Atari Volcano Cone Lighted Start Button

 

Hi! In our continuing journey to recreate classic arcade video game machines that are as authentic looking as possible, for the classic Atari machines, our biggest hurdle is one small part - the Atari "Volcano" cone lighted start button.

Long story short, the button's LED lighted Cherry switch is thirty years obsolete, no longer made, and very difficult to find.

Thus, for our new classic replica machines (Centipede, Tempest, and others) we offer substitute button styles, instead of the original cone bezel Cherry switch start button. Or, when sometimes available, the original "Volcano" button, but at a premium price.

 

This page is a brief history of cone button types and applications. Perhaps this info will help you decide a suitable substitute start button for your machine.

 

The Atari cone bezel button is desirable because of its unique appearance, its unique function, and signature Atari usage.

Because of its unique appearance - a black tall cone shape with a glowing sometimes flashing red interior - the Atari start button was given the moniker "Volcano" button.

The cone buttons were introduced by Atari in the years before JAMMA game boards and wiring harnesses.

The cone buttons appeared on game machines with proprietary Atari game board pinouts and wiring harnesses (rather than JAMMA standard boards and harnesses).

The red button tops were red LED illuminated, and the player-one and player-two buttons would begin to flash when the appropriate number of credits were registered. Altogether, making for a very visually pleasing light show, especially in your darkly lit neighborhood arcade.

Today, given the JAMMA wiring standards of modern game boards, the buttons can still be illuminated, but they cannot be wired to flash in sequence with the addition of credits.

 

Further, the LED illumination requires special handling:

Direct +5 VDC current will burn up the LED lamp (and it is quite tedious to install a replacement lamp).

Consequently, you must install a 300-ohm value resistor in the lamp circuit to reduce the voltage to the LED lamp.

 

 

The Atari cone start buttons were introduced in two different styles:

1)  Atari tall black cone start buttons - shown in this Centipede upright control panel photo:

 

2)  Atari short black cone start buttons - shown in this Asteroids Deluxe upright control panel photo:

 

 

Atari start button specs:

1)  Atari tall black start button "Volcano" cone bezel.  Height: approx. 1/2-inch.

2)  Ref Atari P/N:  036895-01.

 

3)  Black cone bezels (tall or short) were utilized on these Atari machines:

• Agent X
• Arabian
• Assualt
• Asteroids Deluxe
• Black Widow
• Centipede
• Cloak & Dagger
• Dig Dug
• Dragon Spirit
• Fast Freddie
• Food Fight
• Galaga 88
• Gravitar
• Kangaroo
• Liberator
• Marble Madness
• Millipede
• Missile Command
• Pac-Mania
• Quantum
• Rolling Thunder
• Runaway
• Space Duel
• Tempest
• Xevious

 

 

Example the LED Cherry switch:

Lugs =

• LED lamp +VDC and -VDC , top left and right, (2).  
• Switch common, bottom left, (1). 
• Switch normally open, bottom middle, (1).  
• Switch normally closed, bottom right, (1).

 

 

Example the tall and short "Volcano" black cone bezels:

 

Example the "Volcano" button assembly:

Showing the Cherry switch, height adjustment nut, and metal washer.

The height adjustment nut is used to adjust the switch height to fit the cone height.

The button is typically installed on metal control panels, but wooden panels can be adapted for correct button fit.

 

 

 

Examples of substitute start button possibilities:

1)  Arcade white start button with black player-one and player-two icons.

2)  Arcade control buttons in several available colors (black works well).

3)  Nintendo Cherry start switch (Atari "Volcano" cone bezel can be used), but switch is not illuminated -

 

 

Shown is the Nintendo short polished aluminum cone bezel for the Cherry switch -