New controller

[Mehridian Sanders]

Decided to use an old dremel case. This way if something goes wrong internally, I can open it and fix it easily. Also the store hoop makes it easy to hang where I want it.

 

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[HOME AUTOMATION]

Looks like you've swapped out the dremel's bits for TI Bits. 

Hmm, 21 keys.

 

 

Looks like you're at about 18!

I wonder if this would be at all workable...

...easily interfaced eletronically...

I believe it could be pluged into TI's joystick port, but I haven't looked at the checksums yet

...and not sure if the keys are priority encoded, so that the fire button could override the directional keys.

...it's a bit slow, I guess. I suppose it would work for more relaxed games anyway.

...accuracy of a fast decode on the TI is also a question.

I think most IR game sticks use a dual IR system.

But maybe...

Well anyway, it would be novel!

[Mehridian Sanders]

I should have put more into that original post. It was late and I was given a "Come hither" look from my wife.

No excuse though. Anyway .. details:

The instructable for this controller can be found here:

https://www.instructables.com/id/Atari-Combo-Controller/

I wanted to have a controller that would work for all my play machines. So we have the Atari configuration port out and there will be a USB out, as well.

Just about finished converting a 2600 Light Sixer to composite out and while the Wico joystick will work, I dont have the "keyboard controller" or the paddle controller.

So I went in search of how to make one.

Only change from the instructable to mine is going to be the alternate USB out. Which is why I wanted the easier access to the internals.

More as it develops. Thanks @HOME AUTOMATION for keeping me thorough and exact

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[Mehridian Sanders]

Looks like you've swapped out the dremel's bits for TI Bits. 

Hmm, 21 keys.

 

 

Looks like you're at about 18!

I wonder if this would be at all workable...

...easily interfaced eletronically...

I believe it could be pluged into TI's joystick port, but I haven't looked at the checksums yet

...and not sure if the keys are priority encoded, so that the fire button could override the directional keys.

...it's a bit slow, I guess. I suppose it would work for more relaxed games anyway.

...accuracy of a fast decode on the TI is also a question.

I think most IR game sticks use a dual IR system.

But maybe...

Well anyway, it would be novel!

And thanks for the IR idea! Do games utilize keyboard commands and joystick commands usually? I'm sure the MBX ones might. If so ... hmm.. tricksy. Well you've stirred some intrigue in with this.

 

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[HOME AUTOMATION]

I think I see what you're saying. Most TI games don't use too many keys. A direct connection of that IR receiver to the TI's joy-port, would require a decoding program(possibly interrupt driven)to work with current games as written, and would surely slow them down a bit. Hmm, plus the games would be competing to use the port directly...

 

Looking over the joystick port's schematic. I can see that I overlooked the keyboard selector I.C.(U302) and diodes that block input to the 9901's P2, P3, and P4! It was early in the morning for me! Maybe connected to a different port... it would only slow the games down!

 

Perhaps with a small microcontroller... better options could be realized.

 

Then we could re-write all the gam... NEVERMIND.

 

   Bye.

[Mehridian Sanders]

Well its keyed for Atari. With the joystick converter should work normally. "Should"

I work in the land of "It Should Work"

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[+Ksarul]

Just remember that if your controller needs 5V to power it--it is not present on the TI joystick port, so you'd have to supply it externally. That is one major difference between the TI port and the Atari port, the other one is much easier to fix, as it just requires the wires to be moved to a different set of pins for the various directional lines.