Blues76

November 23, 2020

1 minute ago, ivop said:

Your Raspberry Pi can translate the analog values to discrete values similar to what I did here (read up to the third post where the range was sufficiently increased to reliable detect up/down left/right):

You don't need to know about a dead zone. Just the thresholds after which it is definitely up or down (left or right).

Thank you @ivop

I was just thinking about what would it take to transfer those values —> Of course, the option to have a threshold to convert to a direction is the best option for the atari. I was just thinking about this. Thanks

November 23, 2020

1 minute ago, Kr0tki said:

If the stick would be consistently reporting 0,0 when being sufficiently close to centre position, then it would surely be an indication of a dead zone. This is not the case. Both thumbsticks are reporting their position correctly even near the centre, without suddenly "jumping" to 0,0.

The point is that there is a small range of values that are reported, so for example if you have a character, it will keep moving. I’m not in front of my computer. So, yes, while the gamepad may be reporting the correct position, it is noise for the game.

November 23, 2020

26 minutes ago, phaeron said:

You can't use all 9 pins for input since two of the pins are for +5V and ground. Two of the remaining pins are paddle inputs and are more difficult to read as a paddle scan is required.

The remaining pins can be multiplexed to push bigger data through a serial protocol, such as 3-5 bits at a time. You can either constantly push the data such that the joystick read routine can easily capture a whole block whenever it wants, or you can switch one of the joystick lines to output and use it to manually clock the input. The latter is slower but more timing tolerant.

Alternatively, you could build around one of the USB cartridges and have the Atari directly poll the HID controller.

thank you. Which USB cartridge?

November 23, 2020

11 minutes ago, Kr0tki said:

Dead zone? You mean, like no input change being registered near the centre? If so, it must be some Windows driver thing, as on Linux input changes are registered across the whole movement range including the centre. The controller itself does not seem to have any dead zone built in.

What happens is that if you move the stick and let us back to the center position, it will keep sending positive/negative values and not 0,0. So it is called the dead zone

It has been a while —. I don’t remember the range any longer— but is a range. Wow, it has been years since I coded that.

November 22, 2020

3 minutes ago, phaeron said:

You could basically just try this now, by binding the controller analog inputs to paddle inputs in an emulator.

The analog inputs on these controllers aren't particularly precise. The analog stick, for instance, has a loose dead zone of around a quarter of the range and beyond that it's only about a quarter inch of physical movement. It's probably less precise to use than a 5200 controller and definitely less precise than a paddle controller with its large knob and range of movement. I have to apply acceleration curves to make games like Kaboom! and Missile Command playable with the Xbox 360 controller, and it still doesn't feel as direct as a trackball or a paddle controller.

The main thing you do get with a modern controller is a lot more buttons, and that does help a lot in some games. For instance, I added two button support when porting 2600 Raiders of the Lost Ark because it's more convenient than the original two-joystick setup.

Yes, the dead zone ! I found a nice article a way back to smooth the input

But how do I send the value into the atari. The 9 pin gives me only 2^9 or 2^18 if I used both connections.

Am I missing something?

November 22, 2020

Hi,

I have an idea and there are threads that cover part of it:

Threads:

https://atariage.com/forums/topic/313827-has-anyone-tried-this-“new”-gamepad/

https://atariage.com/forums/topic/308542-converter-to-use-modern-controllers-on-atari/

https://atariage.com/forums/topic/307459-usb-adapter-for-cx-controllers-project-ideas/?tab=comments#comment-4552047

This idea maybe crazy and useless, so I may not pursue it but I needed some sanity check.

So, let's say I want an XBOX 360 controller (usb wired) be able to be used in the Atari (yes, probably useless idea, I know).

SO, the XBOX 360 thumb stick contain a value of X,Y in the range of 0 to 255. So, here we have two thumb stick. The Left and Right trigger also have a value of (0 to 255 or o to 127, I don't remember right now).

Then you have the other discrete buttons.

Assuming that I get the input from the XBOX 360 game pad into an Arduino or raspberry pi and then send it to the Atari, I'm a bit confused how would I be able to send it.

One idea is to scale down the values and use the two joystick ports.

For example, just to use the complete range of the left thumb stick,I would need 8 pins and 1 pin for one button.

I was just thinking about this. Of course, even if is done, I'm not sure what could it be use for.

Ideas? Opinions?

Correction: The range of thumb stick may be different from what I remembered when I typed thisz

November 22, 2020

I found this thread (since I'm sure this is a question that gets asked a lot)

@ivop Thanks... Maybe I can convinced my wife to do it... Otherwise, I have a friend already. I guess I could do it but I know very little about electronics but given what you said, maybe this is something I could do.

November 22, 2020

54 minutes ago, ivop said:

After play way too much on emulation, with a gamepad, I'm also better at games with a gamepad than with the Atari joystick. Luckily I have SNES2JOY for playing on real hardware

Is anyone selling your design?

~~Which gamepad are you using?~~ The SNES Gamepad

November 22, 2020

5 minutes ago, bfollowell said:

I'm curious about all those buttons. I see two regular buttons for sure, marked I & II. Then there's the pastel colored buttons; one on the left and the four on the right. I can't tell if those are real buttons or images on the label. Either way, when it comes to the 2600 and the 8-bit computers, I thought they could only have a single button, so all those others would be a waste, right? Do I remember that incorrectly? Could we have multiple buttons on an Atari joystick/controller on the 2600 or the 8-bits?

When I look at the seller's other items, I see all different kinds of controllers, all made from the same basic controller, but with different system labels. I'm pretty sure that controller only has two buttons, but I still thought we could only have one on the 2600/8-bit/XEGS. I think the 7800 allows two or possibly more.

I think is compatible with atari 8 bit computers, 2600, and 7800 (I’m not sure if all 7800 games, but then I don’t know much about the 7800).

Atari 8bit computers can use more than one button (see a thread about it) but most (all?) games used only one button.

If you read the thread, it may even be possible (if I’m right) to use three buttons. Now, For this controller I posted, assuming that it works, all I care is one button and the pad.

November 22, 2020

Hi @ZeroPage Homebrew

Thanks for doing this.

Is there a place where I can download all the homebrews for 8bit atari per the year of the release? For example 2019, 2020? Maybe in pigwa ftp?

I hope I did not missed this in a previous post.

November 22, 2020

9 hours ago, Rybags said:

No. Looks OK though.

Though the curious part would be the feel and durability of the buttons and stick - likely they use the carbon pads that just mush against the 2 adjacent contacts to close the switch. So generally no microswitch or bubble type switch to wear out but often need something else to provide springiness and feel.

I’m looking for a gamepad because my kid (5 years old) seems to do better with gamepad that the atari joystick

Maybe the Sega one will work.

November 22, 2020

Hi,

Has anyone tried this?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Atari-XE-XEGS-7800-2600-Controller-Control-Pad-Gamepad-Joystick-with-Thumb-Stick-/264805385894?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

thanks

November 21, 2020

20 minutes ago, ivop said:

Yes. They are all there and are not that out of place. It could be way worse I recommend heating them a little with a hairdryer. That way, they are less prone to snapping.

Thanks @ivop

November 21, 2020

19 minutes ago, flashjazzcat said:

Nothing broken here. This is the standard condition of anything which spent a lot of time in a box of bits.

Well, I'm the one to blame here.

November 21, 2020

5 minutes ago, ZuluGula said:

I would say that it takes some high soldering skills to replace it on XE motherboard. I haven't seen them going bad unless you abuse the cartridge port. I would live them for someone who really needs it. Yours can be fixed.

Who really needs this?

I don't understand. If they are not available or only available in small numbers, then I understand. But I'm not sure what you are trying to get with this. That I should not have two or three?

Thanks

November 21, 2020

2 minutes ago, ivop said:

You can always buy a 2x7 angled header and a separate 2x15 angled header.

That seems like one option. Thank you for giving me additional options. I still would like to get this one if I can or something like this. I at least know for sure what it was. Thanks

November 21, 2020

3 minutes ago, ivop said:

Can't you carefully bend the pins back in their original position? Or did one break off?

Edit: 1st picture, looks they are still there. And like ZuluGula said, do you need a replacement of the ECI/CART port for an XE machine right now?

I guess I could move the pins but I'm not sure how fragile some of them may be because they are bend it more than I would had like. I will try. I don't need one right now. However, I would like to have one. Are there alternative to the one that I have?

November 21, 2020

1 minute ago, David_P said:

Looks like an XE Cart / ECI port.

Maybe is the brand new one that @santosp sent to me and I managed to brake it in less than two days. I will message him and maybe I can buy a new one!

November 21, 2020

EDIT.

I removed all the incorrect statements.

Home Computers: 100 Icons that defined a digital generation is a great book. One may argue that some are missing but it is a great book. It does show 400, 600xl, and 65xe

November 21, 2020

Hi,

I'm not sure what this is. I have a box with all my mods and I just broke this (pinch it with my finger). I haven't had a chance to do anything with my mods but I was putting my retrobox link in it and I screwed this up!

Question:

1) What is it? I think this goes in the expansion port, right?

2) Where can I buy it?

See pictures

Thanks,

November 19, 2020

40 minutes ago, ac.tomo said:

Many thanks all, I downloaded the link at the bottom of your (fenrock) post, transfered all the files and folders into the correct location(c:\jac\wudsn), but when I run the WUDSN shortcut it tells me a JRE or JDK are not present, any help?

Do you know programming ?

I don’t mean any disrespect but you said you were fine with assembly but lot c++ pr c# but neither are used in atari 8-bit.

It is missing the JDK — downloaded and install it.

November 17, 2020

here

https://atariage.com/forums/topic/313157-assembly-options-atari-8-bit-assembler-and-c/

November 17, 2020

1 hour ago, ac.tomo said:

Can anyone help me out, I'd like to know what poeople use to create programs on a typical PC. Like for instance, writing code to work on Atari800win/Alterra or typical PC code. I'm fine with Assembly and was wondering if people use any specific Assembler as well. I'm not up on C++ or C#. Any help much appreciated.

Did you see the two pinned topics ?

There is one on how to use windows tool to develop and other on books.

There a few different assemblers. If you see one my post, I asked about the softener ones. I’m not in front of my computer but I can linked them later. But see if what’s here helps you in anyway.

November 15, 2020

23 minutes ago, BIGHMW said:

I have been finding out more about this multicart having ATR file compatibility without having to tether an external device to run them, so now my question is:

Are they readily available domestically or do I have to go international??? I DO have PayPal. I also could not find one on eBay.

You can get it from @tmp