Connecting a 49 way joystick ....

[HAL-9OOO]

Somebody know how is possible to connect a Williams 49 way analog joystick to my computer ??
Thanks  

[johnpurs]

It is optical not analog which makes it a lot harder to attach to a PC. There is info about what would have to be donein the joystick section of this site. I think this would be a good project for Ultimarc to tackle. As far as I know it's one of the only joysticks that have not been interfaced to the PC for MAME. I hope someone tackles this someday. I would but I seriously lack the programming skills that would be required.

[SirPoonga]

Probably ain;t going to happen anytime soon.
http://epg3.tripod.com/sinistar.html
There's the pinouts:)

One of two things are going to have to happen.  either the 49way get's translated into an analog joystick or a custom interface and driver are made.

[spidermonkey]

Currently there is no known way to interface a 49-way stick to a pc. Buy a Happ analog stick with an ultimate handle,scrap the 5k pot switches and replace them with 100k pots and walah theres your "Sinastick" You can use a 15 pin serial/gameport cable to connect it to your pc. I know that only three of the 15 wires will be used but I can't remember which wires go to which pot. One of the electronics gurus on this board should be able to help you with that. Be prepared to spend about $110.00 for the stick and about $25.00 a pop for the 100k pot switches (2 of them) It all depends on how bad you want to play Sinistar,Foodfight,Roadrunner ect... with the correct controls. 2nd option Hack a pc analog flight stick.

Good luck

[brandon]

actually I already saw I circuit for interfacing 49-ways it kinda looked like an DA converter with a resistor array...I dont know if anybody ever built one, but I have seen the schematic... I will try to find it again and post it.

[SirPoonga]

To make a 49way look like an analog to the computer you need to find a way to simulate the pot resitance at 49 7 locations on each axis the 49way detects.

[Dave_K.]

Here is the schematic for getting the 49-way to emulate a hall effect stick.  I wired up the circuit on a bread board and it works.

http://www.arcadecollecting.com/info/49way_to_Hall.gif

I'm attempting to interface this with a ps2 dual shock (still working out the kinks).  Should be do'able to hook to other analog sticks for a PC.

[SirPoonga]

that shows the hall effect as the input?

[Dave_K.]

Input as in the game/pcb input.  I believe Tim made this circuit to originally replace a Sinistar stick.