Atari8guy Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 I long ago lost the joystick dongle that comes with Paperclip (Batteries Included) and I was wondering if anyone had a extra or new how to make one or if.....THIS would work. And just out of a curious nature....how did that thing work anyway. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 Your best bet would probably be to just get a cracked copy of the software. The way the dongle works might be something as simple as simulating an invalid joystick input like up/down at the same time. Or, it might be way more complex and have something like a counter, or a resistor network that returns a specific value to the Paddle ports dependant on what is being outputted through the joystick directional pins. As for buying the C-64 version... no guarantee it would work, since they could have decided to use different schemes on that version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari8guy Posted February 28, 2009 Author Share Posted February 28, 2009 Your best bet would probably be to just get a cracked copy of the software. The way the dongle works might be something as simple as simulating an invalid joystick input like up/down at the same time. Or, it might be way more complex and have something like a counter, or a resistor network that returns a specific value to the Paddle ports dependant on what is being outputted through the joystick directional pins. As for buying the C-64 version... no guarantee it would work, since they could have decided to use different schemes on that version. I do have a cracked copy....just kinda for completeness and curiousity...if it stays under 5 bucks I might take a flyer on it just for curiousity's sake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Larry Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 (edited) I long ago lost the joystick dongle that comes with Paperclip (Batteries Included) and I was wondering if anyone had a extra or new how to make one or if.....THIS would work. And just out of a curious nature....how did that thing work anyway. Thanks. I remember that I was very surprised when I got Paperclip, comparing it's complex dongle to that of Leaderboard Golf. I have originals of both versions, and the C64 dongle will *not* work with the Atari version of the program. After leaving the title screen, the program locks up. -Larry Edited February 28, 2009 by Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 I remember copying Leaderboard... I think I used a RAM-dump method to later discover it wouldn't work. Fairly sure it just used the left/right method for the dongle, and was real easy to find/remove the code. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bob1200xl Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 My recollection is that it is just a resistor that is read by the paddle inputs. Plug a paddle controller into the joystick port and turn it slowly until it works. Or, maybe not. Bob I long ago lost the joystick dongle that comes with Paperclip (Batteries Included) and I was wondering if anyone had a extra or new how to make one or if.....THIS would work. And just out of a curious nature....how did that thing work anyway. Thanks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kchu28 Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 If you have a joystick with auto-fire, plug that into one of the joystick ports with the auto on. I remember it worked just fine for me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gklinger Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 The Leaderboard dongle plugged into the datasette port and could be bypassed by plugging in a datasette and pressing play. Anyway, I've got some Paperclip dongles around here. I'll take a look for them tomorrow and it would help if you sent me a PM to remind me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sup8pdct Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 The paper clip dongle is a type of serial input/output memory chip. I made (copied) one many years ago but as usual, have either lost it or used the socket for something else. Paper clip easy to crack tho. the code to change actually ends up at $C000. The code sends a byte to the chip (keyboard input?) then recieves the byte back and displays it. I have just found the remains of the dongle i made, pins 1,2,3,4,6,7,8 are used on the joystick port and are connected as follows. 1 -2 & 11 2 -3 & 10 3 -4 & 15 4 - 6 6 - 7 , 1 ,12,13,14 7 - 16 8 - 8 I cannot remember what type of chip it was. James I long ago lost the joystick dongle that comes with Paperclip (Batteries Included) and I was wondering if anyone had a extra or new how to make one or if.....THIS would work. And just out of a curious nature....how did that thing work anyway. Thanks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Larry Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 It is a static shift register. I'm not sure how those work, but I'm guessing that if you send it a series of bits, it sends back a predictable new series. (?) -Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sup8pdct Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 I have found a chip here that may be the one used. A 4031B. Need to test it to make sure but it has been kicking around in the draw for years so it may be dead from static. James I have just found the remains of the dongle i made, pins 1,2,3,4,6,7,8 are used on the joystick port and are connected as follows.1 -2 & 11 2 -3 & 10 3 -4 & 15 4 - 6 6 - 7 , 1 ,12,13,14 7 - 16 8 - 8 I cannot remember what type of chip it was. James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyR Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 It is a static shift register. I'm not sure how those work, but I'm guessing that if you send it a series of bits, it sends back a predictable new series. (?) An LFSR maybe? Might make sense for a simple dongle, as it's easy to simulate in software (clock in a few random bits, check the output against the software version) but still reasonably non-trivial to replace for a prospective copier. Probably about as good hardware protection as you can get on an 6502. These boxes certainly won't be doing RSA. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ripdubski Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 Rise from the dead. I found this regarding the C64 dongle. Looks a lot more complex. But maybe the Atari one was implemented much simpler. http://c64preservation.com/c64pp/bbs/dm.php?thread=1579 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddtmw Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 I long ago lost the joystick dongle that comes with Paperclip (Batteries Included) and I was wondering if anyone had a extra or new how to make one or if.....THIS would work. And just out of a curious nature....how did that thing work anyway. Thanks. I had Paperclip for my 130 XE. (I don't have it anymore.) I also had a device that plugged into a joystick port and then you plugged a joystick into it. It had a dial on top that would alter how long a delay between pressing fire. So, in shooter games, you could just hold the button down and the computer thought you were hitting it repeatedly. I found that if I used that and held the joystick button down, Paperclip worked. I used to put a joystick button under a chair leg to make it work. It was more just because I could do it, since I actually had the dongle... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddtmw Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 Incidentally, Paperclip got me and my girlfriend (now my wife) through 2 years of college papers before I got my Atari ST.... The funny thing is, I am way more attached to my 8-bit Atari past than my ST Atari past. I (so far) have no desire to try to recreate what I once had on ST, but have been obsessed with 8-bit for a long time (in emulation) and for the past 6 months or so looking at real hardware... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russg Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 (edited) An LFSR maybe? Might make sense for a simple dongle, as it's easy to simulate in software (clock in a few random bits, check the output against the software version) but still reasonably non-trivial to replace for a prospective copier. Probably about as good hardware protection as you can get on an 6502. These boxes certainly won't be doing RSA. here's the inside of mine. I doubt it still works. Edited June 3, 2017 by russg 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russg Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 (edited) here's the inside of mine. I doubt it still works. The possibilities boogle the mind. It could be programmed with a serial number specific for the software. I don't think that there are different software disks though, they are all the same copyable, I guess. I don't know if MD5s have been made of several paperclip program disks. And if they are all the same. Edited June 4, 2017 by russg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 The possibilities boogle the mind. It could be programmed with a serial number specific for the software. I don't think that there are different software disks though, they are all the same copyable, I guess. It's just a 4031 shift register. Nothing custom at all. I imagine that it expects to see either it's own output or a joystick line shifted through it. Got a pic of the other side? http://rtellason.com/chipdata/cd4031.pdf 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotty Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 Ah the memories. When I was a kid, I was not exactly a computer science major with a masters degree. I got Leader Board from a copy party when it first came out. Called one of the local warez BBS'es to find out how to get it to work. Said you needed a key in joystick port 2. Thinking it was strange, but said what the hell, I got a house key, put it in port 2, and started my 800. Saw a small spark, and the game did not load. Tried a few more times without success. How I did not destroy my 800 is beyond me, but it still worked, and still works TO THIS DAY!! Anyhow, I called the board back and dug deeper, and found out that the 'key' was a sacrificed joystick cable with the brown, white and orange (or was it black, white and orange??) wires stripped and twisted together. It has been a long time, do not remember. What an idiot I was. LOL 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 The Leaderboard dongle protection was stupidly simple. I cracked that game myself, from memory it did left/right stick at the same time, which I thought wasn't very smart as you could use a pair of taped down paddle buttons to simulate it if you couldn't be bothered with the buck-fifty worth of parts and 5 minutes worth of soldering to DIY dongle. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 yep definitely need to see the other side of the dongle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russg Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 yep definitely need to see the other side of the dongle 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmccorm Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 I found a 130XE copy of Paperclip, and a matching (and working) Joystick Port protection dongle. I just wanted to confirm that the obvious choice is the correct one: It makes total sense to replace the original Paperclip disk with a cracked copy, and to discard the joystick copy protection dongle, right? No downside? Thanks all, the jmccorms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 It might have some collector value and be worth a few bucks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 I found a 130XE copy of Paperclip, and a matching (and working) Joystick Port protection dongle. I just wanted to confirm that the obvious choice is the correct one: It makes total sense to replace the original Paperclip disk with a cracked copy, and to discard the joystick copy protection dongle, right? No downside? Thanks all, the jmccorms I had a cracked (no-dongle) version as a kid that I used for the second half of my senior year in high school. I still have the same disk and it still boots today. For that matter, it can still read and open all the high school papers and documents I created back then too (***shudder***). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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