PS1 & PS2 light gun interfaces

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kilroy:
Yeah, I have composite and s-video out of my video card. That's one reason I'm opting for a 25" TV. That and the fact that a 25" monitor is extrememly expensive.

It's also a source of frustration for me since I keep stating that I have composite video out and am using a standard TV and I keep getting critical responses from people everywhere I ask telling me I can't use a PS1/2 gun with a VGA monitor. Duh, I know that. That's why I stated I'm using a NTSC (Never The Same Color Twice) TV and NOT a VGA monitor. It just shows me that people are so quick to say it can't be done that they don't even thoroughly read my posts. It's very discouraging.

I'm not planning on giving up on this so easily though. After all, it really would be a shame to be sitting here with a 25" Atari cabinet that used to be equiped with light guns and not have them.

u_rebelscum:
Few things to point out, and then my opinion:

USB Keyboard is very different than USB mouse or USB joystick.

Just because something works one dirrection doesn't mean it will work the other.

Lightguns can be seen by the PC as either a mouse, or an analog joystick.
Same on the PS2. (currently mouse is the best way in a PC, but I don't know about PS2.)
Usually a mouse driver won't work on a joystick, and vis versa. Are you sure the lightgun is a mouse to a PS2, or is it a joystick? (see next point, too)

Add to that, PS1 & 2 seem to have four different lightgun "standards": at least the lightguns I looked at this weekend had four position switches: PS1, PS2, Guncon1, Guncon2. (BTW, can anyone in the know describe the differences, or point me to a link, between the guncons and normal PS2 data formats?)

There are "USB" mice (and other devices) that work in windows but not Macs, and vis versa.

At least one playstation2 lightgun can be used on a VGA monitor (with upscanned signal). Does not say anything about on a PC, though.

IIRC, there was all this hype on the PS2 being USB compatable, and then a small article saying the PS2 is close to the USB standard but is having problems, and then a small blurb on PS2 not being close enough to be called "USB compliant", and then nothing at all. (And keyboards working does not prove it is totally "USB compliant")

There is the option of moving the actlab lightgun sensor into a different case. Hard part, of course, is securing the lens & sensor, then lining up the lens/sensor with the new case's sights, and finally fitting the circuits in the new case. ;D

IMO, the biggest thing to worry about is:
"What is the lightgun to a playstation: a mouse, or a joystick, or a combo or something else."

And the immediate followups,
"What USB ID (if any) do the lightguns use, so drivers can be setup or if needed written?", and
"Is there already a win driver that can work with this?"
Then again, I might be just thinking in the box.

DARRYLICSHON:
has anyone tryed the super joy box it connects your ps controlers to the pc and works with the joysticks , but i don't know about the light guns

kilroy:
u_rebelscum, please re-read my previous post with regards to the PS2 lightgun and a vga monitor. I very clearly stated I'm NOT using a VGA monitor. I'm using a standard NTSC TV. People keep over looking that fact and it's becoming quite annoying. Especially since that's why I CAN'T use a PC light gun. Like I said that comes across to me that people are very quick to say it can't be done and aren't reading my posts completely.

I also considered trying to move the ActLabs USB/TV modelover into another light gun. But I'm not about to drop $90 on 2 guns, tear them apart and then spend another $40-60 for another set of guns to just use the outer cases. Especially when there's a risk of screwing it up if it's not perfect. Then I have to go out and spend at least another $20. A set of light guns is not worth $130+.

As far as the PS2 Usb, I'm also using a linksys usb ethernet adapter with it with no problems. That would suggest to me that the drivers are mostly the same. I'm going to see if I can get my hands on at least one style of light gun for the PS2 and see if my system will recognize it. Even if it doesn't work but recognizes the gun as a mouse or joystick it will give me someplace to start and perhaps give some others a few ideas.

DARRYLICSHON, if u_rebelscum is right in that some lightguns are detected by the PS1/2 as an analog joystick then it might be possible to use one of the comercially available interfaces. You would have to find the proper type of light gun to use with it though, if it works at all. I've tried e-mailing a manufacturer of one of the many interfaces out there. Just like quite a few people on forums, they over looked the fact that I'm using a TV and NOT a VGA monitor. The reason they gave me was that PS1/2 light guns won't work with a VGA monitor. So I don't know if that is really the only issue preventing the gun from working with a PC through thier interface or not.

Dave_K.:

--- Quote from: kilroy on December 22, 2003, 08:58:15 am --- u_rebelscum, please re-read my previous post with regards to the PS2 lightgun and a vga monitor. I very clearly stated I'm NOT using a VGA monitor.
--- End quote ---
I don't understand why you are so sensative over this issue, u_rebelscum mearly stated that there are cases the guncon2 can support a higher sync rate than NTSC/15khz. He was not slamming you or anything. I have also confirmed the guncon2 can indeed work with a vga monitor (I wrote this in the Game Consoles FAQ last year).

--- Quote from: kilroy on December 22, 2003, 08:58:15 am ---I'm going to see if I can get my hands on at least one style of light gun for the PS2 and see if my system will recognize it. Even if it doesn't work but recognizes the gun as a mouse or joystick it will give me someplace to start and perhaps give some others a few ideas.

--- End quote ---
I don't think you understand what people are trying to tell you here. Your Windows system will not, can not, and will never, recognize a guncon2 as anything. That is unless somebody writes a UDB driver specifically for it. You are dreaming if you think it your system will magically use some generic mouse or light pointer or whatever device...it simply will not. And don't you think people have tried this before??

Anyway, if you don't want to let go of this thought, then I suggest you persue a petition or something to gain support from developers to write a windows USB driver for it. Maybe look around on sourceforge for developers doing something similar and try to garner some interest in this type of project. I see this as a much better use of time than defending meaningless arguments about wether you are using it on a VGA or NTSC monitor ;).

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