Main > Main Forum
Intellivision Controller Interface
Stingray:
Maybe, I'm missing something. I see that the 49 way is treated as 8 keys by an encoder. Not sure how one would go about getting the other 8 directions out of it. Anyone?
-S
shawnzilla:
BTW, I just got an email back from Shiny Technologies regarding their interface (I already have one, but wanted to check for you). He said that they are planning on making more of them, but are trying to decide at the moment if they should do another full run or if they should make one whenever an order comes in (if they do this, they'll raise the price).
Kremmit:
--- Quote from: Stingray on February 07, 2005, 01:49:48 pm ---Maybe, I'm missing something. I see that the 49 way is treated as 8 keys by an encoder. Not sure how one would go about getting the other 8 directions out of it. Anyone?
--- End quote ---
Which encoder treats it as 8 keys? My understanding is that the SJC reports it to Windows as an analog stick.
Oh, I see. You're referring to URebel's page, where it says:
--- Quote ---Otherwise, the two 49-way sticks work much the the same way. Each axis has 3 optical sensors, each with it's own pin for the joystick output. Each axis' circuit tracks which side of center the stick is located, giving a fourth output pin per axis; the total is like 8 switches per joystick.
--- End quote ---
There's no encoder there, that's just how the stick tells whatever it's hooked to which of the 49 possible positions it's in.
Here's the key to understanding that (from the same page):
--- Quote ---A centered williams outputs no current, current, current, current, no current, current, current, current (or NC C C C NC C C C; or 01110111)
--- End quote ---
Each "current / no current" reading is the reading from 1 of the 8 "switches". Depending on which "switches" report current, you know which of the 49 possible outputs the joystick is sending. It's essentially 8-bit binary data!- which is why Robin also lists the output as 01110111. To build an interface, for your Intellivision, you would need a circuit that would:
* read the current/no current (binary) data the joystick is outputting
* decide which of the 16 available Intellivision directions that most closely corresponds to (see grid, in my earlier post above)
* encode that direction into "Intellivision format" and send it down the line to your console
Which doesn't sound outrageously difficult for someone that understands "Intellivision format" and electronic circuits. Unfortunately, I have only the most basic electronic knowlege, and don't know jack about the signals an original Intellivision controller sent, so that's as far as I can take it. Maybe one of the more electronically inclined members would be interested in circuit design?
Stingray:
To be perfectly honest I haven't even taken apart an INTV controller and taken a look inside yet. I'll have to buy a spare first, I've only got the two that came with my system and I don't want to take those apart. I need tofinish up my Colecovision project first, and then I'll try to round up a loose INTV controller to disect. After I have a better idae of what's actually going on in there I may be able to come up with another way to go about this.
-S
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[*] Previous page
Go to full version