Thinking of changing my controller

[KeithD]

I have been using my Megatap Parallel port controller for quite a while now, and have been considering other control options just for kind of "fun." I want to free up the parallel port, and go with USB for the controls. It might make things simpler.

I have obtained the internals from a Thrustmaster Cougar joystick and was wondering if this could be made to operate with MAME. It appears that the Cougar can support up to 10 axes, and 28 buttons, so that should be plenty for all the trackballs, dials, spinners, wheels, pedals, sticks and buttons anyone could ever want. Or so it would seem. Do any of you have any experience configuring the Cougar, and know if there are any gotchas involved? For instance, I don't know if the buttons are matrixed or individual, so I can't tell if any would be shadowed like an old keyboard hack would be. Also, would MAME be able to see any configurations from the Thrustmaster software?

I haven't even plugged the thing into a computer yet, so I have absolutely no idea if any of it would even work.

If I don't get any answers here either yay or nay, then I will go ahead and try it and report back if there is any interest.

KeithD

[Franco B]

I don't know about the Cougar and I dont know what you are intending to connect but if you do want to connect multiple devices like the ones you have listed you may want to have a look at the [U-HID] from Ultimarc.


Fair do's if you want to have a play with the stick though. Buying a ready to go encoder is easier but not half as fun

[KeithD]

I doubt I will connect all that stuff, but I have this circuit board STARING at me, daring me to try it I would like to add an analog wheel and a pedal for a couple of driving games, and maybe a trackball eventually. Just didn't come up with anyone trying it before in any searches, and I know there is a wealth of knowledge around here that doesn't always make it to the boards.

One of the issues is still from my post last week, that the serial mouse spinner isn't recognized when the USB or PS2 mouse is plugged in at start.  Although now that I think about it more, I don't know if 10 analog axes would do anything for me for that.

It is a bit of expensive hardware that most people don't have laying around. I just get "lucky" sometimes. Too bad I'm not lucky enough to come up with a ready built encoder.

KD

[KeithD]

OK here is what I have found so far: Last night I went ahead and plugged the board into a computer and installed the drivers. Of course, the first thing the driver wanted to do was update the firmware in the board. I was going to let it, but it wanted me to hold down the trigger in order to upload the new firmware. Well, um, thing, I don't have a trigger. So, at work today, I opened up a grip to see which wires go to the trigger, and discovered that there is a gang of three 4021 8-bit shift registers inside the grip to multiplex up the 20 odd switches in the grip. I didn't have a chance to figure out how all that works yet, but in an interesting side note, the 4021 is the same 8-bit shift register used in the original NES and SNES controllers to multiplex their switches. So, I should be able to figure that out with a little research, and end up with a controller that will do all the things I want it to.

K

[Turnarcades]

Sounds like a lot of hard work, but then I'm no electronics wiz. If you're just after some reliable analog controls then grab some optical/analog interfaces and you're set with no confusion.

I'm planning a driving machine using ready-made USB spinners with custom-made spinner knobs close to a regular car steering wheel.

[KeithD]

Well, without funding available to build a cab, I like to mess around with other stuff. It is extremely satisfying to get something that isn't supposed to do something, to do something. On the other hand, it can be very frustrating too

The Cougar board was a freebie, so I would rather spend some time figuring out how it works, and how to get it to work than mess with something everyone already knows works just fine. Ya know?

Pardon me if I don't seem to make much sense tonight

K

[evilfuzzle]

I love the name of the Thrustmaster Cougar joystick!