bloatedmonkey Posted October 29, 2002 Share Posted October 29, 2002 Ok, I know I drank alot of beer in college, so I'm down to only a few brain cells, but over the years I've acquired 4 joystick splitter things, from 3 different manufacturers. But I can't get ANY of them to do anything. If I plug a joystick into either of the split sides and plug the other end into my Atari, I get no response from the joystick. I figured the first 2 were busted, but I have a hard time believing all 4 could not work. I mean, it's just a cable. I think I'm just dumb. Please let me know if you have a better experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari Master Posted October 29, 2002 Share Posted October 29, 2002 Um, I didn't get a word of that... But if your joystick isn't working just open it up and clean the board with some alcohaul and a rag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nukey Shay Posted October 29, 2002 Share Posted October 29, 2002 Are they really made for standard joysticks, though? The Coleco Gemini console (VCS clone) used Y-cables for paddle games...since the paddles were attached to the joysticks. They could be those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRetroGamer Posted October 29, 2002 Share Posted October 29, 2002 Make sure you know for a fact that your joystick and Atari are working properly before using the adapter. There are a few different types of adapters and some of them do not have all the pins wired through. I'm also assuming that you have all 9 pin connectors on the ends? It's also possible that the thin wires that these are made out of have cracked inside and are not making contact. Try jiggling the wire of the y cable as you operate the joystick and see if you get any response. I've found many joystick wires that were defective and had to replace them. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inky Posted October 29, 2002 Share Posted October 29, 2002 Could it be one of those y-adapters that people use on an ST to keep the mouse and joystick plugged in at the same time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvigor Posted October 29, 2002 Share Posted October 29, 2002 The Y cables that I bought one time in the clearance section of a chain store were made for Sega Genesis--I think. They do not have wires running to every pin. I have not used them in a while, but I remember that they worked with either paddles or joysticks on the 2600, but not both because some signal lines were missing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Mitchell Posted October 29, 2002 Share Posted October 29, 2002 I have one splitter .. It is wired pin for pin .. I trimmed it so I could use it with the Vectrex as well. I am thinking of making these in the near future. Anyone want one? Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariKari Posted October 29, 2002 Share Posted October 29, 2002 Yes, please. The 9-pin Y cord I won off eBay yeilds similar results as above, i.e. it does nothing. Why would you not want to use all the pins when making one of these? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MegaManFan Posted October 29, 2002 Share Posted October 29, 2002 So what kind of Y-cable splitter would you need to have a regular CV stick with the keypad on one end, a standard 9-pin Wico or Atari on the other end, and have both work at the same time? I want it that way so I could control the startup features of the games, but at the same time not have to play the games ON the crappy CV stick. Up until now I've had to quickly swap sticks in the port at the beginning of each game, and that gets to be so much of a pain in the a%% that I don't use my CV much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRetroGamer Posted October 29, 2002 Share Posted October 29, 2002 I have one splitter .. It is wired pin for pin .. I trimmed it so I could use it with the Vectrex as well. What would you use this for on the Vectrex? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Mitchell Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 I have one splitter .. It is wired pin for pin .. I trimmed it so I could use it with the Vectrex as well. What would you use this for on the Vectrex? Well if I use an Atari Trakball with a circuit to interpret the signals .. I still need more buttons for the Vectrex .. So I have a separate button controller that I plug in with the splitter. I also have a Tandy analog stick that I use with the Vectrex .. but it only has 2 buttons .. so I need more buttons. etc .. Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nukey Shay Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 Why not just use a com port Y cable or splitter? That way, you can be sure that all pins are wired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiquidPenguin Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 Yes, please. The 9-pin Y cord I won off eBay yeilds similar results as above, i.e. it does nothing. Why would you not want to use all the pins when making one of these? Can't vouch for an old console, but newer systems sometimes need to know which joystick they're polling. A good example for some forgotton console is the port would have all the pins connected to both joysticks except for two. One pin goes to one joystick and the other goes to the other. I remember that since I tried to make my own, longer, cable once and it didn't work properly. So used a voltmeter to figure out the configuration. Ideally though, they should have all their pins connected I suppose. never really thought about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiquidPenguin Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 Although.... now that I think about it. I can't imagine why an Atari Y cable would require some pins to be disabled on any sort of extension or adapter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRetroGamer Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 Although.... now that I think about it. I can't imagine why an Atari Y cable would require some pins to be disabled on any sort of extension or adapter. I have Atari 2600 extension cables that have only 6 of the 9 pins wired. These cables won't work with something like a Colecovision. I have seen Y cables that had less than 9 pins wired as well. The reason, I dunno, maybe cost savings? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiquidPenguin Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 Although.... now that I think about it. I can't imagine why an Atari Y cable would require some pins to be disabled on any sort of extension or adapter. I have Atari 2600 extension cables that have only 6 of the 9 pins wired. These cables won't work with something like a Colecovision. I have seen Y cables that had less than 9 pins wired as well. The reason, I dunno, maybe cost savings? I'm just guessing here since I can't find any place that has these Y adapters but would the dead pins be pins 5, 7, and 9? I'm just guessing since I think the Paddles are already Y'ed out and there'd be no reason (that I can think of from an engineering stand point) to Y out any of the other controllers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRetroGamer Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 I'm just guessing here since I can't find any place that has these Y adapters but would the dead pins be pins 5, 7, and 9? I believe so. These Y cables are usually hard to find in the wild or on EBAY, and when you do find them they are not cheap because they are pretty rare and desireable, especially the fully wired 9 pins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Mitchell Posted October 31, 2002 Share Posted October 31, 2002 I have Atari 2600 extension cables that have only 6 of the 9 pins wired. These cables won't work with something like a Colecovision. I have seen Y cables that had less than 9 pins wired as well. The reason, I dunno, maybe cost savings? Yeah .. I've seen these "joystick extension cables" .. which are missing the 5,7,9 pin "paddle" wires .. OK .. I'm gonna start making these 9 pin Y splitters .. contact me by private message if you want one. Maybe $12 each. Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Mitchell Posted October 31, 2002 Share Posted October 31, 2002 Ok .. I made a splitter last night .. Works great! Who wants it? I'll keep making them as long as there is a demand. $12 plus $2 shipping. send private message if you want one. Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRetroGamer Posted October 31, 2002 Share Posted October 31, 2002 What did you make it out of? Got pics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Mitchell Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 The splitter consists of two black Sega Male terminals wired together to a new female DB9 terminal. Sorry .. no pics .. as my camera doesn't work with AA. Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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