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2 joysticks

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KP

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Sep 6, 2011, 2:09:47 PM9/6/11
to
How do you split the Apple II joystick port to allow 2 joysticks in
one Apple II?

Egan Ford

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Sep 6, 2011, 4:10:49 PM9/6/11
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On Sep 6, 12:09 pm, KP <kjpm...@gmail.com> wrote:
> How do you split the Apple II joystick port to allow 2 joysticks in
> one Apple II?

Found this with Google:

Apple Game Port (9-pin connector):


Dsub-9 Female Socket (on computer)
,---------------------.
\ 5 4 3 2 1 /
\ 9 8 7 6 /
`-----------------'

Pin 1 - Pushbutton 1
Pin 2 - +5V Power
Pin 3 - Ground
Pin 4 - Game Control 2 or PDL2 (Joystick-2 X-axis)*
Pin 5 - Game Control 0 or PDL0 (Joystick-1 X-axis)
Pin 6 - Pushbutton 2*
Pin 7 - Pushbutton 0 (usually the "Fire" button)
Pin 8 - Game Control 1 or PDL1 (Joystick-1 Y-axis)
Pin 9 - Game Control 3 or PDL3 (Joystick-2 Y-axis)*

KP

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Sep 7, 2011, 11:25:35 AM9/7/11
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Is there a way to do this if I don't know how to make cables? Are
there pre-made splitters for this?

Kevin Dady

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Sep 7, 2011, 1:31:46 PM9/7/11
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erm maybe but they are not going to be cheap cause demand for them has
greatly gone down since the 80's

Lukazi

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Sep 7, 2011, 9:21:06 PM9/7/11
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On Sep 7, 4:09 am, KP <kjpm...@gmail.com> wrote:
> How do you split the Apple II joystick port to allow 2 joysticks in
> one Apple II?

Why do you want to connect two analog joysticks? To play multiplayer
games or for something that you are developing yourself? If it is for
multiplayer Joyport games then you will need digital joysticks instead
(they use the annunciator pins on the 16 pin game port).

The only game that I am know of that supports two analog joysticks (on
the IIGS anyway) is Superstar Ice Hockey. I had planned to build an
adaptor to do this one day. Does anyone know how the pushbutton lines
are split between the two joysticks (my guess would be PB0 for either
button on Joystick 1 and PB1 for either button on Joystick 2)? Is the
third pushbutton (ie Pushbutton 2) used at all since it is only really
usable on the IIGS model?

Does anyone know why using two analog joysticks was not readily used?
I think I read somewhere that it would have made game play very slow.

If I can find out the best way to slit the pushbutton lines then I'll
make some up for sale.

Michael J. Mahon

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Sep 8, 2011, 1:59:41 PM9/8/11
to
Actually, 3 pushbuttons are easily supported on all 16-pin game-ported
Apple II's. It's the fourth pushbutton that is present only on the IIgs.

-michael - NadaNet 3.1 and AppleCrate II: http://home.comcast.net/~mjmahon

Sean Fahey

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Sep 8, 2011, 3:09:26 PM9/8/11
to
On Thursday, September 8, 2011 12:59:41 PM UTC-5, Michael J. Mahon wrote:

> Actually, 3 pushbuttons are easily supported on all 16-pin game-ported
> Apple II's. It's the fourth pushbutton that is present only on the IIgs.

How did the controller for this work?

http://www.mobygames.com/game/pq-the-party-quiz-game/cover-art/gameCoverId,78777/

Michael J. Mahon

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Sep 8, 2011, 3:48:15 PM9/8/11
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The pad buttons actually connect different valued-resistors to
a paddle port. The Apple reads the paddle and decides whether
and which button was pressed.

This scheme was also used on the "Muppet Keys" and other "extended"
keyboards for the Apple II, so it can be extended to many buttons.

-michael

NadaNet 3.1 for Apple II parallel computing!
Home page: http://home.comcast.net/~mjmahon/

"The wastebasket is our most important design
tool--and it's seriously underused."
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