fiudr Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 Can anybody offer any advice on using a controller adapter for my PC and Retropie? I see there is the one offered on retronicdesign and also the ones on 2600-daptor. I would be interested in using multiple system controllers (Atari joysticks/paddles, ColecoVision, Intellivision (original and Flashback) and others. It seems retronicdesign seems to work with a whole bunch of systems with just a single adapter. The 2600-daptor site offers their D9 which also supports a bunch of different systems. Does anybody have experience with either or both and could offer their opinion? Wondering if one has more pros than the other? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_me Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 I have the retronic usb. I've used it for intellivision controllers and atari paddles. It works great. The only drawback is that you have to flash the firmware in order to change controller type. The firmware source code is available if you want to improve it. Ask them directly about this limitation, maybe they have an update. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiudr Posted December 17, 2019 Author Share Posted December 17, 2019 (edited) Thanks for the reply. So, you have to flash the firmware back-and-forth on the retronic? That's a bit of a hassle. With the 2600-daptor D9 I believe you just set a small switch on the adapter to change systems, is that correct? If so, I think that is a big pro. I'll have to compare the two compatibility lists to see which systems each supports. Edited December 17, 2019 by fiudr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClassicGMR Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 (edited) 9 hours ago, fiudr said: With the 2600-daptor D9 I believe you just set a small switch on the adapter to change systems, is that correct? To a degree... I use the 2600-daptor.com adapters. I have the 2600 II and the Vision-daptor. Absolutely love them - you cannot play AD&D Tarmin without an original controller damn it! I use a set on my Arcade cabinet as well as my emulation laptop. The 2600 II supports 2600 and 7800 controllers, keypad, trackballs and some Flashback controllers. I personally have the Flashback II joysticks and love them. The Vision-daptor supports Intellivision(original, Sears, INTV II and Flashback controllers), ColecoVision(Original and Flashback, SA controller and driving controller), Genesis(3/6 button and arcade sticks), Master System and TI 99. ** I see on the website that the Vision-daptor now supports 2600 and 7800 joysticks as well. I did not know that. That would make it the one I want if I wanted just one adapter that was a catch-all (though no 2600 paddle support). Edited December 17, 2019 by ClassicGMR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiudr Posted December 17, 2019 Author Share Posted December 17, 2019 Thanks. Their D9 seems to support a bunch of systems - including the 2600 and 7800, ColecoVision, and Intellivison, among others. So it seems the D9 is the 2600-daptor II and the Vision-daptor rolled up in one. Am I mistaken about that? Here's the list of supported controllers for the D9 from their site: Atari 2600 Joystick/Driving (driving may be miss-detected, use joystick or paddles, then swap to driving) Atari 2600 Paddles, both paddles work (paddle #1 button) Atari 2600 Keypads - Keyboard Controller, Video Touch Pad aka Star Raiders, Kids Controller Atari 2800/Sears Video Arcade II (either side button, knob towards center) Atari 7800 Pro-line, CX78 gamepad Atari CX22 & CX80 Trak-balls, native mode (selected via switches) Atari CX85 Numeric Keypad Atari Flashback 1 Atari ST mouse (selected via switches) Amiga mouse (selected via switches) Amiga CD32 Bally Astrocade CBS Booster Grip for 2600 (grip switch, not thumb switch) ColecoVision, original & flashback, Super Action including spinner, Driving Controller Commodoe Paddles, both paddles work (hold both paddle #1 and #2 buttons) Fairchild Channel F (push down) Famiclone - with adapter cables: NES/SNES/Famicom/Super Famicom gamepads, HVC-051/NTT network pads, SNES mouse (A+B to swap A/B X/Y) - see section below FM Towns Marty (FMM-PAD301 - also hold shoulder) Gemini Dual Command (knob towards center) Intellivision, original & flashback - dongle available for using INTV-1 controllers without having to modify the cable Magnavox Odyssey 2 MSX & x68000 Sega Genesis: 3 & 6 button d-pad & arcade stick (gamepad "A", but can also use "START" for backwards compatibility) Sega Master System: d-pad, Sports Pad in both Control & Sports modes, Paddle Control HPD-200 (selected via switches) TI-99/4A - both joysticks (button on joystick #1) 3DO - and one controller in extension jack (press "A" on 2nd controller to appear as 2 PC USB joysticks) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiudr Posted December 17, 2019 Author Share Posted December 17, 2019 What about the "Ultimate PC Interface" revision 3, available from intellivison.us? That also seems to offer similar support for multiple controllers. Wondering how that compares to the 2600-daptor D9? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dualcam Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 (edited) I also make the Ultimates sold on http://intellivision.us/. Vers 2 is basically two Vision-daptors, and vers 3 is basically two 2600 D9's. There are a few differences in supported controllers between the Ultimates and the single controller adapters. The Ultimates support these 2 jack controllers: Intellivision ECS keyboard and piano, and Colecovision roller controller. Ran out of program memory in Ultimate v2, and so a few controllers that were added to the Vision could not be put in the Ultimate v2. 2600 D9 is basically Vision + 2600 II, but also has support for some more new controllers Tom http://2600-daptor.com/ Edited December 18, 2019 by dualcam spelling 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClassicGMR Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 Wow you have been busy Tom! Might have to splurge and get me one of them there fancy new D9's after the holiday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiudr Posted December 19, 2019 Author Share Posted December 19, 2019 (edited) On 12/18/2019 at 11:46 AM, dualcam said: I also make the Ultimates sold on http://intellivision.us/. Vers 2 is basically two Vision-daptors, and vers 3 is basically two 2600 D9's. There are a few differences in supported controllers between the Ultimates and the single controller adapters. The Ultimates support these 2 jack controllers: Intellivision ECS keyboard and piano, and Colecovision roller controller. Ran out of program memory in Ultimate v2, and so a few controllers that were added to the Vision could not be put in the Ultimate v2. 2600 D9 is basically Vision + 2600 II, but also has support for some more new controllers Tom http://2600-daptor.com/ Perfect, thanks a ton for explaining this. I very much appreciate it and thanks for making these available. So the version 3 ultimate does include those missing controllers in the vision adapters that version 2 ultimate had to skip due to memory? Edited December 19, 2019 by fiudr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dualcam Posted December 20, 2019 Share Posted December 20, 2019 21 hours ago, fiudr said: Perfect, thanks a ton for explaining this. I very much appreciate it and thanks for making these available. So the version 3 ultimate does include those missing controllers in the vision adapters that version 2 ultimate had to skip due to memory? Yes. Am currently out of stock of the Ultimate v3, but should be able to make some this weekend. Tom http://2600-daptor.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiudr Posted December 20, 2019 Author Share Posted December 20, 2019 2 hours ago, dualcam said: Yes. Am currently out of stock of the Ultimate v3, but should be able to make some this weekend. Tom http://2600-daptor.com/ Great, thanks again! I'll likely be placing an order next week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebor Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 19 hours ago, dualcam said: Tom http://2600-daptor.com/ Hi Tom, Regarding your adapter(s), has support for the 2-button C64(GS) controller aka Cheetah Annihilator ever been tested? I could not find mention of it on the website. For the record, the second joystick button is wired to Pin 9 POTX signal. More can be read about it from the following links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_64_Games_System#Hardware-based_problems https://www.lemon64.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=48672&sid=f96bb135ef11c43eb66c0bd4ca7fa186 A swap of the 2nd and 3rd button mapping of the Amiga layout appears to cover it completely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dualcam Posted December 22, 2019 Share Posted December 22, 2019 12 hours ago, Trebor said: Hi Tom, Regarding your adapter(s), has support for the 2-button C64(GS) controller aka Cheetah Annihilator ever been tested? I could not find mention of it on the website. For the record, the second joystick button is wired to Pin 9 POTX signal. More can be read about it from the following links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_64_Games_System#Hardware-based_problems https://www.lemon64.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=48672&sid=f96bb135ef11c43eb66c0bd4ca7fa186 A swap of the 2nd and 3rd button mapping of the Amiga layout appears to cover it completely. Don't have a Cheetah Annihilator to test with, nor have had any feedback on it. The "2/3 Button modification" article states the 2nd button when pressed connects to Vcc (pin 7), and my adapter needs a connection to common/ground (pin 8 ) for the button to be seen as pressed. I think it would be possible for me to make a special mode to support the Cheetah Annihilator. Tom 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiudr Posted February 22, 2020 Author Share Posted February 22, 2020 (edited) Do the Atari Flashback Blast Pong paddles work with Stella on the PC/Retron77, when using the Ultimate PC Interface cable V3, or the 2600daptor D9? This is the flashback Blast Pong paddles I'm referring to: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Atari-Flashback-Blast-Vol-3-Pong-Retro-Gaming-Pink-857847003868/977751017 My local WalMart has these cheap so I'm wondering if it's a good way to get some cheap paddles that would work with Stella, without the jitter issues so many original paddles suffer from due to wear. If the Blast pong paddles won't work (are they hard-wired or do they have standard Atari plugs?), would the paddles included with the Flashback consoles work, like the Flashback 8 for example? Edited February 22, 2020 by fiudr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluxit Posted February 22, 2020 Share Posted February 22, 2020 Seeing as how they apparently wirelessly connect to an AtGames system dongle that plugs into your TV, I'm guessing that they wont work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiudr Posted February 22, 2020 Author Share Posted February 22, 2020 Oh geez, I forgot they connect wirelessly. Yeah, that won't work. How about the paddles that came with the ol Flashbacks then, like Flashback 8? I know they'll plug into the Ultimate PC Interface V3 and 2600daptor D9, but does the firmware for those accept the flashback paddles? And are they an improvement over old beat-up original paddles? I know I can do some work on the old paddles to maybe help, but if flashback paddles solve the issue it might be worth it to track a pair down? I was hoping they would put some new ones out for the Flashback 9 but so far I haven't heard anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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