Quickshot 128F controller

[Armar]

I have a Quickshot 128F that connects through 2 serial ports (Player 1 and 2)

Is there any way to map it to the keyboard?

[bkenobi]

Hmmm, it's connected to a serial port and not a game port?  If Windows sees it as a game controller, you could use XPadder.  I don't know anything about serial port based game controllers though.

[Armar]

If Windows sees it as a game controller, you could use XPadder.

Nothing happens when I connect it.
Maybe it helps if you know that it can be connected to
It has a switch (A-D) to change the output:

• Atari - A
• Commodore - A
• MSX - B
• Amstrad - C
• Sega - D

[Hoopz]

Just a guess, but I would think it would need a windows driver in order for windows to recognize it.  If you go into the Control Panel, then game controllers, is it seen there?

[Armar]

Just a guess, but I would think it would need a windows driver in order for windows to recognize it.  If you go into the Control Panel, then game controllers, is it seen there?

no

[bkenobi]

My guess is that you would have to write your own driver to make it work in Windows.  I haven't seen any drivers for serial game controllers, but I haven't done any research.  It's possible someone else has already done some legwork for you.


Just thinking about it, serial wouldn't make much sense for a game controller IMO.  That would mean that all data would be sent over a single wire to tell the console/pc what was being pressed.  Most times older controllers are interfaced through Parallel.  The exception is new stuff that uses USB (universal SERIAL bus).  I suppose if it really is serial there may be a way to wire it up to USB, but I doubt the signals would be compatible.  I doubt it's worth the effort unless you REALLY like that controller.

Is this for a gamepad hack or do you actually want to use that controller for a console emulator?  Just curious...

[Franco B]

Is this for a gamepad hack or do you actually want to use that controller for a console emulator?  Just curious...

That's what I was wondering. If you really like that stick and want to use it with your PC it would probably be 'easiest' to hack it and connect it to a hacked USB pad.
 

[Armar]

My guess is that you would have to write your own driver to make it work in Windows.  I haven't seen any drivers for serial game controllers, but I haven't done any research.  It's possible someone else has already done some legwork for you.


Just thinking about it, serial wouldn't make much sense for a game controller IMO.  That would mean that all data would be sent over a single wire to tell the console/pc what was being pressed.  Most times older controllers are interfaced through Parallel.  The exception is new stuff that uses USB (universal SERIAL bus).  I suppose if it really is serial there may be a way to wire it up to USB, but I doubt the signals would be compatible.  I doubt it's worth the effort unless you REALLY like that controller.

Is this for a gamepad hack or do you actually want to use that controller for a console emulator?  Just curious...

I'm trying to put together a cheap arcade cabinet emulator with an old laptop, nothing professional.
It's not that I absolutely need to use this controller but I found it for only 1 euro and it has a retro style to it.

There seem to be programs that read the data that comes trough the controller but I'm not much of a programmer  

EDIT: As the controller can be connected to a Sega maybe this can work:
http://pinouts.ru/Game/genesiscontroller_pinout.shtml

But I'v got hardly any experience with a soldering iron and I don't have the material to make that. Maybe I can ask a friend to make it... what do you guys think.

Anyway, thanks guys for helping 

[bkenobi]

If it connects to a Sega console, then it's going to have the individual control signals on different pins (like in your link).  You said the controller was a serial connection which would make it very difficult to use as is.  If it's really usable on an old console, that means it's not really a serial controller.  Anyway, if that pinout is correct, then you can easily use this thing with a USB controller hack or probably with a parallel port hack (if your laptop has a parallel port). 

BUT, you need to figure out what's coming out of those pins first.  You can do that by connecting a multimeter to the ground pin and to each control pin.  When you press a button on the gamepad, one of the lines should go to ground.  Finding ground is really the hard part though.  Try using that pinout and you will know pretty quickly if it's a Sega controller or not.

[Armar]

You said the controller was a serial connection which would make it very difficult to use as is.  If it's really usable on an old console, that means it's not really a serial controller. 

Sorry, I'm still learning 

Anyway, if that pinout is correct, then you can easily use this thing with a USB controller hack or probably with a parallel port hack (if your laptop has a parallel port). 

Maybe a keyboard hack? I have a keyboard that I was planning to take apart anyway.

BUT, you need to figure out what's coming out of those pins first.  You can do that by connecting a multimeter to the ground pin and to each control pin.  When you press a button on the gamepad, one of the lines should go to ground.  Finding ground is really the hard part though.  Try using that pinout and you will know pretty quickly if it's a Sega controller or not.

I don't have a multimeter 
But it has to be Sega-compatible since it has a switch to do that, I guess...
If you think it's dangerous or anything, I'l try to get one.

[Armar]