Controller Compatibility

[VicViper]

Another noob topic, I've always used my Sega Genesis Arcade Stick with my 9-pin vintage consoles, even going so far as to buy an adapter to use it for two button games on my 7800. But i have heard through a bit of googling that Sega controllers can damage a chip on the Commodore? is there any truth to that, and would using my 7800 adapter negate that problem?

[carlsson]

If you cover buttons A and C with tape so you don't push them (only use button B), in theory the Genesis stick will work on the C64 without any damage. All these systems have small variations in pinout, and what happens when you push one of the "bad" buttons is that you tie 5V with one of the other signals. I don't know about the Atari, but the CIA in the C64 is designed to work with signals pulled low, not high. Pushing it by accident a few times might not cause permanent damage, but it highly recommended to avoid it, or castrate the Genesis stick by modding it internally, but then you can't use it for the Genesis anymore.

 

A gamepad for the Master System supposedly is more safe to use on the C64, if you must.

[gyuuu]

How about for the Vic-20 specifically? I can't seem to find any concrete info on whether or not the Vic has the same issues with Genesis pads as the C64.

[carlsson]

In principle the C64 and VIC have the same pinout, expect the paddles are read by the VIC-I chip. Fewer people use VIC-20 but I'd avoid Genesis pads on it as well.

[gyuuu]

Thanks carlsson. I'm curious, I have an adapter to use Genesis controllers on my TI-99\4a which doesn't even carry a signal from the A and C buttons, you think this would be safe to use?

[carlsson]

IIRC the TI-99/4A has another, entirely different pinout so it would route signals to the completely wrong pins. If there is an "adapter" that is straight through on pins 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 but cuts the connection on the rest, I think it would work.