A Different Kind Of Controller...

[PacManPlus]

After I got rid of my Wii, I kept the 'Fighter Controller' because I had an idea for it.

 

I changed the overlay, kept only two buttons, and wired it up for the 7800:

 

Now, where it becomes different, is with the cable. I wanted the 'Select/Pause/Reset' buttons ('Home' being mapped to 'Pause') functional on the controller, so I used a D-Sub 15 Pin (VGA) connector:

 

Pins 1 to 9 map to 1 to 9 on the 15 pin connection, but Start, Pause, and Reset map to 11, 12, and 13 respectively. When I want to use this controller with a standard 7800 (of course without the Select/Pause/Reset functionality), I made a cable to just pass the normal 7800 joystick pins:

 

Now, any 7800 I want to use the controller with the entire array of buttons, I just wire up a male 15-Pin VGA connector (pins 1-9 stay the same, 11, 12, and 13 map to Select, Pause, and Reset, respectively) and use a VGA extension cable (a thin one if possible). I did that here:

(sorry for the blurry pic but you can make out the connector on the right hand side)

 

 

Good idea?

Thanks,

Bob

 

EDIT - Didn't realize I kept writing 'Start/Pause/Reset' instead of 'Select/Pause/Reset'. Fixed.

Edited February 4, 2012 by PacManPlus

[Lord Thag]

Well, I don't know. You will have to send my the joystick to test out first and SEE if it's a good idea

 

Awesome dude. I want one. Alas that my soldering 'skills' resemble that of a mentally retarded dingo.

[Gregory DG]

Wow! Great job!

[+Allan]

That's fantastic! Really cool.

 

Allan

[+bennybingo]

That is awesome! If you end up offering a conversion service, let me know!!!

[OldSchoolRetroGamer]

Wow BEAUTIFUL and I love your "stormtrooper" 7800!

[PacManPlus]

"StormTrooper" 7800 - LOL! That's cool, I never thought of that!

 

Thanks for the props, guys. It's just an idea I thought of in case someone else wanted to try it too.

 

Thanks,

Bob

[+Trebor]

Excellent idea, Bob! That controller looks awesome.

[swlovinist]

Wow, amazing pics. Thanks for sharing.

[thursday83]

Sick.

[Indiana Quack]

Wow really awesome looking joystick. You make the best 7800 games and now are you going to be making these cool joysticks to share also? I know this was a one of a kind with the wii controller, but I'm sure you could use other controllers to make compariable joysticks. Keep this awesomeness going!

[Stupid VCS Footloose Rabbit]

... Why are you more boss that Dos, PacmanPlus?

[PacManPlus]

Hi Guys:

 

Quick Update - You have to either change pin 9 on the Atari side to connect to pin 10 on the 15-pin connector, or just solder pins 9 and 10 together (like I did) on the 15-pin connector. I completely forgot that many of the VGA-Extension cables don't pass through pin 9.

 

Bob

 

Edited for clarity

Edited February 24, 2012 by PacManPlus

[KevinMos3]

I went ahead and ordered a 10ft ultra slim vga cable from monoprice.com for $3.93 in anticipation of taking up a project like this at some point.