Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Tiz on June 18, 2004, 06:31:46 pm

Title: Newbie needs schematic
Post by: Tiz on June 18, 2004, 06:31:46 pm

I'm very new at this, but would like to know if anyone has a schematic
for an analog 8 button controller for PC gameport.
I would like to build a custom 8 switch controller and want to avoid hacking a regular 8 button controller.  BTW, I don't need any variable axis joystick control.

Thanks for any help.

Title: Re:Newbie needs schematic
Post by: u_rebelscum on June 20, 2004, 03:38:14 am

AFAIK, the standard gameport has 4 buttons (and 4 analog axes).  If you want more buttons, you pretty much have to hack an 8 button controller.  They used non-standard gameport communication and needed the drivers that came with them.  

It might be possible to use each axis as a button since you don't want to use an analog joystick, but I don't know.  Try http://www.monmouth.com/~lw4750/pin_charts.htm (http://www.monmouth.com/~lw4750/pin_charts.htm) for examples of using the gameport's pinout.

Title: Re:Newbie needs schematic
Post by: Tiz on June 20, 2004, 07:28:06 pm

Thanks Rebel,

If I were to use a so-called digital joystick, which I believe is 4 buttons,
do you think it would be possible to use those as 4 more buttons
in addition to the standard 4 of the DB15 gameport?

Title: Re:Newbie needs schematic
Post by: Tiz on June 20, 2004, 07:43:44 pm

Suppose I made a circuit like this Digital joystick circuit (so I could have
8 buttons)
http://www.ctips.com/game.html#tech

Do you know where I could get the drivers for Windows(xp)?

Title: Re:Newbie needs schematic
Post by: u_rebelscum on June 20, 2004, 08:09:02 pm

Way to find that page.  Better info than I've seen before.  If you make your own that follow that schematic, you just use the standard windows gameport drivers.

Note that digitial up and down can't be pressed at the same time even with that wiring.  (If both are pressed, looks the same as neither pressed, since it's still using the analog axis pins for the digital joystick.)

So you need to do 2 joysticks (joy A and joy B as called in that page).  Use the four buttons, joy A up and left, and joy B up and left (for example) to get your 8 buttons.  You'll have 4 "half" buttons left over; they can be used if you know there is absolutely zero chance of you needing them at the same time as their respective opposite already in use.

Title: Re:Newbie needs schematic
Post by: Tiz on June 20, 2004, 08:56:48 pm

Thanks Robin,

I just found yet another schematic that is simpler(no PNP amp required)http://www.aleax.com/personal/alias/arcade/cct_6buttonstick.gif
If this link doesn't work, go to the site and select WIRING(on the left side),
then PLAYER 1 Controls, then click 6 BUTTON STICK.

Can I make this into a 8 button controller if I use UP and LEFT also?
And is it OK to hardwire the DOWN and RIGHT switches(since they would require
a NC switch anyway), or is it necessary to have the DOWN, RIGHT switches disconnect in any Windows setup routine(even though I would not be using them)?
Which Game Controller description in Windows would be used with this
schematic?