Which of these two mods would be easier?

[tripletopper]

Which of these 2 mods would be easier? Both are a cartridge kind of like the Intellivoice which is temporary, and can be inserted and removed at will. 1 adjustment is for the INTV 1/3 where Arcade style 8-way joysticks, or analog USB controllers could be plugged where it divides a circle into 16 sections and you just have to achieve half a radius to actuate the direction. The other adjustment is for the INTV 2 where Coleco games and Word Fun and any other troubling third party game could be played by sticking this in between.

 

I would prefer a non-permanent solution, in the sense that I don't have to a) open up the console, or b) hire someone to do that, and in either case c) decrease the historical collectability of it.

 

I think both technologies are possible. The first one sounds harder, but I read they were intending to make the intellivoice a 4 player module too. The second one could be done if it has it own boot screen data added in between the cartridge and the machine or can temporarily activate the short without the risk.

 

(Sort of like component CRT TV, and a DVD recorder is a non-permenant solution to taping games and a quality display. You just Y it, and send one end to the CRT TV and the other to the DVD recorder and record it. Also a Sony Wega CRT TV is good for getting clear pictures on RF. You're not using it for analog TV anymore. If you want to compare proof, here are two somethings I taped for the Bally Alley High Score Club

 

Component Capture via DVD-recorder:

 

Composite Capture via VCR:

 

See if the quality of TV and recorder improves the visuals.)

[+grips03]

LTO Flash (multicart) allows Coleco games to work on the Intv2 console. LTO Flash is not yet shipping, but its a really nice product.

 

I make two Intellivision arcade controllers:

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/213043-intv2-arcade-controller-pre-order-interest-list

this one is for Intellivision console's only. It will natively plug into Intv2 and Sears Super Video Arcade. It will work on original model as if db9 ports are added to that console.

 

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/247443-super-ninja-controller-pre-order/

this one is multi-console arcade controller that takes Intv cart to use controller on Intellivision consoles. It will natively plug into Intv2 and Sears Super Video Arcade. It will work on original model as if db9 ports are added to that console.

[+Lathe26]

Minor note: the Intellivoice was intended to add 2 wireless controllers that deactivated the 2 built-in hardwired controllers. This meant that the Intellivision+Intellivoice was still a 2 player setup. However, the ECS does already add the ability for 4 player games, the only known 4 player game out there is World Cup Soccer (not the original NASL Soccer).

 

As for your question, the 1st hardware idea would be quite useful. The big challenges would be 1) writing code to handle the USB Host Controller chip than would manage multiple USB ports and 2) writing a HID descriptor parser to figure out the bits and bytes of each different joystick's data.

[tripletopper]

The main reason I want to do this is because, I never really grew up with an Intellivision. My 8 year old self handled the controllers and thought they stunk. I had a ColecoVision back then. I'd like to replace it with an 8-way arcade stick. I understand it won't work for games where all 16 directions are important. I'm just seeing if the way to play Intellivioisn games would be easier by modding an INTV 2 to play Coleco Games, or by modding an INTV 1 to add a DB9 (for 8-way games) or USB joystick (for 16-way games). The reason why I say this is becuase I'd like by ambidextrous Sanwa-parts Fighting Joystick to work on it.

[+grips03]

The main reason I want to do this is because, I never really grew up with an Intellivision. My 8 year old self handled the controllers and thought they stunk. I had a ColecoVision back then. I'd like to replace it with an 8-way arcade stick. I understand it won't work for games where all 16 directions are important. I'm just seeing if the way to play Intellivioisn games would be easier by modding an INTV 2 to play Coleco Games, or by modding an INTV 1 to add a DB9 (for 8-way games) or USB joystick (for 16-way games). The reason why I say this is becuase I'd like by ambidextrous Sanwa-parts Fighting Joystick to work on it.

 

I make a common ground PCB that converts arcade controls to what the Intellivision uses. It will work with fine with a Sanwa stick. Although Sanwa joysticks shafts are too tall and in my opinion, and hence are too slow for many games, example Ms. PacMan. Seimitsu LS-40 has a smaller dead zone, so I like those or the NeoGeo stick. NeoGeo stick has a very small dead zone.

 

If you search for "2609" in the Intv forum here you will find my write up on adding db9 ports to Intv1. If you rather not cut the case, Nurmix might be able to wire up some Intv1 to db9 cables. Just ask him to wire like Sears/Intv2 wiring vs. Flashback.

[+fdr4prez]

Nurmix already makes Intv1 to DB9 cables. They are wired for the Flashback controllers, but I don't think that really matters in your case. Or ask him to do it to match the Intv2 pin out.

 

The cables are sold via Intellivision Productions site.

[7800fan]

I have built an adapter that lets me use Jaguar controller on Intellivision. It is 8-direction for most games but not all games. I have been working on analog stick alternate but its on the back burner right now.

 

If you really liked Coleco controller, it may be possible to hack it to make it work on Intellivision. One would have to do something about the missing 3rd button as Intellivision had 3 side buttons (4 physical, the top 2 are same)

[tripletopper]

Coleco is not exactly the most comfortable controller either, especially for game where you have to manually rapid fire. The ambidextrous design sacrificed in firing rate by placing buttons at weird right angles. FIrst the Sanwa is just the stick and buttons, but is designed so each individual actuation can be wired to an individual joypad. The wires from the stick go to RCA females, then RCA Male-TO-RCA Males connect it to a standardizer which can let you arrange joystick directions and buttons in any order, so you can wire it one way for the nowadays normal left-handed way, or turn it 180 degrees swap the RCAM->RCAM to reverse the stick and rearrange the buttons, so it can play in an old school right-handed arrangement. Also the buttons can correspond to either consistent with Index, Middle, Ring, etc. like a fighting game, or consistent with left center and right, making it for games with fire left and fire right is more important. It can even work with 2600 Track N Field, where 2 buttons equal left and right, and Pac-Land on Xbox 360 with run buttons.

 

Form the standardizer island, it dgoes into a PCB of an original stick, with the standardized wires actuating the points. This is so I can make this for any system, Past, Present, or Future. All I have to provide is an original PCB of the stick. I would like to use the original 16 way pad for games that use it well, but for Burgertime, the 4 way (or 8 if you're allowed to round the corner, meaning it's not like the arcade emulated version of Mr. Do's Castle) would be perfect.

 

As for fighting sticks, (according to my personal preferences) they are best in games where you need to actuate a cardinal or diagonal specifically like inputting a Dragon Punch, they tend to make good action sticks. By the way, it has a 4/8 way switchable game. A longer stick gives more mechanical advantage which less you lose less force over a longer distance, and longer distances make it more precise to choose between a cardinal and a diagonal.

 

As for left vs right hand, both hands can press buttons equally well, like when typing on a keyboard, but moving your shoulder and wrist more quickly requires a stronger arm, therefore should be your dominant arm, which for most people the right hand. I believe Nintendo make their joysticks left handed to make the arcade operators more money by making it uncomfortable therefore they could jack their prices up, because the appeal of Donkey Kong is the uniqueness of a platformer at the time, not so much the control perfection. I've seen many people cross arms back in the day, LOOOOONG before Street Fighter, but less so in other right-handed games. Some games were even generous enough to put buttons on BOTH SIDES. Like Intellivision, 5200, Colecovision, Astrocade, and Arcadia 2001.

 

Here's a picture showing my setup on my attachments. Notice flipping it 180 degrees makes a good left-handed stick.

Edited March 2, 2016 by tripletopper