay is smooth now.
I knew there would be a video on how to repair Atari paddles, and this provided well-needed information. Thanks for sharing. I shall put this into practice when I have time.
Best instructional video EVER!!
Easy fix and simple video, straight and to the point.
thanks for the fix man, super breakout has never played smoother with these old thrift store paddles
I came here looking for a video to fix my paddle controllers. I have since subscribed to your channel and am watching all your videos. You should do more "repair" videos like this!
Keep it up!
Very excellent guide. ^^
I will definitely fix my paddles tomorrow, as I need them to test a game that I'm programming for the 2600 as a project for college.
This guy is helpful and funny at the same time. Thanks!!
Excellent video, great narration. You have a great voice for this kind of presentation. Thanks for this. - Scotty
This is awesome stuff BitHead!
I usually just spray some electrical contact cleaner into the pot and turn the shaft back and forth a few times. That normally fixes the problem. It's true that a thorough cleaning would be better, but you can only take them apart so many times until the little metal tabs snap off and you're left with no way to hold the pots together. Depending on their age, it might only take a couple times to break them. I wouldn't take the pots apart unless it was absolutely necessary.
Thanks for this video! I susbstituted rubbing alcohol for acetone and it worked for me.
Please make a set of "glass" paddles. And put phish inside for sheets and gerbils.
Thanks a million! I'm heading out now to get supplies to fix my old paddle controllers.
Awesome vid, two sets of paddles working great now.
just found your video. i did the same and paddles work great. circus was FUN to play
Great episode!
Thanks man!
Just bought some pretty nice-looking but jittery paddles off eBay and can't wait to break into 'em!
I broke one of them, fixed the other, and turned the broken one into a magnet.
Thank you so much. I loved your video to help fix the jittery paddle. I loved your comments to help us be brave at taking it apart. I watched it first. Then played your video along as I worked. For a girly girl, I think I did pretty good! I used rubbing alcohol to clean the parts with. I am wondering if the acetone would have cut the grime better? Anyhow, I scrubbed away, and then put back together easily. Goodbye paddle jitters! Thank you for saving me money!!!! I am not sure if I suck at age 48 playing all the old games like Kaboom and Breakout, or if I am noticing that the paddles don't move as quickly ( especially in Kaboom). They don't jitter at all, but sometimes seem like they take longer to get where I need to be. Can't tell if it is user skill or not?
Awesome, thanks man! Works like a charm.
My favorite game
Thanks, man!!!!! Worked like a charm. Now I can play Circus Atari and Kaboom again!!!!
This is an Atari controller not a super computer😂😂
Very cool video!
"we all know what happens when you mix drugs with the circus" hahahaha
Very good video.
Acetone : super useful ( work outside or have a breeze inside going away from your face. ) Uses : 70's motherboards, brake cleaner, 50% acetone+ 50% atf = rusted bolt penetrate.
Awesome. Have a unwanted cotton Tshirt and clean the Acetone drops from the plastic. Acetone eats plastic.
great video, clean and concise... and you better believe that
Worked for my AFP TV Fun pong console. Thank You!
Did an 8ball before work ha ha.
I used fingernail polish remover on my paddle controllers. It also works just as well.
very nice videohere. I have some paddles that cleanning , really though they were trash. Thanks for the heads up'
I finally got some paddles but no surprise they jitter. Thanks for the tips and tutorial to fix them cheaply. :)
You'll get a kick out of this, I googled "fixing atari paddles" and the first video at the top is How to shave your groin from the Gillette company. WTF?
Pretty ironic now, considering his most viewed video of all time is a recent reaction to a Gillette ad.
Great job, thanks!
Thanks man! now it works perfectly!
Just fixed 4 paddles thanks to you! #SchmutzLife
Thank you very much!!!
Damn good video. Thank you.
good job
I love You Tube. This just helped me out big time. Thanks for the video!
Thanks dude !, now I can finally play some cool games =: D
Thanks Dude! :D
@BitHead1000 yea but at least it works
heres how i fixed mine i just took the bottom off and left the knob on then i took some circuit bord cleaner and spayed it in the middel of the metal part and started moving the knob back and forth until it was dry now it works perfectly
Both my paddles have some grease (looks like thermal paste - dark grey...and not cause it's "dirty") on the contacts that was put there by the manufacturer - none of the videos or instructions I see say to put any lubricant back on the contacts - why?
I agree, I have 2 sets of paddles, one had grease and the other did not. I am assuming the older paddles didn’t have them and the newer ones had them as some type of improvement. I didn’t re apply grease and they work like a charm.
thanks!
That really helped! Thx man :)
2:24 you can also use 91% isopropyl alcohol
@roosteemon C'mon bro, that's not hard enough.
Even though it might not help ya play any better 👍
Neutopia intro!
This works I just tested it out on a jittery paddle..fixed er up..now I gotta do double work on two of them...fricking bought them today guaranteed to work or return within 7 days..takes 45 mins to get there lol.will just fix em myself...
Check my vid out
Nice. I just got two sets of paddles and all jittery, but the first one I've just fixed works very nicely. Although I hear a bit of rubbing when turning them now. I guess I might need a bit of grease somewhere...
I just did the second paddle (player 1) and wow, just wow, I'm playing Super Breakout like I haven't in many, many years. Now I can't blame the controller when I miss the ball! :-D There was a black film on my black ring and contacts. I'm guessing maybe someone sprayed them with oil or something a long time ago and it just killed them.
Did you say "Schmutz"?
cant see what youre doing
Are there any detailed drawings of the various parts. My problem is I am seriously visually impaired and it was very hard for me to see what you were doing. You were very explanatory and encouraging but it's very hard for me to see to do such things.
you talk funny :3
Damn that black man is stealing everyone's bike!
I'm pretty sure you didn't buy a pink toothbrush just to use for cleaning small parts. Admit it, you used that pink toothbrush for your teeth before giving it a second life as a parts cleaner. Admit it!!
How similar are Commodore C64 paddles? I have a newly-bought pair I need to fix up.
+Albert Jenkins If you can get at the pot, the process should be more or less the same. I have a set of generic paddles but it looks like I can't get anywhere near the pot of them. :(
Are you from maine?
Thanks dude !, now I can finally play some cool games =: D