Main Restorations Software Audio/Jukebox/MP3 Everything Else Buy/Sell/Trade
Project Announcements Monitor/Video GroovyMAME Merit/JVL Touchscreen Meet Up Retail Vendors
Driving & Racing Woodworking Software Support Forums Consoles Project Arcade Reviews
Automated Projects Artwork Frontend Support Forums Pinball Forum Discussion Old Boards
Raspberry Pi & Dev Board controls.dat Linux Miscellaneous Arcade Wiki Discussion Old Archives
Lightguns Arcade1Up Try the site in https mode Site News

Unread posts | New Replies | Recent posts | Rules | Chatroom | Wiki | File Repository | RSS | Submit news

« previous next »
Pages: [1]
  
Go Down

Author Topic: NES Arkanoid VAUS controller - hackable as a MAME spinner?  (Read 4171 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

eastbayarb

  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 299
  • Last login:March 08, 2013, 12:15:06 pm
NES Arkanoid VAUS controller - hackable as a MAME spinner?
« on: May 13, 2006, 03:45:27 am »
Anyone know or try to hack the Arkanoid VAUS controller (included in the NES version of Arkanoid) into a spinner for MAME?

Thanx!
Logged

Kremmit

  • - AHOTW -
  • Wiki Contributor
  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3165
  • Last login:June 17, 2025, 04:07:55 pm
  • Who the heck is that?
Re: NES Arkanoid VAUS controller - hackable as a MAME spinner?
« Reply #1 on: May 13, 2006, 03:55:14 am »
Unfortunately, it's not a spinner, it's a paddle.  A spinner freely rotates 360 degrees, and is (almost) always an optical device.  A paddle has a limited range-of-motion, and is (almost?) always a potentiometer device.

The NES version of Arkanoid is virtually un-playable past a certain level without that controller, though.  I've never researched it, but I'll bet it's worth buck$ to serious NES collectors in working condition. 

edit:  According to Ebay completed auctions, it's not really that valuable after all.  Bummer.
« Last Edit: May 13, 2006, 04:10:06 am by Kremmit »
Logged

horseboy

  • Only Saint has those powers.
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1562
  • Last login:March 07, 2021, 02:19:14 pm
  • With my last breath, I curse Zoidberg!
Re: NES Arkanoid VAUS controller - hackable as a MAME spinner?
« Reply #2 on: May 13, 2006, 03:58:51 am »
Woohoo, I've got one.
Logged


Quote from: saint
saint is all powerful.

Apparently he is.

Kremmit

  • - AHOTW -
  • Wiki Contributor
  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3165
  • Last login:June 17, 2025, 04:07:55 pm
  • Who the heck is that?
Re: NES Arkanoid VAUS controller - hackable as a MAME spinner?
« Reply #3 on: May 13, 2006, 04:06:47 am »
I've got a broken one from back in my NES days.  One of these days, I'll have to try replacing the pot on it to see if that fixes it.
Logged

NoOne=NBA=

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2718
  • Last login:July 23, 2011, 08:59:16 am
  • Just Say No To Taito! -Nichibutsu
Re: NES Arkanoid VAUS controller - hackable as a MAME spinner?
« Reply #4 on: May 13, 2006, 09:47:35 am »
Quote from: Kremmit on May 13, 2006, 04:06:47 am
I've got a broken one from back in my NES days.  One of these days, I'll have to try replacing the pot on it to see if that fixes it.

It does.
I already fixed mine.

I actually didn't like the size/shape of the thing as well, and dumped all the guts into a project box that fit my hand better.
Logged

DarkBubble

  • Guest
  • Trade Count: (0)
Re: NES Arkanoid VAUS controller - hackable as a MAME spinner?
« Reply #5 on: May 15, 2006, 12:05:26 pm »
Is there anything special about the Vaus controller, or can you make your own by modifying a stock NES pad?  I haven't been able to find anything on the Vaus controller other than eBay sales.  If it's doable, I'd rather build my own.
Logged

NoOne=NBA=

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2718
  • Last login:July 23, 2011, 08:59:16 am
  • Just Say No To Taito! -Nichibutsu
Re: NES Arkanoid VAUS controller - hackable as a MAME spinner?
« Reply #6 on: May 15, 2006, 06:27:46 pm »
I didn't really look, to tell you the truth.
I just ripped the guts out, replaced the pot, and wired buttons up to it.

My gut feel is that, since all the other connections on the NES are digital, it is probably a special use board for the paddle.
Logged

2600

  • Trade Count: (+7)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1630
  • Last login:June 05, 2017, 10:20:56 am
  • I want my own arcade controls!
Re: NES Arkanoid VAUS controller - hackable as a MAME spinner?
« Reply #7 on: May 15, 2006, 08:01:31 pm »
Would anyone be willing to open there's up and take some pics?  I haven't looked for it directly, but remember looking up controller information and it was wrong at a lot of places. One could probably see what it is doing in an emulator, but I'd like to see the hardware.

Pinouts would be ideal.
Logged

Kremmit

  • - AHOTW -
  • Wiki Contributor
  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3165
  • Last login:June 17, 2025, 04:07:55 pm
  • Who the heck is that?
Re: NES Arkanoid VAUS controller - hackable as a MAME spinner?
« Reply #8 on: May 15, 2006, 09:23:51 pm »
I don't even know which box it's in.  But if/when I run across it, I will.
Logged
Pages: [1]
  
Go Up
« previous next »