Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: TheShanMan on February 21, 2008, 06:02:14 pm

Title: how do original tron joysticks interface to a pc?
Post by: TheShanMan on February 21, 2008, 06:02:14 pm
I'm going to be heading down to a local arcade repair/parts shop and in the off chance that I am able to pick up a real tron joystick (what are the other games that use the same style joystick? satan's hollow I think? any others?), how would I interface it to my computer?
Title: Re: how do original tron joysticks interface to a pc?
Post by: SavannahLion on February 21, 2008, 06:10:37 pm
The TRON sticks require an interface board to use with your PC. Good boards are the IPac2 and its variants at Ultimarc (http://www.ultimarc.com) and the KeyWiz/GPWiz and variants at Groovy Game Gear (http://www.groovygamegear.com).

Games that use similar sticks are Satan's Hollow, Gorf, Xenophobe, and Discs of TRON. There are some subtle and important differences between each stick though. For instance, the GORF (http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/GORF_joystick) stick uses a circuit board and optical switches as well as a different shaft, coloring and restrictors. That means the GORF stick, in it's OEM state, requires an additional +5v power feed on top of the power required for the lighting. You can learn more about the TRON stick on the WIKI (http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/TRON_joystick)
Title: Re: how do original tron joysticks interface to a pc?
Post by: TheShanMan on February 21, 2008, 06:27:31 pm
OK, so it's just a standard button type joystick. For some reason I was thinking it was analog but that was some kind of brain fart because I know it's more or less an 8 way stick. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Thanks for the quick reply!
Title: Re: how do original tron joysticks interface to a pc?
Post by: Ginsu Victim on February 21, 2008, 08:19:07 pm
Well, actually a 4-way (restricted to it, at least)
Title: Re: how do original tron joysticks interface to a pc?
Post by: SavannahLion on February 21, 2008, 09:14:13 pm
Well, actually a 4-way (restricted to it, at least)

It's both. It's an easy four way and a hard eight way.
Title: Re: how do original tron joysticks interface to a pc?
Post by: CrazyKongFan on February 22, 2008, 11:10:11 am
Yeah, they made it a hard 8 way because of the light cycle level. I have played one where either the restrictor plate was missing or had been replaced with a different one, which made it alot easier to do a diagonal on the grid bug level.