PCs & Atari Type Joysticks?

kis...@pearl.tufts.edu

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Apr 28, 1993, 10:02:38 PM4/28/93

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Hi there-
I'm interested in trying to write multiplayer (3+) games for the PC,
more or less just for my own use (Like, completely unmarketable) But I can't
stand all these people tightly clustured around the keyboard like that.
SO-
1. Has any ever tried to make an adaptor (for the Serial or Parralel(?)
port) that would accept 3 or more standard Atari-style joysticks for the PC?
I think it would be a lot of fun...
2. If not, then would someone send me the tech specs on our 9-pin
friend? What pins do what, what values returned, etc etc? Also, if anyone
would want to give advice, no matter how general ("NO- use the *serial* port,
dummy!" "You're Crazy! Insane! Give it up!" etc etc) please feel free.
Mail or post if you think anyone else would be interested...
Thanks,
Kirk Israel
kis...@presto.cs.tufts.edu
"My life: it's not a job, it's an adventure. If it were a job
I'd want to be paid better."

Marko Mäkelä

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Apr 29, 1993, 4:07:12 AM4/29/93

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In article <1993Apr28...@pearl.tufts.edu>, kis...@pearl.tufts.edu writes:
> Hi there-
> I'm interested in trying to write multiplayer (3+) games for the PC,
> more or less just for my own use (Like, completely unmarketable) But I can't
> stand all these people tightly clustured around the keyboard like that.
> SO-
> 1. Has any ever tried to make an adaptor (for the Serial or Parralel(?)
> port) that would accept 3 or more standard Atari-style joysticks for the PC?
> I think it would be a lot of fun...

I have seen an adaptor for connecting an Atari joystick to PC's analog joystick
port. It had some resistors and trim potentiometers. However, this is probably
not what you want to do.

You could connect two Atari joysticks to PC's Centronics port, provided that
they don't need the +5V pin. (Most autofires require +5V.)
Just output the Centronics lines (Data lines, strobe etc.) as 1 and then read
which ones have changed to zero.

The pins 1 to 4 are for directions, pin 6 is fire and pin 8 is ground. Pins 5
and 7 are for potentiometers (paddles), and pin 7 is +5V. When the direction or
fire button is on, its pin is connected to ground.

Try something like the this:

Data 0 pin 1
Data 1 pin 2
Data 2 pin 3
Data 3 pin 4
Acknowledge pin 6
Ground pin 8

Bernd Machenschalk

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May 12, 1993, 5:46:58 AM5/12/93

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Hello,

in article <1993Apr28...@pearl.tufts.edu> kis...@pearl.tufts.edu writes:

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Organization: Tufts University - Medford, MA
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1993 02:02:38 GMT

Hi there-
I'm interested in trying to write multiplayer (3+) games for the PC,
more or less just for my own use (Like, completely unmarketable) But I can't
stand all these people tightly clustured around the keyboard like that.
SO-
1. Has any ever tried to make an adaptor (for the Serial or Parralel(?)
port) that would accept 3 or more standard Atari-style joysticks for the PC?
I think it would be a lot of fun...

Yesterday I stumbled over an advertisement of an electronic-shop here in
Germany. They sell a cable to connect (another) two joysticks to the
printer-port of the Amiga. I think that the printer-cables for Pc and
Amiga are the same, so why shouldn't the signals be? If you
don't want to make a cable yourself, take a look at the A. market in
your country. The cable should be available there, too. If you like to
connect more than two joysticks (for real MULTI-player games), contact
me. I have some ideas, but I have to find some additional information
then to tell you more. Free handed: Use a SN74138 (3 to 8 decoder),
find some (3) output lines on the printer-port, connect them to the
adress lines of the decoder, connect the outputs to the pins 8 (mass
pin of the joystick connectors, may be 7, I'll have a look) via a
diode, connect the each of the pins 1-4 and 6 of the connetors with
the corresponding ones of the others and with 5 input-lines on the
printer-port. This way you can access up to 8 (EIGHT!!) joysticks -
that should be enough. Tell me if you need more information (which
lines, pin layout of the IC ...).

Bernd.