diff --git a/debugger/debugger.go b/debugger/debugger.go
index 89212a96..736a7aad 100644
--- a/debugger/debugger.go
+++ b/debugger/debugger.go
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func NewDebugger() (*Debugger, error) {
 	}
 
 	// prepare hardware
-	tv, err := television.NewSDLTV("NTSC", 3.0)
+	tv, err := television.NewSDLTV("NTSC", television.IdealScale)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/errors/errors.go b/errors/errors.go
index 62180499..2211f737 100644
--- a/errors/errors.go
+++ b/errors/errors.go
@@ -4,26 +4,41 @@ import "fmt"
 
 // list of sub-systems used when defining errors
 const (
-	CategoryDebugger = 0
-	CategoryVCS      = 64
-	CategoryCPU      = 128
-	CategoryMemory   = 192
-	CategoryTIA      = 256
-	CategoryRIOT     = 320
-	CategoryTV       = 384
+	CategoryDebugger   = 0
+	CategoryVCS        = 64
+	CategoryCPU        = 128
+	CategoryMemory     = 192
+	CategoryTIA        = 256
+	CategoryRIOT       = 320
+	CategoryTV         = 384
+	CategoryController = 448
 )
 
 // list of error numbers
 const (
+	// Debugger
 	NoSymbolsFile = CategoryDebugger + iota
 	SymbolsFileError
 
+	// VCS
+
+	// CPU
 	UnimplementedInstruction = CategoryCPU + iota
 	NullInstruction
 
+	// Memory
 	UnservicedChipWrite = CategoryMemory + iota
 	UnknownRegisterName
 	UnreadableAddress
+
+	// TIA
+
+	// RIOT
+
+	// TV
+
+	// Controller
+	NoControllersFound = CategoryController + iota
 )
 
 var messages = map[int]string{
@@ -47,6 +62,9 @@ var messages = map[int]string{
 	// RIOT
 
 	// TV
+
+	// Controller
+	NoControllersFound: "no controllers found",
 }
 
 // Values is the type used to specify arguments for a GopherError
@@ -64,6 +82,9 @@ func (er GopherError) Error() string {
 
 // Category returns the broad categorisation of a GopherError
 func (er GopherError) Category() int {
+	if er.Errno >= CategoryController {
+		return CategoryController
+	}
 	if er.Errno >= CategoryTV {
 		return CategoryTV
 	}
diff --git a/gopher2600.go b/gopher2600.go
index 689fd234..49ed54a4 100644
--- a/gopher2600.go
+++ b/gopher2600.go
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ func fps(cartridgeFile string, justTheVCS bool) error {
 			return fmt.Errorf("error creating television for fps profiler")
 		}
 	} else {
-		tv, err = television.NewSDLTV("NTSC", 3.0)
+		tv, err = television.NewSDLTV("NTSC", television.IdealScale)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("error creating television for fps profiler")
 		}
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ func run(cartridgeFile string) error {
 	var tv television.Television
 	var err error
 
-	tv, err = television.NewSDLTV("NTSC", 3.0)
+	tv, err = television.NewSDLTV("NTSC", television.IdealScale)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("error creating television for fps profiler")
 	}
diff --git a/hardware/controller/controller.go b/hardware/controller/controller.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..750f54f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hardware/controller/controller.go
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+package controller
+
+import (
+	"gopher2600/errors"
+	"gopher2600/hardware/memory"
+
+	"github.com/splace/joysticks"
+)
+
+// Stick emulaes the digital VCS joystick
+type Stick struct {
+	device *joysticks.HID
+	err    error
+}
+
+// NewStick is the preferred method of initialisation for the Stick type
+func NewStick(tia *memory.ChipMemory) *Stick {
+	stick := new(Stick)
+
+	// there is a flaw (either in splace/joysticks or somewehere else lower
+	// down in the kernel driver) which means that Connect() will not return
+	// until it recieves some input from the controller. to get around this,
+	// we've put the main body of the NewStick() function in a go routine.
+	go func() {
+		// try connecting to specific controller.
+		// system assigned index: typically increments on each new controller added.
+		stick.device = joysticks.Connect(1)
+		if stick.device == nil {
+			stick.err = errors.GopherError{errors.NoControllersFound, nil}
+			return
+		}
+
+		// get/assign channels for specific events
+		buttonPress := stick.device.OnClose(1)
+		buttonRelease := stick.device.OnOpen(1)
+
+		// start feeding OS events onto the event channels.
+		go stick.device.ParcelOutEvents()
+
+		// handle event channels
+		for {
+			select {
+			case <-buttonPress:
+				tia.ChipWrite("INPT4", 0x00)
+			case <-buttonRelease:
+				tia.ChipWrite("INPT4", 0x80)
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+
+	return stick
+}
diff --git a/hardware/tia/video/missile.go b/hardware/tia/video/missile.go
index e64e30f6..36898804 100644
--- a/hardware/tia/video/missile.go
+++ b/hardware/tia/video/missile.go
@@ -145,5 +145,5 @@ func (ms *missileSprite) scheduleReset(hblank *bool) {
 }
 
 func (ms *missileSprite) scheduleEnable(value uint8) {
-	ms.futureEnable.schedule(delayEnableSprite, value&0x20 == 0x20)
+	ms.futureEnable.schedule(delayEnableSprite, value&0x02 == 0x02)
 }
diff --git a/hardware/vcs.go b/hardware/vcs.go
index 0993f89e..3936b4a3 100644
--- a/hardware/vcs.go
+++ b/hardware/vcs.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package hardware
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"gopher2600/hardware/controller"
 	"gopher2600/hardware/cpu"
 	"gopher2600/hardware/memory"
 	"gopher2600/hardware/riot"
@@ -25,6 +26,8 @@ type VCS struct {
 
 	// tv is not part of the VCS but is attached to it
 	TV television.Television
+
+	controller *controller.Stick
 }
 
 // New is the preferred method of initialisation for the VCS structure
@@ -54,6 +57,13 @@ func New(tv television.Television) (*VCS, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("can't allocate memory for VCS RIOT")
 	}
 
+	// TODO: better contoller support
+	vcs.controller = controller.NewStick(vcs.Mem.TIA)
+
+	// TODO: console switch support
+	// - set colour switch bit
+	vcs.Mem.RIOT.ChipWrite("SWCHB", 0x08)
+
 	return vcs, nil
 }
 
@@ -115,12 +125,6 @@ func (vcs *VCS) Step(videoCycleCallback func(*cpu.InstructionResult) error) (int
 		videoCycleCallback(r)
 	}
 
-	// TODO: full controller support -- this is emulating the rest state for the
-	// two joystick controllers
-	vcs.Mem.TIA.ChipWrite("INPT4", 0x80)
-	vcs.Mem.TIA.ChipWrite("INPT5", 0x80)
-	vcs.Mem.RIOT.ChipWrite("SWCHA", 0xFF)
-
 	r, err = vcs.MC.ExecuteInstruction(cycleVCS)
 	if err != nil {
 		return cpuCycles, nil, err
diff --git a/television/sdl.go b/television/sdl.go
index 41441e4c..c040387c 100644
--- a/television/sdl.go
+++ b/television/sdl.go
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ type SDLTV struct {
 	lastFrameRender time.Time
 }
 
+// IdealScale is the suggested scaling for the screen
+const IdealScale = 2.0
+
 // NewSDLTV is the preferred method for initalising an SDL TV
 func NewSDLTV(tvType string, scale float32) (*SDLTV, error) {
 	var err error